Disney Lion King Jr. Musical Highlights Weekend Performances

Shown are cast members Dionna Bea, Carlie Timmons, Raia Sims (holding stick) and center: Vivida Jacques McCain; Laniya Brown, Phillia Hansbury; back row: Travis Norris, Lyric Hawthorn, Cassidy Timmons, Kineayeah Holzendorf and Brian Davis. Alvin O. Mitchell Photo

PNC Bank Arts Alive and Stage Aurora Theatrical Company presented the hit children’s production Disney’s The Lion King, Jr. to approximately 1,000 attendees for five performances, July 10 -14 at the Jacksonville Public Library Main Branch and Household of Faith Ministry Center on Edgewood Avenue. The Lion King Jr. is a two-act theatre musical adapted from the Disney musical, The Lion King Jr. musical was adapted from the animated Disney film The Lion King. The production ran for about 70 minutes and featured a cast of 22 talented third – ninth grade students. The top-rate production featured such songs as Circle Of Life, I Just Can’t Wait To Be King, Be Prepared, Hakuna Matata, and Can You Feel The Love Tonight. In unison, the audience joined in and sang along with the cast. According to Stephanie Miller, Urban Libraries Manager, “The production was amazing. The kids were so brave, getting up in front of their peers to present this program. The singing and choreography was very well done. The kids managed to memorize most of their speaking parts and where they stumbled a bit, they kept on going,” she said. The performance snared the audience from beginning to end while the sets and costumes were minimal; the characters the actors portrayed came to life by the way the cast moved and spoke during the theatrical performance.

Darryl Reuben Hall, Founder of Stage Aurora Theatrical Company, is grateful for the PNC Bank Arts Alive grant award in support of The Lion King, Jr. This grant award allowed for ticket subsidies to be granted to the attendees for youth and senior citizens to be able to attend the Jacksonville Public Library production at no cost. 
 
Additional sponsors and partners include the Jacksonville Public Library Main Brand, Household of Faith Church (Cultural Center), Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, Delores Barr Weaver Fund, Edward Waters College, and Greater Refuge Temple.  Kenyada Williams, Victoria Canady, Alvenia Effie Derban, and Drickus Horne served as Co-Directors. The production staff included Jann Clark (Administration). Deonna Sawyer (Technical Support) Joshua Levy (Stage Manager) and Alvin O. Mitchell for pictures.

 

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*