With our close proximity to the sea, we have all heard of the merfolk who live beneath our waves. Some of us, mayhap, have seen one or have heard them singing. The song of the sea lures us to her and soothes our souls even as we sense both the dangers and the marvels below.
Understanding this, could there be a more appropriate show for us?
The Little Mermaid calls to us both as a wish and as a reality as we fancy ourselves truly part of her world. This is the stuff of dreams and longing. This is not the one that got away, but a fish tale of our very own to sing along and to savor again and again.
This is huge production and is the combined effort of the Fine Arts Department at Manteo High School. The actors are also singers, musicians, and artists. They can do it all. They have spent countless hours rehearsing lines, singing in music rehearsals and with the pit musicians, painting sets, and making props. Our pit musicians rehearse for weeks before joining us in the theatre. Our dancers work on Saturdays and schedule extra rehearsals to hone their skills.
Another thing that makes our community unique is our volunteers. We have volunteers who build our sets and paint them, sew our costumes, create our props, cook our food, and tweak our sound, set our lights, and play instruments in our pit. For all of you: actors, singers, dancers, musicians, conductors, artists, technicians, photographers, cooks, sewers, builders, teachers, and acting/singing coaches, I offer my humble and heartfelt thanks.
We all do this because we love it. Our fine arts program here allows us to be creative, to imagine, to investigate ourselves, and to bravely show you who we are and what we can do. Thank you all for your support of the arts, of our young people, and of our dreams. As Ariel says, “This is where I belong….in my own skin….up here in the world above.”
So, steady as she goes and enjoy the show!
Connie Rose
