Little Mermaid Jr.

Another Spring. Another 80 something costumes. Another amazing musical put on by our talented middle schoolers.    This year we did Little Mermaid Jr. 

Ariel, Flounder, King Triton, Sebastian, Ursula, the eels, just a ton of fun costumes to prepare.  

Wait, what?   There's Bee.  She was in the choreography this year. She's sitting as a wave, second from the left. 

The mermaids had on heeley skate shoes so they floated around the stage.  It wasn't my idea but costuming got a lot of compliments for it. I'll take it. 

Ursula was a really fun costume.  Most fun (for me, not Ursula) was that the poor girl who played her had step throat the week before the show and the tentacles needed to practice with the costume, so I had to step in and be the sea witch for a few days!  

We chose the show last summer, so I had all school year to plan and purchase things... plus the gave me a little more budget to work with this year... and I spent every penny. 

There's Bee again as a wave and one of the boat steerers. 

We had a super strong set of 8th graders to take the leads, and many great 5-7 graders to support them.  

The kids I had my first year teaching at this school are now fifth graders, so it was fun to work with a few of them again.  In the next few years it will be even more fun as my third graders work their way up, knowing the kids that much better.  King Triton was my favorite to work with.  Super polite young man and perhaps my future son-in-law.  Just calling dibs now. 

The mersisters were my last costume to put together.  I couldn't get it right, I had mermaid skirts I made for Peter Pan, but they needed added to and they needed tops.  The old tops we used weren't anywhere to be found.  I ended up buying old prom dresses and cutting them up.  

Bee was a lovely wave. 

There's Bee again far right, now a chef.  Oh man, that Chef Louis was a hoot. 

So, our head of school is a goofy, fun guy that the kids all love.  The near kiss scene on the boat was a point of concern.  We're fairly conservative and didn't even want to imply the kissing- despite the fact that the song is called 'Kiss the Girl.'  I was told our Head of School was going to be going on as a jellyfish in a cameo sort of role.  I had a jelly fish costume all ready. The morning of the show he told me he was going on a seagull to do something funny.  You can't do that last minute to a costume person.  We figured it out... I had some extra pieces and he did go on as a seagull.  He squawked really loudly and made it a goofy song instead of a romantic song.  The kids didn't know what was coming as he had only practiced at the dress rehearsal and that was as a jellyfish.  

Every year it almost feels like too much to get it all together, but as soon as the show is over, I can't wait to get started on the next show.  My kids have asked me not to do it again, they don't like all the shopping and errands it entails.  We've got two scripts to read this summer and then I can get thinking on new costumes!  Sorry kids.