Passion and Determination

When The Lion King was first pitched as a movie, according to producer Don Hahn, no one felt it would work, as the story had been told before and no one was terribly excited about a musical score by Elton John. However, as Hahn noted, “the people who ended up on the movie were highly passionate about it and motivated.” The original film went on to earn close to $1 billion at the box office and was followed by one of Broadway’s most successful shows ever.

This bit of show business history was timely for students as the school embarks on our production of The Lion King Jr. next week. It also marks the official opening of our new performance theatre. The school expansion, which was six years of planning and construction, is a great example of people from in and outside the school working together to accomplish a goal that many thought impossible, as the reconfiguration of our properties required several city approvals.

Staging the newly-released adaptation for schools of The Lion King is Greenwood’s most ambitious Junior Play to date. Though the completion of the theatre has been delayed, staff, cast and crew have navigated these unforeseen obstacles with great enthusiasm and poise. It is especially gratifying to see returning students and students new to Greenwood working together to create a memorable show that I know we will truly enjoy.