Apex Theatre Presents: Aladdin Jr.

The Apex Theatre will stage its first production of the North Florida chapter of The Penguin Project on July 23-24, 2022. The play, Aladdin Jr., will begin at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 23, 2022, at the Lewis Auditorium and at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 24, 2022.

A one-act, 11-scene theater musical adapted from the 1992 Walt Disney Animation Studios, Aladdin Jr. is an adaptation of the folk tale Aladdin. In the 60- to 80-minute musical, Aladdin and his three friends, Babkak, Omar, and Kassim, are down on their luck until Aladdin discovers a magic lamp and the Genie who has the power to grant three wishes. Wanting to earn the respect of the princess, Jasmine, Aladdin embarks on an adventure that will test his will and his moral character.

Every year, groups of young artists across the country take to the stage to perform a modified version of a well-known Broadway musical with the Penguin Project. These productions are unique, however, because all of the roles are filled by young artists with developmental disabilities including Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, visual impairment, hearing impairment, and other neurological disorders.

They are joined on stage by a dedicated group of "peer mentors," children the same age with disabilities who have volunteered to work side-by-side with them through four months of rehearsals and through the final performance. By providing access to community theater, The Penguin Project demonstrates that the special challenges of a disability should not handicap a child's ability to participate in life's experiences.

Under the direction of Ian Mairs, Apex Theatre is a nonprofit theater education center where students ages 14 to 21 hone their skills as artists. Since its inception in 2013, the theater group has staged more than 40 student-led productions.

For more information about Apex Theatre, please visit here.

Admission: Tickets are $28.

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 23, and 2 p.m. Sunday, July 24, 2022

Where: Lewis Auditorium is located at 14 Granada St. in historic downtown.

Parking Information: Parking will be available onsite. There will be a $5 parking fee for ticketed events and for free events parking will also be free. For events not produced by the St. Johns County Cultural Events Division, parking fees will be at the discretion of the event producer.