Fergus elementary students present the Lion King
Nearly 100 St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School students participated in play
FERGUS – Children singing in colourful costumes filled the gymnasium at St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School in Fergus last week, as the school presented the musical Lion King Junior.
“The entire production was a huge labour of love and was supported by the whole St. Joseph community,” special education teacher and play director Diane Lyons told the Advertiser.
Since September, students dedicated their recesses five days per week to prepare for the play, including 76 in the cast and 19 crew members. Starting in November, they added two weekly after-school rehearsals.
All sets and props on stage were created by school staff, as well as some of the costumes, though most were rented for the show.
It was funded in part by the school parent council, which raised money for the costumes. The cast and crew held a bake sale to support the play – a student-driven and led fundraiser.
The play was choreographed by Kayla Cookson and Racheala Denardis and the music director was Laura Heffernan.
TOP LEFT: Young Simba (Grace Dobbs, Grade 5) has a heart to heart with dad Mufasa (Brooke Gordon, Grade 8). TOP MIDDLE: Nala and Simba prepare to fight the hyenas, with help from their guardian Zazu. Grace TOP RIGHT: Hyenas Shenzi (Estelle Lambert, Grade 8) Banzai (Jayliah Roberts, Grade 4) and Ed (Hailey Cooper, Grade 4) try to capture young Nala. ABOVE LEFT: Uncle Scar (Tessa Morris, Grade 7) frightens young Simba. ABOVE MIDDLE: Simba grieves over his father Mufasa’s body. ABOVE RIGHT: Simba (Gabriel Benshimol, Grade 8) dances with Timon (Emilia Edwards-Perrin, Grade 4) and Pumbaa (Bellamy van Roeden, Grade 5). Photos by Robin George
TOP LEFT: Simba and Nala (Brooke Hamilton, Grade 6) falling in love. TOP CENTRE: Simba fights with his uncle Scar. TOP RIGHT: Simba returns to the pride as king after his exile. From left, Zazu, Nala, Simba and Rafiki. ABOVE LEFT: Hyenas Shenzi, Banzai and Ed prepare to take a final bow at the end of the show. ABOVE RIGHT: The cast sings and dance at the end of St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School's production of the Lion King Junior on May 20. Photos by Robin George
