Above: In just over a week, Southborough 4th & 5th graders will don Skyrise Theater’s Lion King Jr. costumes to perform the musical. (photo of a 2017 SkyRise production from Facebook)
In a little over a week, the Trottier curtains will pull back again for another musical performance about singing animals. This time the players on stage will be from down the hill.
With help from SkyRise Theater, Neary School 4th and 5th graders are putting on “Lion King Jr.”
Feel like you just saw a lion singing on the middle school stage? No Worries — the Disney play’s Shakespearean inspired plot is very different from the comedic Madagascar that Trottier students performed last weekend.* (Though, despite Lion King’s more dramatic plot, it does also include some laughs.)
As usual, the Neary Skyrise production is split into two casts, with each performing twice.
The after school theater program had kids practicing on either Wednesday or Friday afternoons. In case you’re seeking to watch family or friends perform, here are the schedules by cast:
Wednesday cast (Click here for the list.)
- Friday, February 7th at 7:00 pm
- Saturday, February 8th at 2:00 pm
- Friday Cast (Click here for the list.)
- Saturday, February 8th at 7:00 pm
- Sunday, February 9th at 2:00 pm
The drama is scripted as an hour long play, but expect it to run longer with an intermission break.
Tickets are already available to purchase online. Prices are $12/adult, $8/child/senior, and $5 for members of one cast to see the other cast’s performance. There is also an option to purchase premium seating (in the first few rows) for $16/seat.
*It’s hard to imagine that many of you aren’t familiar with the popular Disney story, but here’s a description for those who aren’t:
Based on the 1994 Disney animated feature film of the same name and William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, The Lion King is the story of Simba, an adventurous and energetic lion cub who is next in line to be king of the Pride Lands, a thriving and beautiful region in the African savanna. When Simba’s father Mufasa is killed by his uncle Scar, though, Simba is led to believe that his father’s death is his fault, and he is encouraged to run away forever. Scar seizes power and with his already unstable mind deteriorating, the Pride Lands experiences a darkness and desolation from which only Simba can save the animals of the kingdom. Featuring classic songs from the film such as “Circle of Life,” “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” “Hakuna Matata,” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” The Lion King is a story and a spectacle about identity, family, and responsibility that is enjoyed worldwide by people of all ages.
While the above is a script description of the full Lion King play, the Jr. version is the same plot and popular songs, simply condensed to a 60 minute version.
