The theatrical adaptation of the Disney classic “Lion King” includes dance numbers, additional musical elements, and ornate costumes.
The show was produced by the Mesa Middle School (MMS) and Judkins Middle School (JMS) theater departments and was directed by their teacher, Marcia Geyer.
Geyer splits her days between the two schools, teaching at Mesa in the morning and Judkins in the afternoon. She has adored working with the cast and production team to bring the show together.
Members of the AGHS theater company assisted Geyer, many of them working on this show in unison with the upcoming spring musical Mamma Mia.
“It’s amazing to see how far [the students come] from the beginning to the end,” AGHS Student Abby Forrester (‘28) said. Forrester is a part of the AGHS theater program and helped the cast with mics and maneuvering the new setting in the Clark Center.
The cast was composed of seventh and eighth grade students and had thirty-four members. The students have been working on the show since January, learning lines, songs, choreography, hair and makeup, and how to move in their costumes.
Students have been working for months inside and outside of school perfecting their show. During the week before the show—tech week— students had rehearsal Monday through Thursday from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. They blocked their movements and worked to make sure the performers could execute every aspect of the show on the big stage.
Opening night for the production was Friday, May 15, at 7 p.m. This was followed by a 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. performance on Saturday, May 16. On opening night, the theater was full of excited faces.
The show took place in the Clark Center for the Performing Arts, which allowed students to work with professional lighting, sound technology, and microphones in a theater setting. In addition to new resources, students also got the opportunity to learn small portions of African dance and language that are embedded into the show.
“My favorite part of the show was learning the African dialect and having a solo song,” MMS student Cadence Clift (‘30) said. Clift played Rafiki in the production.
Improved theatrical and production skills, as well as meeting new people, were other prominent takeaways from students. Additionally, parents were grateful for the opportunities the show presented their children socially.
“He’s become more confident in himself and has built a community,” Jamie Kirkwood said, referring to her son Rick Kirkwood (‘31). Rick Kirkwood was in the ensemble and is a student at JMS.
