Young cast brings 'The Little Mermaid Jr.' to life at the Performing Arts Center

Heather Sevigny
Updated ·2 min read

CAMBRIDGE − The last youth production of the year at the Cambridge Performing Arts Center will feature a beloved Disney classic, "The Little Mermaid Jr."

The show follows the main premise of the movie and the audience will recognize characters such as Sebastian, Flounder, Ariel, Ursula and others.

The diverse cast speaks to all generations and highlights the talent of the area's youth, as the actors range in age from 5 to 17. They have been rehearsing since June 1.

Laney Gebhart portrays Ariel in "The Little Mermaid Jr." The show opens Friday at the Cambridge Performing Arts Center.
Laney Gebhart portrays Ariel in "The Little Mermaid Jr." The show opens Friday at the Cambridge Performing Arts Center.

Tackling the role of Ariel is Laney Gebhart. She brings out the innocence of Ariel while delivering a shining, confident performance. Ursula the Sea Witch is portrayed by Josie Smith. Wearing a complicated, detailed set of legs and signature purple body makeup, she brings the character to life in a malicious and fun way. Prince Eric is played by Sam Townsend, who perfectly encapsulates the Disney prince.

Out of the cast of 55, director Shannon Eubanks estimates that between 40 and 50 of them are return actors.

Cathy Snyder Koscoe, mother of Adalynn Koscoe who portrays one of the seagulls, said "This is her (Adalynn's) fourth play at CPAC. She has grown in confidence, and her ability to interact with other kids − this has helped that. She feels at home when she's performing and she loves being a part of the cast."

Josie Smith takes on the role of Ursula the Sea Witch in the summer youth production of "The Little Mermaid Jr."
Josie Smith takes on the role of Ursula the Sea Witch in the summer youth production of "The Little Mermaid Jr."

That sense of confidence in the cast shines through as the show goes on. One only needs to watch a young Kara Taylor sing "She's in Love" to see that.

One of the main differences between this production and the ones in the past is the addition of a video backdrop. The technology allows for shorter times between scene changes and while the stage may look bare with minimal props, the openness allows cast members to dance and sing their way through the performance.

Advanced lighting adds to the production value, which is proving to be a successful move for the theater. Two days prior to opening night, the show had already pre-sold more than 700 tickets.

Sebastian, played by Josiah Cutlip (center), direct the sisters of Ariel during a rehearsal for "The Little Mermaid Jr." at the Cambridge Performing Arts Center. The production opens Friday.
Sebastian, played by Josiah Cutlip (center), direct the sisters of Ariel during a rehearsal for "The Little Mermaid Jr." at the Cambridge Performing Arts Center. The production opens Friday.

Producing the show is Anne Chlovechok, with Shannon Eubanks as director, Trinity Milliken as assistant director, Tricia Wurzbach as music director, and Dominik Ebright as assistant music director. Fans of the local theater will remember Ebright as the charming and creepy Willy Wonka in the center's "Willy Wonka Jr." production.

The show is scheduled to run at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday and next weekend, Aug. 18-20. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased by visiting www.cambridgetheater.org. An extremely limited number of tickets will be available at the door.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: 'The Little Mermaid Jr.' onstage at Cambridge Performing Arts Center