Under the sea
“The Little Mermaid” premieres in the Tower Theater
Color — The cast of “The Little Mermaid” performed both classic and original songs during opening weekend. Photo credit: Leah Seavers
The Tower Theater stage will be “submerged” for the next few weeks, playing host to mermaids, singing fish and an evil sea queen. The Alluvion Stage Company and Liberty University’s Department of Theatre Arts are collaborating for performances of “The Little Mermaid” Sept. 19 through Oct. 5.
This is the first time “The Little Mermaid” has been performed on stage in Virginia.
The musical, based off the Disney movie and the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale, is filled with vibrant colors and toe-tapping tunes. It features Ariel, a mermaid who dreams of being where the people are, who falls in love with the dashing human Prince Eric.
Ariel is played by 2014 Liberty graduate Rachel Osterhus, who mirrors the cartoon character in both voice and appearance.
Though the musical features familiar songs such as “Under the Sea” and “Kiss the Girl,” audiences will hear new melodies, including “One Step Closer,” performed by Prince Eric.
Another aspect that sets this musical apart is the use of “flight,” thanks to flight choreographer Paul Rubin.
According to Director Linda Cooper, Rubin choreographed the flight of “The Little Mermaid” on Broadway, and brought many of the same sequences to the Liberty stage. This flight technique allows actors and actresses to hang suspended in the air in a way that resembles swimming through the ocean.
Alumna Katie Barber was on hand for the debut performance Friday evening and found the play to be “family friendly and very engaging.”
“The colorful costumes and lively choreography captivated my attention and more importantly, the attention of my children,” Barber said.
According to Cooper, a lot of time and effort went into making this the best show possible.
“I believe this production brings something onstage that is hard to capture — a true Disney classic with all of the Disney color and heart,” Cooper said. “The production team worked all summer to find just the right details that would make this happen, and then we added a cast and crew that truly has brought it to life.”
Tickets for the show can be purchased through the Tower Theater website or by calling the Liberty University Box Office at 434-582-7328 during weekday business hours. Standard tickets are $12 for students and $15 for adults.
CAMPBELL is the feature editor
Research contributed by TOBI WALSH