Once upon a time — sounds like the beginning of a fairy tale, right? — a long time ago, I could sing every song and recite nearly every line of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.” My daughter nearly wore the color off our VHS copy, watching the movie approximately eight times a day. (It was the ‘80s — there weren’t endless options for children’s television at that time.)
I was pleasantly surprised when Woodmore Drama Club announced that this year’s production would be “The Little Mermaid,” as I vaguely remembered director Marcia Busdeker once commenting that she would never do a Disney play.
“I did say that!” Busdeker said when I checked in with her. “My choreographer convinced me that maybe we would get more kids to audition if it was a Disney production. It worked … we have several new students who are part of the show.”
“The Little Mermaid” is the story of Ariel, a red-haired mermaid princess, who is fascinated with all things human. Despite her father’s stern warnings to stay away from humans, Ariel cannot resist. One night she goes to the surface where she sees Prince Eric upon a ship and falls in love at first sight. She rescues Eric when he falls overboard during a storm, sings to him until he begins to regain consciousness, but leaves before she can be discovered.
After a fight with her father, Ariel makes a deal with Ursula the Sea Witch, in which she trades her voice for human legs, but only for three days. Of course, there is a catch, and Ursula plots against Ariel. Meanwhile Ariel and her friends, Sebastian the crab and a fish named Flounder, try to prevent Eric from marrying a disguised Ursula.
“Little Mermaid is probably one of my most favorite fairy tales,” Busdeker said. “The characters in the Disney show are well-written and add so much to the original tale. It’s good entertainment.”
When asked which character is her favorite, she replied, “I have three: Ursula and her two minions, the Evil Eels. I love a good villain or two.”
Busdeker’s favorite part of the entire process is watching the cast bond as friends, make new relationships with each other and grow, not just as actors, but as people.
“The difference in them between our auditions and opening night — which is a five-month span — is astounding,” Busdeker said. “Their internal growth is amazing.”
Woodmore shop built dinghy for musical
Woodmore’s shop class built a dinghy for the scene in which the lead characters go for a boat ride as birds, frogs and other small creatures serenade them. The shop students asked Busdeker if they could have the dinghy back after the closing performance.
“They want to see if they can sail it down the Portage River,” she laughed.
Busdeker promised last year that this year’s play would be something the audience has never seen before. “And I am right,” she said. “Disney was unexpected, but I am happy with the end results.”
When I asked for a clue to the 2027 production, Busdeker replied that “next year’s show will bring fond memories back to parents and grandparents.”
Performances are at 7:30 p.m., March 12, 13 and 14, and at 2 p.m. March 15 at Woodmore’s K-8 building, 708 W. Main St.
Tickets are $8 for students and seniors, $10 for adults and $15 for preferred seating. Tickets may be purchased in person at the K-8 building in Woodville on Monday and Thursday evenings from 6-9 p.m. or can be reserved by calling 419-704-7807.
Firefighters’ breakfast March 8
The Woodville Fire Department’s last pancake breakfast of the season is 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 8. Breakfast includes scrambled eggs, chunky applesauce, homemade pork sausage and all the pancakes you can eat. Cost is $9 for adults and $8 for seniors and kids under 12.
Shamrock bingo with a cop
Children are invited to join Officer Keith from the Woodville Police Department for some bingo fun at 6:30 p.m., March 16, at the Woodville Public Library. No registration is required.
4th of July meeting
The next Woodville 4th of July committee meeting is at 7 p.m. March 17 at the Woodville Public Library. New faces are always welcome.
Red Cross blood drive
The next blood drive is scheduled from 12-5 p.m. March 20 at the Woodville Township Fire Station. Appointments may be made online at redcrossblood.org or by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS.
Woodmore PTO fundraiser
The annual Woodmore PTO Flower Sale with Bench’s Greenhouse and Nursery is open online until April 10. Flowers will be available for pick-up in time for Mother’s Day. More information is available at benchsgreenhouse.com/woodmorepto.
Contact Rene Dix at 419-307-0914 or via email at rene.dix@email.com.
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Talk About Woodville eyes ‘The Little Mermaid’
Reporting by Rene Dix, Special to The News-Messenger / Fremont News-Messenger
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