Nearly 100 students are preparing to perform Disney’s “Aladdin Jr.” at LMS April 19-21.
There is something more than rehearsals and set building happening on the stage at the Loveland Middle School auditorium.
Nearly 100 students are preparing to perform Disney’s “Aladdin Jr.” at LMS April 19-21. Director Carol Hall assistant directors Dora Slyder, Judi McDaniel, and set designer Kent Slyder choose shows with a theme; a sort of life lesson for each year.
“Our theme for this year is you had the power the whole time,” said Hall.
During the fall performance of “Wizard of Oz” they talked to the kids about Dorothy having the power within her to go home the whole time. “Aladdin Jr.” delivers the same theme with different characters and a different story.
“We’ve got fabulous talented kids’ telling the story of the street rat meets princess, falls in love, tries to change himself to keep that love,” Hall said, “but realizes in the end all he needed to be was himself.”
Hall has Loveland High School students Laura Rountree, Hannah McDaniel, Kaylee Michael and Adam Zdrojewski helping mentor the cast of 59 and crew of 26 seventh and eighth grade students with direction, lighting, choreography and sound. That’s a lot of kids participating.
“I just want there to be a place where the kids feel included,” said Hall. “We don’t cut for this program. I don’t feel like we should say you don’t belong here. That’s why we end up with a hundred kids.”
In her fourth year as director of the middle school drama program, Hall hopes she has found a way to give back, not just to the students, but to the community and beyond in need. Each year they choose to support an outreach program with the performances. Last year it was the Dragonfly Foundation providing support for parents, siblings, and caregivers of hospitalized young patients. This year it was Blessing Bags of Love.
“This year the kids brought in donations,” she said. “We filled probably about 130 bags full of food, toiletries and personal care items.”
Volunteers from Blessings Bags of Love go out every week of the year and distribute the bags to homeless individuals throughout Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. The message Hall hopes the kids receive is that they use their talent to “bring the gift of laughter and joy” to the audience for a couple hours. In turn, they can use those gifts to help others. As in “Oz’ and “Aladdin,” they have all they need within them.
“We have that power to change our own life, we have the power to change the lives of others,” Hall concluded. “Our choice is to have a direct impact on the lives of others.”
It is why they chose Blessing Bags of Love. It is why they perform the final dress rehearsal for young patients brought in by the Dragonfly Foundation. It is why there is something more than theater happening on the stage at the Loveland Middle School.
More at: http://www.lovelandschools.org/Drama.aspx
Loveland Middle School presents: “Aladdin Jr.”
April 19-21 (Thursday-Saturday)
Performances: Evenings at 7 p.m. and 3 p.m. matinee Saturday
Tickets: $9 plus processing fee online, or $10 at the door.
Special Prince and Princess storytime 2-2:30 p.m. Saturday
