Elk City High School music department will be presenting “The Little Mermaid” this week. The show opened Tues., Feb. 6th for the elementary school, and Feb. 8th for the public. The public performances took place Thursday, Feb. 8th, at 7 p.m., and again on Saturday, Feb. 10th, at 7 p.m. and Sun. Feb. 11, at 3 p.m. The cost is $10 per person.
The show is being directed by music director, Allyson Thomas. This is her second production at the school. She has been a theatre person since she was six years old and worked professionally for the Oklahoma Shakespearean Festival for about eight years.
“My first musical that I ever was in was when I was six years old. It was a “Little Mermaid,” Thomas said.
Although she chose the show, she consulted the students about how they felt about it and whether they could get enough people involved to produce it. She said that they agreed it could be done.
“The kids are doing great. We have a 30-person cast and about 18 crew members. It’s very student led. Students are running the lights, the microphones, and the fly system, they’re doing all of it. Kids are running the quick changes back. They move the sets on and off. These are grades nine through 12th,” Thomas explained.
She opened auditions to the entire school, and not only to choir or musical productions classes. Thomas has two musical production classes that made all of the props, sets, and helped with the costumes. She said that the kids wanted to do the extra things for the show. The two lead characters are Ariel and Prince Eric, who are played by Jordan Thomas and Conner Beebe. Both students are sophomores.
The musical is based on the 1989 Disney film by the same name, and the 1837 fairy tale penned by Hans Christian Anderson. The mermaid princess, Ariel is fascinated by the world of people on dry land. She wants to join them, but her father, King Triton, forbids any contact with them. She falls in love with the human Prince Eric and makes a deal with Ursula, her father’s sister and enemy.
Ariel is transformed into a human temporarily but must win the kiss of the prince within three days. The show is a battle between good and evil forces, but only love will be their remedy.
Make plans to see the show. This full cast and crew have put in hours preparing for the production that will be one to remember. The funny antics, the musical talent, and the choreography will be impressive. Hard work pays off for ECHS students in “The Little Mermaid.”
