Down here all the fish is happy! As aft ‘cross the stage they roll! They bringin’ you lotsa joy here— having fun in this show and that’s their goal— such wonderful things surround them— right there on the Children’s Playhouse of Maryland floor! They’re talented an havin’ a blast there! What more is your looking for? Are you ready to go under the sea with CPM’s season-opener for their 2025/2026 season— Disney’s The Little Mermaid? It’s magical and enchanting and the young talent featured in the production are having the most enthusiastic time of their lives! Directed by Liz Boyer Hunnicutt with Musical Direction by Charlotte Evans and Choreography by Lauren Stuart, you’ll see some extraordinary performances, witness some delightful stage magic, and get to see a whole ‘school of fish’ engaging in those iconic songs that you remember from when you were young and still bring a smile to the faces of the young-at-heart.
It certainly takes an underwater village to create an extraordinary playground of sorts for these talented young performers when it comes to scenery, lighting and overall aesthetic, and the generalized verve of the show’s technical components. Led by Artistic Director & Technical Director Diane M. Smith (and ATD Kenny Sigal) the production does not disappoint. With costume rentals provided by DBProductions, Costume Coordinator Lizzie Jaspan (and her assistants Liz Hines and Anna Tsakalas) have a field day utilizing as many fun and funky colors to get each member of the production looking enchanting and unique. Some of those costumes are so vivacious and bright you can’t help but marvel at just how awesome they are! Everything from the various jewel-soaked tones of the wigs featured on the seven mersisters to the fish-print makeup applied to the aquatic creatures gives you that sense of Disney magic happening live right before your eyes.
The set, a combination of live pieces— like the enchanted grotto (which has some really cool special effects rigged up into it for the Triton-Ariel scene) and the iconic shore-rock where the titular character sings her signature number in reprise— and moving background visuals created by SLShow Tech, makes for the perfect amalgamation of imagination at work so that these young performers can deliver exciting musical numbers, humorous scenes, and have an all-round good time while doing it. Scenic Artist Laura Miller works in tandem with Smith (doubling as stage crew chief), Smith, and Amy Bell (stage crew chief) to create wonders on stage and keep the show moving. Ed Lake puts some nifty visual effects in play— particularly for the end of the first act where a transformation has to occur— with his illuminating lighting design, and the Amy Vicker rounds out the fantastical stage appearance with some of her wonderful props. Ursula’s ‘shell’ and ‘cauldron’ are simply wicked!
Vocally, the show is strong. Musical Director Charlotte Evans ensures that group numbers like “Under The Sea” are delivered with gusto and vibrant energy; the whole audience wants to wiggle-dance along in their seats to that one. Evans brings striking balance to the harmonies of “She’s In Love”, a song featuring the six mersisters and Flounder, and really hits the mellow level blends of “If Only (Quartet)” for those four featured performers in that number. Accompanying the quality sounds of Evans’ work is the enthusiastic and energetic choreography of Lauren Stuart. Lots of fun, repetitious movements keep all those little fishies engaged, whether they’re bouncing and bobbing during “Under the Sea” or they’re running around in carefully constructed chaos for “Les Poissons.” Stuart even includes a wildly entertaining ‘basket toss’ during “Under the Sea”, featuring the most adorable little seas creature (Carly Stuart, who’s indefatigable grin is just delightful) as she gets flung up into the air. It’s the perfect move to give that number some pizazz. Director Liz Boyer Hunnicutt showcases her skillset by encouraging real character development and intrapersonal relationships between the characters. You get a warm and personal guardian-ward bond between Grimsby and Eric, that villainess-henchman bond between Ursula and Flotsam & Jetsam, and Hunnicutt even encourages a little sibling rivalry between the six mersisters. It makes all the difference having these little touches of character built into the show.
The ensemble is chock-a-block with performance gems— all of which sparkle brightly and belong on display in Ariel’s grotto. The ensemble (featuring: Lily Anderson, Ava Basta, Mars Bell, Zoe Bisante, Ava Castello, Meghan Chrzanowski, Katelynn Cockey, Luke DiBello, Osiris Gijon, Eli Ginder, Cosette Halcott, Bentley Hines, Parker Hines, Cecilia May, Owen Miller, Gigi Norton, Temperance Oppel, Tobin Shoul, Riley Sigal, Carly Stuart, Anna Zephir) fills out the group numbers like “Finale Ultimo” and “Under the Sea” and are doing bunches of different things, you’ll have to see the show twice just to catch it all!
Opening up the show with hearty gusto and a sea-shanty sway to their number, “Fathoms Below”, you get the sense from our Sailors (Luke DiBello, Osiris Gijon, Bentley Hines, Parker Hines, Owen Miller, and Tobin Shul as the Pilot) that a true high-seas adventure is about to take place. They bring a really solid sound to that number and it sets the tone of quality that you’re about to receive for the show. Several of these sailors double up throughout the performance, though most notably you might catch them running around as chefs! Led by the dramatically seasoned Colton Roberts in the role of Chef Louis, these Chefs (Lily Anderson, Mars Bell, Zoe Bisante, Ava Castello, Meghan Chrzanowski, Luke DiBello, Eli Ginder, Colette Halcott, Cecelia May, Gigi Norton) race around the stage in utter madness (carefully constructed and choreographed by Lauren Stuart to only look like madness so that there aren’t any accidental collisions or injuries!) bringing that extra vivacity to “Les Poissons.” As the outrageously over-the-top, scene-steal comedic cad, Chef Louis, Roberts is giving poor Sebastian a run for her money! Giving chase all of the stage, finding brilliant moments of laugh-out-loud comedy to land upon, Roberts owns that scene hands down. And his voice wafts through the number like a delectable soup du jour, enticing the audience to laugh along to his comedic antics in addition to his caricature-styled accent, hilarious falsetto tones at the top of the song, and his overall engaging stage presence.
If you want to talk scene-stealers, Luke Depew is right up there, flapping his wings and tapping along and creating hysterical chaos in the role of Scuttle. I am positoovally certain there is no zanier gull than Depew, especially when he starts squawking through “Kiss The Girl” (the song is written to have the character make noises that intentionally counter-balance the beauty of Sebastian’s singing and Depew delivers that comedic bit sublimely!) He’s got real singing chops, which he puts readily on display during “Positoovity.” This number gives Depew a chance to show his character antics, his clear vocal capabilities, and his tapping work as he leads the Gulls (Dance Captain Lily Anderson, Colton Roberts, Ava Castello, Meghan Chrzanowski, Colette Halcott, Bentley Hines, Parker Hines, Cecilia May, Gigi Norton, Tobin Shoul) through that zesty, plucky tap number. It’s some clean taps, complete with some cake-walk and swing-trenches moves that get the audience all riled up with applause.
Lending their harmonious voices to “Beyond My Wildest Dreams” The Maids (Lily Anderson, Ava Basta, Katelynn Cockey, Temperance Oppel) having delightful one-liners that enhance that number and showcase the myriad of talented individuals tucked away in the show’s ensemble. And while he’s no maid, the way poor Flounder (Sivert Carlson) mopes around after Ariel, you’d think he was one of her servants rather than her fishy best friend. Carlson has exacting comedic timing, which is perfect for some of his line deliveries. Where you get to see and hear Carlson shine is during “She’s In Love”, he’s got one of the funniest lines in the show (IMO) “…she treats me like sashimi left over from last week!” and when he perfectly articulates that line, he gets some well deserved chuckles from the audience. Carlson also gets a clean belt in that number and stands out among the sea of mersisters singing along in that song.
If you want smooth vocals, look no further than Flotsam (RJ Oakey) and Jetsam (Patricia Jane Boettcher.) The slithering eel-henchfolk of the sea witch, Oakey and Boettcher are the two who glide most naturally on their wheel-shoes. (Hands down to every single young performer on those wheel shoes because that is no small feat to accomplish!) Their slippery demeanors and overall slick character approaches really live up to their roles, particularly when they start their syrupy rendition of “Sweet Child.” Boettcher and Oakey provide great backing sounds and moves for Ursula during “Daddy’s Little Angel” and its reprise as well and they’re just great to watch whenever they’re on stage.
The ‘father figures’ of the show— one actual father, King Triton (Cormac Coleman) and one guardian of the prince, Grimsby (Connor McIntyre)— serve as guiding beacons to the wayward, headstrong, protagonists of the show, Ariel and Eric, respectively. McIntyre’s slightly posh British accent is charming and quite consistent too! It’s wild and entertaining watching him during “Fathom’s Below” as he starts to heave-ho! And his interaction with Coleman’s Triton at the end is very endearing. Coleman, who has the ‘screaming like a furious father’ part of his role down to a fine science, does show a gentler vocality when it comes to his fourth of “If Only (Quartet)” and finds his harmonic blend in that song sublimely. Coleman provides a great deal of angst and anger for both Ariel and Sebastian to work with, while McIntyre is more of the ‘gentle-support’ to Eric’s seaward intentions.
Who on earth could they be— any hammerhead can see— it’s The Mersisters!! Providing vocal backup for their little sister since ’89 (…or ’07 if you only want to count the musical), this sextet of sisters have brilliant voices, unique personalities, and a series of wonderfully colored wigs to help you tell them all apart. They are in fact the daughters of Triton— Aquata (Kayla Marie Camarao), Andrina (Kaitlyn Bell), Arista (Lilah Fodel), Atina (Gabby Gertner), Adella (Angelina Ferris), and Allana (Finley Harper McCully.) They bring their lovely voices together like a bell during “Daughters of Triton” and their sniping and hilarity when it comes to being just a little jealous of Ariel truly reflects how sisters behave. “She’s In Love” is their big breakout number where Camarao, Bell, Fodel, Gertner, Ferris, and McCully get a chance to let their resplendent vocal radiance and capabilities to harmonize shine through like sunlight cutting into the ocean. Camarao, Bell, Fodel, Gertner, Ferris, and McCully also double-up as ‘the princesses’ in “The Contest” and they get to showcase their comedic side, singing intentionally all over the place so as to disenchant the prince during that number; it’s a great experience!
Such sensational sounds you’d never expect from one singular crab but you’re getting stellar talent from Allyson Gray as Sebastian. Not only is her voice sublime but she’s carrying that iconic Sebastian-style accent with flawless consistency throughout the performance. Her comedic timing and delivery are impeccable, her sincerity when addressing Ariel feels authentic, and her vocals are just stellar. You get that effervescent ease from Gray when she’s partying her way through “Under the Sea” and then you get this phenomenal balance poured into “Kiss the Girl.” Gray starts with a delicate lilting sound for the verse that’s just beautiful and light and then she blasts into the chorus with an emboldened sound that really brings the whole of the song to life. Gray knows exactly where and when to take those pop-modern-sounding options and strikes perfection in the delivery of this song.
Seaweed and spice and absolutely ZIP is nice about this sea witch. Catherine Ace Angelos’ Ursula is the exacting epitome of a Disney Villain. A little bit nefarious, a little bit comedic, a whole lotta confident and with vocal prowess that is going to propel her out of the ocean and up onto a big stage someday. Angelos is superb in the role and keenly understands toeing the line of being truly sinister verses a little whacky and unhinged. (It’s the formulaic concept of why Disney villains work so flawlessly in their respective stories and Angelos has mastered it!) In full possession of the Ursula-tude, not to mention some powerhouse vocals that shock, blast, and astound when she sings, Angelos is serving up some sea witch realness that is seriously sensational. “Daddy’s Little Angel” gives you just a taste of her nefarious behavior. Unabashedly unafraid to sell the antagonistic nature of “Poor Unfortunate Soul”, Angelos is a true toxic charmer, belting her face off in this number and sending urchin-style tingles up the spine.
With a dashing sense of his character and the need to present the character’s emotions above all else in his performance, Cormac O’Malley delivers a stage presence in the role of Prince Eric that far precedes his youthful age. His facial expressions are extremely animated but not in an over-the-top fashion. This mirrors what Cassidy Gertner achieves in the role of Ariel once she finds herself voiceless in the second act. (Spoiler Alert: If you don’t know by now that our titular character trades her voice for legs…what ocean rock have you been living under?) The chemistry between O’Mally and Gertner is adorable, genuine, and bubbles delicately between them from the moment he first hears her voice while on the boat, through to the end when they are standing together on that footbridge. “One Step Closer” is one of their most lovely moments together, watching Gertner use her body language to express everything her character’s voice cannot say. O’Malley has strong vocals that belay not only the intent of the song but the emotional fortitude with which his character is possessed and you get the best sense of this during “Her Voice” and later in his fourth of the “If Only (Quartet).”
Gertner, as the title character, has this truly beautiful moment in “If Only (Quartet)” where her vocals are spot-on, delicate and sincere, gliding effortless over that quarter of the song. Watching her stand with Flounder on the side ramp during “Under the Sea” is one of the most fascinating moments because it showcases her disciplined commitment to the character in a deeply complex fashion— she looks bored out of her mind! Which is the perfect expression for Ariel as she’s essentially watching her babysitter Sebastian throw a song-and-dance parade about why she shouldn’t go up to the human world. The way Gertner engages with Sivert’s Flounder, treating him like a loveable but pesky little brother, showcases her sturdy ability to make hearty character connections with others in the show. And you’ll have to come hear her sing the signature number for which Ariel is known, “Part of Your World” to get a sense of her vocal capabilities. Watching Gertner and O’Malley during the tail-end of “The Contest”, where she steps forward to present her ‘voice’ as a dance is one of the most touching moments in the show. And Gertner’s enthusiasm for “Beyond My Wildest Dreams” is deeply aligned with the song’s energy.
Don’t wait to be part of their world! Tickets are moving quickly with several performances close to being completely booked up if not sold-out entirely! Catch Disney’s The Little Mermaid at CPM through the first weekend in October before it swims away!
Running Time: Approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes with one intermission
The Little Mermaid plays through October 5th 2025 with Children’s Playhouse of Maryland in the Lecture Hall of the Administration Building at the Community College of Baltimore County Essex Campus— 7201 Rossville Boulevard in Baltimore, MD. For tickets call the box office at (443) 840-2426 or purchase them online.