The award-winning Family Performing Arts Center (FPAC) at Bridgewater State University will present Disney’s The Little Mermaid during the month of July, as its third summer theater offering.
Based on one of Hans Christian Andersen’s most beloved stories and the classic animated film, The Little Mermaid is a hauntingly beautiful love story for the ages. With music by eight-time Academy Award winner, Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater and a compelling book by Doug Wright, the fishy fable has captured hearts with songs, including “Under the Sea,” “Kiss the Girl” and “Part of Your World.”
FPAC has assembled a professional cast for The Little Mermaid, including Hannah Lizotte of Easton playing Ariel; Andrea Giangreco of Burlington as Ursula; Dana Reid of Peabody as Sebastian the Crab; Mickey White of Duxbury as Prince Eric; Gary Bigelow of Fall River as King Triton; Professor Jim Quinn as Scuttle; and Kelsey Morgan, also of Bridgewater, as Flounder.
In the story Ariel, King Triton’s youngest daughter, wishes to pursue the human Prince Eric in the world above, bargaining with the evil sea witch, Ursula, to trade her tail for legs. But the bargain is not what it seems, and Ariel needs the help of her colorful friends, Flounder the fish, Scuttle the seagull, and Sebastian the crab to restore order under the sea.
FPAC’s production of The Little Mermaid is under the direction of Dori Bryan-Ployer of Holbrook. A number of the crew are BSU alumni, including: Eli Bigelow of Fall River, musical director; Joshua Moulding of Taunton, projection design; and Marissa Stanley of Acushnet, assistant choreographer. Current BSU student Meri Madden of Taunton is stage manager, while Brian Simons of Franklin, director, choreographer, designer, actor and vocalist with numerous theater companies in Southeastern Massachusetts, is costume designer. Andrew Child of East Bridgewater has designed the oversized puppets used in the production.
The Little Mermaid will be staged across two weekends in July in the Rondileau Campus Center Auditorium, 19 Park Ave., on the campus of at Bridgewater State University. Ample free parking is available near the auditorium. Performances are Friday, July 13, 7 p.m.; Saturday, July 14, 2 and 7 p.m.; Sunday, July 15, 2 p.m.; Friday, July 20, 7 p.m.; Saturday, July 21, 2 and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, July 22, 2 p.m.
More than 20,000 have attended FPAC productions since its inaugural season in 2016, including this year’s Once Upon a Mattress, Shrek, Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beastand Seussical. Information is available online at familyperformingartscenter.com. To purchase tickets, visit BSUtix.com. This event is made possible through funding from Bridgewater State University’s Arts for Youth program. For more information, email the box office at BoxOffice@bridgew.edu or call 508.531.1321. (Photo by Drew Cambra, '19)