2025/26 Fall Show The lion King jr.
Join the Cast of Asheville Junior Theater’s Fall Production
Have you ever dreamed of stepping into the spotlight? Do you love to sing, dance, or act? This fall, become part of something unforgettable as Asheville Junior Theater brings Disney’s The Lion King JR. to life—and YOU can be in the cast!
From the powerful opening “Circle of Life” to fan favorites like “Hakuna Matata” and “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” this high-energy musical is packed with incredible songs, bold characters, and exciting moments for performers of all experience levels.
🌟 Why Join This Production?
- Play unforgettable characters like Simba, Rafiki, Timon, Pumbaa, Nala, and more—every role matters, and every performer is celebrated.
- Learn to sing, dance, and act in a fun, supportive environment led by experienced instructors who love working with kids and teens.
- Explore amazing theatrical skills like puppetry, choreography, and stage presence.
- Make new friends and become part of a cast that feels like family.
- Build confidence through teamwork, creativity, and live performance.
Whether you’ve been in many shows or this is your very first, The Lion King JR. is the perfect opportunity to grow, express yourself, and have a blast doing it.
🎭 Who Can Sign Up?
- Open to kids ages 8–18
- No prior experience needed—just enthusiasm and a willingness to learn and be great
- Weekly rehearsals in the fall/winter
🎤 The Big Moment: Live on Stage!
All your hard work leads to four unforgettable performances at the Diana Wortham Theater in downtown Asheville on January 10 & 11. Step onto a professional stage, perform under the lights, and experience the magic of live theater!
📝 Ready to ROAR?
Join us this fall for a creative journey you’ll never forget. The Lion King JR. is more than a show—it’s an adventure in expression, friendship, and fun.
Sign up today with Asheville Junior Theater
Info you need to know
Rehearsals: Twice-weekly beginning August 31, 2025.
Performances: 4 performances on January 10/11, 2026
Performance Location: Diana Wortham Theater at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts
Rehearsal Schedule: Sundays 1:00pm-6:00pm and Fridays 4:00pm-7:00pm; however, all kids will NOT be required at every rehearsal. Ensemble members will be called much less often than lead roles.
Holiday Time Off: No rehearsals Nov 28, Dec 26 and Dec 28 for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Rehearsal Location: South Asheville, NC
Auditions: For role placement only; mandatory parent meeting/dance audition will be held on Aug 31. Vocal auditions are on Sept 5 from 4-8pm via time slots. Callbacks are September 7 for certain actors. Information about auditions will be emailed or can be found on AJT’s website.
Fees: Full payment is due upon registering and enrolling for the Fall show. No refunds are given for any reason whatsoever, even if your junior actor does not get their desired role.
AJT’s Trial Period for All New Actors
AJT has a trial period for all actors in the first two to three weeks of rehearsals so that we can ensure that all of our cast is a good fit for our theater company and AJT is for them as well. Because our experience is far more than typical junior theater, we have high expectations of our actors. Some examples of what we expect is for children to be able to focus on a task at hand, keep their hands off other cast members, not destroy equipment, show respect to directors while they are talking and more. Cast members must be able to exercise self-control and maturity. If the directors determine that AJT might not be the best fit, we will refund your tuition, minus a non-refundable $100 deposit. While applying, please be honest and share any possible reasons that your child may struggle with behavioral issues, learning disabilities or social challenges because we are trying to make this experience positive for everyone involved.
Other Information:
- Ages 8-18 are welcome to Apply for the show. Not every child will be given a spot in our cast.
- There is a mandatory parent meeting from 1:00-2:00pm on Sunday, August 31. All paperwork will be collected following the meeting at 2:00pm.
- Two scheduled absences are allowed; tech and dress rehearsals are MANDATORY during show week. These are long days beginning at 1pm on Jan 8 and 10am on Jan 9. This will require kids to miss some school. Please only apply to join the cast if this is workable with your schedule.
- Rehearsal times for the two weeks prior to the show are TBD and kids must be available to rehearse EVERY DAY, if necessary.
- We require a minimum of 10 hours of volunteer time per family over the three months for your child to be in the show. Don’t have the time? Opt out for $300 so that we can hire help.
- Each family is asked to sell one advertisement for our Playbill and helping to spread the word about ticket sales.
- Each family is expected to volunteer during show week for load-in, as a dressing room attendant, in hair/make up, as stage crew, or as an usher, etc. All families are asked to stay after the final show for load-out.
- We are not just another junior theater company, but we strive to be the best! Being a part of Asheville Junior Theater is a commitment. We require all kids to practice dances, songs and lines at home.
- Check out our FAQs.
- MINI CO (ages 4-7): Classes are 12-1pm on Sundays. Learn more on our Programs page.
Pricing
$50 Registration Fee per child per year
Main Company $450
Includes:
- three+ months of rehearsal time with two rehearsals per week and day-long rehearsals closer to performance time
- performance video, professional photos of dress rehearsal, a script to keep, access to performance tracks and more.
This price works out to less than $3 per hour!!! *Costumes will be provided for use in this musical but are the property of AJT.
Mini Company $225
Includes:
- one hour practice per week before the Main Company’s rehearsal
This group will focus on introducing kids to movement, choreography and singing with theater games and repetition. The Mini Company helps kids develop confidence and provides the foundation necessary to step on the big stage once they get older.
Help Give the Gift of Theater
We’re honored to have donors who support our mission! Because of the generous support of people in our community, we’re able to offer financial aid to families in critical need.
There are two ways to give: a one-time donation or a monthly recurring gift.