Arts Alive! and Hampden Meadows School will present "Mulan, Jr." to the stage this weekend.

There will be four performances at Barrington High School — Friday, May 19 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, May 20 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, May 21 at 1 p.m.

Officials have been very impressed with the hard work of the Hampden Meadows School students involved in the production.

“Audiences will see some impressive performances from our young cast members — the kids are taught that the rehearsal room is the place to explore and take risks — the result of which is confidence, creativity and moments of genius," said Dena Davis, who will direct the play. "We push them pretty hard and they are expected to put in a lot of effort on their own, understanding that the payoff only comes with hard work when the curtain opens!"

Ms. Davis also credited a Hampden Meadows School teacher who is helping out.

"We are grateful to have the help of HMS art teacher Tiffany Mendez helping us with some special touches on our set, as we transport ourselves to ancient China," said Ms. Davis. "Audiences can expect amazing costumes, and also a surprise cameo from an HMS teacher. We are also grateful for our middle school interns, who volunteer their time every week to help the younger students, as they develop their own leadership skills."

Pete Bilderback, president of the Arts Alive! board of directors said the story of Mulan dates back to 6th Century China.

"Any story that has been retold many times over the centuries and managed to remain relevant has something profound to say about the human condition," said Mr. Bilderback. "'Mulan's' themes of honor and family responsibility are near universal and have spoken to generations. The story is perhaps even more relevant today as we seek to better support and nurture our non-gender conforming youth, and all those who do not recognize their true self in their reflection."

Tickets are available online at http://tinyurl.com/HMS-Mulan for $7 each, or at the door before each performance. 

In addition, audience members can purchase raffle tickets for a Broadway weekend get-away for two. At $10 per ticket, the winner will be able to pick tickets to a Broadway show of his or her choice (“Aladdin”, “Wicked”, or “Waitress”), with flexible dates between June 1 and Oct. 31. The prize also includes a two-night stay at a four-star hotel in Times Square, and a $100 Visa card. The drawing will be held on Sunday, May 21, after the performance of “Mulan Jr.” The winner does not need to be present at the drawing to claim the prize.