Wright Middle School’s longstanding partnership with Tennessee Performing Arts Center and Disney Musicals in Schools will expand soon with student performances in two languages.
Disney Theatrical Group has given TPAC permission to work with a dual-language edition of “Aladdin Jr.,” and TPAC has agreed to provide teaching artists to work alongside Wright Middle’s teachers during rehearsals and performances, Wright Principal Sharada Deaton said. The TPAC teaching artists include experts in musical theater as well as Spanish-language interpreters.
Wright students have performed “Alice in Wonderland,” “The Little Mermaid Jr.,” “Mulan Jr.,” “Beauty and the Beast Jr.,” “Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” and other musicals since the Disney Musicals in Schools partnership started there in 2015. 
“At Wright Middle, the drama program is an opportunity and an avenue for students to build confidence, be creative, and unite as an ensemble and build community,” Deaton said. “The new opportunity presented by the dual-language partnership with TPAC is an exciting new addition and extension to this excellent program!”
Deaton said the South Nashville school was chosen not only because of its strong relationship with TPAC but also because approximately 50 percent of the students in the drama program speak Spanish.