The final days before opening night of “The Little Mermaid” at Chimacum High School were filled with last-minute preparations and plenty of butterflies.

But the cast of 10 student actors was confident that, when the curtains rose, they would deliver without a hitch.

“I am very ready for opening night,” said Brooklyn Palmer, 18, a high school senior who is cast in the lead role of Ariel. “I wasn’t planning on getting the lead this year. I kind of wanted a small part, but (the director) felt the Little Mermaid would suit me.”

Director Ellivia Spitzbart said she assigned parts for the play to specific students to develop their acting potential.  

“I cast all of my students in roles that they can grow in and learn something new about themselves,” she said, adding the cast and crew have been rehearsing since the end of September. “The unique thing about this performance is I have practically all new-to-the-stage students. I am extremely proud of these kids. They are pushing their comforts and maneuvering through growing pains with eloquence.”

Palmer said her lead performance as the redheaded princess of the oceans was a great learning experience that will help her prepare for a life in theater.

“This actually is what I choose to do,” she said. “This is my third year in acting. I have grown a lot with my director and also with my characters. It has helped me improve my on stage presence.”

Still, Palmer seeks to grow even more.

“Going through it with my director, we have practiced a bunch of scenes, acting like we are in water swimming and whatnot,” Palmer said. “There are some points where I feel I could be better as my character. I am a mermaid, obviously, and I am the sweet innocent one. I can’t be mean or anything.”

The Little Mermaid, presented by the Chimacum High School Drama Club, opened Jan. 11 and will conclude at the high school auditorium with performances at 7 p.m. Jan. 19 and 20.

A different take

on the classic tale

“This is not the Disney version, but it was inspired by the beloved story,” she said. “The playwright, William Glennon, took inspiration from both Walt Disney’s re-telling of the Hans Christian Andersen tale (and the original) to come up with a sweet and family-centered story.”

In this iteration, Ariel is a strong-willed but naive girl who heads up to the top of the sea for the first time, meeting the painfully shy Ollie (performed by Evan Jarnagin), a reluctant prince in training, the Dramatic Publishing website states. Also in the play is the evil Sea Witch (performed by Madison Boyd), who desperately seeks to obtain Ariel’s most prized possession.

“This is my first time in (a leading role), but I have always performed and been on stage since I was l little, so I guess it comes naturally,” said Jarnagin, 17, a sophomore who was trepidatious about opening night.

“Just talking about it, I get nervous,” he said a with a chuckle.

Palmer said the prospect of opening night was a bit nerve-wracking, but such feelings would help her perform in front of an audience.  

“It is good to be nervous a little bit,” she said.

Learning to be mean

The role of the Sea Witch was a bit of a stretch for Boyd, because she needed to learn how to be evil.

During a past performance, “I was Snow White, so it is a big change,” Boyd said. “I didn’t think I could be mean. I guess I can.”

That is because she is “honestly a very shy and quiet person, but you are not playing yourself,” she said. “You are playing a character. You have to separate yourself from that character.”

Boyd said she imagines the other actors she is dealing with have done something to hurt or anger her.

“You kind of have to think that person really wronged you,” she said. “You have to look at them and be like, ‘Oh, you killed my dog.’”

Still, it is not easy to be so frigid, Boyd said, adding the reactions from the other actors help her stay in character.

“It helps keep the focus, because if everybody is laughing at what I am doing, then I start laughing and I break it,” she said. “You can’t laugh. I have to be angry.”

Spitzbart applauded such camaraderie.

“This group of students are absolutely wonderful,” she said. “There is so much kindness and dedication in this cast, it makes me feel proud to be their director.”

General admission is $10, or $5 for students and senior citizens. Children 10 and younger will be admitted for free.