The Little Mermaid, Jr. at Our Lady of the Valley Drama Department

The cast features nearly 100 performers ranging from first through eighth grades. The wide-eyed, hopeful mermaid Ariel will be played by veteran actresses Talia Marotta (Friday and Saturday performances) and Rachel Cartwright (Sunday performance), two eighth graders who has been performing at since their early years at OLV. Seventh grader Nick Buttrey portrays Prince Eric, Ariel’s romantic interest. Two more eighth graders, Alana Elward and Kyra Harris, share the role of the evil Ursula, who is after the power of the sea and Ariel’s voice. Delightful characters add a comic flair with seventh grader Nathan Fisher as Sebastian, the high-strung, charming lobster charged with the caretaking of Ariel; sixth grader Olivia Fant as Ariel’s playful, best sea friend Flounder; and eighth grader Kimberly Martin rounding out the trio as Scuttle, the wise-cracking, zany gull who always has a word of guidance about things in the human world. Joining them as the main characters are: newcomer Thomas Hart, eighth grade, as King Triton, Ariel’s’ protective father and ruler of the seas; Matthew Steele, eighth grade, as the proper gentleman Grimsby assigned the task of helping Prince Eric find a bride; Mica Osio, eighth grade, as the watchful palace matron Carlotta; Cooper Gray, seventh grade, as the wild-eyed Chef Louis who tries to whip up menus that involve some of Ariel’s sea friends; and Avery Martin (5th grade) as Sebastian’s ever-present devoted sidekick Chantal. The Mersisters of Ariel who add delightful antics with numbers such as “She’s in Love,” are: Caroline Buttrey (8th grade), Maria Stamba (8th grade), Reed McLean (7th grade), Victoria Peters (7th grade), Bailey Glasgow (7th grade), Eva Catherine Crawford (7th grade), and Kayla Wiggins (7th grade). Others featured in the cast are Jackson Shields as the ship Pilot and Peyton Miller as the Sea Horse.