“It was like being a Star Wars storm trooper,” said eighth grader Carter Stewart. It makes sense. Flotsam, the character played by Stewart in the Middle School’s production of The Little Mermaid Jr. is to Ursula the Sea Witch – the show’s ultimate baddie – as the stormtroopers are to the formidable Darth Vader (sans the blasters and cool helmets, of course).

However, Stewart clearly relished his role, and the audience definitely loved the musical. Even Mr. Bob Bayless, the show’s theatrical director, had high praise for the performance and his actors. “I think the production was one of the best we’ve ever done,” he said. “The number of compliments we received from teachers and parents was tremendous.”

The musical, more based on the 1989 Disney animated film than the original story by Hans Christian Andersen, centers on Ariel, the youngest mermaid daughter of King Triton, benevolent ruler of the seas. When Ariel falls in love with a human prince, a relationship her father forbids, she turns to the evil Ursula and trades her voice for a pair of legs so she can be with her bipedal beau. However, unbeknownst to Ariel, Ursula has a diabolical plan of her own to defeat Triton and rule the sea herself.

The show was performed for the Lower School on Wednesday, February 22. It was then performed the evening of February 23 for the TBS community. The final performance was the afternoon of Friday, February 24 as it was put on for the entire Middle School.

The cast also had a lot of fun with this production. “I have never played a villain before in a play, so this was a great acting experience for me,” said eighth grader Olivia Cornett, who played Ursula.

From the performances to the costumes and set design, the show was a smash, the likes of which TBS may never “sea” again.