CAZENOVIA — In December, the Syracuse Children’s Theatre (SCT) will present 12 performances of “Disney’s Descendants: The Musical” in the John H. Mulroy Civic Center – Carrier Theatre.
According to SCT Executive Director and Founder Todd Ellis, the production features five students from the local 13035 zip code.
Maya Jenkins, grade 7, will appear as “Maleficent;” Jayce Hyatt, grade 9, as “Jay;” Ava Hyatt, grade 2, as “Auradonian;” Bobby McDowell, grade 6, as “Auradonian 1;” and Grace Besaw, grade 2, as “Isle Ensemble.”
“SCT is great because you get to meet so many great people and have fun acting with them,” said Jayce. “This is my third show with them. I could not recommend doing it more.”
Adapted from the Disney Channel Original Movies, “Descendants,” the musical tells the story of four children of Disney villains Maleficent, the Evil Queen, Jafar, and Cruella De Vil. When the teens are sent from the Isle of the Lost to the kingdom of Auradon to attend prep school alongside the children of beloved Disney heroes, they must decide whether to follow in their parents’ wicked footsteps or learn to be good.
SCT is a not-for-profit organization that has served as a theatrical training ground for Central New York children since 1999.
Throughout the year, the theatre provides semester-long classes and one- and two-week school break camps, all of which culminate in a production at the Civic Center.
SCT’s main artistic staff consists of Director Babs Rubenstein, Choreographer Kellie Ellis, and Music Director Nikita Richards, who are all full-time employees. Each three-hour class session also has five part-time staff members/assistant teachers.
Through SCT’s instruction and final performance, pre-K through grade 12 students learn the fundamentals of theatre, including audition preparation, dance/movement, music, and scene work.
According to Ellis, 95 percent of SCT classes culminate in a musical theatre production.
“We have had four one-hour productions of plays by William Shakespeare during our 5th Summer session over the years, including ‘Romeo & Juliet,’ ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream,’ ‘Macbeth,’ and ‘As You Like It,’” Ellis said. “[However,] most students want musicals, thus the reason for focusing on musicals. When we offer the non-musicals, registrations are markedly lower.”
SCT’s upcoming performances of “Disney’s Descendants: The Musical” are the culmination of a semester-long class that began in mid-September.
“It was a really great experience and a chance to meet other kids from different school districts,” said McDowell, who attends Cazenovia Middle School. “Syracuse Children’s Theater has really taught me a lot about dancing and choreography for this [production]. It is going to be a great show!”
According to Ellis, the students rehearse for a three-hour period once a week for 10 straight weekends. The young actors received their parts on the third weekend after auditions and the second weekend of classes.
The production features a total of 404 students and four casts.
“All of our students are great and very hard-working,” said Ellis. “We have a wonderful mix of returning students and students who are new to our classes.”
The Carrier Theatre is located at 421 Montgomery St., Syracuse, in The Oncenter.
Show tickets can be purchased at sctkids.com/current-classes.
As of Nov. 20, seven of the performances were already sold out. Tickets are still available for the performances on Sunday, Dec. 10 at 2 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 16 at 7 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 17 at 2 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m.
For more information on SCT, its staff, and upcoming classes, visit sctkids.com.
