Musical Season is back: Welcome the lovable characters in ‘The Little Mermaid Jr.’

The Little Mermaid Jr. is a perfect musical to present in New London. The cast can range from 11 to 20. The Little Mermaid Jr version is cleverly adapted for school production from the Broadway Musical.

The many characters fit a wide range of voices and personalities. The story of the Little Mermaid is loosely based on the 1837 fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson.

The original Disney film was released in 1989 and a remake will hit theaters in May of 2023. Plan to attend. Live performances are exciting.

A quick review of the characters and story follows.

Ariel, our heroine, is a mermaid who longs to be human. She rescues Prince Eric from a raging storm. Both Ariel and Prince Eric have guardians who try to steer them in the “right” direction. Sebastian, the crab, is meticulous and anxious.

Trying to keep Ariel safe is quite a job. Grimsby is Prince Eric’s valet. He is rigid, proper, and insistent upon Eric becoming a proper King. Ariel is also quite curious and collects all sorts of objects. She and Flounder find a fork. Flounder is Ariel’s best friend.

While trying to identify the purpose of a fork, they run into Scuttle, a seagull, stretches his image by pretending to be an expert on "human paraphenicular". Ariel and Prince Eric fall in love at “first rescue” of course. Their two lives seemed destined to remains separate. Their worlds of water and land are complicated enough but enter evil in the form of a witch, Ursula. This manipulative sea witch wants to replace Airel’s father, King Triton. Add evil eels, Flotsam and Jetsam; supportive groups such as the Tentacles, Gulls, and the Sea Chorus to the mix along with many concerned humans, Chef Louis, Headmistress Carlotta, the Pilot the human groups and the story continues to unfold.

Join the New London Performing Arts on one of the performances on March 17 at 7 p.m. and on March 18 at 2 p.m. and again at 7 p.m. The Saturday evening performance is also senior night.

Tickets are available at the door and at www.schoolpay.com/link/littlemermaidjr. Options are VIP PACKAGE: As a VIP ticket holder, you will enjoy the following perks: early admission, reserved seating in the first two rows of the auditorium, a drink & popcorn, and pre-performance pictures on stage with your favorite cast and crew members. This unique opportunity will begin at 6:15 p.m. for the 7 p.m. performances and at 1:15 p.m. for the matinee.

EARLY ACCESS PASS: Enjoy the perks of 15 additional minutes to select your seat before general admission begins. Holders of the Early Access Pass will be welcomed into our auditorium at 6:30 p.m. for the 7 p.m. performances and at 1:30 p.m. for Saturday's matinee.

GENERAL ADMISSION TICKET: Regular Admission will begin at 6:45 p.m. for the 7 p.m. performances and at 1:45 p.m. for Saturday's matinee.