Music & Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Opetaia Foa‘i & Mark Mancina
Book Adapted by Susan Soon He Stanton
Music and Orchestrations Adapted and Arranged by Ian Weinberger
Based on the 12016 Disney film Moana

Directed by Christina Giorgi
Music Director: AJ DePetris
Choreographer: Tess Rowan

July 25 @ 7 pm
July 26 @ 7pm
July 27 @ 2pm & 7pm

Tickets: $25 | Students: $10*
RaueNOW Members: $17.50 | $7*

With empowering messages of bravery and selflessness, Moana JR. is sure to bring out the hero in every student!

Disney’s Moana JR. is a 60-minute musical adaptation of the 2016 Disney animated film, bringing the adventures of Moana and her village of Motunui to life on stage. Moana JR. features all the beloved songs from the film, written by Tony®, GRAMMY, Emmy, and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Lin-Manuel Miranda, Opetaia Foa’i, and Mark Mancina, including “How Far I’ll Go,” “Shiny,” and “You’re Welcome.”

This thrilling and heartwarming coming-of-age story follows the strong-willed Moana as she sets sail across the Pacific to save her village and discover the truth about her heritage. Moana and the legendary demigod Maui embark on an epic journey of self-discovery and camaraderie as both learn to harness the power that lies within. 

Christina Giorgi (Director) is a recent graduate from Illinois Wesleyan University where she obtained her BFA in acting with a minor in Hispanic studies. When not acting, Christina has a passion for teaching and directing. For the past two summers, she has worked as a teaching artist and director for young performers at the New London Barn Playhouse and Wagon Wheel Conservatory for the Arts. Most recently, Christina has split her time this Spring directing Huntley High School’s production of Little Women alongside teaching the Fundamentals of Performance in Acting class here at RCSA.

Born and raised in Crystal Lake, Christina is thrilled to be working with young performers and providing them a safe space to expand on their dreams of becoming a performer just like she had at their age. 

Tess Rowan (Choreographer) is a theater artist from the Washington, D.C. area. She has trained at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, Stagedoor Manor, the New York Film Academy at Harvard University, and the Broadway Artists Alliance. Select theater credits include Break My Bones (The Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center YPF), Static (Capital Fringe Festival, Flying V Theatre), Mr. Stranger (Stagedoor Manor Dramafest), Pie from the Pattersons (Stagedoor Manor Dramafest), Your Carving Footprint (Saxon Stage After Hours, NOVA Outside), Gravediggers (Saxon Stage After Hours). Tess has training in a variety of dance styles and teaches at a dance studio in Northern Virginia. Tess co-founded Saxon Stage After Hours, a playwriting, directing, and student production group.

She was a Lead Critic in the Cappies of the National Capital Area for youth theater journalism in the D.C. Area. Tess also wrote the book, music, and lyrics for her original musical, Static, which she will workshop with Raue Center School For The Arts later this summer.

Rob Scharlow (Director of Education) is an award-winning director and has spent 35+ years working in the performing arts which has taken him across the country working as a director, actor, teacher and more. For the past 17 years, he worked for the internationally acclaimed performing arts training center, Stagedoor Manor in New York… a recipient of Broadway Theatre Museums Award for Excellence in Arts Education. During his time at Stagedoor, his journey began as a director/teacher, eventually transitioning into the role of Director of Education for 11 years and then most recently serving as Associate Artistic Director. Rob also oversaw the Dramafest program which helps to develop new and exciting 10-minute plays by young writers. A program that worked in conjunction with Stephen Sondheim’s Young Playwrights.

Education in the arts has always played such a large part in his career and he couldn’t be more delighted to be helping develop and ignite the education program as he comes back to the Raue Center, where (what seems like a lifetime ago) he spent time working as a marketing intern, appeared in several productions including the role of Sweeney Todd in William Street Rep’s production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (BroadwayWorld.com Best Actor Nominee), Hands on a Hardbody and Barefoot in the Park. He also directed their production of Search for Signs of Intelligent Life and spent some time with SAGE Studios teaching an advanced acting class.

With 150+ directing credits under his belt, some of his most memorable productions include; Ride the Cyclone: High School Edition where he had the opportunity to direct and help workshop the first production designed specifically for high school-aged performers. Evil Dead: The Musical in which he helped in the creation of the High School Edition working closely with Dramatic Publishing and the creators of the show. Other favorite directing credits include Evita, High Fidelity, BARE, Spring Awakening, Carrie: The Musical, In the Heights, BKLYN the Musical, The Toxic Avenger, Big Fish, Rock of Ages, You Can’t Take It With You, and more. On the flip side of things, some favorite acting credits include; Sweeney Todd in Sweeney Todd (BroadwayWorld Best Actor Nominee), Billy Flynn in Chicago, Lockstock in Urinetown, Phantom in Phantom, Jon in Tick, tick…BOOM!, El Gallo in The Fantasticks and others.