The Lion King at Woodford Theatre is a performance fit for Royalty
The Production
Disney’s The Lion King Jr.
Presented by the Summer Academy 2017
at the Woodford Theatre
Photo by Emma Becker
Prideland, My Land
The cast and crew of the The Lion King Jr. certainly have a lot to be proud of. From the crawling ant to the leaping antelope, these children, under the direction of Vanessa Becker Weig and team, take the audience on a journey that will not soon be forgotten.
The production begins with Kennedy Johnson commanding the stage as Rafiki. Johnson has a sweet vocal tone that accomplishes the job of sage storyteller quite well, although I kept finding myself wanting more from her… That is, until the final section of He Love In You, in which her full vocal power is unleashed. And then I found that it was worth the wait. What a powerhouse delivery from Johnson and company!
The lionesses do a lovely job in supporting the Royal Family through graceful movement, solid vocals, and well-delivered spoken lines. Bella Wolfe as Sarabi is regal and dignified. Jaxon Becker as Mufasa commands the stage and speaks in a clear and composed tone befitting a king. Being one to appreciate dry wit, I found Brodie Blair’s sarcastic and slightly anemic approach to Scar quite amusing.
Among my favorite storytellers were Nate Krohmer as Zazu, Arden Stone as Timon, and Luc Vanderbrock as Pumbaa. These young puppeteers emote with high-energy that reaches far beyond their puppets.
Photos by Emma Becker
Hyenas: Be Prepared for Be Prepared
Although Shenzai (Rylie Sudduth) and Bonzai (Mauve Denton) command the stage very successfully (Mallory Grimm as Ed has her moments too), I found that there was room to grow in the performance that I saw from the other Hyenas. Yes, the Hyena ensemble features some of the youngest students in the cast, but young children can do amazing things! My challenge to the Hyenas is to use body language and vocals that are as big and menacing as the three Hyena leaders. It’s not the size of the hyena that counts, but the size of his bite!
Photo by Emma Becker
Hakuna Matata!
Although many elements had to come together to get this show on its paws, this didn't seem to phase director Vanessa Becker Weig one bit. 42 children on the stage? No worries! 3 weeks to put it all together? Not a problem! Masks, puppets, live percussion, dancers, actors, singers, props, sound and light… Hakuna Matata! Many hands made the task light with a large and capable creative team putting the various elements in their place. The lighting design (Clifton Grimm) compliments the set (Dawn Connerley) perfectly. Alyssa Sturgill makes the challenging vocals and many harmonies sound easy, and here's a secret: they are anything but! Choreography by William Parris, Puppetry lessons from Matt Johnson, Drumming instruction from Marcus Wikerson, and Costume/Puppet design by Karen Loeffler all contribute to a story that is stunning and masterfully told.
Photo by Emma Becker
He Just Can’t Wait To Be (Lion/Human) King
One of the unique takes that I was not expecting was the surprisingly human show-stopper, “I Just Can’t Wait To Be King”. Being more of a concrete thinker, I was expecting the classic interpretation in which a choir of animals-turned-co-conspirators surround Simba as he and Nala attempt to escape from Zazu’s watchful eye. However, Becker Weig's interpretation helped me to remember that the story of the Lion King is not limited to the animal kingdom, but transcends to mankind. Themes such as “He Lives In You”, and “The Circle Of Life” are common in all of humanity. Beck Weig aptly describes Simba and his imagination as “50% lion and 50% human”. Her take on this moment in the story captures the more human side of Simba and the circus that is his childhood fantasy.
Photo by Emma Becker
I wish you could see this show!
Performances for the Lion King Jr. at the Woodford Theatre are June 23rd at 7:30pm, June 24th at 7:30pm, and June 25th at 2pm.
Tickets are $10/$15
I’m sorry to have to tell you that The Lion King Jr. is sold out! For tickets to future shows at Woodford Theatre, call the box office at 859-873-0648 or email www.woodfordtheatre.com.
