|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
On March 5, 6, and 7, 29 Upper School students are set to enchant audiences with The Little Mermaid—a colorful adventure under the sea, with charismatic sea creatures, playful lagoon animals, a humorous chef’s kitchen crew, and many more.
Adapted from the tale originally written by Hans Christian Andersen as part of his collection Fairy Tales Told for Children, first published in 1837, the tale focuses on a mermaid seeking a soul and human love. The Little Mermaid was also adapted into a 1989 animated film and a 2023 live-action reimagining of the previous. The musical premiered in 2008 and since has been performed globally.
The story begins as Ariel (Abigail MacLean ‘27), a curious young mermaid princess, disregards her father, King Triton’s (Tavio Mares Van-Praag ‘27) rules to follow her dreams of going to the human world and falls in love with a human, Prince Eric (Binyam Tsegai ‘26).
Directed by Caitlin Johnson and Bill Jacob, and with music directed by MS/HS Choral Music teacher Max Holman, choreography compiled by Kelly Teal Goyette and stunning costumes made by Georgia Lagadinos, the show promises to bring audiences in a thrilling adventure under the sea.
Caleb Bess ’27, who plays sailor, chef, and sea creature, is new to the Upper School musical. “It’s been really great, and it’s great seeing everything come together in tech week,” Bess said. “I’ve really appreciated everything Ms. Johnson and Mr. J and all the staff have put into us.”
Bella Drummond ’27 plays Adella, one of Ariel’s mersisters, and echoes Bess’ sentiments.
“My favorite part is the mersister songs and the numbers with a lot of people,” Drummond said. “At the end of the day, it’s just a fun experience.”
The group has been rehearsing since early January, going through blocking, running music, and practicing lines.
Ali Shimomura ’27, who plays Arista, another mersister, enjoyed the challenging process.
“Timing and making sure everyone knows their entrances has been kind of a struggle, especially with bigger group numbers,” Shimomura said.
MacLean encourages the community to see the show.
“It’s one of the best in a while,” MacLean said.
Editor’s Note: Performances occur Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $5 per seat and can be purchased at the door or online, in advance.
