By Elizabeth Voltz
Whether your Ariel or not, being a part of the cast of the Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” is “a magical, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” according to Angelique Ferrante, who portray’s the mersister Atina in Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s current production which runs through Dec. 16.
“I’m 29-years-old, so the idea that I’d be able to play in a Disney show meant for kids, I was just excited to play a tapping seagull, a mermaid or a fish. It was all very exciting to me to be able to play out this child fantasy for myself,” Ferrante said.
The show is a rendition of the familiar 1989 animated film with Disney using some of its magic for the classic Hans Christian Anderson fairytale. Princess Ariel and her undersea companions are in for a whirlwind of adventure as Ariel falls for the human Prince Eric. She cuts a deal with the sea witch Ursula, trading her singing voice for a pair of human legs. All she has to do is get Eric to “kiss the girl.” The production includes many of the award-winning songs by Alan Menken such as “Part of Your World,” “Kiss the Girl,” and “Under the Sea.”
“Some of the songs are a bit different but all the things you know and love from the movie are there,” she said. “‘Under the Sea’ is so magical. I get excited looking around when I’m on stage with my fellow castmates. I can only imagine what it looks like for the audience looking in because when I look up, left and right, I’m usually in awe.”
Residing in Grand Rapids, Ferrante grew up on Long Beach in Long Island, New York. Her latest role was Reno in a production of “Anything Goes,” put together by the Long Beach Theatre Guild. She was brought to West Michigan this year when her fiancé accepted a position as a doctor at Mary Free Bed.
“Moving to Michigan this summer, I knew I was going to do some homework, not just for a new job or a place to live, but to perform,” she said. “Civic Theatre had an amazing reputation and auditions at the same time I knew I’d be able to get my life in order and audition.”
Ironically, the actress said working with a company and organization like the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre has been a game changer compared to acting in New York.
“It’s like the further I’ve gotten away from New York, the closer I’ve gotten to Broadway in a sense,” said Ferrante. “It’s been far more professional the further I’ve gotten away from New York City. It’s just kind of crazy to imagine that’s a reality. This is a whole other league. It’s so impressive to me not only the amount of talent that’s in the cast but the production, the crew, the entire behind the scenes corporate business model that Civic has.
“To my surprise, we were doing costume fittings before our first rehearsal even before the first read through. That’s when I knew I was in a unique place that was going to really take any performing I’ve done to the next level.”
She estimated there’s about 25 cast members for the production, relatively small for a Civic holiday performance, but it’s a “tech-heavy” show, recalling the director mentioning the crew easily outnumbers the cast. Audiences will feel like they are under the sea with huge set designs, lighting and sound arrangements and special effects.
“I don’t know what it is, I think it’s that every single moving part is so prepared that the nerves have left, and at this point, it’s just buzzing excitement,” said Ferrante. “We are all really excited to just be in front of a crowd that’s going to give new moments and real time, laughing at the same lines we’ve been saying for weeks and sharing that magic with a live audience. I think every night is going to be so electric.”
Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s production of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” runs through Dec. 16 at Civic Theatre, 30 N. Division Ave. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are $17 – $39. For more information, visit grct.org or call 616-222-6650.
