MIA’s most recent theatrical production is Disney’s Aladdin Jr. which follows the classic story of a boy who finds a lamp which when rubbing it a genie appears and grants him three wishes. The main cast consisted of Sean White as Aladdin, Prestley Irvan as Princess Jasmine, and Wesley Hertgers as the Genie. Christopher Dayett, the MIA theater teacher, directed and produced the sold-out shows.

Not only was Aladdin Jr an excellent show, but many of the cast members were shaped by the performance. Of course there were bumps along the road but in the end the cast members took those challenges and used them to aid in their growth as actors. Sean White told The Wave, “The hardest part of the show was adapting to a main role after doing smaller roles in the past and getting used to the increase of responsibility that came with it.”  Sean also told The Wave that the show taught him “an increased boost in confidence, valuable friendships for the future and a greater comfortability to step out of my comfort zone and more appreciation for people who do theatre regularly.”

The costumes and set of the show were designed by Mr. Dayett and his Design and Marketing class. Once Mr. Dayett laid out the plans, his Design and Marketing class got to work. They turned everyday objects into props straight from the movie, like turning wooden rods into swords with paint or using wooden boxes, gold spray paint, plastic jewels and coins to help bring the Cave of Wonders to life. In fact, almost all of the props were made by the students at M.I.A.

Aladdin was a hit. With four sold-out shows taking over the course of two weekends. Mr. Dayett plans on another big show next year. It is something you won’t want to miss!