How far will one girl go to protect her family?
March back to ancient China in Northwood High School's heartwarming and hilarious production of Disney's "Mulan Junior,: to a time where gender dictates traditional roles, and one girl dares to defy them by enrolling herself in the Chinese imperial army to save her aging father.
With a smart-mouthed guardian dragon and a band of bumbling Huns, Mulan risks her life to protect her family's honor, and just might find herself along the way.
Mulan (Serena Lee) hops on one foot and topples into the Matchmaker, grinning sheepishly, or darts through the audience shouting for Shang, her voice ragged and overwhelmed with panic. Lee portrays Mulan's emotional journey from a vulnerable youth to a confident young woman flawlessly, and her delicate vocals infused with desperation are powerfully moving in "Reflection."
Mushu (Alex Garber), her sassy sidekick, shakes his head and snaps his fingers, using physicality to put the audience in stitches, when he entices the Huns and bounds into the audience in a mad dash to distract the cretins, or instructs Mulan to lumber around in a gangly fashion as a "man" when she first enters the army.
The stoic Captain Shang (Shounak Dattagupta) regales the audience with his rich vocals in "I'll Make a Man Out of You", which features sharp martial arts moves and the growing bond between Shang's army as they evolve into warriors.
Gentle Chien-Po (Kevin Rhee), feisty Yao (Dylan Huynh), and suave ladies-man Ling (Kameron Johnson), create a family dynamic as an ensemble with their distinct personas. They capture attention as they bat their eyelashes flirtatiously while disguised as women, or spy on the Huns from the safety of a snowbank. Even the uptight, snobbish Chi-Fu (Sean Darley) triggers laughs with his eye-popping outrage to Mulan's deception.
Sound (Matthew Kupferer) executes with precise timing, from the deep thrum of an imperial gong or the terrifying, roaring rumble of an oncoming avalanche. Combined with the skillful and powerful Northwood Orchestra, the sounds of Mulan envelop the audience and paint a complete atmosphere of ancient China. The production also features a talented set of performers, the adroit juggler Kyle Lee and Holly Traphagan's dazzling flag twirling.
Newport Harbor adds humor, wonder, and joy to a timeless coming-of-age story in Disney's "Mulan Junior," from an incredible orchestra to a cast of animated actors.
Gwen Thomas is a senior at SOCSA Dana Hills High School in Dana Point.