LEHMAN TWP. — Lake-Lehman High School Theatre Troupe aims to whisk audience members away into the fantasy world of Disney’s musical “Aladdin” on April 21 and 22.
Students practiced a sword fight in slow motion on April 13 in an attempt to perfect their reactions to the impact of swords hitting swords. The scene is just one of the many challenges they must conquer before opening night.
“Put your bully faces on,” musical director Gina Major, director and producer of the groups told students at rehearsal.
The nearly 40-member cast and crew will present the hour and a half long production of the musical at 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 21, and 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 22, at the Lake-Lehman Junior-Senior High School’s Nicholas Auditorium.
The performance is the stage version of the Disney musical and features music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman, Tim Rice and Alan Menken.
Tickets range from $8 to $10 and are available at the school’s ticket box office.
Seniors Aleah Ashton and Courtney Richards agreed the performance is of a well-loved story but offers a variety of challenges for the student actors, including costumes and mastering the characters’ personalities.
Richards is cast as Aladdin, a common street peddler who wins Princess Jasmine’s heart.
Richards has played male characters before, most recently the scarecrow from the “Wizard of Oz” last spring, but this year’s role poses a unique hurdle.
“The scarecrow was kind of a goofy guy,” Richards said. “Aladdin is more of a masculine character.”
She studied her dad, as well as male classmates, to give her character a macho persona.
Ashton, who will play Princess Jasmine, faces a different challenge — a wig.
Jasmine’s long pulled-back hairdo causes a hindrance when it comes to stage movements, she said.
“The vocals are challenging, but the costume doesn’t let you move,” Ashton said.
Senior Jason Marcin describes his character Jafar as “one evil guy.”
“He is power hungry and wants to unseat the sultan,” Marcin said. “He is a demon of a man who wants to make sure Jasmine does not take the throne.”
Marcin had to perfect speaking in a deep low voice to reflect Jafar’s intense evilness.
Junior Julia Bucholtz plays the more mellow Sultan of Agrabah and Jasmine’s father.
“I have been told I act too motherly when I need to act more fatherly,” Bucholtz said.
The sultan is trying to marry off his strong-spirited daughter so she can inherit the throne, Bucholtz said.
“Jasmine does not want to marry,” Bucholtz said. “She almost has me (the sultan) talked into letting her choose who she should marry.”
Costumes by Richard’s mother Donna and Arabian set designs painted and built by parent and student volunteers led by Bucholtz’s mother Liz transform the high school theater into a Middle Eastern town and palace.
“The scenes are very colorful,” Liz Bucholtz said.
One thing Liz won’t reveal is the magic behind the flying carpet.
“I can’t give that secret out,” she said.
The battle for power and love will have the audience at the edges of their seats, Major said.
“There are a lot of great songs and dances, too,” Richards said.
“Get ready to have songs stuck in your head,” Marcin said.
