by Maya Barbon
Northwest Children’s Theater brings The Little Mermaid to the stage in a fun, sparkling spectacle unlike one you have seen there before. But this isn’t the Little Mermaid you know, with Ursula and Flounder and Under the Sea. This new work, adapted by Milo Mowery and Roldolfo Ortega, takes you into a new world both under the water and up on land filled with circus performances, friendships, funny characters and beautiful aerial dance.
As the show begins, the lights come up and we meet the lovable Narrator played by Sophie MacKay. She is soon joined by a group of clown fish (a very cute pun, since the fish themselves are clowns). They bring us down under the sea to a sparkling, colorful world, where everything is pretty and graceful. Everything, that is, except our beloved Ariel (Annie Willis). Ariel is quirky and fun, but very clumsy. She can’t climb and dance with silks like the other mermaids (played with aerial expertise by members of A-WOL Dance Collective) and she can’t sing or harmonize like her sisters. She would rather play with her best friend Hippos the Seahorse (Gracie Jacobson). She enlists the help of Cecilia the Sea Witch (played by Jenny Bunce) to get her on land so she can find where she belongs and follow her new love, Prince Miguel. Up on land, everything is bright and lively, with a bit of vaudeville thrown in. Not only has Ariel given up her voice, but a second communication barrier arises: they are in Havana, Cuba and everyone speaks Spanish! The show is a wild and fun ride from beginning to end.
The characters are such a treat to watch come to life. The friendship between Ariel and Hippos is filled with giggles and goofy games, sure to have everyone in the audience smiling. The incredibly talented Chrissy Kelly-Pettit, Maddy Ross and Signe Larsen play an Andrew Sisters-esque trio. Their harmonies and smiles are seen in Ariel’s sisters- Melody, Minuette and Aria- and a trio of girls in Havana. Prince Miguel is played by Brendan Long, whose energy and excitement fill the stage. Jenny Bunce captures everyone’s attention and is the perfect sassy villan. And the teen ensemble (Kaylee Bair, Kat Borra, Katie McClanan, Norris Meigs and Leif Schmit) completes the show, with hilarious clowning bits and fun tricks as they swing around on the aerial silks and dance around Havana. Then to top it all off, A-WOL performers Kelsie Young and Paulina Muñoz along with dancer Lacey McGraw fly through the air. As mermaids they gracefully twist and slide on aerial silks, and on land they fly as magical butterflies on aerial “lyras” or hoops. It is breathtaking watching them perform, and adds a whole new sense of magic to this beautiful show.
And it truly is beautiful. The set is gorgeous, bringing you the sparkle of the ocean and the excitement up on land. Additionally, the band is on stage, providing fabulous live music and even occasionally interacting with the characters. Cecilia the Sea Witch makes her grand entrance as a huge ornamental puppet, with smoke effects and tentacles controlled by the teen ensemble. There are also projections, showing sea creatures swimming and even helping everyone say ameno… anemomen…anemone! From the acrobatics to music, this is an artistically stunning show. You will fall in love with all the characters, and especially with Ariel. She shows us all that we all have some place we can fit in, and that we are all special in our own ways. This is a great show for kids, especially those wanting to see a new take on an old story. The funny clowns, sweet story and fabulous performances will have everyone in the audience grinning from fin to fin- I mean ear to ear. 
The Little Mermaid runs now through May 25th. For tickets and showtimes, please visit: https://nwcts.secure.force.com/ticket