Sharon Middle School Presents The Little Mermaid

Sharon Middle School students are rehearsing for their March production of “The Little Mermaid”, the classic love story that takes place in a magical kingdom under the sea.

Based on a tale by Hans Christian Andersen and adapted from the classic Disney movie, “The Little Mermaid” is a timeless story with messages of love and acceptance for all ages. Ariel, a free-spirited mermaid princess (played by 8th grader Aneeza Ahmad) longs to explore the world of humans above the water’s surface. With her friends Flounder and Scuttle (7th graders Brendan Berney and Sydney Forster) by her side, Ariel goes on an adventure. Without letting appearances or her father’s beliefs deter her, Ariel pursues the love of Prince Eric (7th grader Barry Spoto), who possesses a genuine heart like hers. In the process, Ariel bargains with the evil sea witch Ursula (8th grader Jasmine Villaroel) and ultimately needs the help of her friends to restore order under the sea. The production contains all of the familiar songs from the animated feature film as it communicates the love, hope and joy of the universal story.

French teacher Craig Szczepanski has been directing the SMS theater productions for 18 years, always setting the bar high by selecting full scale musicals as opposed to ‘junior’ versions. “The students always put the time and effort into delivering a remarkable production,” says Szczepanski, adding “SMS students consistently rise to the challenge”. Not that his is an easy task since he begins planning for each production almost a year in advance! Ruthie Miller, a sixth grade Social Studies and ELA teacher is an enthusiastic newcomer to the process. A seasoned vocal coach, Miller was a natural pick as she holds a music degree from Oberlin Conservatory and sang with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus for 10 years. “It’s satisfying to take a song that kids don’t know and work with them until they can sing confidently” remarks Miller. “Performing in musicals brought me so much fun and helped me to build lasting friendships. It means so much to me to help students have similar experiences.”

Ashley Nelson is a 6th grader who plays Windward, a court herald for King Triton She says that participating in the musical has given her the opportunity to meet new people, particularly those in other grades who she doesn’t usually take classes with during the school day. “Not only do I get to spend time with talented people and make new friends, but I get to do it while performing in a musical selection that I love,” says Ashley.

Sebastian the Crab, played by 8th grader Brooke Janson, is both funny and friendly. “I’m thrilled to be playing the part of a happy character because my role in last year’s musical was a mean villain. I’ve been very lucky to get so much experience and variety performing in SMS productions!” exclaims Brooke.

“The Little Mermaid” will be presented by the Sharon Middle School (SMS) Theater Department on Thursday and Friday, March 16th and 17th at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday March 19th at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $10.00 for general seating (or $20.00 for reserved seats) online at www.quicktix.org/LittleMermaid or call 781-784-1560. Students can also buy tickets with cash or a check for $10.00 each during lunch at Sharon Middle School.