Heritage Middle School Performs The Lion King, Jr.

This year Heritage Middle School students participated in the musical The Lion King, Jr. under the direction of Ms. Becky Clina and student director Juliet Mamazza. The standard stage show contains actors portraying the animals using costumes, make up, and even puppets. The students of HMS took inspiration from the Wakanda movies and decided to have our actors become tribespeople, utilizing costume pieces that pay homage to specific animals. 

At Heritage Middle School, we try to include as many students as we can in some way into our musicals. This really creates a “whole school” feeling towards our theatre productions. Ms. McCarthy and her art students painted incredible backdrops for the show. Ms. Aileen Finneran-Toback created many of the set pieces for the show including (but not limited to) Pride Rock, the wildebeest masks, the grass pieces and the grassland headdresses. Ms. Eleanor Allen altered some of the costumes to better fit the aesthetic of the show. 

Ms. Liza Mills had her students design and paint the shirts and of the headdresses for the animal costumes using various techniques. Mr. Duryea had his technology students design, draw and cut out the wood for the set pieces. 

As is tradition, students ran every aspect of the show during rehearsals and performances, from running the light and sound boards, to set crew, to hair and make-up design. At Heritage Middle School, students have the opportunity to learn every aspect of a theatre production, for there is so much more than just acting and singing. 

Photos from Heritage Middle Schools The Lion King, Jr. can be viewed and downloaded for free by clicking this link. 

Write-up provided by Ms. Becky Clina.

CAST

Young Simba…………………………………………….Aria Ortega

Adult Simba…………………………………………..Sean Parisien

Young Nala…………….………………………………..Stella Gaito

Adult Nala…………………………………..……..Caila McMillian

Mufasa………………………………………….Andrew Rodriguez

Scar……………………………………………….Carmen Burgarelli

Zazu……………………………………………………...Quinn Tracey

Timon……………………………………………...Emma Schupner

Pumbaa………………………………………………...Jake Corsetti

Rafiki…………………………………………………….Jayna Reaves

Shenzi………………………………………..…..Chloe-Ann Brown

Banzai…………………..………………..Gianpierre Maldonado

Ed…………………..……………………….…………..Divine Frazier

Sarabi……………………………………..………..Victoria Stillwell

Sarafina…………………………….………………..Cameron Merz

Grassland Dancers: MaiAhn Hoang, Isabella Luna, Delilah Rodriguez

Lionesses: Natalia Nazario, Camryn Patterson

Ensemble: Evan Almestica, Geralyn Santiago, Brenda Williams

CREW

Student Director…………………..……………Juliet Mamazza

Student Artistic Director.. ……………………… Alexa Prada

Makeup Artists………………………………..Samantha Fagan, Samery de los Santos

Stage Manager…………………………..…Gianluca D’Alfonso 

Lights………………………………………………………….Rilee Diaz

Sound……………………Chloe Moore-Marmol, Jacob Ortiz

Props……………Logan Jebourd, Delia Martinez Medina

Set Crew……..Yaretzi Cruz, Ethan Mahabeer, Melanie Mancia, Shaylee Nin, Alexa Prada, Hunter Ramos, Aryany Rios

Set builders/Painters: Giwenn Eloge, Dean Elabbadi, Nathaniel Rose, Sophia Kababik, Teyona Riley, Daniel Wang and Ms. McCarthy’s art students.

ATTENTION: Are your scholars or colleagues doing something great? Please contact the district Communications Team at communications@necsd.net. We’d love to visit your class or event and/or post your pictures and recap to highlight the amazing accomplishments throughout our district!