Eisenhower's Disney Program

Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary began our Disney Musicals in Schools (DMIS) program in 2014 - over 10 years ago! After we were awarded a grant from DMIS and Segerstrom Center for the Arts, we began what would become our school’s trademark - a show that wowed all in attendance. 

Our first show was Aladdin KIDS. The Disney KIDS shows are about 40 minutes in length and have only a few major roles. When we began, we had about 30 kids in the show total, and while we did our best, we realized we had a lot to learn. 

From there, we went on to do Jungle Book KIDS, Cinderella KIDS, Lion King KIDS (twice), and Aladdin KIDS (again). After that, we decided to uplevel, and that’s when things really got interesting. We took on Beauty and the Beast Jr., which is actually intended for middle school and older students. The bar was officially raised! Everything was much more challenging - the vocabulary, the songs (harmonizing and even just the general arrangement), and the staging. In addition, the shows were much longer at about 1 hour 15 minutes. We started casting more performers with our grand total of participants now at about 85, including our crew. Our students completely exceeded our expectations and rose to the challenge! We went on to do Little Mermaid Jr. and Frozen Jr. This year, we are doing Aladdin Jr., taking us back to where it all started, but with the added difficulties of a Junior show. What a ride this has been!

Becoming a DMIS partner has been a way to connect with the community as well. Our families are incredibly proud of our Disney program and support us implicitly. Even though we have added additional shows over the years (starting at three and now up to five), they still sell out almost immediately! We can’t keep up with the demand!

We are so fortunate to have such talented and dedicated students auditioning for our shows each year. Our Disney cast members have amazed us with their talent and skill. We see them practicing every moment they have, reading the script over and over, weaving the advanced vocabulary into their writing, executing dance moves in the hallway, and belting out the songs with their friends. In addition, we have seen struggling readers soar after being cast in this show, demonstrating that there is a strong learning component attached to what we do! Our performing arts program here at Eisenhower brings everyone joy and we hope to continue this valuable program for many years to come. 

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