Jacqueline Hart, Gilpin County.   Gilpin County School hosted the Peak to Peak Players opening night performance of The Little Mermaid Jr. on Friday, November 16, 2018, followed by an afternoon showing on November 17 at the same venue. Jacquelyn O’Brien directed the Disney musical with the assistance of Musical Director Chip Smith. Though the cast was young in years, they presented with maturity and the seriousness of seasoned actors. Vibrant costumes, colorful sets and stage design, came together to compliment the talent seamlessly, creating an up-beat, energizing experience for the audience.

According to House Manager Azure Hardy and volunteer designated “emotional support expert,” Kris Icenogle, the secret weapon of the show was lead set and costume designer Kayce Harmsen.

Harmsen and the many volunteers who assisted building and painting props, created detailed sets full of life. From the ominous throne of Ursula the Sea Witch, to boats that appeared wooden and better suited for the sea than the stage. “It takes a village to make community theater work,” shared Hardy. The many volunteers that contributed time, creativity and supplies were vital to The Little Mermaid’s success.

The young cast dedicated hours after school and on weekends, since rehearsal began in September, to commit lines, songs, choreography and theater specific language to memory by opening night. Killian O’Brian sang Ariel beautifully, transitioning from mermaid to maiden throughout the show. Prince Eric was impeccably portrayed by Dannika Sternlicht, and Ariel’s father, King Triton, was played by Neko Cope.

Expert make-up artistry, provided by Tiana Cope and Sunny Vincent, transformed a sweet Adele Fisher into the convincing octopi-villain, Ursula. Cope and Vincent’s artistic styling helped the cast members to become other fantasy characters like; Sebastian, the classy and high strung Jamaican Crab, played by Juliet Shaak Ragan, Flounder, the shy and colorful fish, played by Eliza Westbrook, or Flotsam and Jotsam, the creepy twin eels, played by Cason Turkaly and Hunter Cope. The hard work it took to turn children into fishy imaginary creatures for stage paid off on opening night, beautifully.

If you missed The Little Mermaid Jr., look for The Peak to Peak Players next performance, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, on December 7, 8 and 9, 2018 at St. James Methodist Church in Central City and on December 15 and 16 at The Backdoor Theater in Nederland. Shrek the Musical and Romeo and Juliet are set to begin in 2019. Peak to Peak’s summer camp for kids includes; Alice in Wonderland and The Greek Mythology Olympiaganza.

Support for Peak to Peak comes through local fundraisers and events.

Find out more about getting involved with Peak to Peak Players or attending a performance at: PeaktoPeakPlayers.com

(Originally published in the November 22, 2018, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)