Front L to R Jake Hafen (Mowgli) and Chase Ellison (Colonel Hathi) rehearse some dance moves from the show Jungle Book. The kids from Bowler Elementary School will rehearse the show for 13 weeks before performing in February 2017. Photo by Teri Nehrenz
Bowler Elementary School Students are excited to be rehearsing for their first musical production of Jungle Book. Forty-eight students from the third, fourth and fifth grades will participate in the ‘Disney Musical in School’s program which is sponsored by Disney and the Smith Center of the Performing Arts in Las Vegas.
Disney Musicals in Schools is a free outreach program offered to a limited number of public elementary schools each year. Through the program schools receive free performance rights and Show-Kit materials to a 30-minute Disney musical written for elementary school performers.
Bowler Elementary School students Drake Wakefield (Baloo) and Kurt Felix (Shere Kahn) show exceptional enthusiasm as they rehearse for the Disney Jr. musical The Jungle Book which will be performed in February 2017.
Over the course of a semester, professional Teaching Artists guide school teachers through the process of mounting a musical with student performers. The program goal is to provide the training necessary for teachers to continue a tradition of theater education for years to come.
Cast in this year’s production of Disney Jr.’s The Jungle Book are:
Mowgli – Jake Hafen
Baloo- Drake Wakefield
Bagheera- Maritza Perez
Shere Khan- Kurt Felix
KAA – Keaton Wolf
KAA Coil 1- Shaylee Sudweeks
KAA Coil 2- Luz Salazar
KAA Coil 3- Matthew Duran
KAA Coil 4 – Elexa Ellison
KAA Coil 5- Kitzia Perez
Shanti (girl from village) – Olivia Sonnenberg
Silly Monkey- Joshua Matthews
Sassy Monkey Caiden Jones
Grumpy Monkey- Ashley Maldonado
Old Monkey- Miles O’Neal
King Louie- Rigo Quintero
Colonel Hathi (Elephant) – Chase Ellison
Baby Elephant- Kendall Reid
Supporting Cast and Jungle Characters:
Jenessa Hernandez, Makinley Empey, Jahaira Zarate, Brynn Andrus, Artlett Salazar, Anthony Bridge, Brandon Perkins, Reece Leavitt, Caden Julien, Leland Hill, Aaron Rogue, James Park
Laritza Molina, Kaycee Browning, Katie Diaz, Breanna Abbott, Aspen Swecker, Julie Mangascar, Jasia Hohreiter, Weston Felshaw, Michelle Andrus, Julia Leavitt, Krae Griffiths , Zaylee Paul, Ricky Isidro, Robert Smith, Ali Aceves, Kassandra Nava-Flores, Victor Martinez, Sebastian Ochoa, Camille Callanan
Teaching Artists Susan Schultz and Teri Nehrenz are thrilled with the cast and their enthusiasm as well as the support from the teachers, principal and assistant principals. “The school faculty has been wonderful and they are all excited to put on a wonderful production. We are so impressed with the participation; it’s so much better than we expected,” said Schultz.
The cast will rehearse for the next 13 weeks and will perform the show for parents and classmates sometime in late February or early March (Date TBD). On March 6 the cast will attend the ‘Student Share’ showcase at the Smith Center where they will be able to perform one number from the Jungle Book on their stage.
Disney Musicals in Schools began at Disney Theatrical Group in New York City in 2009 and was established to create sustainable theater programs in under-resourced public elementary schools.
Through continued expansion to new regions, the program has served thousands of students, teachers, parents, and communities.
For more information on the Disney Musicals in Schools program visit their web site http://disneymusicalsinschools.com/about.
Fantastic!! Our schools benefit so very much when they include the arts. Will the public be able to attend?? Keep up your good work Teachers and Administration. Thank you Teri and Susan. This is the action which make our Greater Mesquite area valuable to all of us. Maggie
You bet the public will be invited. We had a rehearsal yesterday that was awesome! The kids catch on quickly and are eager to learn new things. It’s wonderful to see them so excited! Thanks Maggie