April showers bring May flowers and for the theater department April brings the last of four annual productions. And this year, director and English teacher Anne Calderon chose none other than “The Little Mermaid.”
The community had opportunities to be part of Ariel’s world and watch the musical on April 16, 17 and 18 in the Mall Auditorium. The sheer popularity of the show led to two out of the three dates to be sold out.
A Disney classic, “The Little Mermaid,” follows Princess Ariel, played by junior Ellie O’Shea, who, during one of her many forbidden visits to the surface, rescues Prince Eric, played by sophomore Elisha Kline, from drowning and falls in love with him. Wanting to escape her life underwater, Ariel signs a deal with the sea witch Ursula, played by senior Makayla Scales, temporarily gaining legs in exchange for her voice.
The inspiration for the musical was to connect with the audience members and make the play feel relatable. “The storyline is one that is relatable and genuine, making it easy for any audience member to connect,” Calderon stated.
The cast performed some of the most popular songs such as “Part Of Your World,” “Under the Sea,” “If Only,” and “Kiss the Girl.” These songs were highlighted throughout the musical with each track being performed live by H-F’s band and orchestra.
A member of the ensemble, sophomore Adelai Easter, had nothing but positive things to say about being a part of the show. “My favorite part of the show [was] getting to interpret one of my favorite Disney movies into a live theater setting,” Easter said. “It [was] so fun to see how scenes from the movie are able to be made real through lighting, sound, set pieces and other special effects.”
Calderon expressed her joy in collaborating with everyone. “The first one is collaborating with everyone involved,” Calderon said. “The production staff is so smart, so talented and so incredibly professional. We work very hard to give the students the most theatre industry standard working environment as possible in order to prepare them for their future theatrical endeavors.”
Along with bringing “The Little Mermaid” to live theater, H-F also had the opportunity to bring “The Little Mermaid” to the Illinois High School Musical Theater Awards (IHSMTA).
IHSMTA is meant to celebrate the talent and hard work that comes with high school theater. Nominations are yet to be announced, but Scales, O’Shea, Kline, junior Marcus McGhee and sophomore Luke Wagner are all eligible for the Best Actor and Best Actress awards. Calderon herself is eligible for an award for her direction, and senior lighting designer Harry (Ash) Komorowski received recognition from IHSMTA for his skills.
“I saw a lot of myself in Prince Eric,” Kline said in an interview for IHSMTA. “A growing boy who longs for that place that makes him feel like a child.”
O’Shea shared that closeness with her role as Ariel. “I knew it was important to treat this role with immense care and respect, as she is so iconic. Her story is not about a man, it’s about a girl’s love for the world.”
With the musical coming to close, and May on the horizon, it’s time to wave goodbye to the ‘25-’26 show season.
