Mr. Rhodes and students have been busy creating props for the musical.

After almost 2 years, STMS students will finally get to build a snowman. Canceled in 2020 because of Covid, the Cast will finally be able to perform the long awaited Frozen JR. March 14-17th, 2023.  

Frozen Jr is a 60-minute musical that tells  the story of princess Anna as she leads Kristoff, his reindeer Sven, and the snowman Olaf on a journey to find her estranged sister Elsa.  Designed for middle school-aged performers, the musical is based on the 2013 Disney film and the 2018 Broadway adaptation.

Saluda Trail’s cast  includes 29 students in grades 6th through 8th. It’s being co-directed by Mrs. Yon , Saluda Trail’s drama teacher and Mr. Runyan, Saluda Trail’s  chorus and piano teacher. 

Props are coming together for Frozen, Jr.

Preparation for the musical began back in the fall when students  attended a workshop held Sept. 29th.  Auditions w ere held on Oct. 4th and callbacks were the next day, Oct. 5th. The cast list was posted shortly after and rehearsals began.  

Mrs. Yon, Saluda Trail’s Drama Teacher, is extremely excited about students finally being able to put on Frozen, Jr.

Auditions for the parts were very competitive.  According to Ms. Yon, 64 students auditioned.  Because musicals are a type of play that tells a story through music, dialogue and dance, the performers were taught a song and dance which they had to perform.  There were 5 different staff members who served as judges, she added.  After cuts, there were 35 students who went through a call back process where they read parts for different characters.  In the end, 29 students made the cast. 

Presley Jackson, who landed a leading role of Elsa,  says her favorite part of being in Frozen JR is “the friends I make.”  She said being casted in the musical is both fun and challenging. Jackson said one of the hardest parts of being in the cast is  “having to stay after school and complete her work later” due to rehearsals.

Mrs. East has been busy working on the costumes for the cast.

While students are working on their parts, others have been busy working behind the seams.  

Mrs. East, Saluda Trail’s Family and Consumer Science Teacher, is responsible for all of the costumes. Some are made and some are ordered.

According to Mrs. East, lots of creativity, imagination, research and effort goes into outfitting the cast.

Want to see it all come together, be sure to come out and see the musical this Spring.

A lot of work goes into outfitting the cast, according to Mrs. East.

The Frozen Jr. cast includes: 

Young Elsa- Lizzy Turner

Middle Elsa- Hannah Andrychowski

Elsa- Presley Jackson

Young Anna- Leila Albaqami

Middle Anna-Julia Challenger

Anna-Carter Sessoms

Queen Iduna-Sofia Cardarelli

Buda- Aubrey Duncan

King Agnarr- Caleb Walter

Kristoff- Derek Faile

Hans- Gavin Fields

Pabbie- Kenneth Suarez

Weselton- Alexander Mestas

Oaken- Ethan Jewel

Olaf- Avery Haskin

Sven- Isabella Tramell

Bishop- Max Powell