Since February, Savannah Lakes Elementary launched a 17-week musical theater residency in partnership with Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS) as just one of four schools in the Houston area chosen to participate in the 2025 Disney Musicals in Schools programs–marking a significant milestone as TUTS launches the initiative locally for the first time.
Developed by Disney Theatrical Group, Disney Musicals in Schools is designed to create sustainable theater programs in under-resourced elementary schools, providing students and educators with access to the arts and hands-on musical theater experience.
Through the program, SLE received the performance rights, educational materials and ongoing support from TUTS teaching artists to perform The Lion King KIDS, a 30-minute musical adaptation of the Disney classic.
The TUTS teaching artists spend one day a week after school working directly with students and the campus team, building foundational skills in acting, singing, and movement, and the school’s onsite team spends another day leading rehearsals, working through choreography and fine-tuning the production.
“As the music teacher for SLE and the director for this program, I was super surprised and excited to find out we had been chosen as a finalist school. It felt like I had won the musical theatre lottery for our SLE Suns,” said Shirron Hawkins, SLE Music Teacher and Musical Director. “The instant partnership with TUTS and Disney Musicals in Schools was a warm and welcome feeling for our students.”
A key component of Disney Musicals in Schools is professional development, where educators gain the skills to produce, direct, choreograph a full musical production—ensuring the program’s long-term sustainability on campus.
The SLE onsite team include Hawkins, Christian Thomas, an ELAR Teacher and Music Director; Delisa Anthony, PE Teacher and Choreographer; Llasmin Alvarado, Art Teacher and Production Manager; and Elaine Edwards, Librarian and Stage Manager.
“It is an awesome feeling to watch our musicians grow through the arts and literacy daily,” Hawkins said. “Watching them continue to be all in, as we say here in Alvin ISD, keeps our team motivated and ready to keep the excitement flowing at every rehearsal.”
The program will culminate in two special performances. Savannah Lakes Elementary will host its campus production on May 14, 2026, in the school cafetorium, located at 5151 Savannah Parkway in Rosharon. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the show begins at 6:00 p.m.
Additionally, students will participate in a Student Share Celebration at the Hobby Center’s Sarofim Hall, where each participating school will perform a musical number on a professional stage for an audience of peers, educators, families, and community members.
Through the unique world of musical theater, Disney Musicals in Schools fosters collaboration and connection among students, teachers, families, and the broader community. Participants develop valuable life skills—including critical thinking, problem solving, communication, self-confidence, and teamwork—while experiencing the joy of performance.
Launched in 2010, Disney Musicals in Schools was created in response to a need for equitable access to arts education in public elementary schools. After its success in New York City, the program has expanded nationwide through partnerships with leading arts organizations like Theatre Under The Stars.
For Savannah Lakes Elementary, this opportunity represents more than a performance—it’s the beginning of a lasting arts tradition on campus and in Alvin ISD.