Emery High to present Lion King, Jr., Musical

The Emery High Theater Department will present its final play of the year LION KING jr. the musical. The performance is set for the Emery High Auditorium on April 26, 27, 28 at 7:00 pm. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for students and children 5 and under are free. Elementary students will also be able to get a “$1 off” coupon at their elementary schools.
LION KING jr. is based upon the popular animated Disney musical but is a live action musical play. It is the story of a young lion – Simba – who loses his Lion King father – Mufasa – and then has to defeat his uncle – Scar – to meet his destiny and become the new Lion King. The play involves over 30 students. Mufasa is David White and Sarabi his wife is September Faucett. Simba is played by two actors Allen and Taylor Durrant, two brothers. Nala, Simba’s love interest is Madison McCandless and Kaylee Durrant and Brooklyn Potter. Simba’s best friends, a Wart Hog named Pumbaa and a Meer Cat named Timone are played by Ethan Anderson and Parker Stilson respectively.
Jonathan Seely is Scar. Rafiki, a mystical monkey, and Zazu, the King’s right hand bird are Cambrie Bennett and Abby Blackwell. Jace Collard, Jordynn Wolford and Dayton Lytle are the Hyenas Bahnzi, Shenzi, and Ed. With elephants, gazelles, zebras, hippos, cheetahs and a pride of lionesses the play has a very full cast of animals, these include MaKenna Bennett, James Clark, Cally Cordner, Kristine Cox, Kaydee Deto, Randy Dixon, Haley Guymon, Megan Hess,
Kelsey Hulse, Tia Hulse, Ashly Leffler, Anthony Reid and Brynne Urie. This final production for the year is a play that adults and children will all enjoy.
The production is directed by Neal Peacock with Marilee Cox as Musical Director and Shala Hunsaker as Assistant Director and Vocal Coach. This is the same team that earlier in the year produced Legally Blonde, ELF, and Broadway in the Desert. The play runs just under 90 minutes with an intermission. Thursday night will be ColdStone Night and ColdStone Ice Cream of Price will be donating free ice cream cups for all of the elementary age and younger children for intermission.
This play will mark the 195th play in Neal Peacock’s 35 year career and his 52nd musical. LION KING jr. is entirely produced from the Musical Theater class that is new to Emery High this year and requires an audition to be able to be in this course. But LION KING jr. will also feature members of the Emery High Cheerleading Squad who will be appearing and dancing as gazelles. Their dances will be choreographed by Dariyan Nielson.