“Aladdin” Understudy Made it Just in Time to Play the Lead Role After Getting the News on a Flight Back From Europe

According to GMA, a Broadway actor who was an understudy for Aladdin was on a flight back to the United States when she received a call to fill in as the lead role, Jasmine.

What’s Happening:

  • Broadway actor Mikayla Renfrow was an understudy for the lead role of Jasmine in Aladdin.
  • She received the call she had dreamed of, but there was only one problem, she was on a flight from Europe back to the U.S. when she received this news.
  • "I was four hours into my flight. Our Jasmine, Sonya [Balsara], had fallen ill. The other understudy in the building had an injury. That's what kind of pushed us into, 'Mik needs to get to the theater,'" Renfrow recalled.
  • Time looked like it would not be on her side since Renfrow would need to deplane, go through customs at JFK International Airport, and make her way to Manhattan, which was more than an hour away.
  • Delta flight supervisor Leicha Richardson was determined to help Renfrow make the curtain call.
  • "This was a Disney production, and we were just going to make sure that we got the lead where she needed to be," Richardson said.
  • Delta even arranged a helicopter, which took only seven minutes to get her from JFK Airport in Queens to Manhattan.
  • She made it just in time to play this dream role with Richardson in the audience.
  • "We wanted to make it happen for Mikayla," Richardson said. "You know, she's following her dreams."
  • "It was just a gift for Richardson to be there. I did the show for her. I wouldn't have been in the show without her," Renfrow said. "Thank you for everything."

@humankind

Watch this Broadway understudy’s wild race from international flight to Times Square to play on stage as Jasmine in ‘Aladdin’ ✈️🎭 #broadway #broadwaymusicals #broadwaytiktok #delta #deltaflight #flightstory #goodnews

♬ Wings – BLVKSHP

Tricia Kennedy
As a huge Disney fan Tricia enjoys having Walt Disney World basically in her backyard. When she's not at the theme parks she is either playing drums or with her dog Yoda. She is a lifelong Star Wars fan and has ridden Star Tours over 270 times.