Under The Sea Enchantment with APA’s ‘The Little Mermaid’

Break out your dinglehoppers and start flipping your fins over to the Academy of Performing Arts this summer to see “The Little Mermaid.” Adults and kids of all ages will delight in this fun-filled show that is packed with song and dance as Ariel, Flounder, Sebastian and all of their magical friends take the audience on an unforgettable adventure.

The musical is adapted from Disney's Broadway production and the smash hit animated movie and features the popular Academy Award-winning music that generations have come to love. APA’s production is co-directed by Keren Castro and Sam Roderick, with musical direction by Jennifer Kangas and choreography by Dale Johnson. The cheerfully bright and sparkly costumes, designed by Castro, were visually stunning, and all helped to bring the underworld magic, waves, sea creatures and mermaids to life on stage.

With a cast of over two dozen massively talented local kids, “The Little Mermaid” features all of the songs from the story we know and love, like “‘Part of Your World,” “Under the Sea,” “Kiss the Girl” and more. 

Playing the lead role of Ariel, a teenage mermaid longing to be part of the human world, is Esme VanBuskirk, who just finished playing Patty Simcox in “Grease!” What a talent this young actor is! VanBuskirk embodies the sweet, girlish charm of Ariel and absolutely shines in her solo performance of “Part of Your World.” 

In the role of Ariel’s human love interest is William Olean. Olean’s solo delivery of “One Step Closer” was genuinely a tender and sweet scene.

Playing Ariel’s dad King Triton is APA veteran Ben Bearse. In the roles of the daughters of King Triton and Ariel’s mermaid sisters were a group of six wildly talented actors: Samantha Kelley, Lylah Crowley, Erin Walsh, Ella Bohn, Cecelia Miner and Hazel Yingling.

Cast as Ariel’s best friends, the loveable fish Flounder and eccentric seagull Scuttle, are shared by Gabi Castro and Cora Goers as Flounder and Chiara Castro and Toby Goers as Scuttle.

The dark and manipulative role of the notorious sea witch Ursula was magnificently cast with Payton MacRoberts. She portrays this ultimate villain with superb flair and wickedness. MacRoberts’ performance of “Poor Unfortunate Souls” with Ursula’s devious, slithering eel sidekicks Flotsam (played by Sylvie Weimer) and Jetsam (played by Camille Evans) was unforgettable.

Dante Rossetti portrays the kingdom’s seafood-loving Chef Louis wonderfully, and his rendition of “Les Poissons” was full of wit and energy.

Scene-stealer alert! Every show at APA has at least one, and in “The Little Mermaid” that was undoubtedly Charlie Tobin, who portrays the iconic Sebastian, trusted advisor to King Triton. Tobin, clad in his crab headpiece and shiny sequin red suit, was hilarious with his smooth moves and priceless facial expressions. He absolutely nailed it with his two major musical numbers: “Under the Sea” and “Kiss the Girl.”

Rounding out this magnificent cast are Paxton Glidden as Grimsby, Gia Popov as Carlotta, Tristen Alper as Pilot and Alex Bohn and Finley Smith as seahorses. “The Little Mermaid” features a marvelous group of princesses, including Fiona Betts, Eva Luna Reyes Cruz, Cora Georges, Frankie Lowe, Nevaeh O’Conner-Alves and Kailey Sears. Cast in the vast ensemble for the show are Abby Avery, Naomi Betts, Finnigan Conlin, Brayden Gonsalves, Naomi Kendall, Layla LaBonte, Elena Ladd, Eve Miner, Fiona Mooney, Teddy Olean, Evelyn Reeves, Mallory Roderick and Gus VanBuskirk.

“The Little Mermaid” runs just over an hour long and is the perfect way to spend a day at the theater. Tickets are sure to sell out to this one, so buy them now and get ready for a mer-mazing morning under the sea!

DETAILS:

“The Little Mermaid”

At the Academy of Performing Arts, Main Street, Orleans

Through Aug. 2, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday mornings at 10 a.m.

Information and reservations: 508-255-1963, academyplayhouse.org