The cast of the junior musical, Aladdin, in a dress rehearsal this past Sunday. The show is full of songs, bright colours and dancing and promises to be a fun-filled performance. - NEWS PHOTO SAMANTHA JOHNSON
reporter@medicinehatnews.com
More than 50 junior high students, Grades 7 – 9, at Crescent Heights have been busy practising for the past eight weeks for this year’s junior musical, Aladdin Jr.
“For many of them this is their first time in a major musical,” said director and drama teacher Jennifer Davies. “We had a musical last year, SpongeBob, and there were lots of great performers and we thought this would be a wonderful way to showcase those talented kids by giving them their own show.”
Volunteer parents and others from the community have helped build the sets, run the tech, sew costumes and make props. At each rehearsal there are about 25 adults helping backstage.
The students auditioned in September and have been working together twice during the week and on Sunday rehearsals.
“It’s culminating in this beautiful musical that is a Disney classic. It’s super fun and high energy,” said Davies.
“We will have two shows each night as we are trying to appeal to lots of families. Junior musicals are only an hour in length with a short intermission. It makes it a good opportunity for new theatre people, such as young students in elementary school, to come and watch the show.”
Grade 9 student Jaxen Bouman plans to continue taking drama when he enters high school next year. He plays Jafar and enjoys being the bad guy.
“A lot of the character is being very sarcastic and I’m very good at that,” he said.
His sidekick, Iago the parrot, is played by Mia Chroun, who is also in Grade 9.
“I’m his comical, teasing best friend and I help him get the lamp,” she said.
Chroun uses her relationship with her much older sister and channels that energy into her character.
“It’s the same relationship almost. I love her, but she can be annoying.”
Davies would like to encourage everyone to buy tickets.
“It’s not often the school does a junior musical but this is a high calibre of show. It is a really outstanding show the community doesn’t want to miss,” stated Davies.
Aladdin will run from Nov. 30 through until Dec. 3. Evening performances will be at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. A matinee performance is on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. and the final performance will be that evening at 5 p.m.
The best way to get an assigned seat is to buy tickets, which are $18 each, on the Crescent Heights school website at chhs.mhpsd.ca. Click on the Aladdin link at the bottom of the page. There will be some available at the door as another option.
