I S S U E 9 STAGESTRUCK T H E A T R E S A R N I A ’ S N E W S L E T T E R E D I T I O N 2 M A Y 2 0 2 4 A ROLE FOR EVERYONE www.theatresarnia.org
Photo credit: Drew Harvey
THE LITTLE MERMAID FROM FAIRY TALE TO THE IMPERIAL STAGE
BY DOUG HAKALAFOREWORD
IN1837,THEDANISHAUTHORHANSCHRISANANDERSENWROTEASERIESOFCHILDREN’SFAIRYTALES.ONEOFTHESEWASDEN LILLEHAVFRUE,WHICHTRANSLATESTOTHELITTLESEAMAID,ORMORECOMMONLYTHELITTLEMERMAID. OVERTHEENSUING187YEARS,THISTALEHASBEENADAPTEDASABALLET,OPERA,ASBOTHANIMEANDSTANDARDCARTOONS, SEVERALLIVEACONFILMS,ANDOFCOURSEMUSICALFILMSANDSTAGEPLAYS INTHISARCLE,WE’LLFOCUSONORIGINALTALE, ANDTHEDISNEYINTERPRETATIONOFTHESTORY.
THEFAIRYTALE–BECAREFULWHATYOUWISHFOR
READINGTHEORIGINALFAIRYTALE,YOUWILLRECOGNIZEMANYOFTHESAMEELEMENTSOF THEDISNEYSTORY,THOUGHITISAMUCHDARKERTALE NONEOFTHECHARACTERSINTHE FAIRYTALEHAVEPROPERNAMES,THEYARESIMPLYREFERREDTOBYTHEIRROLEINTHE STORY.THELITTLEMERMAIDISTHEYOUNGESTOF6SISTERS,ANDTHEYLIVEANIDYLLICLIFE BELOWTHEWAVESWITHTHEIRFATHERTHESEAKING.THESISTERSAREFORBIDDENTO TRAVELTOTHESURFACEOFTHEOCEANUNTILTHEYREACHTHEIR15THBIRTHDAY,ANDAS EACHSISTERTURNS15,THEYBRINGBACKWONDROUSSTORIESOFTHEWORLDABOVE
WHENTHELITTLEMERMAIDFINALLYREACHESTHISMILESTONEAGE,SHETOOJOURNEYSUPWARDANDFOLLOWSALARGESHIP, WITHAPARTICULARLYATTRACTIVE16-YEAR-OLDPRINCE.AHUGESTORMBLOWSINANDTHESHIPISDESTROYED!REALIZING THATHUMANSCAN’TSURVIVEUNDERWATER,SHESAVESTHEPRINCE,DEPOSITINGHIMONABEACHOUTSIDEAMONASTERY WHEREAYOUNGGIRLFINDSHIM SOFARSOGOOD,THOUGHTHINGSTAKEAVERYDARKTURNFROMTHISPOINT THELITTLE MERMAIDASKSHERGRANDMOTHERABOUTHUMANS GRANNYEXPLAINSTHATHUMANSLIVEARIDICULOUSLYSHORTLIFESPAN COMPAREDTOTHE300YEARSTHEMERMAIDSENJOY.THELITTLEMERMAIDISAGHAST,THOUGHHERGRANDMOTHEREXPLAINS THATWHENHUMANSDIE,THEYENJOYETERNALLIFEINHEAVEN,SOMETHINGNON-HUMANSDON’TQUALIFYFOR.ASKINGHOW SHECOULDACHIEVEETERNALLIFE,THEGRANDMOTHEREXPLAINSTHATTHEONLYWAYWOULDBEFORAHUMANTOFALLIN LOVEWITHYOUANDMARRYYOU THISISWHERETHESEAWITCHCOMESIN THESEAWITCHAGREESTOMAKETHEMERMAID HUMAN,BUTITWOULDCOMEATATERRIBLECOST.SHEWOULDLOSEHERTONGUESOSHECOULDNOTSPEAK,ANDEVERYSTEP ONHERNEWLEGSWOULDBELIKEWALKINGONKNIVES!ALSO,IFSHEFAILSTOWOOTHEPRINCEANDHEMARRIESSOMEONE ELSE,SHEWILLDISSOLVEINTOSEAFOAMTHENEXTDAY THELITTLEMERMAIDAGREES,ANDSWIMSTOTHEPALACEOFTHE PRINCEBEFORECONSUMINGTHEMAGICPOTION AFTERAPAINFULTRANSFORMATION,THEPRINCEFINDSHERANDBRINGSHER INTOTHEPALACEHOUSEHOLD.THERE,INSTEADOFWOOINGTHEPRINCESHEBECOMESMOREOFALITTLESISTER,APRETTY ODDITYTHATCANREALLYDANCE,BUTISSILENT.REALIZINGTHECLOCKISTICKING(HE’S16AFTERALL)THEPRINCESETSOFFTO ANEIGHBOURINGKINGDOMINSEARCHOFABRIDE.UPONTHEIRARRIVALHEFINDSTHATTHERESIDENTPRINCESSTURNSOUT TOBETHEVERYSAMEGIRLTHATFOUNDHIMONTHEBEACHAFTERTHESHIPWRECK HEIMMEDIATELYMARRIESHERWITHTHE LITTLEMERMAIDASTHEMAIDOFHONOUR(OUCH).HERFATEWASTHENSEALED,IN24HOURSSHEMUSTDIE.THEMERMAID’S SISTERS,HEARINGOFTHEIRYOUNGESTSISTER’SIMPENDINGDOOM,BARGAINWITHTHESEAWITCH.THEYBRINGTOHERAN ENCHANTEDKNIFE,WITHTHEINSTRUCTIONSTHATIFSHEWERETOKILLTHEPRINCEBEFOREMORNINGANDBATHEINHISBLOOD, SHEWOULDBETURNEDBACKINTOAMERMAIDANDLIVEOUTHER300YEARSBACKWITHHERFAMILY SHEPONDERSTHISAND EVENTUALLYCAN’TBRINGHERSELFTODOIT,INSTEADTHROWINGHERSELFINTOTHESEA,DISSOLVINGINTOFOAM.BUTWAIT!IT TURNSOUTSHEDOESN’TDIE,SHEBECOMESA“DAUGHTEROFTHEAIR”,MAGICALWINDFAIRYCREATURESTHATAFTER300 YEARSOFPERFORMINGGOODDEEDSCANEVENTUALLYREACHTHEKINGDOMOFHEAVEN.THESE300YEARSCANBE DRAMATICALLYREDUCEDIFTHEYHAPPENUPONGOODCHILDRENWHOLISTENTOTHEIRPARENTSANDBEHAVEPROPERLY OF COURSEIFTHECHILDISNAUGHTYORDOESN’TLISTENTOMOMANDPOP,ADDITIONALTIMEWILLBEADDEDBEFORETHE MERMAIDCANGOTOHEAVEN.THEEND.
WHEW!IFYOURCHILDASKSTOBEREADAFAIRYTALEBEFOREBED,I’MNOTSURETHISWOULDBETHEBESTCHOICE
THELITTLEMERMAID–DISNEY’SRENAISSANCE
THEANIMATIONDEPARTMENTATWALTDISNEYSTUDIOSINVENTEDTHEFEATURELENGTHANIMATEDMOVIE.THEMOVIE-GOINGPUBLICOF1937HADNEVERSEEN ANYTHINGLIKESNOWWHITEANDTHESEVENDWARVES THEIMPACTOFSHOWWHITE WASIMMEDIATE,AUDIENCESLOVEDIT OVERTHENEXT5YEARSDISNEYRELEASED PINOCCHIO,FANTASIA,DUMBOANDBAMBI.ALLWERECERTIFIEDHITSANDARESTILL ENJOYEDTOTHISDAY.THEIRDOMINANCEOFTHEGENRECONTINUEDTHROUGHTHE 60’SWITHTHEJUNGLEBOOKANDTHEARISTOCRATS FROM1970THOUGHTHEY MOVEDAWAYFROMFAMILIARSTORIESANDMUSICALS WHILETHEIRFILMSWERE MODERATELYSUCCESSFUL,THEOLDMAGICAPPEAREDTOBEWANING.FILMSLIKETHE FOXANDHOUND,THEGREATMOUSEDETECTIVEJUSTDIDN’THAVETHEAPPEALOF THEIRPREVIOUSMASTERWORKS IN1985DISNEYWASPLANNINGTOINCLUDETHE LITTLEMERMAIDINAGROUPOFSHORTFILMSBASEDONANDERSEN’SSTORIES ITWAS DECIDEDTHOUGHTOREWORKTHESTORYINTOASTAND-ALONEBROADWAY-TYPE MUSICALWITHTHESONGSPLAYINGANINTEGRALPART,DRIVINGTHENARRATIVE FORWARD THEFAIRYTALEWASREWORKEDTOGIVEITAPOSITIVEHAPPYENDING WHILERETAININGATOUCHOFTHEDARKNESS
THELITTLEMERMAIDONSTAGE
DISNEYENLISTEDTHESERVICESOFCOMPOSERALANMENKEN,ANDLYRICIST HOWARDASHMAN,FRESHOFFTHEIRSUCCESSWITHLITTLESHOPOFHORRORS THE FILMWASRELEASEDINNOVEMBEROF1989,TOUNANIMOUSACCLAIM,ANDWOULD EVENTUALLYGROSS$235MILLIONWORLDWIDE.THELITTLEMERMAIDWAS NOMINATEDFORTHREEOSCARSTHATYEAR,ANDWONTWO,FORBESTORIGINAL SCOREANDBESTORIGINALSONGFORUNDERTHESEA IT’SINTERESTINGTONOTE THATASMALLCOMPUTERCOMPANYCALLEDPIXARWONTHEBESTANIMATED SHORTFILMOSCARTHATYEARFORTINTOY.THELITTLEMERMAIDWOULDSELL23 MILLIONCOPIESOFITSHOMEVHSVERSION,SOMEEDITIONSOFWHICHAREVERY VALUABLEONTHECOLLECTOR’SMARKETTODAY.
DISNEYANIMATIONSTUDIOSWEREBACKONTOP.THEYKNEWNOWTHATTHE BROADWAYFORMATWOULDSELL,ANDINABIGWAY.THEYRELEASEDBEAUTYAND THEBEASTIN1991,ITBECAMETHEFIRSTANIMATEDFEATURETOBENOMINATEDFOR BESTPICTUREATTHEOSCARS THEYFOLLOWEDUPWITHALADDIN,THELIONKING, POCAHONTAS,THEHUNCHBACKOFNOTREDAMEANDMULAN.DISNEYHASSINCE DEVELOPEDLIVE-ACTIONVERSIONSOFTHEIRBELOVEDCARTOONS,THELATEST BEINGTHELITTLEMERMAIDIN2023STARRINGHALLEBAILEY.
WHATDOYOUDOWITHASTORYWITHHUGELYPOPULARCHARACTERSANDACOLLECTIONOFSONGSBEINGSUNGBYMILLIONS OFKIDSAROUNDTHEWORLD?BRINGITTOTHESTAGE! ADAPTINGWHATAREBASICALLYTHEIRBROADWAYMUSICALFILMSFOR THESTAGEWASANOBVIOUSNEXTSTEP DISNEYTHEATRICAL,THELIVETHEATREBRANCHOFDISNEY,WASTASKEDWITH ADAPTINGTHEIRANIMATEDCLASSICS.THEYFOUNDHUGESUCCESSWITHTHEIRSTAGEVERSIONSOFBEAUTYANDTHEBEASTIN 1994,ANDTHELIONKINGIN1997,ANDBEGANWORKONTHELITTLEMERMAIDIN2006.
THESTORYWASEXPANDEDBYDOUGWRIGHT,WITHADDITIONALSONGSDEVELOPEDBYALANMENKENANDGLENNSLATER THE LITTLEMERMAIDOPENEDONBROADWAYINNOVEMBER2007ANDRANUNTILAUGUST2009.THEPLAYEARNEDTWOTONY NOMINATIONSFORBESTORIGINALSCOREANDFORLIGHTING.MERMAIDWASREWORKEDINTHE2012TIMEFRAMEANDHAS GONEONTOGREATSUCCESSWITHPROFESSIONALANDAMATERTHEATRECOMPANIESAROUNDTHEWORLD THEJUNIOR VERSIONHASBEENASTAPLEOFYOUTHPROGRAMSEVERYWHERE THELITTLEMERMAIDPOSESBIGCHALLENGESFORSETDESIGNERSANDARTDIRECTORS.ATRADITIONALPLAYOCCURSINA SINGLEWORLDSETTING BEAUTYANDTHEBEASTISSETPRIMARILYINRURALFRANCEANDASTONECASTLE THELIONKING TAKESPLACEONANAFRICANPLAIN INTHELITTLEMERMAID,THEAUDIENCEISTRANSPORTEDFROMTHEBOTTOMOFTHEOCEAN TOTHESURFACEOFTHEOCEAN,TOAPRINCE’SPALACE.EACHSETTINGISDRAMATICALLYDIFFERENTWITHUNIQUESETPIECES, LIGHTING,ANDSOUND.HOWTHEACTORSMOVEANDINTERACTWITHTHEIRSURROUNDINGSALSOCHANGETHROUGHOUTTHE PLAY THEORIGINALSTAGINGOFTHEPLAYHADTHEACTORSGLIDINGACROSSTHESTAGEON“WHEELIE”ROLLERSKATES!SOME OFTHEACTORSWERELESSTHANCOMFORTABLEDOINGTHIS,ANDITWASSOONDROPPEDINFAVOUROFAERIALEFFECTS ASWEGETREADYTORAISETHECURTAINONTHEATRESARNIA’SPRODUCTIONOFTHELITTLEMERMAID,OURACTORSHAVEBEEN BUSYINREHEARSALSUNDERTHEDIRECTIONOFJACKIEBURNSANDMUSICALDIRECTORSANDRAMOGENSEN.OURSET CONSTRUCTION,PROPSANDDÉCORTEAMSHAVEBEENBUSYBUILDINGSOMEAMAZINGSETPIECES PLEASEJOINUSATTHEIMPERIALTHEATREFROMMAY24THTOJUNE1STFORDISNEY’STHELITTLEMERMAID.WECAN’TWAITFOR YOUTOBEPARTOFOURWORLD!
TheatreSarnia-ARoleForEveryone
The Wolves Gala
By Eve Vristsios
O N A P R I L 1 0 T H , T H E H I G H L Y A N T I C I P A T E D S P O R T S D R A M A “ T H E W O L V E S " K I C K E D O F F
T S R U N W I T H A S O C C E R - T H E M E D O P E N I N G N I G H T G A L A ! G U E S T S D O N N E D T H E I R F I N E S T A T T I R E , B U Z Z I N G W I T H E X C I T E M E N T A S T H E Y E N T E R E D T H E C A P I T O L B A R A F T E R T H E O P E N I N G N I G H T S H O W T H E A T M O S P H E R E C R A C K L E D W I T H T H E E N E R G Y O F T H E I N C R E D I B L E C A S T A N D C R E W O F T H E S H O W , A N D T H E A T R E P A T R O N S A L I K E T H E C A P I T O L B A R W A S D E C O R A T E D W I T H S O C C E R B A L L C E N T E R P I E C E S A N D T H E F R O N T - O F - H O U S E W A S A D O R N E D W I T H S Y N T H E T I C T U R F A L L A R O U N D A P H O T O B O O T H R E P R E S E N T I N G A S O C C E R F I E L D W A S M A D E A V A I L A B L E F O R A N Y O N E T O P O S E I N F R O N T O F I N A P L A Y F U L T W I S T T O T H E R E D - C A R P E T S M I L E , G U E S T S W E R E H A N D E D V I B R A N T O R A N G E S L I C E S , A N O D T O T H E I C O N I C R I T U A L T H A T S O C C E R T E A M S A L L O V E R T H E W O R L D H A V E C O M E A C C U S T O M E D T O T H E R E S U L T ? A S E A O F I N F E C T I O U S G R I N S A N D A T O U C H O F C I T R U S Y F U N C A P T U R E D I N P H O T O S T H A T W I L L S U R E L Y B E C O M E C H E R I S H E D M E M E N T O S F O R A L L W H O P A R T I C I P A T E D T H E G A L A W A S A P E R F E C T P A I R I N G T O A S H O W T H A T C A P T U R E D S O M U C H S P I R I T , P A S S I O N A N D D R A M A A B O U T T H E " B E A U T I F U L G A M E " , A N D A L L T H A T H A P P E N S O N A N D O F F T H E F I E L D
I
TheatreSarnia-ARoleForEveryone
SPOTLIGHT Emma Van Barneveld
SS: Are you from Sarnia? If not, where did you come from and what brought you here?
Emma: I am originally from Sarnia and lived there my whole life Only recently did my parents move to Corunna, where I will be living after I graduate from my master’s programme
SS: How did you hear about Theatre Sarnia and how old were you when you first joined? (I’m sure you can say lots about Youth Group)
One of my parent’s co-workers was helping backstage for The Best Christmas Pageant Ever in 2012, and told my parents that they need children for the ensemble My parents knew that I loved to sing at church and school, so they asked me and I said yes! I met a lot of good friends and mentors during this show Anthony Fracalanza asked me to join the youth group the following season, and I had never been more excited for anything in my life I was still young, so I was in the Junior Youth Group for my first year, where we performed Aesop’s Fables I moved into the Senior Youth Group the year after, and we performed Alice in Wonderland I began to make even more friends, and have mentors within the theatre that supported me in what I wanted to do Anthony, Kristen, John L’heureux, Jane Janes, Ruth Francoeur, and so many more people made me into the person I am today I started auditioning for shows outside of the youth group and got myself even more involved in the community Some of the shows I have been on stage for are The Producers, Legally Blonde: The Musical, A Christmas Story: The Musical, Girls Like That, and Broadway Jukebox: Outdoor Concert Series My experience in the youth group and the rest of the theatre in general made me realize that theatre is the place that I love I graduated Brock University with a major in Dramatic Arts and minor in English Studies and now am finishing my masters in Theatre Studies at the University of Guelph
SS: What other volunteer positions have you had within Theatre Sarnia?
While still being a Senior Youth Group teen, I was asked to be a Youth Group Leader for first the Junior Youth Group, and then for the Intermediate Group I would spend my Saturdays at the theatre from 9am - 6pm for almost two years when all the youth groups ran, but it made me so happy to do it every time I learned what stage management was from John as well when helping the younger groups I absolutely fell in love with it because it was based on organization, preparation, and communication Two years ago, I was a stage manager in the One Acts for High School Reunion, and the rest is history I volunteered for a few shows backstage as well, such as Evil Dead: The Musical, Oliver!: The Musical, and Something Rotten I also volunteer for Anothey’s Hope every year during the summer
SS: You are Stage Managing RENT What excites you the most going into this show?
What excites me the most about going into RENT as the stage manager is the new and old connections I will make with the cast and crew I have missed everyone from the theatre, and I am excited to reconnect with my friends and make new connections with new-commers to the theatre I am excited what we will each bring to the stage in order to make an amazing show that everyone will remember
SS: What do you do outside theatre hours? Work? Hobbies?
Outside of Imperial Theatre hours I work at the Victoria Petrolia Playhouse as the Front of House Manager I am going into my third summer of work, and will start working full-time once finishing my masters program Other than that, you can find me either playing video games with my friends, spending time with my family, running near the water, drinking coffee, or crocheting whatever comes to mind
BY RUTH FRANCOEUR
TheatreSarnia-ARoleForEveryone
HONORARY LIFE MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
HermanVoaden-AwardedtheFirstLifeMembershipHonourin1928.
BorninLondonOntarioin1903,hereceivedaMasterofArtsdegreein1926fromQueen'sUniversityIn 1927,heacceptedapositionasheadoftheEnglishDepartmentatSarniaCollegiateInstituteand VocationalSchoolAfoundingmemberofSarniaDramaLeaguein1928(nowcalledTheatreSarnia),he alsocompletedhisfirstplaythatyearandacceptedapositionastheheadoftheEnglishDepartmentat ahighschoolinToronto,Ontario.
OrderofCanada
Significant Playwright
Hewasaplaywright,director,andtheatricalinnovatorandwasalifelong championofCanadianculture.
ConsideredoneofthemostsignificantplaywrightsinCanadapriortothe SecondWorldWar(hewrote11playsbetween1928and1942),hechampioned amultimediaformoftheatrethathecalled“SymphonicExpression”that integratedartisticlightingeffects,music,dance,andunusualsets
HewasafoundingmemberandfirstpresidentoftheCanadianArtsCouncil (laterrenamedtheCanadianConferenceoftheArts).AspresidentoftheCAC, hewasoneofseveralCanadianrepresentativestothefirstUNESCO conference,heldinParisin1946.
In1974,hewasmadeaMemberoftheOrderofCanadainrecognitionofhis contributiontotheperformingartsasaplaywright,producerandteacher,and hisservicesinfosteringsupportforalltheartsandcrafts.
HepassedawayinToronto,Ontarioin1991Followinghisdeath,Queen's Universitycreatedthe“HermanVoadenPlaywritingCompetition”tohonour newworksbyemergingplaywrights
Sources:
TheVoadenPrizePlaywritingCompetition|Queen'sUniversity(queensu.ca) Voaden-BiographicalOutline(yorku.ca) HermanVoaden-Wikipedia
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