Stories and Photos by: Abigail Walsh ’28
At MICDS, Winter Term is a great time to explore new things and take opportunities that may be outside your comfort zone. In middle school, the fifth through eighth-grade students had the option of being a part of the production of The Little Mermaid Jr. Before the end of the first semester, these students tried out for parts and were given their roles. In the production, there was a wide range of skill levels and experience. For some people, the idea of being in a musical scared them, and this was a great opportunity for them to become more comfortable in the performing arts and to learn from great teachers. These teachers include Ms. Dougherty, Middle School Dean and Drama Teacher, Mr. Roberts, Middle School Choir Teacher, and Ms. Sutherlin, Middle School Counselor. Dancing and blocking are a big part of a show; when it came to this show, these students and teachers worked hard to make it entertaining.
The cast of The Little Mermaid Jr. spent part of their winter break memorizing their lines while teachers choreographed dances and planned the show, which was crucial to the time frame when they returned. Ms. Sutherlin, the choreographer for the production, said “It takes me about 45 minutes to choreograph a one- or two-minute song. If it is a longer song, it can take over an hour.” As the cast had a week and a half to prepare for the show, they were very efficient in rehearsal and had no time to spare.
In the first few days of Winter Term, the cast spent their time rehearsing in various spots, including the dance studio, where they learned their dances. When Ms. Sutherlin was asked how she made changes to dances once she saw the actors on stage she replied, “I had to make small adjustments while creating it, then I have to include where the performers will stand and move around the stage, which can require adjustments and changes, too. I enjoy including changes students come up with to make the whole piece more cohesive and comfortable for them.” As you can see, the teachers and students were collaborating which made for a great team.
As the rehearsals went on, the cast then moved to the theater in the Freeman Arts Center. Once the whole crew and cast were together, they could finally bring everything together and rehearse the show. During the rehearsals, the actors would run through each song and dance making sure they knew the moves and stood in the right spot. Willa Johns ’28 said, “As a cast, we had to make adjustments like positioning, alignment, and making sure we open up our bodies to the audience. Also, we learned that we must not walk while saying our line; we need to say our line and then move.” Because this is a school production the cast had to deal with absences and made adjustments. “When someone is sick, we have to make adjustments when running a scene,” said Chloe Shamsham ’28. When rehearsing a scene, the teachers were constantly giving corrections and advice. When someone needed a line, they could shout “line,” and the teachers would give them their line. A creative aspect of the show was that they included the upper balcony as the ship that Prince Eric steers. “It was particularly hard for the actors up top to project their voice and communicate with their teachers,” said Asher Woodward ’28.
As the days got closer to the show, the crunch time was on. Costumes were given, and props were used. The stage was decorated in a way that made them look like they were under the sea. All parts of the stage were used, and they were ready for the show.
One of the goals that MICDS has for Winter Term is to give students opportunities that they might not get regularly. Ms. Sutherlin hopes “these students are proud of themselves. They are being asked to memorize not only their script but songs and dances. Some students are in six dances, which is quite a lot to handle, and they are taking it all on gracefully and with big smiles on their faces. Their joy is infectious.”