BEREA, Ky. — The Spotlight Acting School is opening its spring season with Disney’s “The Lion King KIDS,” a youth production built for young performers and family audiences, running Feb. 20 to March 1 at The Spotlight Playhouse.
The show features students ages 4 to 11, with a “Blue Cast” and a “Purple Cast” so more kids can participate and more families can see a familiar story close to home.
🎼 What to Expect
“The Lion King KIDS” is a condensed, kid-friendly stage version of the story many families already know, following Simba’s journey from Pride Rock to the jungle and back again. Spotlight’s show description highlights the well-known songs that tend to be the hook for young audiences, including “Circle of Life,” “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” “Hakuna Matata,” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.”
For parents, grandparents, and neighbors, part of the appeal is that this is not only a performance to watch. It is a milestone for the kids on stage. Spotlight Acting School frames its program as learning through real productions, with an emphasis on building confidence, focus, and communication skills—including acting, singing, dancing, and public speaking.
🌟 Why This Kind of Show Can Be Especially Good for Kids
For many children ages 4 to 11, theatre is one of the few activities where practice looks like play, but still requires real structure. Kids learn what it means to listen closely, follow cues, and work as part of a group where every role matters, not just the biggest one.
The repetition of songs, lines, and choreography can also be a confidence builder. Children get to try something a little scary, then do it again, then do it in front of people, with supportive adults guiding them. Spotlight Acting School also emphasizes that every child who auditions is cast, which can make this feel more welcoming for families trying theatre for the first time.
🎭 Two Casts, Two Weekends
Spotlight is using a dual-cast approach for The Lion King KIDS, which is common in youth theatre when there is strong interest and limited performance slots. It gives more students a chance to perform, and it gives families an easy way to pick the weekend that matches their child’s cast.
- Blue Cast: Performs Feb. 20–22, 2026
- Purple Cast: Performs Feb. 27–March 1, 2026
🎟️ Tickets and Official Show Information
📝 Next Audition: “Annie KIDS” (Feb. 28)
If your child watches this show and thinks, “I want to do that,” Spotlight Acting School has already posted the next audition for this same age group.
📅 UPCOMING EVENTS IN THE AREA
The Spotlight Playhouse Website
- Disney’s The Lion King KIDS — Feb. 20–March 1
- Blazing Guns at Roaring Gulch — Feb. 22, 27–28
- The Taming of the Shrew — March 6–15
EKU Center for the Arts
Louisville Orchestra Tour