‘Hakuna matata’
“Hakuna matata, what a wonderful phrase.”
“Hakuna matata, ain’t no passing craze.”
“It means no worries, for the rest of your days.”
That’s exactly how the students of Melody Lane Performing Arts Center feel heading into their production of “Disney’s The Lion King Jr.” which opened Thursday and runs through Dec. 1 at Ida Baker High School.
The talented troupe featuring youth ages 8-14 brings vibrant colors, traditional dance and powerful vocals to life, as they tell the tale of young lion Simba and his pride; both in terms of his family and feelings.
“Everybody’s roaring and raring to go,” said Melody Lane Director Dana Alvarez. “We’re really excited to finally be doing it. There’s been a lot of anticipation for the show and it’s one of those shows that for me – and for others, that we’ve grown up with, and are really thrilled to be a part of it and produce it on stage. Hopefully the community will come out and feel the same way.”
Thirty children from 12 different schools are involved with the production, and have been working hard since August to capture the essence of the classic that is loosely based on Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.”
One of the biggest challenges for the cast was the learning of two different languages that are often sung by the ensemble and main characters in the show.
“We had to learn Swahili and Zulu and lots of hard harmonies,” said Alvarez.
Those languages are put to the test in the opening number, as Rafiki – the rambunctious mandrill (in the baboon family)-played by Christine Mazuryk, belts out the infamous opening lines to “Circle of Life,” her powerful voice filling the room as the various animals of the pride land gather for the birth of Simba.
The children worked tirelessly both in studio and at home to perfect their craft, even listening to pronunciation CDs of the previously stated languages and watching videos of their choreography in rehearsals during their free time.
“We’ve seen a lot of the kids grow. From vocal ranges lengthening, to hitting notes they didn’t think they could hit and really getting the meaning across when singing in other languages,” said Alvarez.
Young Simba is portrayed adorably by River Reed, as he is pestered by his father’s majordomo, Zazu- a red-billed hornbill that is extremely cautious and uptight – played wittily by Eric Feichthaler.
Simba’s uncle, Scar, is plotting to assume the throne from his brother, Mufasa – and see’s Simba as a road block to that goal.
In the number, “Be Prepared,” Scar – brilliantly played by Oasis Middle School sixth grader Yovanna Ignjatic – plots to kill both Mufasa and Simba via a stampede.
Ignjatic shines as the villain, with the devilish accent to boot.
“Without Scar, there would be no story,” she said. “It’s better to be the villain, because it’s more fun than being the hero. Being Scar means just having fun and being evil at the same time.”
She said she is used to playing the role of the good guy, though the challenge of playing the anti-hero has been a diverse experience that she’s happy to take on.
Scar is successful in getting rid of both lions, who would have precedence over him to the throne.
Thinking his father’s death is his fault, Simba runs away from home, with the rest of the kingdom assuming he has perished as well.
He finds himself lost and alone, until he joins the exuberant comedy tandem of Timon and Pumbaa, a meerkat and warthog, respectively, that show him the meaning of Hakuna matata.
“It’s really fun playing Timon,” said Challenger Middle School eighth grader Macy Magas. “I like being the comedic character, I’ve always strived to get those roles.
“I’ve also never been in a show where you learn all different languages, and it’s really neat.”
With the help of old friend Nala, Simba faces his past and returns home to assume his rightful place as king.
Upon his arrival, he finds his old kingdom – once full of majesty and beauty – now in ruins and despair.
Emily Doan, who plays Simba’s mother, Sarabi, beautifully delivers the feeling of the pride land following Mufasa’s death in “The Mourning.”
You can feel the hurt that Sarabi would feel following the loss of her partner and son in her melodic voice.
“I think my role brings out my inner lion,” said Doan, an eighth grader at Oasis Middle.
She feels connected to her character and the environment of the show, truly portraying her character and the hardships she endures.
“I just have these emotions, even when I’m not playing a role, that just come out in me when I’m actually performing. Me and Sarabi, we just share a vibe,” Doan said of her relationship with her role.
In the end, Simba sits atop Pride Rock and all is well in the kingdom, as he vanquishes Scar, just as his uncle had done to him in his youth.
“We have put a lot of effort into this – the whole cast, and it’s been great and I cant wait to perform,” said Athena Rose Belis, an 8th grader at Oasis Middle who plays Mufasa.
“This show – I think we’ve all come closer together, we’re a family now,” said Doan.
“All of us our family now. I didn’t know half of the group in the beginning, and now we’re best friends,” added Ignjatic. “We’re all a group. No, a pride.”
Twenty-three of the 30 thespians will travel to Atlanta in January for the Junior Theater Festival: the world’s biggest gathering for young musical theater performers.
They will condense the show down to a 15-minute production for adjudication by a panel of musical theater experts.
The weekend also provides workshops and bonding experiences for youth around the globe.
“We’re super excited,” said Alvarez of their upcoming trip. “We’ve got our leads, yes, but it’s really about having a really strong ensemble, too. When you go to competitions, it’s not about one person, its about the whole group.”
All performances of the Lion King Jr. will be held at Ida Baker High School.
Tickets are $8 for students and $10 for adults.
All shows are at 6:30 p.m.
Ida Baker High School is at 3500 Agualinda Blvd., in Cape Coral.
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