WOODLAND FINE ARTS ACADEMY

presents

woodland performing arts center
​Saturday, May 3rd, 1:30PM

Music & Lyrics by
Elton John & Tim Rice

Additional Music & Lyrics by
Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, and Hans Zimmer

Book by
Roger Allers & Irene Mecchi

Based on the Broadway production directed by
Julie Taymor

production team

Directors: Joe Eckstein & Molly Hoehne
Music Director: Andrea Downard
Choreographers: Bristen DeJarnette & Joe Eckstein
Props and Set Designers: Molly Hoehne & Kristin Mazzitelli (Mazz)
Prop & Set Design Support: Debbie Horvath & Desiree Mahiquez
Costume & Makeup Designers: Jamie Furno, Molly Hoehne, and WFA's Costume & Makeup Design Class
Stage Manager: Kristin Mazzitelli (Mazz)
Lighting Designer: Madison George
Sound Designers: Cindy Schultz & Ron Schultz
Costume & Makeup Crew: Costume & Makeup Design Class
Tech Crew: Production, Props & Set Design Class

act i

Circle of Life with Nants’ Ingonyama    Rafiki, Ensemble: Prideland Animals 
Grasslands Chant    Lionesses
The Lioness Hunt    Lionesses, Gazelle
I Just Can’t Wait to Be King    Young Simba, Young Nala, Zazu, Ensemble: Waterhole Animals 
Be Prepared    Scar, Shenzi, Banzai, Ed, Ensemble: Hyenas 
They Live in You    Mufasa, Ensemble: Prideland Animals 
The Stampede    Ensemble: Wildebeests 
The Mourning    Sarabi, Young Nala, Rafiki, Lionesses, Hyenas, Ensemble: Hyenas

intermission

act ii

Hakuna Matata    Timon, Pumbaa, Young Simba, Simba, Ensemble: Jungle Animals 
Shadowland    Nala, Lionesses, Rafiki
Can You Feel the Love Tonight    Timon, Pumbaa, Simba, Nala, & Ensemble: Prideland Animals 
He Lives in You    Rafiki, Ensemble: Prideland Animals
Luau Hawaiian Treat    Timon, Pumbaa
Finale    Company

LEADs

in order of appearance

Rafiki: Ella Hochstetler   
Mufasa: Parley Hansen
Sarabi: Melody Hardin
Zazu: Courtney Thompson
Sarafina: Julianne Beecher 
Scar: Benjamin Hansen   
Young Simba / Simba: Chance Horvath   
Young Nala / Nala: Alexandra Mahiquez    
Banzai: Ella Clark    
Shenzi: Avonlea Konczal
Ed: Ella's Hand
Timon: Polly Jessop
Pumbaa: Levi Mawhinney

Lead headshots

ensemble

Waterhole Animals

Musical Theatre Level 1 – Tue. Class / Choreographed by: Bristen DeJarnette
 performing “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King”
Camryn Anderson
​Cora Chaffee 
Naomi Daka 
Kai Elliott 
Bethany Givens 
Lauren Hatch 
Kaylee Indermark
Charlotte Lazzari
Savannah Medred
Annalise Morris 
Gabriella Morris 
Talia Morris 
Isabella Oshunleti
Cole Pisieczko

JUNGLE Animals

Musical Theatre Level 1 – Wed / Choreographed by: Bristen DeJarnette
performing “Hakuna Matata”
Gabriela Benitez 
Sofia Bennett 
Addison Devine 
Amelia Pruitt 
Isabelle Robinson

WILDEBEESTS

Musical Theatre Level 2 / Choreographed by: Bristen DeJarnette
performing “The Stampede”
Adalyn Bonnevie 
Bennett Butler 
Charlotte Chaffee
Ellie Cox 
Natalia Cruz 
Luca Elliott 
Lilly Fuhrmann 
Fallon Gabrielson
Cora Gerhardt
Savanna Rose Gill
Milena Hoehne 
Madilyn Moore 
Ava Neal 
Ava Grace Ramirez
Karsyn Reeves 
Charlotte Stratton

HYENAS

Musical Theatre Level 3 / Choreographed by: Bristen DeJarnette
performing “Be Prepared” and “The Mourning” 
Abigail Demus 
Valerie Forehand-Jones
Greenly Gabrielson
Lizabella Gill 
Eleanor Givens 
Gianna Gomez 
Lauren Hall 
Charlotte Larkin 
Fabian Melgar 
Rowan Morris
Selah Owens 
Stella Owens 
Leila Perez 
Jack Pisieczko 
Arielle Saint-Hilaire
Julia Thress 
Ansley Wilder 
Charlotte Wilson​

PRIDELAND ANIMALS

Musical Theatre Level 4 / Choreographed by: Joe Eckstein
performing “Circle of Life”, “They Live in You”, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight”, and "He Lives in You"
Bailey Amerson 
Channing Amos 
Peyton Amos 
Norah Bellew also playing Gazelle
Ana Elliott 
Eleanor Gassenhofer
Elly Hansen 
Grace Mitchell 
Aaliyah Ozit 
Ela Rose Sieracki
Lily Sieracki 
Julia Spence

CREW

COSTUME & MAKEUP CREW

​Costume & Makeup Design Class
Natalie Brost 
Mia Constantin
Carys Di Silvestro
Alexandra Mahiquez
Ansley McDonald
London Quay
Cadence Royal 
Abigail Ruane 
Gia Thress

TECH CREW

​Production, Props & Set Design Class
Amelia Evancic - Running Crew
Scarlett Evancic - Running Crew
Mason Indermark - Running Crew
Rowan Lavoie - Prop Master
Rafael Saint-Hilaire - Projectionist
Blake Sherman - Deck Captain

Theatre Company Middle
Natalie Brost
Mia Constantin
Titus Cook
Lana Egerdahl
Noah Gross
Ty Hansen
Jack Hardin
Brooke Hardison
Celia McDerment
Sloan Norris
​Logan Pisieczko
Finley Randlett
Sadie Rodman
​Emily Schappert
Annie Schroeder
Hannah Wojtkowski
Mikenna Yermak

Disney’s The Lion King JR. is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized materials are supplied by Music Theatre International.
421 West 54th Street, New York, NY  10019
Script, music, and all other material © 2015 Disney Broadway Junior and MTI’s Broadway Junior Collection are trademarks or registered trademarks of Music Theatre International. All rights reserved.

special acknowledgements

• Thank you to the leadership and staff of Woodland Fine Arts Academy and Woodland Community Church for all their prayers, guidance, and support.
• Thank you to Manatee Performing Arts Center and Bayside Community Church for the loaning of props.
• Special thanks to Bristen DeJarnette, Joe Eckstein, & Molly Hoehne for their leadership and oversight of our Theatre Department.
• Thank you to all the parent volunteers and members of the Theatre Company Committees for your contributions in serving and supporting the theatre companies, department and production throughout the year.
• We also thank all of our WFA parents, families, and volunteers for your support, loyalty, and dedication to the ministry of WFA.
• Above all, we give thanks and praise to our Creator, Lord, and Savior Jesus Christ—it is He who gives us life, purpose, and the abilities we have, and it is He who lives in us! “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

united in the spirit video

Script, Voiceover & Image Concepts: Danielle DeJesus
Visual Artist: Madesi Design
Video Concept: Mary Rennels
Academy Theme Artwork: Rachel Marks

academy slideshow - rachel marks

TAKE YOUR THEATre TRAINING TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

ABOUT theatre company

wfa summer 2025

join us for church on sunday: 
9am & ​10:55am

The music we play creates an environment to connect your heart to God and others. We’ll sing new songs from churches around the world and centuries-old hymns. We make music to please God and to build others up. Colossians 3:16 says, “Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.” For us, that’s what making music is all about. Our songs are a celebration of who God is and what He is doing in the Church.

woodland community church