Disney is all about making dreams come true. For more than 250 Orlando-area elementary school students, they did just that. The Disney Musicals in Schools program celebrated its 10-year anniversary with its 2019 Student Share Celebration at the Walt Disney Theater in the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando.
- The event featured five musical numbers from five different Orlando-area elementary schools.
- The Disney Musicals in Schools program is an outreach initiative that develops sustainable musical theater programs in urban elementary schools.
- Each school put on a Disney Musical performance this year as their school’s first musical.
- The students and teachers spent 17 weeks rehearsing and preparing their performances.
- The musical performances at the 2019 Disney Musicals in Schools Student Share Celebration included:
“Prince Ali” from Aladdin KIDS – Central Avenue Elementary School
“Everybody Wants to Be a Cat” from Aristocats KIDS – Lovell Elementary School
“Friend Like Me” from Aladdin KIDS – Highlands Elementary School
“Circle of Life” from The Lion King KIDS – Ridgewood Parks Elementary School
“One Jump Ahead” from Aladdin KIDS – Forest City Elementary School
- After those five incredible performances, the event culminated in a performance of “It Starts With a Dream” from all five schools.
- “It Starts With a Dream” is the theme song of the Disney Musicals in Schools Program and it written by Disney Legend Alan Menken.
- The finale performance featured a handful of students from each school on stage while the rest of the students performed the song right in the audience.
- After the final performance, it was announced that all five of the participating schools would be given free show rights for Disney Musicals again next year to keep their theater programs running.
- The Disney Musicals in Schools Program is made possible by Disney Theatrical Group and Walt Disney World Resort.