“Little Mermaid” swims to success

Ariel leans in close as the crab Sebastian spins a gentle melody. Prince Eric is almost ready for a kiss, but he hesitates. “Just kiss the girl,” Sebastian sings. The wildlife of the swamp trills around them as this magical scene comes to life on the CVHS stage, but this moment is not allowed to last. Before the Prince and Ariel can complete a kiss, the villainous eels Flotsam and Jetsam rock the boat at the command of their evil leader, the sea witch Ursula. 

“The Little Mermaid”, an iconic Disney animated film, was adapted into a Broadway musical in 2007. This year, CVHS has adapted it into an amazing stage production that will dazzle Disney fanatics and new viewers alike. Many challenges arise with adapting such an iconic film, like how to capture the magic of animation with real actors, on a real stage. The world that the students have created is wonderful, with its colorful grottos and undersea kingdom. It’s also terrifying, with the purple-lit cavern that Ursula the sea witch dwells in. However, it’s also beautiful, with the grand and wealthy castle settings away from the ocean.

The underwater world was difficult to bring into reality. The production crew worked hard and tirelessly to make magic happen and sell the world of “Little Mermaid” as something real. “This was the most tech-heavy show we have done post covid, and it was a challenge to bring fantasy into reality,” said senior Tien Nguyen, who worked on tech and played mersister Adella in the performance. In a show with so many moving parts, each person involved knows their place and their job and works hard to make it happen smoothly and realistically.

The production makes use of a double cast, where two actors are used for each primary role. This presents a lot of benefits, but also a lot of extra challenges. In the end, it’s two casts that have to be trained and ready to perform, which means double the work. Many actors had comments on how the show challenged them and strengthened them in their work. 

“One of the most challenging things is preparing, so that when you step onstage it’s memory and not something you force,” said sophomore Kennedy Quick, who terrifies as the evil sea witch Ursula. “Being in front of everyone can make you really nervous, but you have to take pride in what you are doing.” The show is filled with many difficult scene transitions, costume changes, and acting challenges, which proves it to be one of the most engaging productions CVHS students have been involved with.

The show opens on Friday, Oct. 27. Show dates are on Oct. 27, 28, 29, and Nov. 3, 4, and 5. Tickets are $15 for students and $20 for anyone else. 

A challenging production imbued with Disney magic is sure to make “The Little Mermaid” an unforgettable show, and it has pushed the CVHS actors to a different type of challenge. This undersea adventure is an amazing trip into a magical world nothing like our own, one for the kids and for the parents. Ariel, Ursula, and all of their friends await you on this journey, so be sure not to miss it!