Greg Madsen
Guest column
Be forewarned, what follows is pure bias. Objectivity will have no place at this table. I’m here to celebrate the most exhilarating theatrical experience I have had. Bar none.
“The Little Mermaid Jr.,” a production staged by the Sequim Middle School Choral Department, opened with the show’s overture accompanying cast credits displayed on a back projection screen. This allowed the audience to “cheer the players onto the field” and set a light tone for the evening.
The magic began with the unveiling of principal characters.
Maddy Dietzman — a sixth- grader and a “wee slip of a thing,” as my Scottish granny would say — stepped to center stage as Ariel and released a voice that filled the theater, a voice that carried that pitch-perfect strength for the next two hours.
Thomas Hughes, a mature and forceful voice as Prince Eric, comfortably summoned a mature and forceful voice, comfortably moving over the full emotional range required of a romantic lead.
Tommy Hall’s Sebastian captured the vigor required in his role while making the most of his extraordinary costume — absolutely the most expressive use of claws I have seen.
Zachary Ballantyne and Tanner Robins — Flounder and Scuttle — were both confident within their characters and blended sharp comic timing into their singing.
Damon Little as Grimsby, Anthony Cortani as Chef Louis and Payton Storm’s Carlotta, Melissa Porter and Ryan Porter as Flotsam and Jetsam all took on their roles with the comic relish of junior Saturday Night Live players.
Damien Cundiff’s sage King Triton and Devin Anderson’s sprightly Pilot captured their characters in both movement and voice in their pivotal scenes.
When Brittany Rives took the stage as the deliciously evil Ursula, there wasn’t an eye in the house that wasn’t riveted on her. She took command of this character, using her near operatic delivery to frame Ursula’s sweet deviousness.
Mix in Mersisters, Sailors, and Princesses; blend Seagulls, Chefs, and Tentacles; add a Sea Chorus, a combined choir of over 80 students — everyone immersed in enthusiastic performance — and you have an evening of incomparable entertainment.
Costumes by Darrelynne Sutton, Christy Rutherford and cast parents were alive with a glittering aquarium palette — all designed not to restrict movement.
Jeff Hall’s innovative projected scenes and designs brought depth and dazzle to the production. One effect was mesmerizing: a darkened stage with a blue background of ascending bubbles; in the foreground, Ariel’s silhouette glides toward the surface.
And the unseen angels: elegantly spartan sets by Mark, Dani and John Lorentzen; Robin Robinson Hall’s innovative stage direction and choreography; confident technical support from Kenda Simonson, Jared Kneidl, Gabi Simonson and David Simonson, and efficient program design by Megan Hughes.
And, of course, the archangel: music director John Lorentzen, whose creativity could be seen everywhere.
Perhaps Whitney Houston said it best:
“ … (the) children are our future,
Teach them well and let them lead the way,
Show them all the beauty they possess inside … ”
On Friday night, on the Sequim High School stage, I could see the future.
Greg Madsen has been messing around in the arts for more than half a century. Reach him at columnists@sequimgazette.com.
