Written by: Evy Ayers, Grade 11, Monsignor Doyle Secondary School
Monsignor Doyle’s upcoming production of “The Little Mermaid”
With a talented cast and dedicated crew, the students and staff at Monsignor Doyle Catholic Secondary School bring “The Little Mermaid” to life, with an extraordinary display of creativity and passion. The members of this emerging production have spent countless hours creating a scene of which they could be proud, officially bringing the musical production to the masses on May 8-11; tickets are available to all. From the moment the curtains rise, viewers can expect a fantastical portrayal of this classic story.
The busy, bustling atmosphere backstage shows a real dedication to the show. Multiple students have even offered a hand in the making of this production, creating eye-catching set pieces to complement the talented actors’ performance. While this school is no stranger to theatre, they haven’t had the pleasure of indulging in many musical works.
Monsignor Doyle’s lead actor, Katie, has taken on the role of Ariel. Katie’s own experience provides viewers insight into the dedication of the actors and crew, casting a prominent light on the passion driving this production. “Doyle, when it comes to productions, is one of the smaller schools,” she states, adding, “We have a lot of talented people, but a lot of the time they don’t like coming out and showing these talents.” After working on so many previous Doyle productions, Katie has built a solid relationship with her fellow actors, comparing the connection to a sort of family-like dynamic on set.
The young actress goes on to explain how she’s noticed many of the cast members may not be used to working in musically explorative roles, but seeing her peers venture out of their comfort zones seems to have become a great source of inspiration for her. The willingness to embrace new challenges shows a push of personal boundaries, fostering a collaborative dynamic among the team. When asked what viewers can expect from this upcoming production, along with what the cast hopes to impart once the curtain falls, Katie states, “It’s a lot of new people acting for the first time. So, it’s a lot of bright, shiny faces on stage that people may not have seen before. They can get ready to see all these young folks up on stage, showing off their talents.”
The upcoming production of “The Little Mermaid” promises to be an attention-grabbing event, brought to life by the dedicated workers behind the scenes and on stage. Despite the school’s limited experience with musicals, they continue to apply passion to each individual role, all working together as a unit, opposed to focusing on the individual. With tickets now available, this cast urges audiences to come be part of their world, eager to share the efforts of their work with both new and old audiences.
This article is part of the WCDSB Jr. Journalist program, a new initiative designed to provide journalistically inclined secondary students with a platform to share stories from their school and showcase their impressive talents.
Are you a Secondary School student interested in joining the program? If so, please contact Lema.Salaymeh@wcdsb.ca
