In a blur of music, laughter and color, the Courageous Class transported the community under the sea in their production of The Little Mermaid last week.
The sophomore class performed three shows from Jan. 13-15 for the annual sophomore musical, more commonly known as SoMu. Starting with the announcement of The Little Mermaid on August 19, the Courageous Class rehearsed diligently for last week’s performances.
“Opening night was fantastic and ran smoothly,” cast member Samantha Chumley said. “It made all the months of hard work worth it to hear the audience cheer us on and laugh at all the little jokes. I’m so proud of the whole cast and the way the show turned out!”
Making her theater directorial debut, Carmen Clemente followed the performance from start to finish.
“As a director, I had the privilege of choosing the musical the Courageous Class was going to do for their sophomore musical, and I chose Disney’s The Little Mermaid,” Clemente said. “I was just there from day one, the process of just like auditions, and rehearsals, and having meetings with our class sponsors about what we need to do with ticket sales and ensuring the show actually happens.”
In the end, the cast’s effort came to fruition.
“The performances were just a testament of all the hard work that finally paid off,” Clemente said. “The audience was amazing, and I could tell the cast every night was feeding off of the audience’s reaction and the energy, and that helped them tell the beautiful story that is The Little Mermaid.”
For the Little Mermaid herself, Jenna Reed, SoMu was an opportunity to grow and bond with her peers.
“SoMu has been such a wonderful experience,” Reed said. “Being completely student-run, this show had its challenges, but it was so fun to collaborate with Carmen, the cast, and crew to create a wonderful show. I absolutely loved getting to spend time with my classmates and put on this heartwarming musical for the community!”
