The cast of Cabot High School’s production of Disney’s ‘Aladdin Jr.’ gathers during dress rehearsal on Monday evening. By JEFFREY SMITH
Leader staff writer
The curtain goes up at 7 p.m. Saturday on the Cabot High School theater’s production of “Disney’s Aladdin Jr.” at the Fine Arts Center.
Tickets are $5 and can be reserved by calling 501-259-1305 or purchased at the box office beginning at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
The fall musical is being produced with the help of 290 students from Theater II, theater dance, stagecraft and drama camp classes.
Director Ashley Tarvin said, “We started a new class last year, Theater II Performance, which allows our dedicated and talented students to produce a fall musical as well as in the spring.”
“Many of our actors are majoring in theater in college and an additional production gives them even more experience for their résumé. In the end they love spending time on stage and we have a ball rehearsing and preparing for the show. Our theater department is like a second family.”
“It is a children’s show geared towards a younger audience. I would encourage parents to bring their kids,” student director Cassie Adams said.
Adams said, “It is almost like the Disney (animated) version but shortened for time.”
The play runs 90 minutes.
Of being director of the play, Adams said, “It’s not like directing your peers. It is directing your best friends.”
Vocal coach Marby Addison said the hard job is having the actors sing, hitting their notes on pitch.
Starring in the production is Tyler Kirk as Aladdin, Navy Sanford as Jasmine, Wade Osterberg as Genie and Justin Blankenship as Jafar.
Sarah Ring is cast as Iago, Brad Puder as Sultan, Caleb Ruminer as Razoul. Bailey Jo Rhodes as the Magic Carpet.
Also in the play is Aaron Burnside as the Baker, Kelsey McNeilly as the Singing Matron, Taylor Burrington as a royal guard and Prince Formerly Known as the Artist, Jay Turpin as Prince Baba Ganoush, Caleb Ruminer as Prince Dahdu Rhan-Rhan.
The citizens of Agrabah are Amanda Moran, Kirstin Bell, Kara Hoover, Kristen Smart, Porsche Jackson, Candace Nel-son, Emily Simpson and Amy Roy.
The narrators and harems are Larrissa Garvin, Payton Overturf, Karissa Ploense, Katie Launius and Theresa De la Paz.
The story of Aladdin takes place in Agrabah, the City of Enchantment where residents are waiting for the arrival of the royal family. They will soon learn who Princess Jasmine is going to marry.
The Sultan shows Jasmine the possible princes he has gathered for her.
But Jasmine doesn’t want to marry any of the men. She wants to decide who she weds and when. When the opportunity arises she slips out and meets bread thief Aladdin. Together they plan to escape to the marketplace.
Aladdin is arrested by guards but Jasmine orders them to let Aladdin go. The guards tell the Princess to meet with Jafar about the freeing of Aladdin.
Meanwhile Jafar has written a new paragraph to an old order that the princess has to marry him if she doesn’t chose a husband before tomorrow. Jafar will also inherit the power and privileges of the Sultan.
Guards throw Aladdin into a cave full of junk. He finds a lamp with writing on it. To read the writing Aladdin rubs the lamp and a Genie appears. The Genie lets Aladdin have three wishes. Aladdin decides to be a prince and gain Jasmine’s love. Poof!
Aladdin is now a Prince Ali.
As a prince, Aladdin returns to the palace to speak with the Sultan about marrying Jasmine. She however is against a forced marriage. Aladdin continues to woo the princess.
Jasmine and Prince Ali are going to marry, until there is trouble with Jafar.
Jafar reveals that Prince Ali is really Aladdin. Jafar proclaims he must be Jasmine’s husband and the next sultan.
Jafar has possession of the magic lamp and wishes Genie to be the most powerful genie in the world. Jafar is now in the lamp.
How will Aladdin use his one last wish?