Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ Featuring Local Talent Debuts Tomorrow at Barrow-Civic Theatre

| September 29, 2016

SONY DSCFRANKLIN, Pa. (EYT) – Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” will open on Friday, September 30, at the Barrow-Civic Theatre in Franklin.

(Photo above: Terri Gilmore as Ursala, Kat Elan as Ariel)

The Franklin Civic Operetta Association’s annual Applefest musical at the Barrow-Civic Theatre proudly presents Disney’s The Little Mermaid, featuring a cast from various communities in the region, including Titusville, Emlenton, Meadville, Greenville, Grove City, Oil City, Seneca, and Franklin.

Synopsis of “The Little Mermaid”

The beautiful mermaid, Ariel (played by Kat Elan), should be a happy girl. She lives in an enchanted undersea kingdom, her father is King Triton (played by Alan Anderson), and she has the most beautiful singing voice. But, she is a passionate, headstrong teenager, and wants what she cannot have – to live on land.

SONY DSC(Photo above: Kat Elan as Ariel, Nicholas Hess as Sebastian and the sea creatures)

When she falls in love with a handsome human, Prince Eric (played by Mark Hartley), Ariel is more determined than ever to gain a pair of legs, but her only option is to defy her furious father, and bargain for the help of Ursula the Sea Witch (played by Terri Gilmore) and her eely minions, Flotsam (played by Hannah McCarthy) and Jetsam (played by Jill Kellner).

SONY DSC(Photo above: Kolby Martin as Flounder and the Mersisters)

With the help of Flounder the fish (played by Kolby Martin), Scuttle the seagull (played by Ben Bodamer), and officious court composer, Sebastian the crab (played by Nicholas Hess), Ariel must wordlessly gain the love of Prince Eric within three days, or lose her soul to the ambitious witch!

Based on the classic Hans Christian Andersen tale, and the wildly popular Disney film, the musical staging of The Little Mermaid features a funny and fanciful book by Doug Wright, with the beloved score by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, and Glenn Slater, in an expanded but completely faithful form, featuring the rambunctious and persuasive “Under the Sea”, the romantic expectation of “Kiss the Girl,” and that anthem to longing and belonging, “Part of Your World.”

Other Characters, Ensemble Members

Other characters and ensemble members we meet along the way are Ariel’s mer-sisters (played by Brooke Lawrie, Casey McVay, Emily Minch, Rachele Heasley, Caroline Lowrey and Emily Powell), Leeward (played by John Hetrick), and Winward (played by Ben Hoover). The characters we meet above the sea are Grimsby (played by David Guth), Pilot (played by Tyler Carson), additional sailors (played by Brent Hetrick and Bryce Preston), and seagulls (played by Heather Hondel and Madison Kish). This group doubles in many other fun parts throughout the show, such as mer-creatures, chefs, maids, princesses, and even dancing seaweed!

Behind the Scene

The show is under the stage direction of Peter Greene, music direction by Jodi Hoover, choreography is directed by Kelly Zerbe, and accompanied by Katie Greig, with special flying effects designed by Vertigo Flying Effects from Chicago. The crew is headed by David Kellner, stage manager, and assisted by Tracy Brown, Aaron Ritsig, Andrew Ritsig, Britton Backer, Patrick Lowrey, Tish McClintock, Danielle Laverdure, and Nicole Laverdure. The live orchestra is directed by Mary Beth Hutchinson and includes Denny Butler, Christy Fackler, Jerry Ziegler, Jennifer Taylor, Ellen Clarahan, Wendell Holmes, Justin Vorp and Brandan Kennelty.

The show is produced by Martha Heise and Stephen Teig with the help of Casey McVay, Tammy Dulaney and Roxanne Gonzales.

Other Information

The show opens Friday, September 30th at 7:30pm, and continues October 1st, 6th, 7th and 8th at 7:30pm, with a matinee performance on October 2nd at 2:00pm. Tickets are Adult $18; Senior/Military $16 and Student/Child $12, with 10% savings for groups on 10 or more, and 10% savings for families of 3 or more on October 2nd and 6th only. Tickets can be purchased at the Barrow-Civic Theatre in Franklin, by calling (814) 437-3440, or visiting www.barrowtheatre.com.

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(Photo above: Terri Gilmore as Ursala, Hannah McCarthy as Flotsam and Jill Kellner as Jetsam)

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(Photo above: Kolby Martin as Flounder and the Mersisters)

(Article submitted by Sarah Confer, Administrative Assistant – Barrow-Civic ​​Theatre)


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