Cappies Review: Thomas Jefferson High's 'Little Mermaid'

• PHOTO (from left to right): Violet Felt, Olivia Johansson, Chrissy Blake (in pink), Brittany Csik, Louise Hicks, and Ellie O'Reilly; photo by Joe Berger from 8th Street Photos
• By Brittany Geier of Teens and Theatre

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What is more popular than a story of a young woman rebelling against her parents' standards and struggling to find her voice in a world where she feels misunderstood? Nearly every teenager can relate to this situation, and the performance of The Little Mermaid by the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology provided an entertaining perspective on the power of true love.

Based on Hans Christian Andersen's story and the 1989 Disney film of the same name, The Little Mermaid began its debut as a stage musical in 2007. The show opened on Broadway on January 10, 2008, and closed on August 30, 2009 after 685 performances. Notably, Sierra Boggess won Favorite Breakthrough Performance (Female) for her portrayal of Ariel. The story tells of a young mermaid who longs to experience the world of humans against the will of her father, King Triton (Roman Kasparian). Falling in love with Prince Eric (Arjun Guidroz), Ariel (Sophia Martinese) trades away her beautiful voice in exchange for a spell that transforms her into a human. Having only three days to win a kiss from the prince and thus remain a human forever, Ariel encounters a series of events that test her love for Eric.

Thomas Jefferson's production was anchored by the unabated energy and enthusiasm of the cast, which was evident in scenes such as "Under the Sea" and "Kiss the Girl." Furthermore, the witty humor sprinkled throughout the show elicited constant laughter from the audience, and several cast members performed beautiful vocals.

Sophia Martinese brought a sweet yet determined personality to the character of Ariel and convincingly displayed her character's inner conflict between love and loyalty to her father and a deep desire to experience the real world. As Prince Eric, Arjun Guidroz conveyed his character's struggle between adherence to tradition and a longing to follow his heart. In their scenes together, the two lead actors portrayed a believable romantic relationship that captured the joy and passion of innocent first love.

Many supporting actors and ensembles contributed to the show's humor and riveting scenes. Decked out in a bright red suit, Timmy Chan as Sebastian was hilarious and elicited much laughter from the audience as he sang and capered about the stage and cracked witty jokes. Abby Peterson (Ursula) brought an evil, sinister sense of humor to her character; furthermore, despite the fact that her range of motion was limited, her use of body language and voice intonation effectively conveyed Ursula's malice. Playing Prince Eric's palace chef, Jeb Berger carried an impressive, consistent French accent through all of his lines and provided much entertainment as he sang and hacked viciously at the fish on his cutting board.

The sets and props used during the show were simple yet elegant and gave a convincing impression of being underwater. In particular, the bright, colorful coral and sea animals were eye-catching and visually exciting. Some of the singers were occasionally off-key or hesitant, and the choreography sometimes lacked depth and precision; nevertheless, the constant energy and enthusiasm from the actors afforded an enjoyable, humorous performance that delighted the audience. The costumes and make-up effectively transformed the actors into their various characters without detracting from their humanity or their performance.

Thomas Jefferson's production of The Little Mermaid was unique in its presentation of this beloved classic while displaying the power of true love.