Columbia Children's Theatre to Stage LITTLE FISHMAID

Featuring everything from puppetry to live guitar to scuba-diving birds, the latest offering at Columbia Children's Theatre (CCT) sends up and "under the sea" a classic fairy tale in a truly satirical style. Little Fishmaid opens Thursday, June 23 at 7:00 pm. Additional show times are Friday, June 24 at 7:00 pm, Saturday, June 25 at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm, and Sunday, June 26 at 3:00 pm. All performances are held at Columbia Children's Theatre on the 2nd level of Richland Mall, 3400 Forest Drive. Tickets are $10.00 for children three years of age through adult and $8.00 for seniors and active duty military. For the performance at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, all tickets will be $5.00. A portion of all ticket sales will benefit Curing Kids Cancer. Advance tickets can be purchased securely online at columbiachildrenstheatre.com. For more information, contact CCT at 803-691-4548.

Produced as part of CCT's New Works Series, Little Fishmaid was penned by USC senior and CCT alum Carrie Chalfant under the auspices of USC's Capstone Scholars' Magellan Apprentice Grant for Research and Creative Projects. In this spoof of the famous Hans Christian Andersen tale, Arielle goes on a journey above the waves to study humans and become an anthropologist. Pretending she has a human boyfriend, Rick Prince, to get around babysitter Bastiano, she visits the local Sea-VS Nurse Practitioner Nursula to get her legs.

"It's been a dream putting this together, and a satisfying way to combine a lot what I've learned from formally studying theatre," said Chalfant. "Watching these actors do what they do best, I don't think I've ever had so much fun in my life. If you want to see a show that will shamelessly strive to make you giggle, whether you're eight or eighty, this show is for you."

The cast features Chauntel Bland as Neptune, Kate Chalfant as Arielle, Beth DeHart as Frances and Mindy, Garrett Helms as Bastiano, Kelly Helms as Nursula, Freddie Powers as Scattle, William Quant as Chef, Noell Staton as Pedicurist and Squire, Ryan Stevens as Rick Prince, and Jon Whit McClinton as Dither-Dather. Chalfant also serves as the show's director.

Other new works premiering at CCT include last season's Jack Frost by Crystal Aldamuy and Paul Lindley II, and Sam LaFrage's The Commedia Rapunzel, which premiered at CCT in June 2013 and later went on to win accolades at the New York Fringe Festival and an off-Broadway run. "As a playwright myself," says CCT Artistic Director Jerry Stevenson, "I value the development of new work for families and young audiences and I'm thrilled that Columbia Children's Theatre can serve as a launching pad for talented playwrights."