Be Prepared for the Role of a Lifetime

By Eli Romano 

     

Eli Romano, 7th grade, appeared as a Hyena in  a local production of The Lion King

It’s opening night at the CAST production of The Lion King, and the audience is sitting excitedly in their seats. I have the honor of being a hyena. At first, when I go on stage I feel so alive and free. I can’t believe I get to act like a silly, fearsome wild animal.

Now you may be wondering, what is CAST and what does it stand for? CAST stands for ( C ) Creative (A) Art (S) School (T) Theatre. So if you're looking for a fun activity like musical theatre, this art school for kids in kindergarten to high school rehearses in Lutz and performs at River Ridge High School. There have been dozens of shows. Last year, I was the Tin Man in Wizard of Oz. This year, I was excited to find out the production would be The Lion King.

Lion King is one of the top 10 Disney movies of all time. From Simba, Nala, Mufasa, and the good guys, to Scar and the evil Hyenas, the leaders being Shenzi Banzai, and the stupid one being Ed - the characters are all great. I want to tell you how to be a hyena.

First off, posture. You want your torso to kind of sink forward into a kind of bend. You want to be kind of spicy and very sharp with your movements. Also try to bend your knees a little. As a Hyena you want some good, scary, and sort of funny facial expressions. You want to stick your tongue out and react to everything that is being said on stage.

I like being a hyena because it gives me the ability to step away from being the good guy all the time. It’s fun being a villain, making evil plots, and just being evil. Overall being a hyena is just really fun.

I like being a part of CAST because you can act as a character you wish to portray. So whether you are a person who just loves watching movies or someone who likes acting, CAST is your chance to act out your favorite character. To see the latest CAST news and location go to https://dearmoncast.com/. I love CAST and I think you will too. We will be performing Lion King Jr. at the Florida state fair on 2/14/2025.