Columbia Children's Theatre to Present Disney's ALADDIN JR., 8/2-11

Climb aboard a magic carpet and soar to Agrabah, as Columbia Children's Theatre (CCT), presents its newest YouTheatre Company production Disney's Aladdin Jr., August 2-11. Tickets are $8.00 for adults and children three years and older. Performances will be held at CCT's theater on the second level of Richland Mall, 3400 Forest Dr. in Forest Acres.

Welcome to Agrabah, City of Enchantment, where every beggar has a story and every camel has a tail!

Filled with magic, mayhem, and flying carpet rides, this stage adaptation of the Disney hit film follows the story of the star-crossed love between a princess and a street urchin. All of the movie's favorite characters are here, and the tuneful, Academy award-winning score including the songs "A Whole New World" and "Friend Like Me, will have audiences' spirits soaring with excitement.

The play is directed by Jerry Stevenson, assisted by Paul Lindley II. Musical direction is by Dianne Palmer-Quay; choreography is by Dedra Daniels Mount; and costumes by Donna Harvey.

Producing a show with close to 100 student actors was no small feat for the CCT Artistic Team. In order to accommodate so many young actors, Artistic Director Jerry Stevenson made the decision to create two full casts of actors. Each cast (the "purple cast" and the "gold cast") will have their own weekend of four performances.

Cast members include:

Purple Cast (performs August 2-4): Mary Kate Blackwell, Anna Brooks, Ethan Cash, Anna Reese Cooper Rankin, ElizaBeth Crosby, Julianne Davis, Hannah Davis, Abigail Davis, Sydney Davis, Marissa Derrick, Courtney Hope Diveley, Taylor Diveley, Joshua Diveley, Kenslie Donavan, Infinity Evans, TRoy Evans, Absalom Fischer, Miriam Fischer, Callie Fisher, Lilly Flowers, Emmie Gellatly, Vance Griswold, Anthony Harvey, Miranda Heydt, Lexie Hunsicker, Meghan Jerome, Madison Jerome, Charlotte Johnson, Sofia Jones, Lyra Jordan, Kylee Kest, Meg Krawczyk, Sarah Krawczyk, Ally Montgomery, Hannah Montgomery, Ciara Morgan, Emma Myers, Laney Peyton, David Quay, Nathaniel Riley, Claire Robinson, Keenan Shealy, Paul Smith, Shannon Smith, Elizabeth Stancik, Smith Templeton, and Aden Williams.

Gold Cast (performs August 9-11): Hermione Barringer, Liam Blair, Olivia Blair, Kate Cook, Sara Cook, Cooper Darby, Laura Darby, Cate Dingledine, Kayla Dixon, Tyler Dixon, Olivia Dozier, Sophie Dozier, Rose DuBard, Evie Dwyer, Molly Edwards-Lehman, Samuel Fleischer, Isabella Fleischer, David Jeffrey, Marion Jones, Alia Kemp Davis, Caleb Lawrimore, Kelli Jo McAlhany, Megan McKay, Jordan Mickle, Samantha Moore, Desiree Moriarty, Baker Morrison, Laura Phipps, Joshua Quay, Imani Ross-Jackson, Zaire Ross-McCloud, Jamie Shinn, Anna Shull, Grace Smith, Nathan Smith, Riley Smith, Olivia Smith, Brianna Surface, Grayson Taylor, Courtney Wright, Kendall Wright, and Maddison Yates.

Disney's Aladdin Junior performances are as follows:

Purple Cast: Friday August 2, at 7:00 PM; Saturday, August 3 at 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM; and Sunday, August 4 at 3:00 PM.

Green Cast: Friday, August 9 at 7:00 PM; Saturday, August 10 at 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM; and Sunday, August 11 at 3:00 PM.

All shows are held at Columbia Children's Theatre in Richland Mall, 3400 Forest Drive in Columbia. Tickets are $8.00 and can be purchased on-line at www.ColumbiaChildrensTheatre.com. Advance tickets are strongly encouraged.