Under the Sea

Cadillac Footliters Junior Players Mount Classic Disney Production

Sept. 28, 2014

If you’re intrigued by what’s beneath the waves, there may be no better place to go than Cadillac. The Cadillac Footliters Junior Players will present the musical The Little Mermaid Jr. on Oct. 4, 5, 10 and 11 at the Cadillac High School Auditorium.

The show boasts a cast of over 50 area youth ranging from elementary to high school ages. They are bringing Ariel, Sebastian, Flounder, Ursula the sea witch–and the many other characters that populate the underwater kingdom of King Triton–to life for a live audience.

THE YOUTHFUL CAST

Director Laura Porter says the young actors have a great time with the play, the sets and the costumes–sometimes almost too much. "With 51 kids, there’s a lot of energy," she laughs.

Cast ages range from eight to 18, yet Porter says the way the actors of varying ages work with, and support, one another is one of the best things about the show. "It’s neat to watch the interaction, how they help each other," she says.

Porter explains that cast members work diligently to learn lines, the songs and the choreography. However, these basic theatrical elements aren’t their biggest obstacle in mounting the production. The toughest aspect is actually the scheduling. "The hardest thing is getting everybody there at the same time," she explains, citing sports, school activities, and family calendars that are full. "It’s tough to teach and re-teach."

With so many youngsters, not only are there potential conflicts in their schedules, but in their parents’ schedules, as well; parents are often the chauffeurs. "The kids aren’t responsible for getting themselves there, so we have to be really flexible," she says.

The musical (and its popular predecessor: the Disney animated movie The Little Mermaid) is based on the tale by Hans Christian Andersen about the mermaid Ariel who dreams of leaving her ocean home– and her fins–behind to live in the world on land. In order to do so, she must defy her father, make a deal with an evil sea witch, and convince the handsome prince that she is the girl he’s been seeking.

PLAYING DISNEY

Both the animated film and the musical carry a Disney license. And, with Disney licenses, there are certain specific, non-negotiable requirements for the production.

First of all, the actors must all be 18 years old or younger. "With past plays [of the Junior Footliters], we’ve had some adult actors," says Porter, citing last year’s production of Annie as an example.

Another requirement is that the musical accompaniment must be only the pre-recorded, provided tracks, approved by Disney.

"We have rehearsal CDs. They provide us with CDs and DVDs of choreography. There’s no live music, just digital," Porter explains. She says this actually eliminates some potential headaches associated with trying to retain and schedule live musicians in addition to the actors.

Not only do the actors span a wide range of ages, but they represent many different school districts and communities. "We draw from Cadillac and the surrounding towns," says Porter. That includes Manton, Marion, McBain, Lake City and Tustin. Porter says this enables the cast members to become acquainted with others they probably wouldn’t encounter otherwise. "They make friends from other schools, people they’d never know," she says.

KIDS AND PARENTS PLAY ALONG

When Porter holds auditions, she makes it clear to the hopeful actors that they must be available for all performances. As long as they are able to make this commitment, she will find that student a role in the show. "I specifically look for shows with the opportunity to add parts as needed. I don’t cut kids. Some drop out due to conflicts, but if they want to be in it, I try to find a place for them." Some plays are more conducive to this concept than others. In The Little Mermaid Jr., "I can have as many sea creatures as I want," Porter says.

Parent involvement is key to the productions’ success. Not only are they responsible for transportation, but many parents offer their own talents in the areas of set design and building, costuming, wrangling youngsters during rehearsals and performances, and even raising funds by selling baked goods.

"At intermission, parents do a bake sale," Porter says. "The money goes toward scholarships for kids who want to go to arts camp."

President of the original Cadillac Footliters–a community theatre celebrating 50 years in 2014–Porter and friends founded the Junior Footliters in 2007. They present one play each year. Students are offered a taste of what it’s like to be an actor at a week long drama camp held in late July/early August. Many of the campers eventually become actors in the Junior Footliter productions, some of them coming back again and again. "Some kids are in show after show," says Porter. "It’s exciting to see how the kids get into it so much. They become a team, a great big family."

Curtain is at 7pm Oct. 4 and 2pm Oct. 5. The following weekend, showtimes are 7pm Oct. 10 and 2pm and 7pm Oct. 11. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Tickets can be purchased from cast members and at local businesses, including the UPS Store, Brinks Custom Framing and Peebles in Cadillac, and Majestic Hair Design in Lake City.