You’re a “poor unfortunate soul” if you missed this year’s production of the “The Little Mermaid” at West Orange High School (WOHS). The spring musical was a phenomenal production that attracted viewers of all ages. All four of the shows had full houses, which just goes to show that everyone just does want to be “under the sea.”

“The Little Mermaid” was executed magnificently from head to toe (or fin). All of the performers did extraordinarily well in both the cast and the pit orchestra. The performance was complemented well by a life-like set and vivid lighting.

WOHS senior Anthony King praised the entire production. “The individual and group performances in ‘The Little Mermaid’ truly exhibited the immense talent at WOHS. It was an honor to experience all the hard work put into this outstanding show,” said King after the show.

The cast had strong chemistry, which made it easy for them to capture the audience’s attention throughout the show. Gabriella Rodriguez and Ruben Centeno gave heart-warming performances in their lead roles as Ariel and Prince Eric, while Tyreek Voltaire, Gabrielle Florendo, and Kahalil Louigene kept the audience laughing as the characters Sebastian, Flounder and Scuttle. Paul Okoh (King Triton) and Sophia Torres (Ursula), and the rest of the cast also performed passionately, which allowed the musical to effectively develop a larger story.

“West Orange High School students never fail to amaze,” said senior Sophia Adelson. “My talented classmates took the stage by storm and transformed the place into an underwater kingdom. The actor’s voices as well as the musicians playing in the pit orchestra captivated every person sitting in the audience. I saw little kids dressed up in costume, singing along to some of their favorite Disney songs. The WOHS drama department brought the West Orange community together for an unforgettable show.”

For a significant portion of the cast, this year was the second time they participated in the production of the “The Little Mermaid,” as Liberty Middle school produced the same musical during the 2012-2013 school year. Nevertheless, this did not stop the cast from having fun and putting on a great show.

“It was clear that all the students had a really fun time performing a classic story like ‘The Little Mermaid.’ I really enjoyed seeing our school’s rendition of it and it was amazing to see, and I especially loved how fun and colorful everything was. It was absolutely wonderful,” said senior Sydney Squires.

Perhaps the most overlooked aspect of the musical is its message, which comes from an unlikely source: the antagonist Ursula, when she says, “A woman doesn’t know how important her voice is until she loses it.” Even though Ariel literally loses her voice, the figurative meaning behind this is of the utmost importance in today’s society.

Congratulations to the cast, pit orchestra, stage crew, directors, teachers, and WOHS drama department for their job well done in the production of “The Little Mermaid.”