The six-month rehearsal that included interacting virtually with United Kingdom-based actor, singer, dancer, writer and poet Owen Chaponda on Friday culminated in a great creation as Jacaranda School for Orphans in Chigumula, Blantyre, staged its first musical The Lion King Musical.
Featuring a cast of 100-plus students, the musical—directed by actor, poet and playwright Frank Naligonje and singer and guitarist Annemarie Quinn— attracted an impressive audience that included teachers, parents and guardians.
The musical was also patronised by students, teachers and parents from Ridley College in Canada.
Chaponda played the lead role of Simba in the Lion King Musical, the world’s biggest theatrical show run by Disney last year. For Jacaranda, Yankho Biswick starred as young Simba.
The Lion King, which is the sixth longest-running West End musical of all time and features classic hits—is a story about a young cub Simba who embarks on an incredible journey of self-discovery where he ultimately becomes king of the Pride lands following the murder of his father Mufasa by his uncle Scar.
The revisit of The Lion King Musical was worth it as its story is relevant to the world today and saw Jacaranda School for Orphans giving the audience a comprehensive production that blends music, drama with dance.
The band and choir coordinated well to colour the production with sound.
The directors even did well to breathe in local songs, in addition to other well-known tracks.
The production also scored marks on costumes and props, which depicted scenes in the jungle where the audience was able to identify characters in the animal kingdom, including lions.
Jacaranda School for Orphans founder Marie Da Silva shed tears of joy following the staging of the production.
“I have watched The Lion King Musical outside the country, including at the Broadway in United States of America, but I never knew I would see learners at Jacaranda School for Orphans do it. Their performance today was out of this world,” Da Silva said.
She said they would try as much as possible to have the play go on a tour, resources permitting, and that The Lion King Musical marks the beginning of exploiting more musicals.
She challenged the school to create its own musicals, musicals that tell Malawian stories.
Naligonje said a lot was put into the production.
He was quick to say it was a challenge, especially with a combination of music, drama and dance.
“It is not always that you have musicals but I guess this is the beginning of more of such productions,” Naligonje said.
Solomonic Peacocks Director McArthur Matukuta, who is also Easter Theatre Festival Director, applauded Jacaranda School for Orphans for the production.
“I love everything in the play. This is commendable and I am impressed even with the creativity,” Matukuta said.
He indicated that the production would be showcased during this year’s Easter Theatre Festival, which would take place at M-Cinema and Alliance Francaise de Blantyre from April 25 to 27.
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