The Lincoln Elementary School Lions have something new to roar about this spring: Disney’s “The Lion King Jr.”

Fifty fourth and fifth grade students and 9-month old Freddy Ritter, will take the stage June 8 under the direction of second grade teacher Alma Ritter.

Dress rehearsal and pictures for the cast and crew were held May 13, where students tried on some of their costumes. Animals from all across the savannah lined the walls of the school’s all-purpose room, waiting patiently to have their pictures taken.

The Seem Street Players Couture, also known as the “costume grandmas” are to thank for the elaborately designed lions, elephants, giraffes and more.

Terri Reed and Ellen Wilson have been helping create the costumes for Lincoln productions since their own grandkids were in the shows.

“My grandson’s 16 now, getting ready to graduate high school soon,” Reed said. She got involved with costume design in 2010. “My daughter told them I could sew and now here I am.”

The next year brought Wilson on board. That year, the school performed “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” Wilson’s grandson played Wonka himself and Wilson was asked to put together his costume.

Reed and Wilson both saw they worked well together and since then have been able to dress each student in unique and fun costumes.

Even though their own grandchildren have come and gone, these costume grandmas are here to stay.

“Some of the kids still call me Meemaw and Ellen Grandma Wilson,” Reed said. “How can you not [make the costumes] when a grandkid asks?”

The process for each show begins as soon as the last one ends. Ritter lets Reed and Wilson know which show the school will perform the next year. When the cast and crew gather for their party, the costume grandmas begin to pick apart the old costumes to see what can be used for the next show.

Reed, who calls herself “the shopper,” likes to find pieces in thrift shops through the year as well. “It’s a lot like hunting and gathering,” she said.

When Reed finds fabrics or props, she consults with Wilson. Sometimes the pieces fall into place, but Reed said they do change their minds a lot. They find different pieces and pass them around to each other until the costume is complete.

The real work begins in January after the cast list is up. The students are measured for their individual costumes. Wilson, who was a professional seamstress, commented it wasn’t “so much sewing as it was construction” this time around.

For Disney’s “The Lion King Jr.,” Reed and Wilson constructed two elephant heads, two rhinoceros heads, two giraffes, four zebra bodies with legs and two giant wildebeest masks. In additon, these ladies sewed costumes for four lionesses, five birds, five hyenas and one mouse – and that’s just the ensemble.

Even though they have a lot of work to do behind the scenes, both Reed and Wilson agree the most rewarding part of the process is watching the kids.

“They have some fabulous voices this year,” Wilson said. “Knowing that the kids get to be on stage and people will applaud them – how often can they get to experience that?”

Starting as early as January, the students attend two practices per week. Once April hits, the kids stay after school as many as four nights a week.

“You would think with all the practice, their energy would go down,” fourth grade teacher Tina Sopko said. “But the kids are always excited.”

Ritter, who has been directing the elementary school’s shows for seven years said, “seeing the kids get excited and do their best” is the best part of each production. But she couldn’t have done it without the help of Deb McGuinness, a Lincoln Elementary School administrative assistant. ”She’s my right-hand lady,” Ritter said.

In addition to McGuinness’s help, music teacher Carrie Campbell and Sopko have been a big part of making Disney’s “The Lion King Jr.” come to life this year. Ritter also couldn’t have gotten the show going without Renee Tigar and Jen Halcisak, two moms who aided Reed and Wilson in their work.

“Renee keeps us organized,” Reed said. Tigar’s daughter Hanna, a former playgoer herself, has also been helping the costume grandmas and the production team at Lincoln ths year.

The show opens 7 p.m. June 8, with additional performances 7 p.m. June 9 and 10. The show will be held in Lincoln Elementary School. Tickets are available through the school office by calling 610-965-1636 during school hours.