Shannon Tavarez Videos

BroadwayWorld.com last night reported the sad news that, 11 year old Shannon Tavarez who received an umbilical-cord transplant in late August to combat her acute myeloid leukemia has passed away. The soprano from Queens recently played Young Nala in The Lion King on Broadway. A friend of the family passed us along this video of an incredible performance by the young star at the Harlem School of the Arts earlier this year. It's moving and inspirational in every sense of the word.

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, former LION KING cub Shannon Tavarez was diagnosed with Acute Leukemia in April of this year. The talented young star was performing at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway when the symptoms first hit. Her lower back and legs suddenly started hurting making it hard for her to perform or even walk. She now lives at Schneider Children's Hospital in Long Island where she receives daily chemotherapy treatments. A bone marrow transplant from a stranger may be her only chance at survival, and she bravely continues to search for a match. Click below see Tavarez sing 'Circle of Life' from the hospital in a New PSA spot.

At just eleven-years-old Shannon Tavarez already had a promising Broadway career. She was performing four shows a week as young Nala in The Lion King. Everyday Shannon juggled a full day of school before rushing to the theater for an evening show at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway-- She was living her dream. Now, just two months later, Shannon's dream is simply to grow up. In April Shannon was diagnosed with Acute Leukemia. The talented young star was performing when the symptoms first hit. Her lower back and legs suddenly started hurting making it hard for her to perform or even walk. 'When I found out, it hit me really hard, like someone was throwing a ball at me. It was shocking and I thought, why me?' said Shannon. Now she lives at Schneider Children's Hospital in Long Island where she receives daily chemotherapy treatments. A bone marrow transplant from a stranger may be her only chance at survival.

Shannon Tavarez, who has appeared on Broadway in Disney's THE LION KING, has been diagnosed with leukemia.