MANSFIELD – The cast of “The Little Mermaid” invites audiences to be part of their world at the Renaissance Theatre this weekend.
A cast of 45 mostly-local actors brings to life the classic Disney tale of a mermaid princess named Ariel who dreams of becoming human. The animated feature film was first released in 1989, and a stage adaptation of the film began performances on Broadway in 2008.
Playing the role of the red-haired daughter of Triton is Alice Magoto, who last appeared on the Renaissance stage when she was crowned Miss Ohio in 2016. It’s been Magoto’s dream to play Ariel ever since she was a young girl acting out scenes in her bathtub.
“I don’t remember the first time I saw the movie, but I recall multiple times being in the bathtub and replaying the scene where she comes up on the rocks,” she said with a laugh. “It’s always been a dream role, and honestly being a Disney princess is one of the best things ever.”
Transitioning from a mature young woman to a mischievous 16-year-old mermaid has been a challenge for Magoto, but transitioning from Miss Ohio to a Disney princess has been seamless.
“I’m always trying to portray the best version of myself because for the past year I’ve been aware of a lot of girls looking up to me,” Magoto said. “I’m always making sure I’m portraying what a classy young woman should be, whether on stage as Ariel or on stage as Miss Ohio.”
The awareness of playing such iconic characters has rippled throughout the cast as well. Deon Taylor, a Renaissance veteran who plays Sebastian, has taken great care to perfect the crustacean’s Jamaican accent.
“So many people look up to these characters and now we’re role models as these characters,” Taylor said. “This movie is iconic and a lot of people have seen it, so it’s our job to make sure it continues to be that iconic movie.”
That challenge particularly comes into play with the set and technical aspects of translating “The Little Mermaid” to the stage. Up for the challenge is director Kris Kyer of Los Angeles, who came in to direct in Mansfield at the request of an old friend, Renaissance CEO Michael Miller.
Kyer’s background in entertainment spans from performing at Cedar Point, in productions at Walt Disney World and Disneyland, and at one time being the youngest Ringmaster in the history of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. This is Kyer’s third time directing “The Little Mermaid” in particular.
“I’ve tailored it to your talent and your stage, so it’s much bigger and grander here in terms of the size of the stage,” Kyer said. “We’re using a lot of projections and a lot of pieces that comes from above. This show is like the circus, and it’s the kind of show I love to do because there’s so much involved.”
Being from out of town, Kyer conducted all auditions for Mansfield’s “The Little Mermaid” via Skype. Other principle roles include Kelly Knowlton as Ursula, Steve Teague as King Triton, Ryan Shreve as Prince Eric, Matt Mayer as Scuttle, and Bryce Dials and Naomi Schag splitting the role of Flounder.
“I was shocked with the local talent pool,” Kyer said. “You’ve got a great children’s program that feeds into the adult program, which is very important, and you’ve got adults from all over the area that really are talented.”
Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” opens at the Renaissance Theatre on July 29 and runs July 30, and August 5 and 6. Tickets are on sale now at the Renaissance Box Office and online at MansfieldTickets.com.
Kyer described the show as a perfect reprieve from the stresses of the “real world” at the moment.
“All of this work is like an iceberg; below the surface is the hours, the weeks and the time put into four performances,” he said. “The audiences see the work, but they don’t know how much work went into it. And it let’s them escape for two hours, see the colors, relax, and be a kid again.”
“It really is magical, what we’ve created on stage is mind-blowing to make it seem like we’re underwater,” added Magoto. “There are so many aspects that really relay that Disney magic, and that’s one of the sole reasons everyone should come see the show. It’s going to be something people talk about for a very long time.”
