Disney surprises HISD's Paige Elementary in honor of historic 'The Lion King' production

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A roar filled the Paige Elementary School cafetorium Thursday afternoon, and while it'd be fitting to believe the powerful sound came from "Simba" or "Nala" as the student cast prepares for their upcoming production of "The Lion King," the origin of it was even better.

Disney surprised the cast and crew, teachers, and the entire school community with gifts, activities, and other goodies from the Disney Store ahead of the performance.

And while not all students are in the musical, there was indeed something for everyone.

"Some highlights for me today were the kids' faces. To see them brighten up, they just lit up. And seeing some of the surprises they were receiving, and I would say the genuine cheering of students," said Principal Daniella Cole.

For the first time, the Disney Musicals in Schools program teamed up with Theatre Under the Stars, or TUTS, to bring the "Lion King Kids" production to four Houston-area schools, with Paige Elementary in Houston ISD being one of them.

Ross Elementary School in Clear Creek ISD, Cimarron Elementary in Galena Park ISD, and Savannah Lakes Elementary in Alvin ISD round out the group.

Through a grant from Disney, TUTS and Disney Theatrical Group trained a team of teaching artists who led the school throughout this musical theater residency.

The school teachers and staff on campus had incredible impact, too.

Among them, theater director Patrina Randolph, who had no idea the pep rally was coming or that she'd be honored at it for her work with the students and turning the vision of the arts program into reality.

It was a 19-week process, including auditions and rehearsals, Randolph said.

"I think another part for me that was my favorite was Ms. Randolph when she realized, this was more than just a pep rally," Principal Cole said with a smile.

"I was absolutely surprised today. Could not have imagined anything like this," said Randolph, who received a DonorsChoose gift certificate to help the school get a kick start on their production for next year. "Today was absolutely, positively amazing."

In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, Disney launched its 2026 Back to School Campaign in partnership with the education nonprofit DonorsChoose to support classrooms by matching donations and providing resources for projects focused on arts and storytelling.

Paige Elementary captured Disney's attention thanks to a letter posted to DonorsChoose from teacher and production choreographer Nicole Cena.

"The talent has always been here. These kids are amazing at what they do," Cena said. "It was the resources that we lacked, so I knew there would be people out here in the Houston community and all over the U.S. that wanted to help."

Cena shared that they needed everything from materials to create costumes and sets to snacks to keep students going during rehearsals.

Disney funded the request and "The Lion King" cast and crew quickly got to work. Teachers, and even some family members providing an assist, have sewn wardrobes and helped with sets.

Colorful costumes now line a rack waiting to dazzle in the spotlight, each outfit aligning with the photos covering cabinets in Randolph's classroom. And in the spirit of a true artiste, she has transformed the space into a black box theatre.

"The reason why it's important to me for students to have this type of opportunity and to participate in the arts is because I know that every student has a purpose in life," Randolph told ABC13.

Now some of those students will get a taste of the acting life, taking on roles they said have not only built their confidence, but helped them speak up more freely.

"My favorite part in the school musical is how we all get to do our own solos and express our dance moves and talents that we have," shared 4th grade student Imir Duncan, who plays the affable warthog "Pumbaa."

Fifth grade student Keyona Keyes gets to spread her wings as the royal advisor and King Mufasa's majordomo, "Zazu."

"Simba, Nala, you're a royal pain in my tailfeather," Keyona says, nailing her line. The role, she adds, makes her feel regal.

"It was important for me to give them the gift of arts to introduce them to themselves, and to the power that they have within them to achieve whatever they just believe they can do," said Principal Cole, who herself grew up performing. "It's important that kids know that they have a voice."

The cast at Paige Elementary will perform for their school community on Saturday.

On Monday, all four schools will make their TUTS stage debut at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts downtown.

Our support of teachers is far from over! Stay tuned for more details on ABC13's upcoming drive, ABC13 Loves Teachers, launching in July.

Disney is the parent company of this station.