Musical theatre is resurfacing at Chippewa, in the form of The Little Mermaid, Jr.
Chippewa Secondary School is reviving musical theatre within it’s hallowed halls, and you can reel in the big show tonight, Monday, March 4 at 7 p.m. The production is The Little Mermaid Jr., a stage musical by Disney Theatrical, based on the 1989 Disney film of the same name.
“It has been decades since the last musical was held here at Chippewa,” noted teacher Samantha Sloat, who has been helping to helm the production. The troupe launched the show last week, and “both performances were well-received with great feedback” from audiences, Sloat added. However, the run was interrupted by a snow day, then there was a situation with a gas leak, which kept the school’s doors shut, so the play was postponed.
So, tonight is the night for the final show.
See: UPDATED: Chippewa secondary school closed due to gas leak
The school went all out for this one, with a cast of 39, a crew of eight, and two staff helping to bring the show to life. Students from grade 7 to 12 are participating, and all involved “are so proud of the final product we ended up with,” Sloat enthused.
The story is known to many. The Disney film won an Academy Award for its music, and the tale is based on one of Hans Christian Andersen’s most popular stories. A young mermaid longs to leave her aquatic world and move to the realm of the earth and air. But first, she must defy her father, make a deal with an evil sea witch, and convince a prince that she is in fact the one he’s been seeking.
It’s a mission indeed, with lots of fun along the way.
The musical begins tonight, March 4 at 7 p.m. at Chippewa Secondary School, at 539 Chippewa Street, North Bay. Tickets are $10, or you can pay what you can afford. “Nobody will be turned away, until the house is completely full,” Sloat noted. All ticket money will go towards the drama program at Chippewa.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
