Under the sea...
CHERYL SCHWEIZER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 11 months AGO
Scuttle (Emly Duvall), left, Flounder (Isaac Winter), center back and Sebastian (Clark Dalton), right, do what they can to help bring Prince Eric (Taggart Hodges), left front and Ariel (Abigail Martinez), right front, find true love in the Quincy Valley Allied Arts production of “The Little Mermaid,” continuing the next two weekends.
COURTESY PHOTO/MARIE JAMISON
The scheming sea witch Ursula (Holly Peterson McClure), back, and her henchfish Flotsam and Jetsam (Jamie Cordell and Juliana Mancini), front, have a plan to cause trouble for Ariel and her dad King Triton. The Quincy Valley Allied Arts production of “The LIttle Mermaid” continues this weekend.
Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience serving small communities in the Pacific Northwest. She began her post-high-school education at Treasure Valley Community College and enerned her journalism degree at Oregon State University. After working for multiple publications, she has settled down at the Columbia Basin Herald and has been a staple of the newsroom for more than a decade. Schweizer’s dedication to her communities and profession has earned her the nickname “The Baroness of Bylines.” She covers a variety of beats including health, business and various municipalities. | February 9, 2023 1:30 AM
QUINCY — A tale of love based on a classic Disney movie is running for two more weekends at the Quincy High School theater. The curtain rises on “The Little Mermaid” at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10 and 17 and 2 p.m. Feb. 11 and 18.
The musical is presented by Quincy Valley Allied Arts and opened last weekend.
“The Little Mermaid” is based on the 1989 movie and the 2012 revised musical. It’s the story of Ariel (Abigail Martinez in the QVAA production) who lives under the sea but is fascinated by life on land. She even sneaks away from home with her friends Flounder (Isaac Winter) and Sebastian (Clark Dalton) to see what it’s like up there. It’s both a good day, because it’s the birthday of the charismatic Prince Eric (Taggert Hodges), and a bad day, because of the sudden storm that washes Prince Eric overboard. Luckily for him, Ariel is there to save him.
Eric doesn’t know the identity of the beautiful princess who saved him, and Ariel can’t forget the prince. Her father King Triton (Kory Hebdon) is not at all happy when he finds out about her trip to land, and Ariel is forced to go to the scheming sea witch Ursula (Holly Peterson McClure) to find a way back to her prince.
The QVAA production is the second time directors Clifford and Stacey Bresee have directed “The Little Mermaid”. They directed the 2016 production for the Masquers Theater in Soap Lake.
“It’s a fun show,” Clifford Bresee said. “It’s got a fun cast, and sets and songs.”
The play and movie were based on the 19th Century fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen.
“The story is kind of timeless,” Bresee said. “It’s about crossing barriers, relationally.”
But Ariel and Eric share a common destiny.
“Let love find its way,” Bresee said.
Clifford and Stacey Bresee are veteran directors, but this is their first time in the QHS theater.
“Oh, it’s a great theater,” he said.
A bigger stage allows a few more options.
“There’s going to be a little more going on visually,” he said.
The show features a live orchestra, under the direction of veteran QVAA musical director Riley Youngren. Megan Stoaks, also a QVAA veteran, is the choreographer.
Tickets are on sale through the QVAA website, www.quincy-valley-allied-arts.org.
Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.
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