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Journey Under The Sea

August 7, 2024

Deep Dive Into An Adventure: Tin Building Theatre’s Rising Star summer camp packs the house for four performances of Disney’s musical “The Little Mermaid Jr”

CLIFTON – The audience’s chatter died down as the intro music swelled. The backstage was filled with nervous energy and performance jitters. After last minute make up touch-ups, costume tweaks, the musical journey "under the sea" with Ariel and her aquatic friends was underway; first focusing on Prince Eric’s sea-worthy vessel traversing the waves as he scoured the horizon in search of the origin of that angelic voice he keeps hearing in the sea breeze.

The Bosque Arts Center Tin Building Theatre’s Rising Stars summer camp for youth performed Disney's The Little Mermaid Jr to four sold out performances on Aug. 1-4. It was a considerable commitment for both campers and volunteers to work on the production every day from 3-6 p.m. for five weeks. But with the TBT filled to the gills, the crowd of family, church family, friends and neighbors, caregivers and teachers ready to beam proudly at their child’s amazing achievement made it all worth it.

Some, like “Sebastian’s” grandmother Jan Zuehlke, even came several times to support and admire her granddaughter and her thespian friends on the stage, and thoroughly enjoyed the performance. Every performance extra chairs had to be set out to accommodate the 300 people coming to see the musical.

This production reinstates the TBT summer camps in a big way – both in the duration and the execution. The 20 TBT summer camp youth in ages second through sixth grade practiced with experienced and talented musical minds all throughout July. Their journey under the sea started June 25-26 with auditions.

“The TBT is very excited to bring back the youth theatre, and what a ride it has been,” TBT Board President Don Boysen said. “First and foremost are the amazing actors that gave all they had to even make this possible – hours and hours of rehearsals, fitting costumes, hours of singing. Their energy and dedication were truly inspiring. I think you will agree this is an amazing production, made possible by incredible people; young and old alike.”

Back Stage Director Jo Grelle recognized and thanked tireless producer and stage director Beth Fry, choreographer and coach Kassidy Cardona, First Presbyterian Church Choir Director Belinda Honea and FPC choir member Danielle Ybarra.

Behind the scenes Debbie Elwell, Jan Slade, Debbie Rollins, Sally Bekkens, Michael Richardson, Steve Schmidt and Skye Baker saw to the stage design, making props, adapting a slew of colorful costumes, lighting and sound and ensuring the campers receive their snacks and beverages on time. A huge thank you went out to Royal Pizza, who loaned the production their imposing throne for the duration of the rehearsals and performances.

“Putting on a youth summer camp was a dream of ours for many years, and the volunteers helped make this dream come true,” Grelle said. “This has been an adventure, and we’re so excited about all these young talented young people we have.”

She also thanked the parents and caregivers that brought their kids to the BAC every day and who helped prepare the actors to work hard. The fruits of their efforts culminated into a delightful, engaging performance with clever stage décor – there was even a bubble-making machine – incredible costumes and accomplished performances.

Based on one of Hans Christian Andersen's most beloved stories and the book by Doug Wright, the musical is adapted from Disney's Broadway production and the 1989 animated motion picture – featuring the enormously popular Academy Award-winning music by Alan Menken with lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater.

In a magical underwater kingdom, beautiful and adventurous young mermaid princess Ariel, longs to leave her ocean home to live her life with handsome Prince Eric who she’s fallen in love with. Ariel has already enchanted him with her siren’s song. She wants nothing more than to give up her privileged life of riches, servants and aquatic friends to live beyond the waves, on land world with him.

Defying her formidable father King Triton and making a witchcraft deal with evil sea witch Ursula to gain her legs, Ariel can make that possible, but not without considerable sacrifice.

The TBT’s Rising Stars performance gave all ages something to latch onto:

The lighted jellyfish floating off the stage into the audience during the lively Calypso beat “Under the Sea” song or shivering at the malicious, self-serving, power-hungry Sorceress of the tentacle Ursula and her loathsome, slithering, lisping eel lackeys Flotsam and Jetsam.
Enjoying the gibberish of the Scuttle and other scavenger seagull crew as they name “fantabulous, absolutely indispensary thing-a-ma-bobs” – human items to be exact – and imagine their usage.
The fun scene with Chef Louis chopping away on fishes and crustaceans as Sebastian fears for being discovered and thrown into the bouillabaisse too.
Of course, there was the budding love story between handsome Prince Eric and beautiful red-haired Ariel.

Against the colorful and magical deep-sea backdrop with neo accents, with memorable lighthearted songs and banter, Disney's The Little Mermaid Jr musical also holds several important life themes:

Be curious like Ariel about anything beyond her sea world.
Be bold as takes matters into her own hands, without fully realizing the sacrifices and consequences of her actions.
The loyalty of Ariel’s friends Flounder and Sebastian who constantly come to her rescue; a parent’s sacrifice as Triton gives up his power to protect and save his daughter, showing his unconditional love, only to realize she is all grown up and able to make her own decisions.
And in true fairy tale fashion, love conquers all in the end.

The success of the performances had the audience standing in ovation, and hugging the beaming actors as they left the stage while youngsters ran onto the stage to sit on Triton’s throne, or catch the bubbles drifting through the air.

Disney’s The Little Mermaid Jr. is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized materials are supplied by Music Theatre International. Broadway Junior and MTI’s Broadway Junior Collection are trademarks of Music Theatre International.