EWMS presents 'The Little Mermaid' this weekend

By: 
Staff Writer Kate Wehlann

Despite its being released more than a decade before any of them were born, there wasn’t a student in the East Washington Middle School drama department that wasn’t at least mostly familiar with Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.”

They’re much more familiar with it now, as they’re busy learning lines, songs and choreography to bring their fall production of the stageshow to life for audiences in November.

“It’s essentially the story of the movie, but a bit shorter,” said Director Veronica Lindley. “There’s still all the songs everyone knows and loves … I was trying to pick a show a lot of kids would know and recognize.”

This is the first year for a full-on production of this magnitude for the middle school under Lindley, but a lot of the students in the show have been a part of previous high school productions, giving them a taste of what it takes to perform on stage.

Seventh grader Hayden Pendleton said he wasn’t interested in playing the male lead, Prince Eric, who is rescued by and later rescues the mermaid Ariel. He set his eyes on a smaller character, but only in stature — Sebastian the crab.

“I want to bring out his funniness and the dancing,” he said.

One of the big challenges to the Sebastian role is the singing. The character sings two major songs in the production — “Under the Sea” and “Kiss the Girl.”

At the end of a Derby Dinner actors workshop he attended, he sang “Under the Sea,” so despite the broadness of the song and the high expectations that come with it, he’s more nervous about the “Kiss the Girl.”

“Right now, I’m not that nervous, but I know I will be as we get closer to the show,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to getting to sing and dance and get out of my comfort zone and meet new people.”

Eighth grader Brooke Sease probably remembered her character, but not by name. She was cast in the role of Carlotta, one of the head servants in Prince Eric’s castle.

“She’s pretty sassy and I’m excited to be that,” said Sease, who added this is her first time acting. “My best friend is playing Prince Eric and I get to mother him, so that’s fun … I’m excited to perform. I love getting out in front of people … I like being able to impersonate someone else and embrace the character and show people I’m not shy or quiet.”

The play will run Friday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 9, at 2 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 10, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $5 and children younger than kindergarten are free. Tickets can be purchased at the door, but you can also make sure to get your ticket by ordering online through ehstheatre.ludus.com.

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