Disney’s Moana JR.

Disney’s Moana JR. brings the adventures of Moana and her village of Motunui to life onstage with all the beloved songs from the 2016 film by Tony®, GRAMMY, Emmy, and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Lin-Manuel Miranda, Opetaia Foa’i, and Mark Mancina, including “How Far I’ll Go,” “Shiny,” and “You’re Welcome.” Celebrating the rich history of Oceania and based on the beliefs and cultures of the people of the Pacific Islands, Moana was developed in collaboration with an Oceanic Trust – a group of anthropologists, cultural practitioners, historians, linguists, and choreographers from the Pacific Islands.

I entered into this project thinking, “It’s a Disney Junior show, this should be easy!” However, I figured out very quickly that I was wrong.

The story of Moana is such an incredible and rich story with amazing and memorable music. (I’ll warn you now that these songs will be stuck in your head for weeks). As a director, I wanted to present a show that had the power and fun that was prevalent in the animated film; however, I also wanted to be sensitive to the Pacific Island cultures that the story represents. This proved to be a bit more challenging than anticipated. The fact that I was surrounded by such an extraordinary production team and so many talented actors is really what has made this show the phenomenal experience that it is.

Prepare yourself for the magical adventure that is Spotlight Youth Theater’s production of Disney’s Moana JR. !

Luke Bader, Director