Drama students at Bert Church High School (BCHS) will take audiences under the sea for the school’s annual production when it mounts The Little Mermaid Dec. 5 to 7.
According to director and drama teacher Kevin Goodyear, this year’s production is perhaps the most ambitious of his six-year tenure at the school, and one he’s wanted to present for a long time.
“It took me up to now to kind of figure out how we were going to make some of the magic happen on stage,” he said.
The musical will feel familiar to anyone who has seen Disney’s animated version of the classic fairytale, Goodyear said, and the cast will perform the film’s classic songs including Kiss the Girl, Part of Your World and Under the Sea.
“[The Little Mermaid is] such a well-known story that I know a lot of people can find themselves in each character, individually,” said Madeleine McKee, a Grade-11 student portraying Ariel. “I know that definitely, little girls and even little boys will look up to princesses and princes, and being a role model for them is really something that I feel is really important as an actress or an actor.”
She shares the lead role with Angelina Scott, while senior Tristan Derrick and Grade 11 student Jaden Burnsed both portray Eric. In total, Goodyear said, the cast comprises 53 students, with another 12 making up the backstage crew. While the annual production has involved students from Airdrie’s other public high schools in the past, Goodyear said this year, the cast and crew is comprised exclusively of BCHS students due to administrative reasons. He added the school may try to incorporate students from George McDougall and W.H. Croxford again next year.
McKee, along with Derrick and Burnsed, took part in last year’s production of The Addams Family: A New Musical. Compared to last year, the three actors said, The Little Mermaid has involved a lot more chorography and singing, and is generally more upbeat.
Behind the scenes, senior Jade McFarlane Wright is working as stage manager, co-ordinating rehearsals and managing sound and lighting cues on show day. According to McFarlane Wright, a lot of work has gone into the production – rehearsals began on the first day of school in September, taking place every morning at 7:30 a.m. Monday to Friday, with an additional rehearsal Friday afternoon.
The hours of working side-by-side has resulted in a deep sense of camaraderie and community among both actors and crew, she said.
“We consider this theatre family, a family,” McFarlane Wright said. “We try our very best to be kind and understanding, and have a good connection with everybody here.”
“By the end of last year, which was my first year ever doing theatre, I just instantly felt welcomed,” Burnsed added. “I think that’s why people want to join our productions, because we have such a diverse cast with so many different backgrounds who probably, outside of this, wouldn’t become friends and, because of this show, they are.”
Besides learning to act, sing and dance, Goodyear said, the annual production has educational value because it instills several other skills, such as communication, leadership, time-management and social skills.
“The educational value of a drama program – I mean, you’re asking the drama teacher here, but I think it’s pretty considerable,” he said. “It’s my belief that everyone should take at least one drama class in their life.”
With the amount of work that has gone into The Little Mermaid, Goodyear said, he’s sure the musical will leave audiences agape.
“BCHS is pretty well-known in the community for our theatrical presentations,” he said. “My predecessor, Scott Bloxham, carved a pretty great theatre program out for the school, and a lot of students choose to come to BCHS to be part of the drama program.”
The Little Mermaid will be performed nightly Dec. 5 to 7 at 7 p.m at Bert Church LIVE Theatre, with a children’s matinee at 2 p.m. Dec. 7. Regular admission is $12.50, or $7 for students and seniors, and can be purchased at bertchurch.rockyview.ab.ca
“We have worked on this show hours and hours on end, and it would be the most amazing thing for everyone involved around the whole show if [people] were to come and see,” Derrick said. “Trust me – it is worth it. Bring your little sisters, your little brothers, your girlfriend, your boyfriend, your parents or grandparents. It’s worth it.”
