About 35 Peruvian Park students gathered on stage, their laughter barely contained as they worked through a few tricky tongue twisters.

With just two months to go before the curtain rises on “Jungle Book Kids” April 1 and 2 at 7 p.m., the students were busy preparing for the school's very first musical. The free, 30-minute show will take place in Midvale Middle School’s auditorium, 7852 S. Pioneer St. in Midvale.

"Tongue twisters are a great way to warm up," said director and teacher Cal Beck, who also guided the students through some neck stretches to get them ready for rehearsal.

The PTA-sponsored production has been supported by a group of dedicated adult volunteers who are helping with various aspects of the show. Sarah McConkie serves as the musical director, while Lori Mak handles costumes. Choreography and music are under the direction of Angles Mack, Candace McQueen and Haley Hanzon, and Jayna Swenson oversees the set and props.

During rehearsal, a couple of the choreographers led the students through the dance steps, promising to send a link for them to practice at home. They encouraged the kids to sing and move in sync.

Fourth-grader Finn Stenson, who plays a baby elephant in the show, is excited about their upcoming performances.

“I like after-school activities and being part of the musical is fun,” he said. “I like everything about it—the singing, the dancing, the acting. My part is easy to remember; I only have one line.”

Third-grader Alex Mack, who plays Mowgli, is still working on memorizing a few of his lines. 

“I practice at home with my sister, who is playing Baloo,” he explained. “My favorite part is the dance moves, especially the Charleston in ‘Bare Necessities.’ It’s fun to be in a musical with my friends. The teachers treat us like actors and they’ve been helpful.”

The decision to stage “Jungle Book Kids” was partly based on its large ensemble, allowing more students to be part of the cast. It also helped nearby Oakdale Elementary performed the same musical last year.

“They have been gracious to guide us and let us watch their production to get ideas for costumes; they even lent us some so we didn't have to acquire everything new for our kids,” Beck said. “Musicals offer so many learning opportunities beyond acting—singing, timing, choreography, projection and engaging your whole body.”

Beck also emphasized the students are developing important life skills such as attentiveness, note-taking, improvisation, reading, communication, responsibility and teamwork.

As part of the audition process in January, student-actors had to perform part of a song and read lines from the play. With each rehearsal, they’ve gained more confidence on stage.

Fourth-grader Piper Schmid, who portrays an elephant, admitted singing acapella at the audition was a bit nerve-wracking. 

“I’ve always wanted to be in a play, so I trusted Mr. Beck,” she said. “I’ve learned how to use my voice and perform with actions, and I’m making friends with kids from different grades.” 

Beck understands what it’s like to step outside your comfort zone. Ten years ago, he received a call from a University of Utah theater director asking him to audition for a show. Beck had no acting experience at the time, but he remembered telling his son he should always try new things.

“I told him, ‘Never be afraid to try something new, because you never know what you’ll be good at,’” Beck recalled. 

He agreed to the audition and eventually landed a role in the play. Since then, Beck has appeared in several productions, commercials and even an Amazon Prime series. He also directed two other elementary school musicals before coming to Peruvian Park.

“We’re providing them with an after-school opportunity that’s not sports-related, a chance to collaborate and be part of a team,” said Beck, a former collegiate athlete. “They’re learning so much while having fun.”

Fifth-grader Moria Nestel, who plays Ziggy the vulture, is comfortable on stage thanks to her experience with tap, jazz and ballet recitals, as well as tumbling showcases.

“We’ve talked about stage technique and projection,” she said. “This is even more fun than I imagined, so I’ve signed up for beginning theater next year in middle school.”

Beck said several students will play multiple jungle animal roles in the musical. 

"We want to give them more opportunities to perform," he said. “Our goal is to do a musical every year.”

The rehearsal ended with directors and some students sharing positive moments from the session—"listening," "dancing," "cooperating" and "getting along”—and were already eager to swing into the next rehearsal. λ