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Lion King JR

  • 1.  Lion King JR

    Posted 06-06-2015 07:37

    I am planning to do The Lion King JR next year with my MS Drama kids.  Any suggestions, tips, things to watch out for, etc. from those who have done it?

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    Jessica Satryan
    Arts Faculty: Music and Theatre
    Philadelphia PA
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  • 2.  RE: Lion King JR

    Posted 06-07-2015 19:04

    After investigating briefly, it looks like it has some considerable restrictions and is billed as an "experience" as opposed to a staged production.  I'm not sure what that involves, but it might warrant further investigation. 

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    Mark Middlebrooks
    Highlands Ranch CO
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Lion King JR

    Posted 06-08-2015 14:21

    Our middle school did it this spring - it was fantastic. The materials are OUTSTANDING, typical of all the Disney/MTI packages. It is called "experience" because it includes so much additional curriculum, even three African drums (all for the price of the showkit). The entire story is intact, although abridged, and the accompaniment CD is fantastic. It includes the song "He Lives in Me" from the Broadway production. I would recommend it without any hesitation.

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    Donald Feely
    Drama Director
    Canby OR
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Lion King JR

    Posted 06-09-2015 08:02

    Hey Donald,

    Thank you for confirming what the "experience" is.  My research showed it was just additional curriculum, and it's nice to know that is indeed true.  So glad you loved doing it - great confirmation that I'm considering the right show.


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    Jessica Satryan
    Arts Faculty: Music and Theatre
    Philadelphia PA
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Lion King JR

    Posted 06-08-2015 09:25

    Jessica,

    I too am planning on doing The Lion King Jr. next year. Maybe we can bounce ideas off of one another.

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    Douglas Parks
    Parkersburg WV
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Lion King JR

    Posted 06-09-2015 08:03

    Hey Douglas,

    I'd LOVE to!  We can move this to email if you want.  My school email is jsatryan@sch.org.

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    Jessica Satryan
    Arts Faculty: Music and Theatre
    Philadelphia PA
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Lion King JR

    Posted 06-09-2015 08:06

    Our middle school has chosen 'Lion King' for spring 2017 - so that we have a year to plan to make it a richer experience.  I am very curious to see the curricular materials MTI provides, and to hear what other schools do/have done beyond 'just' producing the show.

    We are hoping to get some grant money to bring in musicians and dancers/choreographers to work with the cast, and possibly the whole school.

    If you have done or planned complimentary activities and enrichment, I'd love to hear about it!


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    Kristin Hall
    Drama Director
    Lincoln Public Schools
    Arlington MA
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Lion King JR

    Posted 07-29-2015 21:29

    I am also using The Lion King Experience this year and aiming for a March performance.  Can we keep this public and upload photos, thoughts, and documents as we go?  I have been browsing this website and the instinct to go to private email prevents others from learning from our experience.

    I will start:  I made 8 zebra, 4 giraffe, and 14 lioness crown masks so far this summer. Well actually, I made the plaster cast masks.  I plan to have my stagecraft students add a layer of paper mache and paint them.  I encountered a few problems with MTI's recommendation of a clay model to use for plaster casting.  

    1) air dry clay takes forever to dry!

    2) air dry clay cracks and breaks apart when you place plaster strips on top of it!

    SOLUTION:  if you want to reuse the clay model for multiple castings, keep it damp and cover it with saran wrap.  Then place the plaster strips on top. Cover it in a double layer of plaster strips. Once the plaster is formed and firm, pull up on the saran while gently pulling on the edges of the plaster.  Boom!  A very well formed mask and a re-usable model.

    For the zebras and giraffes, I just used a plastic mask for the mold.  But for the lioness, I made clay model.  I will  be starting on the Simba, Mufasa, and Scar next week.

      


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    patricia banning
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Lion King JR

    Posted 01-16-2016 07:43

    Hello dear Lion King Friends -

    I'm looking for a few sources for supplies and wanted to see if anyone who has done it/is doing it has any leads:

    - Looking for a source for cheap grass skirts.  Ideally less than $5 a piece (that's the cheapest I've found)

    -Cheap LED flashlights (if you have a source for under $1 a piece, that would be great)

    - Any other sources for cheap natural fibers/materials

    -African print fabric for about $1 a yard

    -Umbrellas for around $2 a piece (using for jungle scene)

    I know that these are probably pie in the sky things I'm searching for.  I've found all of these materials for more than I mentioned, but I feel like there are probably places out there where I can get them at a better deal.  I've done general google searches, but I also know that sometimes we know some little gems of companies or leads to find some excellent bargain deals!!

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    Jennifer Simmons
    Lexington SC

    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Lion King JR

    Posted 01-16-2016 09:49

    Cheap grass skirts: try a party supply store. They have table wraps that are raffia and they have been fire-proofed, they usually also have grass skirts and sometimes grass curtains for doors.

    LED Flashlights: Harbor Freight or check the $1 bins at the front door of Target. They are also great for charging glow-tape.

    African print fabric: try taking unbleached muslin and painting or dying it in class. Great lesson on fabric and African styles of printing.

    The only cheap umbrellas I can think of go in my cocktails. Oh well.

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    John Perry
    Drama Instructor
    Atherton High School
    Louisville KY

    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: Lion King JR

    Posted 01-18-2016 21:23
    Try "Oriental Trading Company".  The products are not high quality, but they'll certainly work for a stage production (as long as there aren't too many performances).

    My go-to for everything these days is Amazon.com.  They frequently have sellers who carry the sort of things that I want, but not exactly what I want. By contacting the sellers themselves, I sometimes find that they have other inventory that they don't sell through Amazon that's more in line with what I'm looking for.

    Many local fabric stores and hobby shops have teacher discounts. Bring an ID with you. While they might not give you more than, say, 10%,  it's at least something, and there's no shipping charges.

    Have fun.

    Michael Bergman

    "Go and make interesting mistakes, make amazing mistakes, make glorious and fantastic mistakes. Break rules. Leave the world more interesting for your being here." 
    ― Neil Gaiman, Make Good Art









    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: Lion King JR

    Posted 12-13-2017 16:07
    Did anyone rent costumes for the leads? if so, what company?   What was your experience like?

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    Nell] [Lynch]
    Timonium MDMaggie
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    Original Message


  • 13.  RE: Lion King JR

    Posted 12-14-2017 10:59
    Our middle school is doing a production of Lion King, Jr. at the beginning of March.  We have a package of masks, props, and costume pieces that we are willing to sell for $1500 at the conclusion of our production.  We got them from another area group, and are adding to their collection with additional pieces and props.  There are 20 large boxes and a large elephant!  If anyone is interested in purchasing and picking up this collection after the conclusion of our show (we close March 4, 2018) please contact me at rtutterow@greensboroday.org.  Thanks!

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    Ruthie Tutterow
    Director of Fine and Performing Arts
    Greensboro NC
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    Original Message


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