Directors’ Note:
Stories like Disney’s Descendants: The Musical begin with labels. Hero. Villain. Royal. Rebel. Names handed down. Expectations inherited. Futures assumed. In Auradon and on the Isle, young people wrestle with identity. They discover that goodness is not predetermined, that belonging is not automatic, and that transformation is not about erasing where you come from — it is about deciding how you will move forward. But this story — and this production — asks something braver: What if we are more than what we were told? What if we get to choose?
Our production brings together a 53-person mainstage cast and an ensemble of 20 dancers from our community partner, the Down Syndrome Alliance of the Midlands. Artists of different ages. Different abilities. Different experiences. Many who began as strangers. All who chose to step into the same story.
Theatre is a remarkable teacher. It asks us to listen before we speak. To notice before we judge. To step forward when it is our moment — and to step back with grace when it is someone else’s turn to shine. It asks us to trust that every role matters, every presence shifts the room, every voice adds to the harmony. We intentionally embraced understudies in this production so that more artists could explore character, leadership, and risk. In doing so, we affirmed a simple truth: there is no single spotlight. The stage is wide enough for all of us.
Like the characters in Descendants, we each carry histories — of triumph, of doubt, of resilience. But in this space, we practice something powerful: we choose one another. We choose collaboration over competition. We choose generosity over ego. We choose community.
Live theatre is fleeting. A performance exists only for a breath of time. And yet the connections formed — the trust built, courage found, and friendships forged — can endure far beyond the final bow. We come together as individuals. We leave as something larger.
May we all continue choosing who we are becoming — on stage, in our neighborhoods, and in the greater world we share. Thank you for witnessing this moment with us.
Courtney & Fran
