New Albany’s debut of The Little Mermaid was a splashing success.
The first act begins with the pitch perfect voice of senior Chelsea Nevil. Nevil was clearly casted in a role that was perfect for her. She flawlessly captured the youthful immaturity of Ariel as well as her clean and precise voice.
As far as acting goes there was more than just one standout. Junior Aiden Phillips’ portrayal of Scuttle brought a comedic element to the show that was much needed. Phillips has become well accustomed to playing the comedic sidekick with his repertoire including a memorable performance as Lumiere from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast last Spring.
Senior Elizabeth Hop did a terrific job with her portrayal of Ursula. She brought a dramatic flair with her shrill voice and the way she carried herself. The standing ovation she received was well deserved.
Junior James Buckel also evoked quite a few laughs from the audience with his depiction of Sebastian. His acting was without contest the most believable and he did not hold back with his extremely entertaining accent.
Another standout performance was that of senior Ian Condra. Condra was a perfect fit for the role of King Triton. He kept the sternness of the character with an unbridled consistency. The fact that it is only his second show at NAHS makes his stellar performance all the more impressive.
As far as the music goes there was plenty of talent present in nearly every song. Enough cannot be said about the voice of Chelsea Nevil. She truly proved herself as the star of the show in numbers like “Part of Your World” and “The World Above”.
Although Nevil’s performance was exceptional she wasn’t the only memorable voice of the night. Buckel had perhaps the most powerful voice of the night and made songs like “Kiss the Girl” and “Under the Sea” extraordinary.
Additionally, the tones of Condra and Hop prove that NAHS has talent bursting at the seams.
The orchestra also was an astounding addition to the production. They were directed by Linda Derungs, who came out of retirement for the show. The original soundtrack and the NAHS or orchestra were almost indistinguishable, making the show all the more realistic and close to the Disney original.
No matter how good the acting and the music was, the real attention grabber of the night were the special effects added by the technical theatre department. From the lights that made it feel like you were at the bottom of the ocean to the bubbles that cascaded down onto the audience, the show would’ve been lacking without their contribution.
Even though opening weekend is over you still have a chance to see NAHS’s The Little Mermaid. There will be shows November 17, 18, and 19. To get tickets call the box office at 812-542-2290.
