NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Family Community Theatre presents Moana Jr. this weekend. The Jr. performances are a great way to get kids involved in theatre.
"One of the reasons that we do junior productions is that we would like to do the full production of the musical, but they are not available," said Craig Williams with Family Community Theatre. "There is no Moana Broadway show, so our only chance to do that would be the junior show. Last year, we did Frozen Jr. That's not going to be available to community theatres for some time."
The story is a celebration of Oceanic culture.
"It begins with the idea that the creator, Tafiti, is creating the islands and so forth, but her heart is stolen," Williams said. "The heart is then knocked away and it's protected by the sea and was finally given to someone who the sea felt like could return the heart and restore the order. That was a young woman named Moana."
Shows are on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., the Sunday performance begins at 3:00 p.m. It is a 60-minute musical adaptation of the 2016 Disney animated film, bringing the adventures of Moana and her village of Motunui to life onstage. Tickets are on sale at Bookends Bookstore (123 N Main St) or one hour prior to show time at the Flag Theatre, and at Absolutely Home (15 E 14th Ave).