Cool off from the summer heat and come to The River Raisin Centre for the Arts as The River Raisin Youth Theatre takes audiences under the sea in The Little Mermaid JR, directed by Jennifer Bezeau and sponsored by La-Z-Boy. This show, which was adapted from the 2008 Broadway production Disney’s The Little Mermaid JR, features hit songs “Part of Your World”, “Kiss the Girl”, and the Oscar winning “Under the Sea”. Show dates and times are Friday, August 16th at 7:30 pm, Saturday, August 17th at 7:30 pm, and Sunday, August 18th at 3:00 pm. Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors and $10 for students and children. They are now on sale by calling our box office at (734)-242-7722, stopping by the RRCA at 114 South Monroe Street, or by visiting our website at www.riverraisincentre.org.
The Little Mermaid JR, based on the Hans Christian Anderson story and Disney film, is the story of a magical kingdom under the sea where the beautiful young mermaid Ariel longs to leave the ocean for the world above. But first, she will have to defy her father King Triton, make a deal with the evil sea witch Ursula, and convince Prince Eric that she is the girl with the enchanting voice. Audience favorites Flounder, Sebastian, Scuttle, and Ursula’s evil eel sidekicks Flotsam & Jetsam will all make appearances on this adventurous ride.
Auditions and callbacks took place in early June and were open to students between the ages of 7-20. The final cast has 56 student actors from Monroe County and surrounding areas. They rehearse 5 days a week on the RRCA campus and are guided by director Jennifer Bezeau. Ms. Bezeau has been a teacher with the River Raisin Center for the Arts’ Creative Dramatics program for four years introducing a love of theatre arts, as well as creative problem-solving skills to nearly 100 children, ages 7-13. Jennifer teaches the drama unit for the Raisin Centre for the Arts summer theatre camps. She also has served as the Director of the RRCA’s Summer Youth Musicals including Music Man, Sleeping Beauty, and Once Upon a Mattress. She is joined by musical director Josh Glover and choreographer Lisa Lewandowski.
