Once upon a time, in a magical kingdom under the sea, a young mermaid named Ariel dreams of life on land. Based on the Disney animated film and Broadway musical, The Little Mermaid is presented by Waimea Community Theatre on Saturday, May 28, and Sunday, May 29, at Kahilu Theatre in Waimea. The production returns for two more shows on June 11-12 at Honokaa People’s Theatre.
Once upon a time, in a magical kingdom under the sea, a young mermaid named Ariel dreams of life on land. Based on the Disney animated film and Broadway musical, The Little Mermaid is presented by Waimea Community Theatre on Saturday, May 28, and Sunday, May 29, at Kahilu Theatre in Waimea. The production returns for two more shows on June 11-12 at Honokaa People’s Theatre.
Set both under the sea and on land, The Little Mermaid tells the story of Ariel (Kat Reuss) an adventurous mermaid princess with a fascination for all things human. After disobeying her father, King Triton (Rick Turnbow), by swimming to the surface, she rescues the handsome Prince Eric (J Victor Rubeiro), and makes an unsavory deal with the evil witch Ursula (Annie Herring) to fulfill her dream of walking on land.
“Prince Eric and I are two extremely different people,” said Rubeiro. “Eric is a regal, sensitive, emotional prince, who is constantly chasing after his heart. I’m flippant and argumentative, and take pride in my rational perspective of things. Suffice to say this has been a painfully stretching experience in both the best and worst ways possible.”
Playing larger than life characters is half the fun for the cast of The Little Mermaid, according to Herring, who plays Ursula.
“Playing Ursula is a wild dream come true,” she said. “Portraying this boisterous character is like stepping into a vortex of flamboyant power and menacing tenacity. Between the incredible costume the Waimea Community Theatre is creating, to the powerful and robust songs in the show, this character is larger than life.”
Creating a stage production from an animated film is challenging at best, especially when it’s set underwater with characters that swim instead of walk. However, with the magic of costuming, creative imagination, and lots of talent, The Little Mermaid magically comes to life in a production that will thrill all ages.
“It’s going to be a very dynamic show,” said director Rhonda Simon. “We have aerial silk performers and unicycles — it’s very entertaining and family friendly. It’s community theater at its finest. We want to provide a quality product and the performers are working hard to make it happen. The costuming is gorgeous with lots of bling, glitter and sparkle.”
Kahilu performances are 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Honokaa People’s Theatre performances are 7 p.m. June 11 and 2 p.m. June 12. Tickets range in price from $15-30; children younger than age 12 are half-price. They can be purchased at the door one hour before showtime or in advance at Taro Patch Gifts in Honokaa. ■