For the school year’s fourth and final production, the Wilson Theatre Company put on their version of The Little Mermaid. It is a classic tale that many families have enjoyed for decades. I had a lot of expectations coming into the show, but for the most part, they were met.
The show benefited from a cast that was full of talent. Standout performances from Dylan Damord, Isabel Nigrini, and Edwin Vargas made the show entertaining from start to finish. Damord, a junior, was commanding in his presence on stage and felt as powerful as Triton. Isabel Nigrini, a junior who played Ariel, captured the curious and kind-hearted character to a tee and had a very strong vocal performance. Finally, Edwin Vargas, a senior, captivated the audience with his on-stage antics as Sebastian, he served as a great comedic relief for the show. 
The set design is another strong point of the show. The giant wooden structure that many of the scenes took place on must have taken considerable time and effort to build. I was also impressed with the design of Ariel’s grotto with a collection of human objects. In the scene where Triton destroys it, the crew uses strings and magnets to make it appear as though it is falling apart in real time. This is a touch that added to my immersion immensely.
Costume design was very impressive as well. Ariel had seven costume changes throughout the show and all were seamlessly executed. The way that the costume crew handled the tail versus legs transition was also a good choice. I thoroughly enjoyed the way that through the use of the costumes, they could have actors who played human characters, and become fish for scenes where they needed them, like in Under the Sea. 
The plot of the show was fairly engaging throughout. I had no complaints with the first Act, which I found a lot more engaging than Act Two. In Act Two when Eric brings Ariel to dinner, I found it was a little confusing when the fish started fighting back. It was a touch that I think was slightly unnecessary and would’ve been better if it was just Sebastian being chased by the chef. I also think that Ursula was defeated in a way that felt anticlimactic.
Overall, I think this year in theater was very successful for the Wilson Theatre Company, with this production being the best all year. The Little Mermaid was perfect for all age groups and was thoroughly entertaining.
