Lion King Kids Playbill - Summer@Chandler 2026 Session 1

PLAYBILL

Performing Arts Intensive presents

SATURDAY @ 2 PM SESSION I July 18 SESSION II August 1

directed by BRANDI WILLIAMS-MOORE

Chandler School’s Creative Director & Performing Arts Chair

AGBU Vatche & Tamar Manoukian

Performing Arts Center 2495 E Mountain St, Pasadena

Performing Arts Intensive presents

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

Creative Team

Director & Producer Brandi Williams-Moore

Music Direction James Connor & Talia Saldana

Choreography Jasmine Larsuel

Stage Manager Yadira Valerio

Administrative Coordinator Cynthia Hernandez

Costume Designer Megan Sanders

Production Assistant LaBrea Wright

Director’s Note

Welcome to The Lion King KIDS

Two weeks ago, many of these students walked through the doors excited, nervous, and unsure of what to expect. Today, they stand before you as storytellers, performers, teammates, and friends. Watching that transformation is what I love most about this program.

Theater has a unique way of bringing out the very best in young people. Over the past two weeks, our students have built confidence, taken creative risks, discovered new talents, and formed friendships that will last long after summer ends. Along the way, they became a theater family.

One of the most special parts of this experience has been watching our student directors—alumni of Chandler’s middle school productions- return to mentor and inspire our youngest performers. Seeing these students give back to a program they once participated in is a beautiful reminder of the Circle of Life and the lasting impact of the arts.

I am incredibly grateful for our dynamic team of instructors, designers, staff, and volunteers who helped bring this production to life. Their passion, dedication, and belief in our students made it possible to create a professional theater experience where every child could grow, shine, and feel successful. As a director, it is a privilege to work alongside this team and our student leaders to help each child discover their voice and confidence. There is nothing more rewarding than watching students surprise themselves with what they can accomplish in such a short amount of time.

The Lion King is a story that endures because its message is timeless. Like Simba, our students have grown through friendship, courage, and self-discovery. And as Mufasa reminds us, those who guide and inspire us never truly leave us; they live on in us. Thank you for being here to celebrate these remarkable young performers. We are so proud of them and grateful to share their journey with you.

Enjoy the show!

Brandi Williams-Moore, Creative Director

Creative Team BIOS

Brandi Williams-Moore DIRECTOR

Brandi Williams-Moore is proud to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Summer@Chandler Performing Arts Intensive, a program she has had the privilege of leading and growing into a vibrant theatrical community. Now in her 13th year at Chandler School, she brings more than 20 years of experience in music and performing arts education, with degrees from Berklee College of Music and Pepperdine University. Brandi is passionate about creating joyful, inclusive experiences where every young performer builds confidence, creativity, collaboration, and a lifelong love of the performing arts.

James Connor MUSIC DIRECTOR

James Connor is honored to serve as the Music Director for Chandler’s Summer Musical Theatre Intensive production of The Lion King KIDS . A familiar face to many families, James previously served as a music teacher at Chandler, and it has been a joy to welcome him back to guide this talented cast. With more than 20 years of experience as a music educator and performer, he is passionate about helping young artists build confidence, creativity, and a lifelong love of music. James extends his heartfelt thanks to Brandi Williams-Moore for the opportunity to join such a dynamic and inspiring creative team. Congratulations to the entire cast and crew on a wonderful production!

Creative Team BIOS

LaBrea Wright PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

LaBrea Wright is delighted to join the Summer@ Chandler Performing Arts Intensive as a Production Assistant. A familiar face to many Chandler students through Extended Care and Summer at Chandler, she brings warmth, enthusiasm, and a genuine love for working with children. LaBrea supports campers throughout the day, helping rehearsals run smoothly and creating a positive, encouraging environment. Her energy, kindness, and dedication have made her a wonderful addition to this summer’s production team.

Megan Sanders COSTUME DESIGN

Megan Sanders is thrilled to serve as the Costume Designer for The Lion King KIDS , bringing imagination, color, and storytelling to life through costume design. Megan has worked on several past productions, helping shape the visual identity of many beloved shows. She loves collaborating with students and staff to create costumes that not only look beautiful but also help performers step fully into their characters. Megan is grateful to be part of this production and proud to support the incredible students who bring the stage to life.

Yadira Valerio STAGE MANAGER

Yadira is thrilled to serve as Stage Manager for Summer@Chandler Performing Arts Intensive, where she combines her passion for theater with her love of working with young performers. A 6th-grade Spanish teacher at Chandler, she brings energy, organization, and a deep commitment to student growth to the program. She especially enjoys watching students step into new challenges, discover their confidence, and shine in ways they never expected. Seeing campers grow as performers, teammates, and leaders throughout the process is one of the most rewarding parts of bringing each production to life.

Creative Team BIOS

Cynthia Hernandez ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR

Cynthia Hernandez is excited to return for her third summer as the Administrative Coordinator for Summer@Chandler’s Performing Arts Intensive. A first-grade teacher at Chandler School, she brings warmth, patience, and boundless enthusiasm to the program. Cynthia keeps the intensive running smoothly behind the scenes while also drawing on her background in dance to assist with choreography and work directly with campers. She loves creating a fun, organized, and supportive environment where every student can thrive.

Jasmine Larsuel CHOREOGRAPHER

Jasmine Larusel serves as the Choreographer for The Lion King KIDS . She proudly leads movement, joy, and confidence to our youngest performers. Affectionately known by students as “Ms. Jasmine,” she has worked at Chandler for over 10 years, where her classes are known as welcoming, creative spaces where students feel safe, supported, and inspired to express themselves through dance. Jasmine has worked on numerous Summer@Chandler musicals and continues to shape performers with her artistry, warmth, and dedication. She is deeply proud of the students’ hard work and thrilled to help bring this production to life.

Miguel Aguilera AUDIO SUPERVISION

Miguel Aguilera is a Los Angeles–born audio engineer with over six years of experience in live sound and production. He began his career producing the community-driven Apiary Music and Arts event in Compton and has since worked across corporate and live music spaces, including events for Apple, Netflix, and the Dodgers, as well as live sound for artists such as Laufey, The Marías, and Anderson.Paak. He is currently finishing his MFA in Creative Writing, where he was one of four students selected in his cohort. Known for his relentless work ethic, Miguel remains deeply committed to serving the communities that shaped him.

Creative Team BIOS

Talia Saldana ASSISTANT MUSIC DIRECTOR

Talia Saldana is delighted to return for her second summer with Chandler’s Summer Performing Arts Intensive as Assistant Music Director. She brings an infectious love of singing and is passionate about helping young performers develop vocal technique, confidence, harmony, and stage presence. Talia’s patience, encouragement, and enthusiasm inspire students to grow as both singers and performers. Her dedication to the campers and the production has made her an invaluable part of this summer’s creative team.

Yolanda

Yolanda Barker is proud to serve on the Set Design Team for The Lion King KIDS , collaborating with Mrs. Williams-Moore and her team to help bring her creative vision to life. A longtime member of the Chandler community, Yolanda is a parent of a Chandler alum and has contributed her creativity and expertise to several previous Chandler productions. Outside of school, she is the owner of Fabuless Events, where she works as an event planner known for transforming ideas into memorable experiences. Yolanda is grateful to be part of this production and to support the incredible students who make it shine.

Musical Numbers & Scenes

Scene 1: Pride Rock Circle of Life with Nant’s Ingonyama

Scene 2: Scar’s Cave

Scene 3: The Pridelands

Scene 4: Scar’s Cave

Scene 5: The Pridelands I Just Can’t Wait to Be King

Scene 6: The Elephant Graveyard Be Prepared

Scene 7: The Pridelands They Live In You

Scene 8: The Gorge The Stampede

There will be a 15-minute intermission

Scene 9: The Jungle

Hakuna Matata Part 1

Hakuna Matata Part 2

Scene 10 Shadowland

INTERMISSION

Scene 11: The Jungle Can You Feel The Love Tonight He Lives in You

Scene 12: The Pride Lands Finale

Cast, Crew & Production Team

PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS

RAFIKI 1 Maya Hung

RAFIKI 2 Morgan Marshall

RAFIKI 3 Mikayla Moore

RAFIKI 4 Ayla Quan

RAFIKI 5 Sheridan Good

MUFASA James Baker

SARABI Lucy Ufford

ZAZU Juleza Dancer

SCAR Osai Roulet

YOUNG SIMBA Charlie Ren

ADULT SIMBA Simon Katzberg

YOUNG NALA Francesca Rota

ADULT NALA Nikko Willis

BANZAI Julien Lewis

SHENZI Grace Jiang

ED Ethan Bravo

TIMON June Cavic

PUMBAA Willy Rothenberg

ENSEMBLE

LIONESSES

Arya Agarwala

Ava Bravo

Chloe Moore

Cosette Jeereddi

Eloise Brown

Georgina Nabhani

Laleh Young

Maeve McElheney

Sufya Ahmadi

Tessa Tien

HYENAS Baron Jeereddi

Evan Laverty

Evie Nabhani

Kingston Grant

Lochlan Laverty

Cast, Crew & Production Team

HYENAS

Maison Young

Mia Firchau

Owen Ufford

Vivian Reardon-Childs

Zara Patel

JUNGLE Claire Ma ENSEMBLE

Claire Pinckney

Evelyn Collins

Eishaan Shah

Hiroki Sridahran

Lucia Sanders

STUDENT DIRECTORS

Grayson Rabins

Harrison Garcia

Penelope Lofton

Kathryn Ortiz

Isabelle DeArman

Emily Moore

Simone Cavic

Aidan Quan

Sasha Samari

Julie Hung

Daria Cullen

CREATIVE & PRODUCTION TEAM

Producer & Director Brandi Williams-Moore

Music Direction James Connor & Talia Saldana

Choreography Jasmine Larsuel

Costume Design Megan Sanders

Set Design Yolanda Barker

Stage Manager Yadira Valerio

Production Assistant LaBrea Wright

Administrative Coordinator Cynthia Hernandez

Audio Supervision Miguel Aguilera

Meet the Cast

Meet the Cast

Meet the Cast

Acknowldegements

As we celebrate the 10 years of Summer@Chandler Performing Arts Intensive, we are filled with gratitude for the incredible community that makes this program possible. Every rehearsal, every performance, and every memorable moment is the result of so many people sharing their time, talents and hearts.

To our students, thank you for your creativity, dedication, and willingness to learn, grow, and support one another. Your joy and enthusiasm are what make this program so special.

To our families, thank you for your trust, encouragement, and partnership. Whether you volunteered backstage, helped with costumes and makeup, drove to rehearsals, or simply cheered from the audience, your support has meant the world to us.

To the faculty, staff, and leadership of Chandler School, thank you for continually championing arts education and creating opportunities for students to discover their confidence, creativity, and voice through the performing arts.

Our sincere thanks to the AGBU Manoukian Performing Arts Center staff and technicians for their warm hospitality, professionalism, and partnership in helping bring this production to life. We are also grateful to the many community partners and generous supporters who contributed their time, expertise, and resources, from transportation and stage installation to the countless behind-the-scenes details that made this production possible.

To our remarkable teaching artists, music directors, choreographers, designers, stage managers, student directors, volunteers, and crew, thank you for sharing your passion and inspiring our students each and every day.

Finally, thank you to the entire Chandler community and beyond for supporting us. Your belief in the arts and in our students continues to make this program a place where young people can grow, create, and shine. Thank you for being part of our circle.