The latest production from Hilo Education Art Repertory Theater, or HEART, pays homage to one of Hawaii’s most important locations: under the sea.
“The Little Mermaid” will be performed nine times between this Thursday and April 6 at the Palace Theater in downtown Hilo, and tickets are available now at the theater’s website at www.hilopalace.com.
The show has one of the biggest casts of any HEART production, with over 60 young people between the ages of 8 and 18 comprising the ensemble and all the roles of this classic Disney movie inspired by the Hans Christian Andersen tale.
While the actual story and songs will remain true to the beloved animated film, this show did see a few firsts for members of the cast and crew.
This musical is the directorial debut for longtime HEART performer turned Board of Directors member Jason Aiwohi-Tomlin, 21, who picked this show as his first foray into directing because it honors the island setting where he grew up in Hilo, and it’s also a favorite of his mother’s.
He said a primary challenge was to artistically portray the sea creatures in the story, which is evident in how he’s directed the two eels, played by Zaira Hahn and Lyla Anderson, who consistently convey their characters’ fluid stature through flowing arms and body rolls.
Aiwohi-Tomlin, who played Scar in the HEART production of “The Lion King,” also said he was most excited to direct this show’s villain, the evil octopus Ursula, because she conveys the same level of sumptuous performance Scar did.
Actress Olga Lehua practically drips evil ink as she saunters around the stage during Ursula’s scenes, giving it her all when she belts the powerful notes of the classic “Poor Unfortunate Souls.”
Lead characters Prince Eric and Ariel the Little Mermaid are played by Waiakea High’s Lenx Neves and Charlotte Jo, who both stepped out of their comfort zones to assume the biggest roles either of them have ever played.
Neves, 17, had to find comfort in portraying a noncomedic role and being able to dance well — including lifting Jo several times — while singing, whereas Jo, a dancer since age 6, embodied a characteristic of Ariel when she truly found her singing voice and an added layer of self-confidence through this show.
“It’s allowed me to be more open and less worrisome if I make a mistake,” the 16-year-old said of not being thrown off by occasional voice cracks during rehearsals. “I’ve learned it’s a good thing. It’s my muscles training themselves … just like in dancing, how I trained this flexibility for years and years and years.”
Jo shares many scenes with her marine friend group: Scuttle the sea gull, played by Tatianna Vares-Kanaele; Sebastian the crab, brought to life by Shelby Saturn Kiera; and the lovable fish Flounder, played by 10-year-old Jonah Polloi, who commands the stage with his powerful singing skills. Ariel’s father, King Triton, is played by the equally talented Evan Rosehill.
Most of the young cast is present for choreographer Zoi Nakamura’s favorite number, the iconic “Under The Sea,” where the large stage is filled with dozens of talented kids hitting their dance moves along with occasional high kicks and back flips, creating an energy that immediately raises chicken skin and brings Nakamura to tears with each performance.
“It’s like an artist being given more colors to work with: The more kids I have, the bigger the plethora of their previous experience,” said 26-year-old Nakamura, a teacher at Island Dance Academy who just started choreographing with HEART last year. “As a choreographer, my job is to help (the kids) grow and teach them new things, but also make sure it’s within the scope of making them look and feel their best.”
Nakamura joked that she and Aiwohi-Tomlin “share a brain” after having worked together previously on HEART’s run of “Heathers” last year, making this show even more special for the audience that gets to see it, because it may be Nakamura’s last before her big move this summer to New York City, where she’s been admitted into the Institute for American Musical Theater.
The shows will all be at 7 p.m. on the Fridays and Saturdays of the run schedule, and 2:30 pm on Sundays. Tickets for keiki 12 and under are $15, general admission is $20, and priority reserved seats in the first four rows of the auditorium are $30.
All tickets bought the day of the show are $5 more, except for keiki tickets.
Email Kyveli Diener at kdiener@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
