Study Guide July 29—August 3, 2014 Rated GG NC Theatre applauds our Audience Engagement Partner PNC and their Grow Up Great Program! PNC pulls back the curtain of the 2013-14 NC PNC recognizes that learning in a child's early Theatre season to share a series of behind years is essential for their long-term success. the scenes experiences with audience mem- Through Grow Up Great, a $350 million, multi-year, bers of all ages. The PNC In the Director’s bilingual initiative that began in 2004, PNC pro- Chair is a window into the creative process, vides the leadership, advocacy, funding, tools, and helping to broaden the way audiences engage volunteers to help educate parents, caregivers, and with musicals and their regional theatre com- communities on how to prepare young children for pany, NC Theatre, giving patrons a deeper success in school and life. The initiative has funded appreciation for the art form beyond simply innovative early childhood education programs their own experience in the moment, and ulti- in math, science, the arts and financial education. mately enhancing their theatre-going experi- To date, the program has served more than 1.5 ence. million children. PNC and NC Theatre are proud to work to- gether to give patrons a brand new perspec- tive – In the Director’s Chair. 2 is made possible by 3 NC Theatre: Your Broadway Connection Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts | Doug Vande Zande Photography North Carolina Theatre is Raleigh’s regional professional musical theatre company. In 1983 Raleigh's City Manager, Mr. L.P. Zachary, invited Carolina Regional Theatre, with the deft direction of De Ann Jones, to make its permanent home in Raleigh Memorial Auditorium under contract with the City. The Theatre debuted with the musical Camelot in Spring of the following year. Opening with 825 season tickets sold and a total audience of 24,000, Camelot marked the beginning of the Theatre's new direction. With this new direction as inspiration, in May of 1984 the name was changed to North Carolina Theatre. Today, North Carolina Theatre serves as the home of quality musical theatre production in central North Carolina. Our Mission Culture: Feed the spirit of local citizens by providing outstanding theatre productions, using the best regional and national talent available. Community: Fortify the cultural vitality of the region by offering broad access to live theatre, while strengthening economic growth in the region. Citizenship: Foster the next generation of artists and leaders who will become future patrons of the arts through training, performance, and outreach programs. 4 PreviewPreview Show Information 6 Artist Bios 10 Show Activities 13 The Theatre: NCT and Beyond 18 Coming Up: One Sensational Season! A Chorus Line PG-13 October 14-19, 2014 Nice Work If You Can Get It January 20-25, 2015 PG Billy Elliot: the Musical February 10-15, 2015 PG -13 Peter and the Star Catcher March 10-15, 2015 PG Next to Normal May 1-10, 2015 PG -13 The Buddy Holly Story July 21-26, 2015 PG 5 Content Disney’s The Little Mermaid was original- ly based off the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale of the same name, and was lat- er made into an animated film and now a stage musical. The musical is the story of a young mermaid, Ariel, and her dream of experiencing life on land. She falls in love with a handsome prince, and makes a deal with the sea witch to be with him. Ariel must win over the prince before her time on land runs out, or she will lose everything she once had. Characters Ariel: King Triton’s youngest daughter King Triton: King of the sea Sebastian: advisor to King Triton Flounder: Ariel’s best friend Scuttle: expert in human artifacts Parental Guidelines Prince Eric: a human monarch DRAFT Rated G Grimsby: guardian of the Prince Violence: Murder is addressed through song, one scene where Chef Louis at- Ursula: the sea witch, sister of King Triton tacks Sebastian Flotsam & Jetsam: Ursula’s henchmen Language: the word “damn” is used in one instance Windward & leeward: heralds in King Triton’s Drugs/Alcohol: N/A court Sexual Content: N/A Chef Louis: the palace chef Princesses: potential mates for Prince Eric 6 Synopsis Act I den. Ariel rushes off, upset, and King Triton as- signs Sebastian, whom Ariel made a laugh- The story opens with Prince Eric, his adviser ingstock because of her absence at the con- Grimsby, and sailors aboard a ship at sea, dis- cert, to watch over Ariel and make sure she cussing the "mythical" merfolk that supposedly doesn't get into any trouble. Ariel sits alone in live under the sea. Grimsby tries to tell Eric that her grotto, which contains her collection of hu- he must return to court to fulfill his birthright as man things, and sings about how she does not king. However, Eric hears a beautiful voice and believe humans are so bad ("Part of Your commands it to be followed ("Fathoms Below"). World"). Deep on the ocean floor in the merfolk's king- Ariel and Flounder meet Scuttle at the surface dom, a concert in honor of a defeated coup d'é- to see Prince Eric's ship and the people on it up tat by Ursula is underway, being performed by close. Grimsby tries to reason with Eric telling the daughters of Triton the sea king. King Tri- him he must find a bride and take his place as ton's court composer, Sebastian has composed king. A storm suddenly hits, and Eric is tossed a song for his seven girls to perform overboard. He almost drowns, but Ariel saves ("Daughters of Triton"). However, the youngest him and drags him to shore. Ariel realizes that mermaid princess, Ariel, is not there for her so- she is falling in love with him, and vows to lo, bringing the concert to a grinding halt. Ariel somehow find a way to be with him ("Part of has forgotten about the concert entirely, and is Your World (Reprise)"). swimming around the surface, admiring her new found item, a fork. She reveals that she is Ariel returns to her underwater home, and her fascinated with the human world ("The World changed behavior makes her sisters and Above"). Together with her best friend Floun- Flounder suspect that she's fallen in love der, Ariel visits Scuttle and his fellow seagulls ("She's in Love"). On land, Eric is determined to to ask about the human things she's collected, the find the woman who saved his life, but the and he explains them somewhat erroneously only clue he has is "Her Voice". He and Grims- ("Human Stuff"). by come up with the idea of holding a ball where foreign princesses will sing to him in Elsewhere, the sea witch Ursula is planning re- hopes that one will be the girl for whom he is venge against her brother, King Triton. She ex- looking. plains that she was banished from the palace because she used black magic, and tells her King Triton learns that Ariel has saved a hu- minions Flotsam and Jetsam to keep an eye on man, and confronts her about what happened her lovely young niece, whom she thinks will be to her mother ("The World Above (Reprise)"). the key to getting the crown and trident ("I Want As Ariel and Triton quarrel, Triton uses his tri- the Good Times Back"). dent to destroy Ariel's human collection. Sebas- tian arrives and tries to comfort Ariel. When Ariel returns home, she is berated by King Triton, who is angered to learn that she with Sebastian for slipping out the truth to her has been on the surface again as contact be- father, Ariel decides to run away. Sebastian tween the merfolk and human world is forbid- tries reason with Ariel by pointing out the won- 7 Synopsis (cont.) ders of the undersea world ("Under the Sea"). to the palace ("Beyond My Wildest Dreams"). As all the sea creatures join in the jamboree, That night Chef Louis cooks dinner for Ariel, Ariel swims away with Flounder. As she tries to Grimsby, and Eric. He almost cooks Sebastian run away, she is stopped by Flotsam and Jet- for the grand finale, but he manages to escape sam. They sweet talk her into seeking help as Louis, the other chefs, and the maids start from Ursula ("Sweet Child"). chasing after him ("Les Poissons"/"Les Pois- Ariel goes to Ursula, who presents a deal: Ariel sons (Reprise)"). Later, Eric takes Ariel to the will be turned into a human for three days, dur- ballroom and teaches her to dance ("One Step ing which she has to get the kiss of true love Closer"). Meanwhile, Ursula is anxiously from Eric. If she does, she will be human per- waiting for the three days to end and sends manently; if not, her soul will belong to Ursula Flotsam and Jetsam to hurry things along ("I and she will spend eternity in her "watery hell Want The Good Times Back (Reprise)"). soaked lair." As payment for the deal, Ariel will The next evening, after taking Ariel on a tour of have to give up her voice, which would stay the kingdom, Eric takes Ariel on a quiet boat safe in Ursula's magic shell. Ariel is unsure ride through a lagoon. Sebastian and Scuttle about this because of her father telling her that the shell was the fragile life source of Ursula's witchcraft. However, Ursula says it is some- thing she carries stuff inside ("Poor Unfortunate Souls").