Photo by David Prenatt A group of “lionesses” perform “The Lion Hunt” in preparation for WACS presentation of The Lion King Jr.

WESTFIELD – “I’m a huge ‘Lion King’ fan,” said Westfield Academy and Central School Music Director Kent Knappenberger, “and I would say that the way we are making the show creatively our own is through our staging and costuming.”

About 65 Westfield students make up the cast of the Lion King Jr, which will be performed Friday, Nov. 10 and Saturday, Nov. 11 at the school. The event will be the school’s 24th annual dinner theater, with dinner at 6 p.m. and the show at 7:30 each evening. Also, a matinee presentation will be given on Saturday, Nov. 11 at 2 p.m.

Knappenberger said the presentation presented many challenges. “Lion King Jr. has been deceptively difficult,” he said. “Telling the story in a shorter time frame requires the kids to be much more focused and intense about their portrayal.”

The costumes were also an area of concern, Knappenberger said.

“We wanted to retain things like cultural integrity, and a sense of fantasy from the Broadway production,” he said. “The last thing I wanted to see was a kid playing Simba in a fuzzy lion suit! We are using colorful fabrics, face painting, a few head pieces, as well as some of the ideas we received from Disney, which were in our show package.”

Knappenberger said the dance scenes in the show were also very challenging. Two seniors, Kim Delcamp and Angelle Knappenberger, served as choreographers.

“They have been dance students for many years and have done their homework to make their choreography tell the story and look exciting, as well,” he said.

The set design received a special endowment in the form of a professional scenic designer, Hyla Stellhorn, who is also the mother of one of the cast members, Knappenberger said. “She gifted us in making something beautiful with our resources and finding a unique vision for the show,” he said.

Knappenberger noted that the sets were constructed by Westfield teacher Wade Dellow. “He’s one of those guys that seems to be able to build something out of nothing,” he commented.

Knappenberger praised the students for their commitment to the play, especially in light of the many fall activities in which they are involved. “They are busy kids, and are successful in a variety of other activities, but they are also committed,” he said. “We had great girls’ volleyball and boys’ soccer teams this year and it was common for a student to come to practice in a uniform, sometimes, but they always came.”

Knappenberger said the story of the “Lion King” has special meaning for him.

“There truly is music in the show that has meant something very important to me, personally,” he said. “I look at it as a story of learning to become who we were meant to be. It’s got everything: gorgeous music, an age-appropriate story line, unique costumes, and it points to the larger story of who we are.”