Dare to Dream Jr, A Disney Musical Revue

Western Theatrics’ Dare to Dream Jr, A Disney Musical Revue, is the WA premiere of this new Disney show. Featuring a cast aged from 7 to 15, it was mounted by a production team aged 16 to 19, with the exception of mentor Nicola Beard. 

Set on a multi-level set, quality projections are used to add atmosphere and colour, and the cast wear a colourful selection of casual clothes - often reflecting their solo song, co-ordinated by Amy Short. Directed by a youthful James Leber, the young production team features Music Directors Jocelyn Dale and Peregrine Carr and Choreographers Kiara Chidgzey and Kirra Francis. 

The plot follows a group of junior imagineers on their first day at a fictional Disney Studios. They are to be mentored by a couple of experienced young Imagineers, beautifully played by Lucy Kelly and Sienna Petit, who greet the cast with “Be Our Guest” and later facilitate a fabulous medley come dance battle between "Hakuna Matada" (led by Sienna) and "The Bare Necessities” (championed by Lucy).

The Junior Imagineers (joined by dancers, and junior and senior ensembles) embrace the challenge and lead a series of numbers that express their dreams, with the exception of one young lady who feels she doesn’t know what her dream is yet. Emotively played by Sydney Yeoh, she expresses her doubts in “Surface Pressure” and later decides she can “Go the Distance".

In the meantime we experience some lovely talent. Akira Reale and Charlotte Plummer perform a lovely medley of “How Far I Go” and “Part of Your World”, which morphs into a medley of “Just Around the Riverbend” and “Out There” sensitively performed by Amelia Tourtouris, Emily Sweeney and Zachary  Murray.

Eilidh McKay leads an energetic “I Just Can’t Wait To Be King” and Charis Rellegue superbly tackles "Let It Go”, with power and a clever transformation. 

Friendship is celebrated with “Friend Like Me”, with a lovely solo by Georgia Rainsborough who is joined by Levi  Francis for “You’ve Got A Friend in Me” before Kayla King urges Sydney’s character to “Dig a Little Deeper”.

As the show draws to a close, Violette Russo beautifully leads a nonsense medley - great fun, before her brother Miles Russo examines family and connections with “Remember Me.”

Group numbers are energetic and great fun, and both cast and audience are having a great time. 

A great school holiday choice that will re-ignite your love for Disney.

Kimberley Shaw