Acting, singing and dancing required of all actors

MOSES LAKE - More than 50 Columbia Basin youth ranging from ages 5 to 16 starred in "The Little Mermaid" Saturday at the Wallenstien Theater.

The play was unlike the famous Walt Disney version. In the version produced by the Missoula Children's Theater, Celia, the lead mermaid played by Laura Knittle, does not fall in love with her Prince Perfect, played by Kendall Earl.

After winning Prince Perfect over with her singing voice, Celia decides he might not be her knight in shining armor after all, once the prince decides to celebrate their love with a fish feast.

When the cast holds up their forks and knives to eat fish, she switches back into a mermaid from her human form and returns to the sea.

When Celia returns to the sea she realizes her true love is Gil, played by Isaac Law, who had been trying to get her attention the entire time.

The play ends with the entire cast singing a song about how life is perfect the way it is.

The cast learned lines, songs and choreography in five days, J.D. Henrikson of the children's theater said. He played the role of a magic starfish and the father of the four mermaid sisters.

He said the best part of the play was how each youth developed their character on their own. The actors and actresses ad-libbed quite a bit and made their characters unique, Henrikson said.

Law said the hardest part was singing a solo onstage in front of the packed audience.

In the past he was an understudy for the prince role in a school play called "Twinderella." He said his experience helped him to become one of the leading roles in "The Little Mermaid."

Knittle said she has been involved with plays countless times.

Her favorite part of the experience was working with the cast and directors.

The hardest part was singing, Knittle said. She's acted in numerous plays and has a lot of experience singing and performing.

Law and Knittle plan to continue their theater work.