Newark Students Perform Disney Classics At NJPAC

Newark, NJ – Several Newark Public Schools elementary students, along with students from the greater Newark area, performed at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) on Feb. 9.

According to a school news release, the students performed selections from The Lion King and Aladdin. The students’ performance was part of “Disney Musicals in Schools,” a national initiative developed by Disney Theatrical Group to create ongoing theater programs in under-resourced public elementary schools.

Disney awarded the Arts Center a $100,000 grant last year to bring the program to Newark area public elementary schools, school administrators stated.

“I was delighted to watch so many talented young children from Newark Public Schools and the greater Newark area perform on stage in front of their peers, family and friends,” said NPS Superintendent Christopher D. Cerf. “Thanks to NJPAC and the Disney Musicals in Schools program, our kids had the extraordinary opportunity to participate in this fantastic program and we are grateful our schools were selected to participate in the program’s inaugural year.”

According to school officials, NJPAC chose five Newark area public elementary schools including Branch Brook School, Luis Muñoz Marin School and Mount Vernon School from NPS for the pilot year of the program. Each school participated in a 17-week musical theater residency that began in September 2015, and concluded with students performing a 30-minute “Disney KIDS” musical based on a classic Disney film at each school. During the residency, students worked collaboratively, developing self-confidence and strengthening communication skills, all while learning and discovering the joy of creating a musical theater production.

The $100,000 grant awarded to NJPAC supports two years of programming and another five schools will be announced later this year for the 2016-2017 school year, administrators stated.

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Photos courtesy of Newark Public Schools