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2016-2017 - 'The Ling King Jr.'
Students Make a "Roar" with Performance of the 'The Ling King Jr.'
Pine-Richland Middle School students spent many hours on vocals, perfecting choreography and assembling a colorful set for four performances of Disney’s The Lion King Jr. that they preformed March 30 - April 1, 2017.
The inspiring, energetic coming-of-age tale brings the African Savannah to life with an unforgettable cast of characters as Simba journeys from Pride Rock to the jungle and determines his future. Lance Bruno, eighth grader who played grown Simba, said he looked forward to becoming king.
“Simba is so chill, and I’m honored to play him,” said Bruno, 14, who got the acting bug last year when he joined Pine-Richland Middle School’s production of Annie and portrayed Drake. “When I was young, I was in different dance performances with my mom’s dance competition teams, and my sister has always been in plays, so I thought it might be fun.”
Pine-Richland’s musical program took an all-inclusive approach to the fine arts by holding auditions for principal roles, but also by not turning away any student who is interested in participating. For Director Noreen Daniello and Producer Mary Lynn Dugan, this translated into instructing and coordinating almost 90 cast members and 60 stage crew students. While it was not always “Hakuna Matata” during their months of preparation, but Daniello took the "no worry" approach of at rehearsals, so students could really relish the experience and nurture their interests and talents.
“Some of our students have been involved in musical theater for years through local acting schools and studios, while others have joined The Lion King as their first introduction to the stage and theater,” said Daniello, who has directed musicals in prior years at Pine-Richland Middle School. “We are grateful for the opportunity to welcome any student who has an interest, so they can explore the possibilities and learn new skills as other students refine their craft and showcase their talents.”
Seventh grader Maggie Allwein, 12, has received training from and performed with Act One Theatre School since she was 8, and she was excited for her first Pine-Richland Middle School musical in the role of young Simba. She said the cast has been working very hard since January for a show that audience members would truly enjoy.
“The cast is so supportive of each other, and it’s been fun getting to know everyone and being around them,” said Allwein. “I think everything that’s going on in the show – the music, the dancing and the acting – combines into a great production. There’s so much going on that it lights up the stage.”
An integral part of that dynamic energy came from the dance team and ensemble. Delaney Rich has been dancing at Wexford Dance Academy for 10 years and performed in numerous shows, including the Nutcracker, but this was her first musical.
“It has been an amazing experience working with my dance peers while rehearsing for The Lion King, and I am so excited to be performing in a musical that has so much dancing and meaning,” Rich said. “I love all of the preparation because the hard work leads up to a spectacular performance.”
Such a large production required a great number of rehearsal hours and many weeknights and weekends dedicated to designing costumes and building the set. As with most successful school extracurricular endeavors, The Lion King Jr. musical came to fruition through student commitment and parent volunteers.
“The students have put so much work and so many hours into making this an enthusiastic and entertaining performance,” said Dugan, who is in her second year of producing at the middle school. “We are also fortunate to have the support of the middle school administration, the parents and the community to make this become a reality for our students.”
The Lion King Jr. is a one-act musical, adapted from the animated Disney film and based on the Broadway production directed by Julie Taymor with lyrics and music by Elton John and Tim Rice. Lee-Ann Bruno choreographed Pine-Richland’s performance, and Angela Gross served as the vocal director.
The cast also included eighth graders Katie Cornetti as Sarabi, Josh Horan as Ed, Ann Howenstein as Rafiki, Samantha Koch as Nala, Jack Nash as Scar, Maya Pantanowitz as Pumbaa, Jake Romeo as Shenzi, Ava Sciulli as Sarafina, Noah Weitzel as Zazu and Victor Williams as Mufusa. The musical also featured seventh graders Shaia Faletti as Timon, Eva Hines as Young Nala and Logan Krushinski as Banzai. Additionally, eighth graders Sophia Greco and Abigail Turner serve as student directors.