by Nathan Boddy
Denise Rose, the Executive Director of the Hamilton Players, hopes that the non-profit community theater will soon see a comeback from the pandemic induced slowdown, starting with “The Little Mermaid Jr.” The youth production had its opening night on Friday, November 11 and will have three more shows beginning on Friday, November 17.
“This is the first youth production since the pandemic started,” says Rose, and adds that they are very excited about the upcoming year, which will include “Little Shop of Horrors,” “A Wrinkle in Time” and “Rock of Ages.”
Rose explains that being limited to small audiences and small cast productions meant that ticket sales for the Hamilton Players were down nearly 80%, for nearly two and half years as the pandemic ran its course. But, Rose says that “The Little Mermaid Jr.” production is made up of a large cast, raising hopes that the production could even make a small profit. Adding to that is the support by TrailWest Bank, the Davis Group PLLC and the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, which have all aided to lower the cost of putting on the production.
Rose says that working with kids can be a challenge, but it’s well worth the effort. Even with 40 different schedules, constant chatter and unbridled energy, Rose says that it is inspirational to see the kids giving their all. Perhaps more importantly, she points to research which suggests that participation in theater can improve children’s critical thinking skills and test scores, as well as improving creativity, teamwork, and self-esteem. “The theater is also a safe place to be quirky and creative,” she says, “traits that are not always appreciated in mainstream education. The arts teach people to appreciate and find beauty in the world… and goodness knows we need more of that!”
Sisters Kinley and Karter Sorensen are playing the twin electric eels, Flotsam and Jetsam, that serve at the whim of the evil sea witch, Ursula. The sisters have been onstage before with Missoula Children’s Theater, but are both looking forward to acting with the Hamilton Players. Kinley says that her favorite scene is the song, “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” while Karter’s favorite is the whirlpool scene. When asked how she deals with pre-performance jitters, Karter responds that it helps “looking at the crowd and seeing my family and knowing that if I do my best, that’s great.”
Ursula is played by 16 year old Eva Joy, who has been on the Hamilton Players stage several times in the past. “I love it,” says Eva, who says that seeing the cast really come together in the final week of rehearsals has been a lot of fun. She also mentions how much she’s enjoyed stepping outside of her comfort zone to play Ursula alongside Kinley and Karter, who she says are “really fun to work with.”
“The Little Mermaid Jr.” production also benefits from the assistance of: Emily Athman, Michelle Post, Ellen Nichol, Tia Morello, Jessica Dufresne, Melissa Zielinske and Tasha Fain.
Tickets for “The Little Mermaid Jr.” as well as information on the Hamilton Players’ upcoming season can be found at: https://hamiltonplayers.com.