How do you make seeing a Broadway show into an unforgettable experience for 200 Girl Scouts? Try adding a dance workshop with the cast, specialized badges, coloring sheets, and pizza (lots of it)! Our Group Sales team recently worked to bring over 200 Girl Scouts to experience Disney’s The Lion King at the Academy of Music for an evening that included a pre-show event in our Plaza and a post-show chat back with the cast. To get an inside look at this event, we spoke with Girl Scout troop leader Aprille Kronmuller who worked alongside our Group Sales team to make this a roaring success.
Aprille (standing, 3rd from left) with members of her troop.
How did you first become involved with the Girl Scouts?
Well, I was in Girl Scouts when I was young for several years, and unfortunately, the troop fell apart and disbanded. I always remembered how memorable of an experience it was for me, so it was definitely something I wanted my daughters to have. I started a troop six years ago for my oldest daughter and assisted with my youngest daughter’s troop as well. I also help new troops in my area get started!
The special The Lion King badge that scouts received at the event.
What started the idea to bring a group to Disney’s The Lion King?
My troop has been asking to go see a show in New York, but we haven’t been able to make that happen. So when I saw that The Lion King was coming locally to Philly, I jumped on it to make sure we could attend! I love creating special experiences for the girls that are different than just going with their families. This prompted me to inquire with the Group Sales team about what opportunities would be available for my troop to make this an over-the-top event. As the ideas started to flow, I definitely could not just keep this to my troop as I know so many others would love to experience this as well. Before I knew it – we were up to 200 troops!
Scouts enjoyed coloring sheets, a photo booth, and more in our Commonwealth Plaza.
What was the process like to coordinate this large group for an event of this type?
LOL, I knew it would be a lot, but it was certainly more than a lot on my end! I figured out a system using forms and spreadsheets to keep track of everything and then it was just a matter of staying on top of all the emails - answering questions and coordinating payments from all the attendees. I have coordinated a variety of small and large trips for my troop, but I have learned so much doing this. Now I am confident that I could do it again if an opportunity presented itself that would benefit Girl Scouts in our area.
They then had the opportunity to participate in a dance and singing workshop with two cast members of The Lion King, learning a portion of the Act Two number “He Lives In You (Reprise).”
Group photo before the show!
Why do you think it is important to expose young people to the arts in this way?
I think this experience allowed the girls to see real and up-close that dreams partnered with some hard work can take you anywhere you want to go. The arts are the saving grace to so many young people and can encourage them to stay focused on school while thriving doing performances. I think they were able to see how important being involved in scouts or arts programs is not only fun but could be a career path for them someday.
Getting excited for the performance!
And to top off a great pre-show and performance, we then had a post-show Q&A with members of the cast. And it was this – this was just amazing. It was the icing on the cake. When we thought everything else couldn’t be topped, it was inspiring for my troop to listen to and interact with the actors that they just witnessed singing and dancing on stage. It was here that they became real live people to my troop, as they answered questions about how they got to where they are and how much they love what they are doing. It was inspiring. I hope my girls remember what a great experience they had meeting others around our area and seeing how we all came together as Girl Scouts for our love of the arts.
The post-show chat back with cast members Gerald Ramsey (Mufasa), John E. Brady (Pumba), Darian Sanders (Simba), and Isaiah Bailey (Ensemble), moderated by Frances Egler, our Vice President of Theatrical Programming and Presentations.
See the full experience through photos here. Want to bring your large group to the Kimmel Center? Learn more about our Group Sales options here, and check out our upcoming events.
By day, Aprille Kronmuller works for Chester County Emergency Services supporting 911 operations, and after hours she volunteers for all things Girl Scouts with my two daughters. She also loves to go camping with her family and 3 dogs.
Photos by Morgan Horell.