BEAT, the home of quality youth theatre presents Disney’s The Little Mermaid April 18-20, a stage musical based on the animated 1989 Disney film and the classic tale of the same name. “Far out in the ocean, where the water is as blue as the prettiest cornflower, and as clear as crystal, it is very, very deep; so deep, indeed, that no cable could fathom it: many church steeples, piled one upon another, would not reach from the ground beneath to the surface of the water above. There, dwell the Sea King and his subjects,” written by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen in 1837.
Last August, the 100 year birthday of the Little Mermaid was celebrated ~ not the red-headed Disney character with a knack for mischief, but her ancestor the statue, an embodiment of Hans Christian Andersen’s 1837 fairy-tale character, who sits in the Copenhagen harbor on a rock waiting for her prince to arrive.
“The script is from the Broadway version of The Little Mermaid,” says Director Jimena Shepherd.“It stays true to the Disney animation allowing for the onstage factor of actually being underwater. This version brings more of the story to life and incorporates more of the characters.”
Shepherd explained the excitement and commitment of the crew and the actors is very contagious. There is a lot of difficult choreography by Emilee Lathrop who has kept the cast members working very hard. The thespians have had to use increased effort on their harmonies and character development. All in all, she believes, The Little Mermaid is going to raise the bar of expectations for BEAT musicals. Jimena has been amazed at the passion and dedication of everyone involved.
Sonya Arnis, most recently seen in BEAT’s production of Alice in Wonderland (medium sized Alice) was asked about the difference between rehearsing for a musical as compared to a drama. “. . . they are different because when participating in a musical, I have less free time because of the choreography and songs that I have to memorize. The rehearsals are longer, (three hours instead of two) and it is critical to be at rehearsal because dances are hard to choreograph without all the dancers. Straight-up plays are similar to musicals because they both require a lot of effort and commitment. Even if an actor may seem like they have a small role, they really don’t know how much the cast needs them to make the show complete. There is much more blocking in straight-up plays, but both are equally fun and enjoyable.”
In a magical underwater kingdom, the young mermaid Ariel longs to leave her ocean home (and her fins) behind and sing in the world above with Prince Eric. She has to defy her father King Triton, make a deal with the evil sea witch Ursula, and so much more. This production is appropriate for all ages.
April 18-20, Bend High
www.beattickets.org
541-419-5558