Lakewood Ranch High School theater students perform 'Lion King Jr.'
By
Pam Eubanks
| 9:20 p.m. February 9, 2018
East County
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A pink-and-orange sunset across the open savanna set the stage at Lakewood Ranch High School, where a pack of lions watched the demise of their treasured Pride Land territory. After the death of their king, Mufasa, a lion named Scar came to power and forced them to over-hunt the land.Â
Only the return of Simba, Mufasa's rightful heir, could restore balance to the land.
Theater students at Lakewood Ranch High School told the story well Feb. 9-10 during their production of "Lion King Jr." Theater teacher Roxane Caravan said the 38-member cast put the show together in about four weeks.
"It truly is a beautiful piece of theater. The show could be done without words," Caravan said. "The pictures tell the story really. That's what I love about it. There's a lot of powerful dialogue, too."
Students will perform again at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 16 and Feb. 17 and at 2 p.m. Feb. 17.
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Melissa Moore, as Rafiki, sets the stage for the show.
Kerri Crowley dances as Sarafina, mother of Nala.
Mufasa, played by Ty Dearing, shares about his kingdom with his son, Simba, played by Ethan Hall.
Lionesses in the Pridelands stand proud.
Zazu, played by Alexander Kraus, tries to keep up with the young Simba and Nala, as they try to loose him as a chaperone for their adventure to an elephant graveyard.
The young Nala, played by Emma Mandzik, cannot wait to get away from Zazu.
A hyena recognizes Zazu, played by Alexander Kraus, and threatens him for being outside his territory.
Scar, played by John Todd Girman, basks amongst the hyenas before unleashing his dream of having hyenas and lions live together.
Scar, played by John Todd Girman, gets an enthusiastic response after telling them they will never hungry after he becomes king.
Rafiki (Melissa Moore) looks over the Pridelands.
A grass chorus provides backdrop to Prideland scenes.
Pumbaa, played by Savanna Katter, turns his back on the world after it doesn't accept him.
Timon, Pumbaa and Simba, played by Cayla Hill, Savanna Katter and Spencer Waid, sing about being worry free thanks to their lifestyle.
Nala, played by Olivia Lafemina, sings of how the Pridelands has turned to ruins in the song "Shadowland."
