As thousands of CMS students went back to class on Monday, a 13-year-old boy from Huntersville took the day off after spending the weekend on stage.
Ramon Reed portrays Young Simba in Disney's The Lion King. The teen started out on the North American tour then went to Broadway, But when his family found out the production was coming to the Queen City, they asked if Reed could go back on the road.
The young actor is enjoying his time in the Carolinas.
“It feels so good to sleep in your bed and eat a home-cooked meal," he said.
Members of Reed's church are coming to see one of his shows while the tour is in town. He's not in every performance though; he and another young actor take turns playing young Simba. They are each in four shows a week.
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Whether he's at home or on the road, Reed's mother makes sure he does his homework (he's home-schooled) and stays healthy. The teen has sickle cell anemia, a condition where there aren't enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen throughout the body, according to the Mayo Clinic.
“He is required to drink at least 64 ounces of water a day. Sometimes we hit our goal; sometimes we don’t," said Rosalyn Hart. “Even his castmates know if they have a cold, stay away from Ramon, because that can really affect him in a very negative way.”
Hart told WCNC she doesn't hold Reed back because of his disorder; in fact, she goes the opposite route.
“I just threw him in everything, you know. He was in karate. He was in soccer. He ran track. He did some basketball, played football. We just wanted to see what his passion was, what he liked and what he was good at," explained Hart.
Sports were fun, but in the end, it was the acting bug that bit Reed. He began his career at Porch Productions, a Charlotte-based company which creates staged theater for youth and young adults.
The teen passed along some tips for other kids who have a flair for the dramatic.
“I would say you’ll hear a lot of no’s, but that one yes could change your life," said Reed.
So what's next for Young Simba after his last curtain call?
“Definitely some TV and some film, but I would always love to come back to Broadway," said Reed.
Disney's The Lion King runs through September 9 at Belk Theater in uptown Charlotte. Click here for information on how to get tickets through Blumenthal Performing Arts Center.
