Two weeks of busily preparing for the upcoming show will come to an end this weekend when the production of Disney’s The Jungle Book hits the stage at Permian Playhouse.
The performances are part of the Playhouse’s summer camp.
The summer camps started on June 27, beginning with auditions and then jumping straight into rehearsals with the kids.
“We’ve been working hard ever since,” Director Kaylee Cerda said. “We have successfully blocked the entire show. We’ve learned the choreography to every single dance and we’ve learned all the music so we’re on a good roll. Now, all we’re focusing on is running the show multiple times and getting it into the students’ minds and bodies and hearts and souls. They’re doing amazing. We did our first run through on Tuesday and it was so successful. I think they’re going to put on a wonderful show.”
The summer camp is made up of 35 kids who will all be in the show.
The show is based on the famous musical that most everyone is well familiar with.
“We love doing shows that are from Disney because most students know those shows and are familiar with them,” Cerda said. “They’re comfortable with them and these are shows that us as adults know as well.”
There will be three shows at Permian Playhouse beginning with a 7:30 p.m. performance today, 7:30 p.m. again on July 9 and 2:30 p.m. July 10. Tickets can be purchased at tinyurl.com/3wjsfz8h.
Cerda talked about the challenges of putting on a kids show in two weeks’ time but said that the kids have been great to work with.
“The time constraint has been the challenge but students are so willing to learn,” Cerda said. “I think that’s because we’ve been so removed from theater because of COVID and because of that, they’re so excited to learn quick, jump in and do whatever’s asked of them.
This is the first in-person camp since 2019.
“Other than that, there’s been no other challenges,” Cerda said in putting on the show. “They’re so excited to perform that you can tell that nothing’s going to stop them. The Fourth of July was a challenge because we took a big break between our rehearsals but the kids came back and knew everything and are ready to go.”
About seven different directors are working on the show including Sam Weaks as the musical director and Elizabeth Frederick on costumes.
Cerda has directed numerous different shows throughout her life but this will be the first summer camp show she’s directed.
“I’ve directed a show in the fall before during the school year and I’ve done a few spring break shows,” Cerda said.
Cerda says she has enjoyed the challenge of directing this musical.
“I love it,” Cerda said. “I’m mostly excited because this is my son’s (Chandler Cerda) first musical to be in and I get to be a part of it. I get to direct him but I love working with students and I love theater and I love seeing them get excited about theater as well. It’s so much fun.”
Frederick says this isn’t the first summer camp she’s worked with at Permian Playhouse.
“It’s been a lot of chaos and a lot of fun,” Frederick said. “There’s been a lot of fun.”
Getting the costumes fitted and ready may have its challenges but Frederick has had fun with it.
“It’s been fun doing all the animals and figuring out creative ways to put the animals together in two weeks,” Frederick said. “Seeing all the kids dressed up as those animals has been adorable.”
If you go
- What: Disney’s The Jungle Book.
- Where: Permian Playhouse.
- When: 7:30 p.m. July 8, 7:30 p.m. July 9, 2:30 p.m. July 10.
- Where to purchase tickets: tinyurl.com/3wjsfz8h
