Local girl selected for Lion King tour

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - A young Springfield girl has stars in her eyes and a dream come true of performing in the North American Tour of "The Lion King."

Eight-year-old Madai Monica Williams was chosen from more than eight hundred young actresses to play the role of "Nala" in the Disney production.

Madai was congratulated Friday night by her instructors, family and fellow performing arts students at Dream Studios in Springfield.

Madai begins rehearsals in Texas in a little over three weeks. "It's exciting and almost feels like this can't be happening because I'm really excited. Sometimes I think back and I just realize that this is really true, and it's really happening," she said.

Madai will make her stage debut in Hartford in late January, before traveling to Boston, Philadelphia and other cities in the U.S. and Canada.

Madai told 22News that, along with being very excited, she's really happy.