A pair of local dancers have snagged spots in this year’s Muny Kids troupe and will perform with the Muny outdoor musical theater in St. Louis this summer.
Jionni Moonier, 12, of Festus and Ariana Pruett, 10, of Pevely auditioned in January and were accepted into the troupe, a performance group that serves as goodwill ambassadors across the St. Louis area and performs at public and private events.
The program was founded in 1994 and spotlights young performers who range in age from 9-14 and live within a 50-mile radius of St. Louis. The Muny Teens is a similar group for those age 15-18.
Getting in
Jionni is the son of Erica and Brandon Moonier of Festus. Ariana is the daughter of Tara and Aaron Pruett of Pevely.
Both Ari and Jionni are students at Dynamic Edge Dance Center in Fenton. Erica Moonier said a fellow dancer who has been in the Muny Kids for several years encouraged her son to try out. She called the process “pretty grueling.”
“It opens in January, and you have to submit a video,” Erica said. “You have to learn the dances, then video yourself. If you make it through that step, they call you for an in-person audition in front of the show producers and directors.
“Jionni did a tap and a lyrical dance. He also had to sing two songs, and he’s never sung a day in his life, so we went and got him some lessons.”
Ari, although younger, had a bit more performing experience. She had done some modeling work, done print ads and made a few commercials.
“We found out she made it (into the troupe) on Feb. 17,” Tara said. “We were supposed to find out a week earlier, but we got an email saying, ‘We’re still deciding.’
“It was nerve wracking. Lots of refreshing your email. The toughest part is, if you don’t get in, you don’t get anything at all. So, you’re waiting around to hear, and you’re not sure if you didn’t make it at all or they just haven’t let you know yet.”
Getting up to speed
Once they’ve been accepted into the Muny Kids troupe, which performs a pre-show for several of the Muny’s productions over the summer, kids may also audition for several more levels of involvement.
They may be chosen for parts in a specific show on the schedule.
“Jionni got called back for three: ‘Hairspray,’ ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels’ and ‘Newsies,’” Erica said. “Dance nationals conflict with ‘Hairspray,’ so he’s just doing two.”
Ari was accepted into the youth ensemble and got a callback for principal role for “Shrek: the Musical,” and Jionni got a callback for a principal role in “Newsies.” Neither of them made that cut this time.
“She didn’t get a principal – but just to be asked, get a callback, is an amazing experience,” Tara said.
The Mooniers were happy their son made it in the door at all.
“We weren’t expecting him to make it, frankly,” Erica said. “I’m not saying he’s not talented, but it’s tough to make it on the first try. It’s incredibly competitive.”
Once the show rosters were filled out, those chosen for the troupe went through an intensive rehearsal process.
“We went Thursdays through Sundays for four weeks,” Tara said. “They learned all the songs, all the dances for the troupe shows. It was a lot. They were there something like 19 hours a week.”
They will soon go in for a quick refresher course.
“Come the end of May, they go in for tech rehearsals, and to freshen up so they are sure everyone still knows all the pieces,” Erica said. “It’s a huge commitment of time. And it’s not just the regular scheduled shows; they called just last week, saying they needed kids for a private event.”
Loving every minute
Both Ari and Jionni have danced at DEDC from a young age.
“She started at 4,” Tara said. “I think Jionni started the year before that. They’ve been duet partners, been dancing together for some time.”
Ari has done some modeling work.
“She did a Build-a-Bear print campaign, a couple of commercials, one for Cardinal Glennon,” her mother said. “She does tumbling at a cheer gym to supplement her dancing, but she has no interest in cheer. She is in love with dance.”
Since her older brother, Drayden, is 17, Ariana’s homeschooling and dance career can be the focus of Tara’s time.
“Ari’s biggest goal was just to make the troupe. She’s been watching them for years,” Tara said. “She loves to perform. She loves to be on the stage, and this is the biggest stage she’s ever been on. She’s loving every minute of it. She doesn’t seem to be nervous at all. I think her dance experience has set her up for that.”
Jionni came to dance through a different route. Adopted as a toddler from a traumatic biological family, he was diagnosed with ADHD very early, and doctors said movement might help him cope.
“Since his big sister, Eliza, was already in dance, it was easy for us to put him in there,” Erica said. “It turned out he was talented, and he loves it. His teachers say that, through dance, he has become more confident.
“He gets a little teasing, but he takes it in stride. They’ll say, ‘You do dance?’ and he just grins and says, ‘You should try it – there’s a lot of girls there!’”
The Mooniers also have Jakob, 15, and Jaxon, 7.
Both families say they hope their children make great memories and lasting friendships during their time in Muny Kids.
“I always tell Ari how hard it is, and that the chances aren’t high,” Tara said. “I’m always very transparent with her about what it takes.
“If she was ever like, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore,’ she wouldn’t. But she loves it so much.”
Schedule
The Muny Kids and Muny Teens will perform on selected nights as part of the nightly Preshow Festival, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Broadhurst Pavilion, located on the west side of the Muny campus.
Tickets went on sale May 18 at themuny.org.
■ “Hairspray”
Kids: June 16, June 21
Teens: June 15, June 19
■ “Shrek The Musical”
Kids: June 25, June 26
Teens: June 27, June 30, July 2
■ Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “South Pacific”
Kids: July 6, July 8
Teens: July 10, July 12
■ Disney’s “Newsies”
Kids: July 17, July 22
Teens: July 16, July 21
■ “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations”
Kids: July 27, July 28
Teens: Aug. 1, Aug. 2
■ “Meet Me In St. Louis”
Kids: Aug. 8, Aug. 10, Aug. 13
Teens: Aug. 6, Aug. 12
■ “Something Rotten!”
Kids: Aug. 22, Aug. 23
Teens: Aug. 17, Aug. 19