Celebrate not tolerate: Special needs kids debut performance of “The Lion King” in Broken Arrow

BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — The cast and crew of the beloved musical “The Lion King” are special needs students -- who usually don’t get the opportunity to perform in musicals at their schools.

Each student has a peer mentor, many of whom are also new to the arts but prefer to take on the roles of serving the special needs students and helping them to shine.

Director Kim Vento says where society tolerates special needs children, the volunteer staff is celebrating them - adjusting to their challenges while allowing them to shine through their own creative contributions to the choreography.

The performance by special needs students and peer mentors is the work of a brand new partnership between the Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center and Broken Arrow Public Schools, called Starts on Stage.

After 100 hours of work over four months of memorizing scripts and choreographed dances and all of the work that goes into a musical production, the students will take the stage at the Performing Arts Center on Friday and Saturday nights at 7:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Sunday.

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