The Little Mermaid
at El Dorado High School

Reviewed on March 11, 2017

Jake Rhode
La Habra
Submitted for publication to OC Varsity Arts

El Dorado's ‘The Little Mermaid' is bubbly and deep
written by Jake Rhode, a junior at La Habra High School

With the Disney classic ‘The Little Mermaid', El Dorado showcases its energetic cast and clever staging whether under the sea or a part of our world.

As Ariel, the daughter of King Triton, falls in love with Prince Eric as he falls into her arms, she decides to give up her beautiful voice to become human. In the signing away of her soul to Ursula, she is given three days to enjoy everything she has dreamed of in hopes of getting the prince to kiss her.

Camryn Burns is graceful and authentic as Ariel. As the story progresses, she skilfully transforms from a frustrated young mermaid into a regal princess in her change in posture and new confident air. Using her strong voice and likable character to her advantage in the iconic "Part of Your World", Burns establishes her personality that endures with strength even in her silent moments.

Alex Avila and Lee Hurst, as Prince Eric and King Triton respectively, bring power to the production. Avila's impressive and full voice dominates the stage as he throws back his shoulders and stands with might in his song "Her Voice", while Hurst utilizes his commanding tone and kingly authority to intimidate all around him.

Ursula (Katarina Blagojevic) and Flounder (Kyle Colby) bring complexity to the array of characters in the production. Blagojevic's booming voice and physique steamroll everyone around her as she commands all attention whenever she is present. She is directly contrasted by Colby, who awkwardly swims across the stage and adds to his lovable character in moments when he is cowering in the distance. The commitment both actors possess greatly contributes to the show's energy.

Taking place in numerous locations and quickly transitioning between land and sea, the plot is furthered through a dynamic set and able crew. Not only do these transitions happen with speed behind the curtains, but the ensemble assists in providing support. Featured dancers representing water with movement that reflects a stormy sea crashing against the ship illustrate the creativity of the student choreographers (Carissa Hamann, Samantha Pietenpol, and Rhianna McConnell) while seamlessly accomplishing the technical challenges.

‘The Little Mermaid' at El Dorado is fun and infectious, showing that even in the deepest waters, love and friendship can be found.

Blake Weise
Corona del Mar HS
Submitted for publication to OC Varsity Arts

El Dorado High School Brings "The Little Mermaid" to Life
written by Blake Weise, a senior at Corona del Mar High School

Bringing the timeless story of "The Little Mermaid" to the stage, El Dorado High School manages to create a child-like sense of wonder with every one of the joyful musical numbers.

Following the traditional story, the titular sea princess, Ariel (Camryn Burns), saves royalty of the land, Prince Eric (Alex Avila), after he falls into the sea. Returning him to shore before he awakens, Ariel can only pursue her love for him by making a deal with the evil sea-witch, Ursula (Katarina Blagojevic). In order to become human, however, Ariel must give up one more thing, her voice.

Camryn Burns embodies everything a Disney princess should be in her lovely portrayal of Ariel. Her beautiful rendition of "Part of Your World" was not only vocally stunning, but truly conveyed Ariel's passionate desire to see what the world above the water had to offer. During Act 2, Burns takes on the difficult task of acting without being able to use her voice, as Ariel has given it to Ursula. Displaying the same amount of charm and energy, even while silent, Burns gently commands the stage.

As Ariel's love interest, Alex Avila's Prince Eric is another strong stage presence. Avila uses his soothing voice and physicality to show the Prince's sweetness and genuine affection for Ariel.

As the perfect antagonist for the wholly virtuous Ariel is Katarina Blagojevic as Ursula. Blagojevic joyfully chews the scenery, truly reveling in her evil. With her boisterous vocals and mannerisms, she steals every scene she is in.

The supporting cast is well-rounded, with many gleefully fun characters, all played magnificently. The dopey Flounder (Kyle Colby), the spastic Scuttle (Hannah Oertwig), and the loyal Sebastian (Sam Pietenpol), are all highlights. As Chef Louis, the hilarious Jason Gonzales uses terrific vocals and physical comedy to make the most of his limited stage time.

To capture the underwater setting, dancers in flowing blue costumes gracefully ripple across the stage. The choreography by Carissa Hamann, Samantha Pietenpol, and Rhianna McConnell is always effective and inspired.

The costumes by Rachel Gray, Camryn Burns, Emily Hunt, Rihanna McConnell, and Krista Eliot are all wonderfully distinct. The costumes of the sea creatures uniquely make clear what type of animal each member of the ensemble is portraying.

El Dorado High School combines powerful actors with impressive tech to seamlessly makes the beloved Disney animation a reality.

Ian Dembek
Yorba Linda High School
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook Page

A trip under the sea at El Dorado
written by Ian Dembek, a junior at Yorba Linda High School

El Dorado's "The Little Mermaid" is a two dorsal fins up kind of show, from the creativity of the technical designers bringing animation to life to the joyous life bringing animation to the stage by the actors.

The show follows the Disney movie very closely, bringing the human and aquatic worlds together. Ariel, youngest daughter of King Triton, falls in love with Prince Eric, a human. Despite several missteps and woes with Ariel's aunt Ursula, Ariel ends up in the arms of her prince.

Camryn Burns as Ariel and Alex Avila as Prince Eric portray this stereotypical prince and princess duo in a very tasteful manner. Both phenomenally vocally represent their characters, paying great homage to the movie, with Burns' crystal clear tone and Avila's princely charm. Even though Burns cannot display her emotions vocally during Act II, Burns and Avila pair incredibly as they fall deeper in love.

Contrasting this royal love story is the evils schemes of Katarina Blagojevic portraying the Sea Witch, Ursula. Blagojevic uses a character voice, much to her advantage. It brings out a quality of tone that brilliantly satisfies the role of a Disney villain, which is a difficult task to fulfill. Blagojevic does this by taking command of the stage, with not a single dull moment.

McKayla McCune, Katarina Blagojevic, Cory Wright, and Brittany Cotter create a colorful, yet simplistic set that transforms a stationary set into multiple locations using magnets, not to mention the hidden mickeys for the trained eye.

Siobhan Sahadat, Kelli Nilsen, Kira Crawford, Maddy Fink, and Hannah Oertwig pay great homage to the movie with Ursula's cartoon-like makeup and give life to the Mersisters assigning each a color palette, which is portrayed in their characters.

Rachel Gray, Camryn Burns, Emily Hunt, Rhianna McConnell, and Krista Eliot produce costumes that are perfect for the stage and not too cartoon-like.

Carissa Hamann, Samantha Pietenpol, and Rhianna McConnell formulate creative choreography not only for ensemble dance numbers, but also to assist in scene transitions and for life-like affect, such as the water dancers throughout the show.

El Dorado's "The Little Mermaid" goes the extra mile to communicate that happily-ever-after endings are possible if one truly desires it and doesn't let anything or anyone stand in the way.