By Emilie Parten, the Reporter on the Rove
The Lion King Jr. opened in its first showing this last Thursday to a completely sold-out house with its following three performances also packing in the audience. With the show directed by the illustrious and creative Jake Wade, it will be a performance you won’t want to miss.
The cast of 55 children ranging in age from five to seventeen offers a diverse range of talents and skills that each cast member proudly displays.
With stirring performances from Ana Harper who plays the intimidating and diabolical Scar, and Izaya Zayne as the proud and stern Mufasa, the onstage chemistry between the two actors will draw you into the savannah.
Harper’s portrayal of Scar is a perfect combination of humor, grace and cunning. Her stage presence easily makes her a young actress that is not only a joy to watch perform but one you can’t wait to see again. She masterfully creates a villain that is fun to watch in every act, with movements that make Scar graceful and fluid while her voice transforms him into a fiendish and daunting presence.
Zayne’s stage presence is no less impactful. His portrayal of Mufasa is quietly powerful, with his movements slow and careful, much like a king who considers every action before he makes a move with small shows of playfulness thrown in to create a character with depth.
With notable performances by Bel Williams who plays Rafiki, Janie Plemons who portrays Zazu, Noah Ingham and Lauryl Freeze who act as Timon and Pumba respectively, Parker Durham and Daniel Leite who craft Simba in both his young and adult iterations, and Rhiannon Rustin and Ellie Casey who play both versions of Nala, the show is so packed full of outstanding talent, you won’t know where to look.
The set is masterfully simple, giving plenty of room to the cacophony of animals bringing them to the focal point while the costumes created by the skilled hands of Sarah and Elijah Ramsey, Olivia and Matthew Ritch, Stephanie Rustin, Kim Freeze, Ashley Dodson and Kim Bryant among so many other volunteers that make this show visually stunning coupled with the amazing makeup designs.
Is it a perfect replica of the movie or the Broadway show? No. It definitely has a few minor flaws that culminate from the cast being so young and inexperienced. That does not detract from the show in any way. The Lion King Jr. is, at its heart, a show crafted with love and enthusiasm, pulled together by people who hold an immense passion for the performing arts and all of its joys. The cast, very obviously, has a blast being in front of the crowds of people who have flocked to see the show and the fun is contagious.
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