‘The Little Mermaid, JR.’ emerges from the deep

After more than a year’s worth of delays, closings, re-casting and rehearsals, Newfield High School Drama Club is excited and proud to present Disney’s “The Little Mermaid, JR.” Journey “under the sea” with Ariel and other fun characters for a magical story for the whole family.

Zoey Keagle is Ariel, Charley Githler is King Triton, Jessikah Russell is Ursula, and Alex Gray is Prince Eric.

It will definitely not be the same production that was shut down one week before opening night in March of 2020, but through much hard work and dedication on the part of the cast, crew and production team, the show will finally go on. Longtime Drama Director Lori White described what it felt like to be that close and not be able to perform last spring.

“At first, we thought the show would be delayed for a couple of weeks,” White said. “When we learned that we wouldn’t be able to put it up at all, the cast and crew were devastated. It’s like practicing for the big game and never being able to compete.”

White was determined not to give up on “The Little Mermaid.” When school opened in the fall of 2020, she started over with new auditions.

“Sadly, we lost seven seniors and other members of the original cast who chose not to return,” White said. “Returning students were given the option to keep their old role or try out for a new one. Most students ended up being double-cast in more than one role.”

White said that things will look very different this year. In addition to the changing cast, there were social distancing requirements to contend with. Since singing is one of the most restricted activities, rehearsals were spread throughout the newly renovated auditorium.

Assistant Director Ann Marie Thayer recalled that, when rehearsals started in the fall, students had to be 12 feet apart when singing, with microphones and vocal masks.

“Students could not sing on stage,” Thayer said. “Rehearsals for singing and acting were held separately.”

With all the challenges, it was helpful to have the sets for the show already completed. The magical underwater kingdom, and how it came to Newfield, is a story unto itself.

“When Jackie McLean, a former Newfield faculty member, heard that we were doing ‘The Little Mermaid,’ she contacted me,” White said. “They had put on the show a few years before and donated their sets to another district with the proviso that they pay it forward.”

A delegation from the Drama Club made the trek to Liberty, New York, with a U-Haul in the fall of 2019, making Newfield the fourth school to utilize the set pieces.

“It’s a wonderful idea. We put so much time and effort into creating these beautiful pieces and we can’t possibly store them all. Why not pass them on?” White said. “Of course, in true Newfield fashion, we improved and added to them. The next school to get them will be inheriting a beautiful set.”

The biggest change from previous drama productions is that this year’s show will not be performed to a live audience.

“All of the songs were recorded individually, and we filmed the acted scenes separately,” White said. “It was a long and drawn-out process, but our final recording has been completed, and we are now in the film-editing stage.”

Describing it as a labor of love, production photographer Amanda Birch likened the filming to preparing “37 Thanksgiving dinners,” which take hours to prepare and only moments to eat. Many scenes could not be shot in sequence due to the double-casting. Hair, makeup and costume changes for a 14-minute shoot might take over an hour.

The unusual format and disjointed rehearsals made the experience bittersweet. Students were happy to be back but missed the camaraderie and excitement of a more typical production. It’s difficult to act at a distance, White said, joking that there was no “kissing of the girl,” despite the words of the song.

The huge, new auditorium provided the space they needed for spreading out during rehearsals but remained empty and quiet during performances. However, she said by the time the last scenes were filmed, things had come full circle.

“I got glimpses of that old magic over the past few weeks,” White said. “When we were able to get on stage, in costume, the kids were loving theater and enjoying being together.”

To foster that spark, a red carpet premiere is scheduled for June 8. The cast, crew and production team will be invited to a private screening of the show on the big screen in the auditorium where it all began.

“Everyone will get dressed up, and there will be interviews on the red carpet,” White said. “There will be food and a cast party before the big reveal. I think the kids are more excited to see the blooper reel we put together than anything else.”

The public will get its chance to watch “The Little Mermaid, JR.” on June 11, 12 and 13. Tickets are on sale now at www.showtix4u.com/events/newfieldhs. The Friday and Saturday showings are at 7 p.m., while the Sunday matinee is scheduled for 4 p.m.

Thayer, who also directed the middle school production earlier this year, encourages people to make it a double feature by streaming “The Show Must Go Online” at www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgVLiyYJoe0.

“The middle school show was 100% virtual,” Thayer said. “The kids rehearsed, performed and recorded at home. Adam Tarpey, our film editor extraordinaire, put it all together into a cohesive production. It’s pretty amazing, and I hope people get a chance to see it.”

Fans of Newfield theater will be pleased to know that, despite retiring from the classroom, White is not ready to leave the stage quite yet.

“I will continue as drama director for at least two more years,” White said. “I’m excited to put on that first live show in the Aiosa Auditorium, hopefully next spring. I wouldn’t miss it!”