‘The Lion King Jr.’ roars its way into Sequim starting tonight

By Erin Hawkins

Olympic Peninsula News Group

SEQUIM — Broadway is coming to town.

Sequim Middle School students are gearing up for Disney’s “The Lion King Jr.,” which will show at 7 p.m. today and Friday in the Sequim High School auditorium at 601 N. Sequim Ave.

Admission is free.

The musical is an adapted version of the live Broadway play created by a Broadway Junior series through an organization called Music Theatre International that adapts plays for middle school students. The production features a cast of more than 30 middle school students and one high school student playing the role of Mufasa.

“With this particular show, I really feel like we have an incredible cast,” said John Lorentzen, director and choir teacher. “These young kids, there’s a couple of them I think could be doing these roles on Broadway.”

Tryouts for the musical were held this past November, and the students have been rehearsing every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday since January.

The lead cast features Kariya Johnson, Damien Cundiff, Kendall Hastings, Julia Jeffers, Anthony Cortani, Keaton King, Henry Hughes, Danika Chen, Maddy Dietzman, Hailey Collier, Jordan Hegtuegt, Chayil Briggs, Aaron Tolberd, Ayden Humphries and John Francis.

Many students said they enjoy singing and acting, while others, such as Maddy playing older Nala and Kariya playing Rafiki, said the play also is a great way to make friends and meet students at all grade levels. Julia said she was surprised she got the part of Zazu, as this is her first big role as a sixth-grade student.

The past three years, the school has produced a musical with the Broadway Junior series, and this year, Lorentzen said they chose one that would be fun to do with access to a full set of costumes assembled by a costume rental company in New Jersey. The musical’s expenses are covered under the school’s Associated Student Body budget.

The rest of “The Lion King Jr.” cast includes Ruby Coulson, Lindsey Coffman, Nia Haley, Keyanna Cundiff, Teagan Hough, Julia Jack, Norah Schmidt, Anastasia Updike, Rayne Cole, Cassidy Crecelius, Lacey Loewen, Destiny Mae Neill, Kellan Northhaven, Alexia Martin, Alyssa Bonheyo, Ryan Gourley, Madelyn Pickens, Kyle Rosengren, Talon Wilhelm, Brooklyn Castle, Emily McOmber, Addi Reynolds, Phoebe Sampson and Karlie Viada.