It was only fitting that 10-year-old Alphonso Jones, II was up to a bit of trouble when informed that he had landed the role of the mischievous Young Simba in The Lion King on Broadway.
“My parents came home with the news, and I was playing Guitar Hero and it was really loud,” says the fifth grader at P.J. Hill Elementary School in Trenton. “I thought they were going to yell at me, but instead they started jumping up and down.”
Before winning the role, Jones had never even seen the 1994 Disney animated film. Kathy Jones thinks that helped her son stand out at his audition. “Not knowing the original music worked to his advantage,” she says. “His style was fresh and not mimicking.”
Jones, who starred in last winter’s A Christmas Carol at McCarter Theatre in Princeton, will soon begin rehearsals for his Broadway debut on September 29 at the Minskoff Theater. To facilitate his schedule of four performances per week (the role is split with another young actor), his school is planning a special schedule for the straight-A student.
Kathy Jones says her son’s big break has been “a jolt” for the entire city. “People keep telling me that hearing Alphonso’s success makes up for all the news of gang violence and crime you hear coming out of Trenton.”
Jones is eager to learn the special flying effects that are part of his role. He’s also looking forward to seeing a few famous faces in the audience—including Sasha and Malia Obama, for whom he’s planning a personal invitation.
With this innocent fun, Jones stays true to his character. “Sometimes I can be too anxious and nosey and get into trouble,” he says. “But on the flip side I can be nice and caring too. Just like Simba.”