StM News

Before the curtain ever went up, St. Martin’s Class of 2034 was already doing meaningful work. Their recent production of Disney's The Lion King Kids was the culmination of months of learning, collaboration, and creative problem-solving that extended far beyond the stage. For many of the fourth graders, it was their first experience in a theatrical production and an opportunity to discover confidence, responsibility, and the power of working together toward a shared goal.

View photo gallery of Disney's The Lion King KIDS

Bringing a full musical to life requires far more than memorizing lines or learning choreography. Over the course of several months, students committed themselves to rehearsals, practiced music and movement, solved problems together, and learned what it means to show up prepared, focused, and ready to try again. Many of the songs in The Lion King Kids blend English with indigenous African languages such as Zulu and Swahili, challenging students to speak and sing words they had never encountered before. 

A Truly Cross-Curricular Experience

At St. Martin’s, learning does not happen in silos, and this show was a powerful example of how academic learning and the arts come together. In STeAM class, students played an active role in designing and building key elements of the production, transforming the show into a fully cross-curricular experience.

Students who needed lion tails created them by weaving strips of fabric around pool noodles, experimenting with color, texture, and technique before the finished pieces were sewn onto costumes. Another major project involved constructing the elephant bones featured on stage. Students were given a wide range of materials, including pool noodles, wire hangers, foam, toothpicks, and foil, and challenged to prototype their own designs.

While the first versions were creative and well-crafted, students quickly realized the pieces needed greater scale and presence to work effectively on stage. After researching and refining their approach, the class shifted to a second design using large cardboard rings reinforced with tape, hole punches, and pipe cleaners. The project incorporated meaningful math skills as students measured and cut cardboard pieces in precise increments, ultimately creating structures more than six feet tall. The final steps of papier-mâché, drying, and painting brought the pieces to life and showed students how design evolves through iteration and collaboration.

Growing Confidence, Responsibility, and Teamwork

Throughout the process, students demonstrated perseverance, creativity, and a strong sense of responsibility to one another. They learned that a successful performance depends on trust, teamwork, and a shared commitment to excellence. Those lessons were evident during the two performances, presented to Lower and Middle School students as well as parents, family members, and friends.

The confidence students displayed on stage reflected not only their talent but also the growth that came from weeks of preparation, problem-solving, and encouragement from peers and teachers alike. This meaningful learning experience and growing fourth grade tradition embodies St. Martin’s commitment to whole-child education, creative exploration, and joyful learning. 

We are incredibly proud of our fourth graders for their hard work, courage, and willingness to try something new, and grateful for the way this production brought our community together. St. Martin’s extends special thanks to Lynne Bordelon, Ed Demirer, Barbara Weaver, Frances Roney, Susan Pendleton, Natalie Ott, Simone Duhon, Emma Massengale, and the entire Fine Arts Department for their time, expertise, and dedication in making this production such a memorable and impactful experience for our students.

Watch the pre-show Behind the Scenes video