By Baileigh Rebowe

L’Observateur

RESERVE – It was like a mini Broadway Saturday at the St. John Theatre in Reserve as children who attended the Children’s Drama Workshop concluded their week by performing the show “Aladdin for Kids” for the community.

“I thought it was a great way to end the workshop, and the kids really stepped it up,” said Kristen Brooks, director of the workshop.

More than 30 children lit up the stage for family and friends in a song and dance rendition of Disney’s “Aladdin” after just a week of rehearsal.

Jenevieve Bourgeois, who played Jasmine in the musical, said she was a little scared during rehearsals since she had such a big role.

“I was kind of nervous about performing because I had a lot of lines to learn. It’s still new for me,” said Bourgeois.

Rehearsing for the role really helped her memorization, she said.

Her mother, Donna Bourgeois, said she is very proud of her “little Jasmine” and thought she did an amazing job learning so much in such a short amount of time.

The play was a fun adventure for Cleo Dupre, who played Tiger God. She said it was really exciting being on stage and being at the theater. Dupre said the singing activities during the workshop were her favorite, and they helped her discover that she “loves to sing.”

The children who participated in the workshop got the chance to sing, dance, take classes from dramatic art teachers and leaders, participate in an audition and rehearse “Aladdin for Kids.”

Bourgeois said she really enjoyed the finale because everyone was on stage.

“We all got to dance together, and that was my favorite part,” she said.

She also liked singing “A Whole New World” with Aladdin on the “magic carpet ride” and the food parties.

“The pizza party was really fun,” she noted.

Elijah Brooks, who played Aladdin in the show, said his favorite moment was rehearsing and performing the song “Friend Like Me.” He said he wasn’t nervous about his role and was happy when he got cast as Aladdin.

Kristen Brooks said overall she is pleased with the way everything turned out. “The camp and performance were a huge success,” she exclaimed.

St. John Theatre, located at 115 W. Fourth St. in Reserve, is gearing up for its next production, the musical “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” which will run July 22-30.