'Dare to Dream Jr.', free Disney musical revue, at Poughkeepsie Middle School Thursday, Friday

Thirty-six Poughkeepsie Middle School students this week will bid an unofficial farewell to their auditorium this week with a rollicking musical revue filled with classic Disney songs.
The students this week are performing “Dare to Dream Jr.,” which features 19 songs spanning decades of Disney music and a message of self-discovery through adolescence.
Both, eighth grader Tyriq Inge said, are sure to hook the crowd who come to the school for the free performances Thursday and Friday evenings.
“I think they will like the plot and the songs that are in the show, and what message it’s sending – that it’s OK to not know exactly what you want. You just need to do different things to find it,” he said.
The group, 27 cast members, eight crew members, student assistant director Janiyah Vinson and director Nicole Schmitt, warmed up Wednesday with performances for students during the school day. The school is holding its big annual performance in January, rather than later in the year, as the auditorium is scheduled to undergo a complete renovation beginning next month.
Schmitt, a sixth grade AIS reading teacher, said the show gives “many students a chance to shine vocally.” Many songs incorporate a large number of background singers; some that were solo performances within their movies were rearranged to have multiple lead singers; and some are performed as mashups.
“We talked as a group about a show that would be a fun, unforgettable final performance in this theater,” said Schmitt, who has been at the center of the district’s emphasis on reviving musical performances in recent years by helming annual shows at Krieger Elementary and now the middle school. “With nonstop music and choreography, this show is jam-packed and the perfect send-off.”
The songs range from classics such as “When you Wish Upon a Star” and “Bare Necessities,” to modern classics like “Be Our Guest” and “Friend Like Me,” to recent favorites “Try Everything” and “Surface Pressure.”
Vinson, an eighth grade student, and Inge are among several students who have been performing with Schmitt since her first show at Krieger, “Annie” in 2022. Vinson said she likes how “Dare to Dream Jr.” “shows how unique everyone can be. Everyone doesn’t have to be the same as everyone else.” She said “Let it Go,” from “Frozen,” and “Remember Me,” from “Coco,” are two standout performances in the show.
“I like how much music there is,” Inge said. “You can express yourself in different ways.”
The performances, 6 p.m. on both Thursday and Friday, mark the culmination of more than four months of work, as auditions happened in September. Students have been rehearsing four days a week since early October.
“Seventeen different students perform solos, duets and trios, with many stepping up from crew or ensemble roles (from last year’s show) “High School Musical Jr.,” Schmitt said. “The result is a show that truly highlights growth, teamwork and rising talent.”
And, while the students are excited to perform, they’re also keeping a close eye on the auditorium renovation projects nearing completion at the high school and kicking off at the middle school.
“After the renovation, performances will be even better than they were before,” Inge said.

‘Dare to Dream Jr.’
What: PMS students perform a Disney musical revue.
When: Thursday and Friday. Doors open 5:45 p.m. Shows begin 6 p.m.
Tickets: Free
Where: Poughkeepsie Middle School, 55 College Ave.