CM theater presents Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’

Production company maintains success amid rebuild year

Courtesy photo

Posted Friday, May 2, 2025 12:00 am

FROM THE CAST

“Hi! My name is Erin Baldock and I’m in 12th grade.

My favorite part of the show this year was Ariel’s seen in the grotto where she sings ‘Part of Your World.’ I loved the grotto that was built, it was beautiful. The parents that built it put so much work into it and it looked amazing. Also, Molly, who was Ariel, sang this song so beautifully, she was born for this role,” said senior Erin Baldock, a first-time performer in a CM production. “I love how supportive the cast and crew were. It was so much fun to be part of team that created an amazing show!”

“An awesome part of working on this show was that it was like something we had never done before. With the new video wall, it added an effect we never had before and it was truly special,” added Madison Bennet, 11th grade, who played Scuttle. “I think I can speak for everyone when I say that the auditorium starts to feel like home, and the cast and crew start to feel like family. That feeling of connection and passion is what drives us to pull off a spectacular show each year. I’m so grateful for those that love doing this just as much as I do!”

“My favorite part of the show was putting together our acting and singing with all the sets. It took some time, but once we found where props and set pieces went and when they go on, it changed the whole idea of the show and made it 10 times better!” said Sara Standard, an 11th grader who played Flounder. “Working with the Center Moriches theater production is a blast. The thing I love the most about it is the relationship we make throughout the year. The whole cast becomes this one big family and even if we have some differences, they never get in the way.”

“My favorite part of the show was to share our hard work and passion at the end and people really appreciating how much went into a big show like this,” said Molly Hart, an 11th grader who played Ariel. “There’s no better feeling than being on stage doing what you absolutely love and people really being engaged in it. Our auditorium truly is our home and it’s where most of our cast feels the safest and loved!”

Nicole Fuentes

Center Moriches High School’s theater spring production of “The Little Mermaid” was a sold-out hit.

The cast and crew began working on the production in November, in a rebuild year after losing a total of 17 seniors last year.

“It’s not that the kids that were left are not as good, but we wanted to rebuild and pick a show that showcases and highlights their talents,” director Nancy Harkin said. “I think we did that perfectly with the perfect cast.”

Molly Hart, 11th grader, who played Ariel, she said, was the “ultimate” “Little Mermaid.”

“Her voice is just so beautiful, it was the highlight of the show,” Harkin said, noting that for the musical, it’s as it should be.

The other main leads from the show included:

Prince Eric-Jaxson Wylie as Prince Eric, Madison Bennett as Scuttle, Sara Standard as Flounder, Jimmy Shelton as King Triton, Kristin Luna as Sebastian, and Lucy Roy as Ursula.

Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” is a love story with music by eight-time Academy Award winner, Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater and a compelling book by Doug Wright. This fishy fable will capture your heart with its irresistible songs, including “Under the Sea,” “Kiss the Girl” and “Part of Your World.”

The Disney show was presented from Feb. 28, March 1 and 2, with over 12-year director Nancy Harkin, assistant director Pat Campbell, music director Phil LoPinto, and choreographers Katie Lemmen and Anna Morceri. In charge of the pit orchestra was conductor Sara Greene.

The cast included about 40 student actors, and four student directors, and the pit orchestra included about 35 students from sixth to 12th grade playing brass, wind, and percussion instruments.

The pit orchestra is a club comprising both high school and middle-school students rehearsing specifically for the show. In previous years, the club would perform during the middle school theater show, but as of last year, they began performing with the high school.

“The music is extremely challenging since it is not watered down for student musicians—it is the version that professional musicians play!” said Greene of the challenge. “Even though the music is extremely challenging, our students rise to the occasion and truly knock it out of the park. I am constantly amazed by how phenomenal their musicianship is and how amazing and professional they sound.”

Though, her favorite part of working on a CM theatre production, she said, is working with Harkin to provide the students with the opportunity.

“I love working with Nancy; we are a fantastic team. We are both perfectionists and want to put on the best production possible. We know what our students are capable of and love to see them all absolutely shine doing whatever role they play in the production, whether it’s acting on stage, playing in the pit, manning the lights and sound, working as stage crew, helping with costumes and props, etc.!” she said.

The show, Harkin said, basically sold out every night and featured a rented jumbotron, a digital background to help transport the audience under the sea.

“It was amazing,” she said. “The projects gave all the magic of the ‘Little Mermaid.’ The kids loved it and the audience loved it.”

Next year’s spring production will run around the same time and, although she has ideas for what it might be, she is keeping it under wraps, for now.

“We just did Disney, and we don’t want to be pigeonholed, so probably something else, probably something traditional,” she hinted.