By Lauren Matthews

The Lion King is just a wonderful musical, and The Parker Press got a little bit of a sneak peek of how it is going. The musical score is simply inspiring, and the actors are sure to make it a wonderful performance. I decided to give you a bit of an inside look of the musical with this interview with the musical director and Parker music teacher, Mrs. Rupert.

Why did you choose to do The Lion King for this year’s musical?

There were a number of factors that went into the decision for the musical this year, but my main focus was to find a show that could feature a large number of students. The Lion King, Jr. is perfect for this because there are many roles to be filled, and the Ensemble is an integral part of the show.

How frequent and long are practices?

Rehearsals are generally two hours long. We began by rehearsing 2-3 times a week, and we now rehearse every day after school. Rehearsals in the week leading up to the show can range anywhere from 2-6 hours! Crew members also stay after school a few hours each week to work on set design, costumes, make-up, and props. The students have been putting a lot of time and energy into this show!

How big is the cast?

The cast has 28 students in it.

Our performance will be Friday, April 22 at 6:30 pm. Tickets will be on sale the week of the musical during lunch.

Did you have an experience like this when you were a child or in school?

Yes, I did! I performed in all three of my junior high school’s musicals: The Fiddler on the Roof, Jr., Once Upon a Mattress, Jr., and Crone Goes to Broadway. (The latter was an original show written by my director for our school.) I absolutely loved it!

What should the audience be on the look out when seeing the play? Any effects, props, set pieces, or costumes?

There’s a lot to keep an eye out for in this show! To start, we have two different sets of actors and actresses playing Young Simba & Nala and Adult Simba & Nala. These pairs share costume patterns and pieces, as well as mannerisms – there will be a fight scene in the beginning of the show by Young Simba & Nala that their older counterparts will repeat later on. Be on the look out for those similarities but also the differences as the characters age and mature.

I would also keep an eye out for Rafiki! She is onstage in many scenes where she does not speak, always watching and observing. See if you can find her each time she appears! Finally, don’t forget to check out how much the Ensemble is doing. They have many different roles throughout the show, and they need to be quick and adaptable to shift from scene to scene.