Out of the sea and onto the stage for Ghostlight’s ‘Little Mermaid Jr.’

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, March 20, 2024

By Emily Matthiessen

for the Sequim Gazette

Ghostlight Productions is gearing up to bring the classic story of the mermaid who sacrificed her home and voice for love to the Sequim High School Auditorium beginning Friday the 22nd.

“Get ready to have a blast! This show is a great time!” enthuses Lili Mitchell of Sequim, who plays the starring role of Ariel the mermaid in Disney’s musical “The Little Mermaid, Jr.”

Luke Ruddell of Port Angeles plays the human prince who inspires the love and sacrifice that comes to a much more tragic end in the original story by Hans Christian Anderson.

Shows will run two weekends, at 7 p.m March 22-23, 29-30 and 2 p.m. 23-24 and 30. Tickets are $15 at the door or online at ghostlightwa.org.

The “Jr.” in the title signifies that the cast is composed entirely of youths 18 and under, explained Danielle Lorentzen, director, choreographer and costumer for the show.

“Junior shows are adaptations of the full Broadway show and are designed specifically for young actors,” she said.

“All Junior shows produced are given the same materials, the only difference is what you choose to do for the set, costume, lights, those types of things. Other than that, it is the same story you would see in the original Broadway production.

“The musical tells the same story with all of the favorite songs: “Under the Sea,” “Part of Your World,” “Les Poissons,” but they add in some other fun or character building songs and scenes. A personal favorite is Human Stuff sung by Scuttle and the Seagulls.”

Lorentzen said that “The Little Mermaid” was her favorite Disney movie growing up.

“When I pitched a few shows to do for our young thespians, my heart was ultimately drawn to the ‘Little Mermaid,’” she said.

”I hoped I could share my love for the movie and musical with my young thespian community.”

Mitchell said growing up, “Ariel was on of my favorite Disney princesses, so I feel very fortunate that I get to play her.

“There is an added element of pressure in playing a role as iconic as Ariel, but I am doing my best to have fun with it,” she said. “Playing this part has already been extremely rewarding, but I am most looking forward to meeting little kids after the show.”

Lorentzen said that artistic aspects of the show were “also very appealing (as) figuring out how to create a crab or seagull costume was so fun and those ended up being some of my favorites.”

She said that Juanita Chamberlain helped with the costumes (and) “has done so much and I would have gone crazy without her.”

She added that Olivia Wray as assistant director and Sarah Kauffman as stage manager have “been by my side and helped far beyond their job descriptions.”

Mark Lorentzen, the music and tech director, said “he is teaching all the singing parts as well as setting lights and sound and designing the set.”

Mitchell said she’s “extremely grateful for Danielle and Mark Lorentzen (as she’s) been working for them for many years and they have become some of my biggest supporters.”

“This experience has been somewhat bittersweet,” she said, as she will graduate and head off to college in the fall, so this is her last Ghostlight show for the foreseeable future.

Joining Mitchell and Ruddell on stage are Ava Fuller as Ursula, Peyton Kimble as Flounder, Leif Moody as King Triton, Daniel Pereira as Flotsam and Sydney Blackbrun as Jetsam, Cecilia Pereira as Sebastian, Grace Pereira as Scuttle, Eliot Warren as Grimsby, Molly Beeman in multiple roles, Sean McDaniel as Chef Louis, Thomas Jones as Pilot and Jordan Crawford, Juliana Getzen, Brooklyn McKnight, Lily Mosely, Ashe Thomason and Saffron Tschida as the Mersisters and featured dancers.

The cast is supported by a full ensemble, including: Valen Atwater, Teagan Ball, Chloe Bruning, Jacob Burkhardt, Caleb Crawford, Evelyn Fennel, Evelyn Fernie, Alex Gerkin, Tomas Gonzalez, Isabella Honeycutt, Maisy Kay-Sanders, Juliana Kay-Sanders, Charlie Kelly, Oliver Kelly, Christina Possinger, Belle Robinson, Zeta Smith, River Sutherland, Bryson Welch and Everly Zimmel.

Danielle Lorentzen said, “We appreciate the community support so much. These incredible young actors deserve it. They have worked very hard and are excited to bring another Ghostlight Young Thespians show to the stage.

‘Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Jr.’

Where: Sequim High School auditorium, 533 N. Sequim Ave.

When: 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, March 22-23, 29-30; 2 p.m. Saturday, March 23 (dress up matinee), Sunday, March 24, and Saturday, March 30

Tickets: $15; available at ghostlightwa.org or at the door