Moana, played by Nahla Payne, left, prepares for her adventure with the support of her Gramma Tala, played by Ashlyn Taylor, in Moana Jr. The musical, which is based on the 2016 Disney movie of the same name, will be performed at the Holland Theatre this weekend. (EXAMINER PHOTO | SHARYN KOPF)
In defiance of the cold winds of winter, the Holland Theatre invites you to join them on the tropical island of Motunui when they present Moana Jr. this weekend. The cheerful musical treat is based on the 2016 animated Disney movie.
Moana Jr. will take the stage three times: Friday, Feb. 16, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Feb. 17, at 2 and 7:30 p.m. The performance lasts about an hour.
Once again, Windmill Productions has gathered sixth- through eighth-grade students from around Logan County … and beyond. This time they have 41 performers representing eight school districts along with nine homeschooled students.
The production is directed by Laura Atwood and Tom Stoner with Linda MacGillivray as the music director. Though it’s Stoner’s sixth time working on one of the annual junior musicals, he’s been performing in theatre since he was a Bellefontaine middle schooler in Kris Swisher’s drama club back in 2007.
Now he enjoys the opportunity to pass on that experience. The team has been rehearsing for three months, and Stoner’s impressed by the time and effort the cast has put into the show.
“It’s always nice to see how the kids progress from one year to the next,” he said. “They really grow and improve each time they come back.”
Nahla Payne, an eighth-grader at Benjamin Logan Middle School, handles the role of Moana with grace and a lovely singing voice. Her sweet disposition is perfectly contrasted by George Slone’s boisterous performance as the mischievous demigod, Maui.
Along with a large ensemble, the cast includes Charlie Moreland and Lottie Bodin as Moana’s parents and Ashlyn Taylor as her Gramma Tala; Brooklyn Browning, Oliver Jarvis and Nora Nichelson as the chief ancestors; Allie Schmidt and Lexi McKirahan as Moana’s friends, Pua and Hei Hei; and Abigail Frederick as the crab Tamatoa with Caleb Hudson and Leo Reser-Stanford as her Left and Right Claw.
Then there’s the ocean. Choreographer Suzanne Dennis had a unique challenge in bringing it to life.
“It’s fun to create a character that’s not a human or an animal,” she explained. But, she added, “Adapting a Disney movie to the theatre is hard. There are so many things you can do in a film that you can’t do on a stage.”
Moana Jr. tells the story of a young girl setting off an a daring adventure across the Pacific Ocean to save her people. The daughter of her tribe’s chief, Moana is called by the ocean to find Maui and free her island by restoring the heart of the mother island goddess Te Fiti. Along the way, she learns the truth about her heritage.
The musical includes songs like “Where You Are,” “How Far I’ll Go,” “Shiny” and the exuberant toe-tapper “You’re Welcome.” It also features some fun special effects, like colorful black lights and smoke.
Though tickets are selling fast, especially for Friday night, Stoner said they still have some available. You can purchase them online at theholland.org or call (937) 592-9002.
