Actors Get Rotten to the Core for Production of 'Disney's Descendants: The Musical'

The villain kids and ensemble rehearse “Rotten to the Core.” *Photo: Lily Deng*

By LILY DENG

Watch out Hornets! On June 12-13, the actors turned “rotten to the core” will be bringing Disney’s Descendants: The Musical live to the Midwood auditorium. The show, by Disney Theatrical Productions in partnership with Music Theatre International, combines all three Descendants movies into one story.

Led by English teachers Mr. Conrad Boyd and Ms. Melissa Manzi, the musical is set in the kingdom of Auradon, where Disney’s villains have been banished to the Isle of the Lost, with their magic restricted by a force field cast by the Fairy Godmother. The plot kicks in when Prince Ben, the son of Queen Belle and King Adam (from Beauty and the Beast), offers a chance for redemption to the children of the evilest villains: Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos (the children of Maleficent, the Evil Queen, Cruella De Vil, and Jafar, respectively).

In the story, Maleficent tasks her daughter and her friends with stealing the Fairy Godmother’s wand to remove the forcefield. So while they attend Auradon Prep, the four villain kids have a difficult choice to make: whether they should follow in their parents’ evil footsteps or learn to be good.

“I was really nervous when I got the lead,” said Fery Delawar ‘26, who plays Jay. However, the welcoming environment has been a big source of support. “When we are rehearsing things together, it’s just so comforting to know that I have these people around me that I can lean back on and ask for advice,” she said.

Luke Cooper ‘26 said he “feels honored” to play Prince Ben and promised “to give [the audience] the performance they deserve.”

Silviia Kadar ‘28 (Queen Belle) said, “It feels weird playing the wife and a mother of someone on stage, but it’s been pretty easy to get into character considering Queen Belle’s personality isn’t too dramatic; it’s not much different from my own.”

The performers have to be highly skilled in many areas, as the show features several choreographed musical numbers. There are a few songs that have been created specifically for the musical, “which really adds depth to the universe of the Descendants,” Delawar said. Surprisingly, the freshmen have been able to keep up with the seniors with intense dances like “Ways to Be Wicked” and “Break This Down.”

No production is without its hiccups. Jasmin Yin ‘27 said, “When rehearsing, it can be difficult to keep everyone on task, especially since we're all students, but I really respect our group for knowing when to focus and listen.”

There’s just as much going on behind the scenes as there is on stage. Ms. Manzi said she loves working with the stage crew. “They do so much with every little bit of paint, material, cardboard, you name it,” she said.

“In terms of motivational creativity,” said co-stage assistant Benny Ngouekem-Kouleho ‘26, “There’s a lot of possibilities when it comes to conjuring the items that need to be made.”

The most challenging prop for the crew has been Jafar's podium. “We had to use air dried clay, and it was very hard rolling the clay into balls because we had to make sure there were no cracks,” said Kalina Bovell ‘26. “Cutting out the cardboard was difficult because the scissors were dull and the design was difficult – a grid with a weird, specific shape.”

The challenges bring the team together, determined to put together something that will impress.

“I love them all to death,” said Delawar. “They are my favorite people on earth. Some of these people I’ve known since freshman and sophomore year, and I’ve grown so close to the point that I see them as family.”

This year’s production, like last year’s Mean Girls, was chosen by student vote. Other recent shows include West Side Story (2024) and High School Musical (2023). Be sure to come out to support these talented students, and if you have a theater spark in you, keep your eyes open for audition announcements next fall.