Are you rotten to the core? If so, make sure to come watch and support the upcoming Birmingham musical “Descendants.” The show dates next month will be on April 16-17 and on April 23-26. Here is everything you need to know about the play and cast!
Descendants is a musical movie about the teenage children of classic Disney villains (Maleficent, Evil Queen from Snow White, Jafar, Cruella de Vil). The children face challenges trying to make their parents proud when attending a school for royalty in Auradon.
Here is what some of the main actors and actresses have to say about their characters, their roles, and their parts in the play.
Mal is the daughter of Maleficent and Hades. Her character will be played by Skye Adelyne Cruz (12) and Akira Lopez Favela (10). Sky said, “Mal is very rebellious, but she can still be a leader, and even when she is dealing with her own conflicts, she can still push through and find a solution.”
Akira would describe Mal as very outgoing and as someone who wants to take their own path. Mal’s love interest is Prince Ben, son of Belle and Beast. They are the King and Queen of Auradon. Prince Ben will be played by William Gorchon (11). Gorchon said, “Ben is very naive and open to trying new things and meeting new people.”
Mal is on a journey to attend school in Auradon with her closest friends, Evie, Jay, and Carlos De Vil. Evie is Mal’s best friend, whom she refers to as her “sister.” Evie’s character is going to be played by Saori Araujo (11) and Meela Jane Campbell (12). Saori would describe Evie as a vain, self-centered person, but also as someone who portrays herself differently than how she actually is on the inside. Mila would also depict Evie as someone who is vain. She says Evie is smart and is someone who pretends not to care about important stuff, but deep down, she does.
Jay is the son of Jafar, and he is going to be played by David Campos (12). David describes Jay as “someone who tries to be scary, but on the inside he is very outgoing and nerdy.” Carlos De Vil is the son of Cruella De Vil. Carlos is seen as Jay’s best friend. Carlos is going to be played by Ashwani Bhardwaj (10). Bhardwaj said, “Carlos is a very nervous person who just wants to fit in with the rest of his friends.”
Even though Auradon is supposed to be a perfect place, Mal still manages to make enemies. Audrey is the daughter of Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip. Audrey is going to be played by Michelle Ayala (11). She describes Audrey as “pretty mean but also strong and witty in her own way.” Mal and Audrey clash due to their parents’ history, and both take a romantic interest in Prince Ben.
The cast will be performing many incredible moments and singing amazing songs from the movie, such as “Rotten to the Core,” but we also have to give credit to Jose Camey (12). He is in charge of ensuring the characters are safe from any props and ensuring that things won’t break. Jose is also in charge of building the sets for their scenes! Jose said, “Most of the time, it’s the tech crew that’s making a lot of what happens in the background.” Although the cast is performing and doing the acting on stage, the tech crew are the ones who bring out the scenes through their builds, lighting, and audio.
Make sure to go and see the upcoming musical “Descendants”!
