
Families
were
transported
on
an
enchanted
trip
30,000
feet
under
the
sea
with
Cedar
Point
Elementary
students'
performance
of
"Disney's
The
Little
Mermaid
Jr."
The
students
enacted
a
well-known
colorful
tale
of
a
curious
mermaid
named
Ariel,
who
likes
to
explore
and
collect
human
objects
despite
her
father's
wishes.
Sixth
grade
student
Lily
Buffkin
did
a
magnificent
job
in
the
role
of
Ariel,
acting
with
great
feeling
conveyed
to
the
audience
as
she
continues
her
explorations
and
comes
across
Prince
Eric,
played
by
sixth
grader
Anthony
Bodner
and
fifth
grader
Eric
Lawson
(each
participated
in
three
performances).
The
show
was
impressive
in
both
scope
of
production
and
performance.
The
play
resembled
more
of
a
high
school
level
production
with
a
riser
onstage.
In
addition,
students
changed
costumes
several
times,
enveloping
the
audience
in
the
story,
and
bringing
it
to
life.
The
performance
consisted
of
20
scenes
from
beginning
to
end,
complete
with
scenery
changes
in
between.
Both
students
and
adults,
dressed
in
all
black,
collaborated
to
quickly
clear
the
stage
of
props
from
scene
to
scene
with
speed
and
great
attention
to
the
smallest
detail.
The
play
is
a
long-awaited
performance
by
the
Cedar
Point
Elementary
community
because
it
was
originally
scheduled
to
open
last
spring
and
was
canceled
due
to
the
pandemic-related
school
closure.
Musical
Director
Amy
LaFleur
said,
"It
was
disappointing
to
the
students
who
had
worked
so
hard
rehearsing
for
the
play,
so
when
the
play
was
revived
for
this
year,
all
the
students
from
last
year's
cast
were
invited
to
participate."
Students
who
participated
in
this
year's
play
are
now
in
fourth,
fifth,
and
even
some
sixth-grade
students
returned
to
participate.
Students
rehearsed
for
several
months
for
the
play
both
last
year
and
this
year.
Some
aspects
of
the
play
were
modified,
such
as
appropriate
distancing
between
students
on
stage,
and
ensuring
students
had
face
coverings.
"I'm
really
proud
of
how
our
students
have
adapted
to
the
COVID-19
guidelines
in
place.
They
learned
to
emote
with
their
eyes,"
remarked
LaFleur.
Indeed,
students
used
their
singing
and
speech,
as
well
as
nonverbal
cues,
such
as
using
their
arms
and
hands
to
act
effectually.
LaFleur
added,
"Musicals
are
very
important
to
all
the
parties
involved
in
putting
on
the
play.
One
of
the
lessons
we've
learned
through
this
whole
experience
is
the
importance
of
patience
and
perseverance.
To
be
able
to
bring
it
back
to
life-everyone
is
excited
to
finish
what
we
started
a
year
ago.
The
most
important
thing
to
me
[about
musicals],
is
creating
something
from
nothing.
This
year
is
really
special
to
me
because
the
students
had
to
wait
and
trust,
and
most
of
them
came
back
to
be
in
the
play,
and
I'm
so
incredibly
proud
of
them."