A Whole New World

Published 9:14 am Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Flying carpets, genies and sultans are coming to Bainbridge as the Bainbridge High School Drama team prepares for their performance of Aladdin Jr. this week.

The students have been planning this for several weeks, initially beginning auditions back in November, and resuming after winter break with rehearsals in January.

“We’ve had about, maybe seven weeks total to get this all together,” drama teacher Leigh Powell told the Post-Searchlight.

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The play is double-casted, with two students cast to play several roles. The cast consists of Aladdin, played by Cooper Genovar and Mauro Padron; Jasmine, played by Natalie Moore and Ashley McClanahan; Genie, played by Akevia Daniels and Anthony Allen; Jafar, played by John Ingram and Mina Dean; Iago, played by Teri McCord and Isabelle Campbell; the Sultan, played by Dominick Rosario and Dorien Dew; Babkak by Willie Ray; Omar by Jaqavious Wallace; Kassim by Nourah Holt; Isir by Emily Franke; Manal by Anastasia Davis; Rajah by Kinsey Ward; Abu by Emerson Huggins; Carpet by Bansi Patel; Shop Owner by Ava Prouse; Razoul by Kendrick Henry; the Guards (2) by Justice Ingram and Mitchell Carter; the Beggars (3) by Ashtyn Addison, Jerilyn Effland and Riley Williams; the Apple Vendor by Alyssa McClanahan; the Fortune Teller by Mya Backey; Prince Abdullah by Eli Logue; and the Attendants to Prince Abdullah (2) by Benji Anderson and Hunter Boyett.

Props for the play have been recycled from previous productions and given a makeover, while lighting and sound for the production are being provided by Vince Edenfield. The actual show, as a Jr. production, is an abbreviated stage adaptation of Disney’s Aladdin.

“The difference between a Junior show and a regular show means it’s shorter for time purposes,” Powell explained. “Also, this is one of the shows we perform for our younger students, so we like to perform a shorter show so they can enjoy it more, because with longer shows with little kids, they tend to get a little restless.”

Opening night is Thursday at 7:00 PM, with other community performances on Friday at 7:00, and on Saturday at 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM. There will also be shows for elementary and middle schoolers throughout Friday, at 8:30 AM, 10:00 AM and 12:30 PM.

“It’s exciting to see so many kids involved with theater, whether on-stage, off-stage, dancing or singing,” Powell said. “Theater is like an all-encompassing art form, and so that’s something I’m glad that the students are enjoying.”