Moana’s adventures come to life onstage! Disney’s MOANA JR. is a new 60-minute musical adaptation of the hit Disney animated film, with music and lyrics co-written by Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda. The musical features all the beloved songs from the film, including “How Far I’ll Go” and “You’re Welcome.” Disney’s MOANA JR. tells the uplifting story of a young girl, Moana, as she embarks on an epic journey of self-discovery and learns to harness the power that lies within to save her home. With empowering messages of bravery and selflessness, Disney’s MOANA JR. is sure to bring out the hero within each of us.
The characters from the film will be brought to life by young actors who are members of The WST Theatre School in addition to being middle and high school students in the Greater Philadelphia Area. Melina Cruz of Philadelphia will play Moana, the titular daughter of the village chief. A senior at Calvary Christian Academy, Cruz has been seen in other Disney shows on the Walnut stage, including Disney’s Aladdin JR. and Disney’s The Little Mermaid JR. Actor Ethan Jih-Cook of Philadelphia, an eleventh grader at Friends Central School, will play the demi-god Maui who helps Moana on her quest. Jih-Cook began acting when he played Jerome in South Pacific at Walnut Street Theatre.
DJ Hernandez of Hatfield, PA and Emmalyn Koch of Audubon, PA will play Moana’s parents, Chief Tui and Sina, respectively. Koch, most recently on the Walnut’s Mainstage in 2019’s Shrek the Musical will also play Te Fiti, the goddess of nature. Violet Wiley of Ridley Park, PA will portray Moana’s beloved guardian, Gramma Tala. Moana’s friends, Pua and Hei Hei, will be played by Olivia Bee Sposa of Cherry Hill, NJ and Estella Mueller of Moorestown, NJ. Jordan Bailkin of Philadelphia will take on the role of the monstrous crustacean, Tamatoa, aided by Brendan Kennedy of Berwyn, PA and Quinn Moscariello of Deptford, NJ, who will puppeteer giant crab claws.
Simon Gottlieb of Philadelphia, PA; Ella Hampton of Cherry Hill, NJ; and JoJo Schlect of Wilmington, DE will help narrate the story as Moana’s ancestors. The ensemble will feature Amelia Carnahan and Alexandria O’Connor of Philadelphia, and Cecelia Kent of Lower Gwynedd, PA, who each last appeared on the Walnut’s Mainstage in this season’s Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Joining them are Haley Braun of Lafayette Hill, PA; Eva Burkholder of Pottstown, PA; Jayden Clayton of Philadelphia; Brynleigh Duffy of Willow Grove, PA; Samantha Marley of Gladwyne, PA; Jade Robinson of Tallyville, DE; and Caroline Volmer of Philadelphia.
Disney’s MOANA JR. will be directed by the Walnut’s Associate Director of Education Amanda Pasquini, who also directs productions for the Walnut’s Theatre School and Touring Outreach program, including this year’s new production of The P-Funk Posse. Disney’s MOANA JR. will be choreographed by Devon Sinclair who, in addition to choreographing 2020’s WST for Kids production of Grace for President, was also featured in the ensemble of Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Kennedy McAlister, a Philadelphia-based teaching artist and music director, will serve as music and vocal director for the cast.
Walnut Technical Director Brian Froonjian (Always…Patsy Cline, The Adventure of the Speckled Band) will transport audiences to the Polynesian island of Montunui. Anna Sorrentino, whose work has been seen at Azuka Theatre and Hedgerow Theatre, will create costumes for the eclectic cast of characters, which includes humans, monsters, and the ocean itself. They are joined by Lighting Designer and WST Head Electrician Amber Faulhaber and Sound Designer Adam Orseck (Always…Patsy Cline).
Disney’s MOANA JR. is an ideal outing for all kids and their families, with matinee performances April 30 through May 15, 2022. The production is sponsored by St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. Media Partners are 6abc and Metro. For tickets and more information, call 215-574-3550 or 800-982-2787. Tickets are also available online by visiting WalnutStreetTheatre.org or Ticketmaster.com.
JUST THE FACTS:
WHAT: Disney’s MOANA JR.
Music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Opetaia Foa’i, & Mark Macina
Book adapted by Susan Soon He Stanton
Based on the 2016 Disney film Moana
WHEN: April 30 – May 15, 2022
WHERE: Walnut Street Theatre
825 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA
TICKETS: $10.00 - $15.00 - $20.00
CURTAIN: Saturdays: April 30 at 1:00pm and 3:30pm, and May 7 and 14 at 11:00am
Sundays: May 1 – May 15 at 11:00am
Friday: May 13 at 10:30am
PHONE: 215-574-3550 or 800-982-2787
WEBSITE: WalnutStreetTheatre.org or Ticketmaster.com
PRODUCTION AND DESIGN STAFF
Director: AMANDA PASQUINI
Choreographer: DEVON SINCLAIR
Music and Vocal Director: KENNEDY McALISTER
Scenic Designer: BRIAN FROONJIAN
Costume Designer: ANNA SORRENTINO
Lighting Designer: AMBER FAULHABER
Sound Designer: ADAM B. ORSECK
THE CAST:
Chief Ancestors.........................ELLA HAMPTON, SIMON GOTTLIEB, JOJO SCHLECT
Moana........................................................................................................MELINA CRUZ
Chief Tui.................................................................................................DJ HERNANDEZ
Sina, Te Fiti...........................................................................................EMMALYN KOCH
Pua....................................................................................................OLIVIA BEE SPOSA
Hei Hei..............................................................................................ESTELLA MUELLER
Gramma Tala.............................................................................................VIOLET WILEY
Maui......................................................................................................ETHAN JIH-COOK
Tamatoa................................................................................................JORDAN BAILKIN
Left Claw.........................................................................................BRENDAN KENNEDY
Right Claw....................................................................................QUINN MOSCARIELLO
ENSEMBLE
HALEY BRAUN, EVA BURKHOLDER, AMELIA CARNAHAN, JAYDEN CLAYTON, BRYNLEIGH DUFFY, CECELIA KENT, SAMANTHA MARLEY, ALEXANDRIA O’CONNOR, JADE ROBINSON, CAROLINE VOLLMER
UNDERSTUDIES
DJ HERNANDEZ (Maui), VIOLET WILEY (Moana)
ABOUT THE WALNUT STREET THEATRE
Walnut Street Theatre is America’s Oldest Theatre and the most popular theatre company in Philadelphia. As a producer of live theatre, many of the artists on the stage, in the orchestra and behind the scenes are from the Philadelphia area. As a non-profit institution, the Walnut is recognized nationally for bringing affordable theatre and diverse stories to more subscribers than any other theatre company in the world. In addition to its five Mainstage productions, popular Walnut Street Theatre for Kids Series and Independence Studio on 3 Series, the Walnut’s education and outreach programs bring live theatre to over 100,000 students, teachers, parents, and kids every year.
825 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107–5195 | 215-574-3550 VISIT US AT WalnutStreetTheatre.org
