LINDEN — The children of Disney villains go on a mission to steal the Fairy Godmother’s wand and free their parents from an island prison in North Montgomery Middle School’s production of “Descendants: The Musical.”
North Montgomery is the first known school to perform the new show, based on the Disney Channel films. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the show is not open to the public and the audience is limited to the families of production members.
The performance will be recorded and available for purchase on DVD. To purchase a copy, email co-director Megan Birk at mbirk@nm.k12.in.us or see a cast member.
For the mostly veteran members of the cast, which was limited due to the pandemic, the production process was anything but normal as the team battled through quarantines, schedule delays and on-stage restrictions to do the show.
“It was nice getting close with the actors and the characters and it was just a really nice bonding experience for all of us,” said eighth grader Bella Dockins, who plays Mal, the daughter of “Sleeping Beauty” evil fairy Maleficent.
Disney’s favorite characters have banished the villains to the magic-free Isle of the Lost and are now living in the kingdom of Auradon. Ben (Neal Jeffery), the teenage son of Belle and The Beast, offers a clean slate for the mischievous children of the worst villains.
Mal, Evie (Brooklyn Kerns), Jay (Jackson Furgye) and Carlos (Connor Koopman) — the children of Maleficent (Bailey Patton) the Evil Queen (Jordan Huff) Cruella De Vil (Emma Wray) and Jafar (Alex Wray) — become classmates with the children of their parents sworn enemies and must decide whether to disavow their parents’ wicked ways.
“They all still have their evil side that can come out, but they’re all friends with the Auradon people,” Koopman, an eighth grader, said.
Amid the production disruptions, the students stepped up to help get the musical on the stage. Older actors assisted younger castmates during rehearsals (no sixth graders were cast due to gathering size limits) and helped choreograph the dances.
“I have seen some amazing student leadership,” Birk said, adding, “I love to see that. It makes me very proud of them.”