Mon River Arts Penguin Project promises a magic carpet ride with ‘Aladdin Jr.’

The musical, based on Disney’s animated movie, will feature performances Thursday through Sunday.

The Penguin Project at Mon River Arts will introduce audiences to a whole new world with this year’s production of Disney’s “Aladdin Jr.”

This is the third production for the Mon River Arts chapter of the Penguin Project, which is a nationwide organization dedicated to producing notable shows with children and young adults with disabilities.

This year, they’re taking audiences to the magical land of Agrabah, and Assistant Director Emily Palma said people can expect a great show.

“The friendships the artists have made don’t just show offstage, they show onstage,” Palma said. “And I think that brings joy to anybody, especially us working with them. But I think audiences will be able to see that and really, really enjoy it, and feel that this is a great program.”

“Aladdin Jr.” is based on Disney’s 1992 animated movie and the Broadway version of the musical. It will follow the story of Aladdin, Princess Jasmine and their other friends as they try to fight against the villainous Jafar.

The show will open at 7 p.m. Thursday, with performances also set for 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, along with a 2 p.m. matinee Sunday.

The shows will take place at the Elizabeth Grand Theatre, located at 207 S. Second Ave. All tickets are $15 and can be purchased online at www.monriverarts.org or by calling 412-405-8425.

A production by the Mon River Arts Penguin Project might seem a little different, as each artist or actor in the show will have a mentor alongside them to help them throughout the show, if needed. One of the duos onstage will be Noah Hawkins, who plays Babkak, and his mentor, Vaughn Leccia.

“I’m really excited to see all the penguins go on the stage,” Leccia said. “It’s just really nice because we’ve been working for a really long time, and it’s just a really beautiful project. It’s a really beautiful project where everyone just gets to feel like they make a difference.”

Palma said some mentor- and-artist pairs have carried on from previous productions. Some just seem to work well with each other, and have a great dynamic. Palma added that some of the pairings have developed great friendships between the mentors and the artists.

“The boy playing Aladdin, John, he’s had the same mentor the past three years, Mya, because they’ve really connected,” Palma said. “And they’ve become friends beyond the theater. And then we have new artists and new mentors where we notice their dynamics really work well together. You know, one is shy, one is not, and we think that they will really bring out the best in each other.”

Palma said there are around 40 people involved in the show, including cast, mentors and staff. Preparation has taken them 16 weeks, included a mentor boot camp.

Penguin Project Program Director Candice Damiani said one of the important things about their shows is making sure everyone is truly having fun. Just like Palma, Damiani has reiterated how their program has created long-lasting relationships for the artists.

“I think that’s the key, is that it’s just a lot of fun,” Damiani said. “We laugh a lot. They work hard. They put on a great show, right? But that’s really not what it’s about. It’s really about the relationships that they form.”

Cast list:

Abby Vok (Manal/Beggar) with mentors Janna Stumme, Lillian Rudge; Alivia Teagarden (Bread vendor/Jasmine’s friend) with mentor Faith Flanigan; Cameron Gaborek (Jafar) with mentor Lily Kiss; Carson Skomsky (Sultan/Spooky Voice) with mentor Emmabelle Glendenning; Christopher Pesanka (Iago) with mentors Harlow Spalla and Hannah Damiani; Domenic Angelucci (Prince Abdullah) with mentors Kendall Pierce and Lydia Cavalancia; Hannah Schlott (Rajah/Beggar) with mentors Sophia Segner and Nora Cope, Haley Schlott (Jasmine’s friend/Guard 2) with mentor Bella Stosic; John Carlson (Aladdin) with mentor Mya Clonan; Louden Stanko (Razoul/Cave of Wonders) with mentor Anna Carlson; Mackenzie Child (Isir/Fortuneteller) with mentor Emma Hawkins; Max Attenberger (Genie) with mentor Liam Miller; Noah Hawkins (Babkak) with mentor Vaughn Leccia; Olivia Reed (Omar) with mentor Bailey Buglar; Reagan Ulmer (Jasmine) with mentor Abbi Ross; Sadie Gloss (Kassim) with mentor Elliette Gaborek; Sam Hrvatin (Guard 1) with mentors Lilah Hall and Christian Kolcun; Sarandon Manion (Apple Vendor/Shop Owner/ Jasmine’s Friend) with mentor Zoey Steligo; Johnathan Rochford (Attendant) with mentor Louie Hrvatin.