Story and photos by Ava Maher ’30
In the choir room voices are soaring through the air as The Little Mermaid Jr. production rehearses their many songs. Ms. Sutherlin, MS Counselor and the choreographer, leads the dancing as the choir sings. Mr. Roberts, MS Choir Teacher and the musical director, sings with the class and Ms. Dougherty, MS Dean and Drama Teacher, directs the play and makes sure the students are following their lines.
First, the Mer sisters and Flounder practice the song She’s In Love, which is one of many of the actors’ favorite songs. The song engages all of the class; some students can’t help but sing along or act along with the choreography. Same with Under The Sea. It is so catchy and original that even the actors that aren’t the Sea Creatures, Sebastian, Flounder, and Ariel, tend to act and dance along.
Individually Ursula, the Tentacles, and Flotsam and Jetsam (the eels) sing Poor Unfortunate Souls. Then they will join back into the whole group and perform with Ariel when Flotsam and Jetsam lead Ariel to Ursula, and Ursula steals Ariel’s voice.
But no one can forget the funniest actor: Scuttle! “I feel like Scuttle is the relief of the play; he’s really funny!” said Simone Glasser ’29 as Scuttle. “I really wanted to sing and expand my acting.”
In the end, the whole class comes together to act out the final scene of the play. There is so much action in the ending scene with Ursula. Then the whole class comes together to execute a fantastic finish.
These students have worked so hard to learn all the lines, choreography, and songs. “They love the songs; they even tend to sing the songs when we’re not telling them to,” said Ms. Sutherlin. Break a leg, Rams!