The Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre announces casting for season opener: Disney’s The Little Mermaid

Arrow Rock, MO, July 20, 2021 –

The Arrow Rock Lyceum theatre will reopen its doors with the Lyceum premiere of the beloved Disney classic, The Little Mermaid, August 11 and playing through August 22.

Based on the classic animated film, Disney’s The Little Mermaid is a charming love story for the ages. This fishy fable will capture your heart with its irresistible songs, including “Under the Sea,” “Kiss the Girl” and “Part of Your World.” Ariel, King Triton’s youngest daughter, wishes to pursue the human Prince Eric in the world above, bargaining with the evil sea witch, Ursula, to trade her tail for legs. But the bargain is not what it seems, and Ariel needs the help of her colorful friends, Flounder the fish, Scuttle the seagull and Sebastian the crab, to restore order under the sea.

Disney’s The Little Mermaid is directed and choreographed by Sam Hay. At The Lyceum, Mr. Hay has directed and/or choreographed All Shook Up, Footloose, A Year With Frog and Toad, Seussical, Mamma Mia, Beauty and the Beast, and Oklahoma. He has also choreographed for the Geva Theatre Center, Phoenix Theatre, Little Theatre on the Square, Webster Conservatory, and Temple University. Currently, Sam is serving as Show Supervisor for the Step One Dance Company’s productions of Musicology. Brett Kristofferson serves as Musical Director and will also conduct the Lyceum orchestra. Mr. Kristofferson has worked as an artist/educator for nearly two decades, both in New York City and Missouri. Currently he is musical director, adjunct faculty, and guest instructor at Lindenwood University and University of Missouri Columbia.

Meadow Nguy will play the titular mermaid, Ariel. Ms. Nguy’s credits include Cinderella in the Off-Broadway production of Interstellar Cinderella at NYCCT, Annie at Alabama Shakespeare Festival; Joe Schmoe Saves The World at Indiana Festival of Theatre, West Side Story and Hairspray at Cardinal Stage Theatre Company, Spring Awakening and Spellbound: A Musical Fable at Stray Dog Theatre Company.  Film/TV include The Blacklist, The Artist’s’ Wife, The Honeypot, Law and Order SVU, Madam Secretary, and Hunters. Lukas James Miller plays Prince Eric. Credits include Prince Topher in the National Tour of Cinderella, Girlfriend at Signature Theatre, The Little Mermaid at Charleston Stage, Freaky Friday and Mamma Mia at Virginia Musical Theatre, and 1776 at Cortland Repertory Theatre. Longtime Lyceum favorite, Timothy Shew returns to play Ariel’s father, King Triton. 40 years ago, Mr. Shew began his professional career at The Lyceum. Since then he has appeared in 11 Broadway productions including Les Miserables as Jean Valjean, Guys and Dolls with Nathan Lane, EVITA with Ricky Martin, The Visit with Chita Rivera, and many more. He also spent seven years playing Santa at Radio City Music Hall. Most recently he appeared in the Broadway National tour of HELLO DOLLY. Yvette Monique Clark returns to The Lyceum to play the evil sea witch, Ursula. Previous Lyceum credits include Hairspray (Motormouth Maybelle), To Kill A Mockingbird (Calpurnia), and Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (Apollo Singer). Ms. Clark recently produced her own series of virtual cabarets entitled “Diva of the ‘Demic”. Her credits include Gun and Powder at Signature Theatre, the international tour of Ain’t Misbehavin’, Smokey Joe’s Café at Gateway Playhouse, The Wiz and UniSon at Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Playing Sebastian, King Triton’s trusted advisor and Ariel’s crustacean caretaker, is Lyceum newcomer Cornelius Davis. Credits include the National Tour of Disney’s Aladdin, Flat Rock Playhouse’s Once On This Island , The Rev Theatre Co.’s Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Arkansas Rep’s Sister Act, and Maltz Jupiter Theatre’s Les Miserables. Returning after playing Polly in the Lyceum’s 2018 production of Crazy for You is Andrea Dotto as the confused seagull, Scuttle. Ms. Dotto made her Broadway debut in the Tony Award winning musical Bandstand, where she earned a Chita Rivera Award Nomination for Best Female Dancer in a Broadway Show. Dotto has performed all over the country, including Lincoln Center and Radio City Music Hall. Playing Ariel’s best friend, Flounder, is Rebecca Russell, a recent Webster Conservatory graduate. Her credits at Webster include  Dinah in The Philadelphia Story, Armanda in The Glorious Ones, and Maggie in Brigadoon. Playing Grimsby, Prince Eric’s caretaker is Lyceum favorite, Alan Knoll. Previous Lyceum roles include Sebastian in Dracula, Elwood P. Dowd in Harvey, Mr Van Daan in The Diary of Anne Frank, Paul in You Alabama Story at Alabama Shakespeare Festival, To Kill a Mockingbird at Repertory Theatre of St Louis, and An Act of God at New Jewish Theatre. From the National Tour of Something Rotten, Mark Saunders plays Chef Louis. Lyceum veterans Justin Campbell and Diego Alejandro Gonzales play Ursula’s wicked eels, Flotsam and Jetsam. The cast also includes Emily Applebaum, Nick Monaldo, Christine Wanda, Robert Head, Sammy Tuchman, Ilana Gabriella, Joseph Oliveri, Louisa Mauzé, Darius Aushay, and Danielle Gonzalez Quevedo.

Stephen Gifford is the Scenic Designer, returning to the Lyceum after designing Greater Tuna 20 years ago. His designs have been seen from the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle to the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, and he is currently designing two shows that will premier this October in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Costumes will be designed by Lyceum Resident Costume Designer, Garth Dunbar. Mr. Dunbar has designed many Lyceum productions for almost 20 years, including Cinderella, Into the Woods, Beauty and the Beast, Mamma Mia, and many more.

Longtime Resident Lighting Designer Randy B. Winder is the lighting designer having designed over 120 productions including Les Miserables, Cats, A Christmas Carol, and many more. Sound Design is by Jon Robertson whose Lyceum designs have included All Shook Up, The 39 Steps, and A Christmas Carol. Production Stage Manager Is Tony Dearing, now in his 27th season at the Lyceum. Ivan Dario Cano is the Assistant Stage Manager.

Single Tickets for Disney’s The Little Mermaid are priced at $45.00 for adults. Senior, student and children discounts are available. Special Group Rates are available as well. Performances are August 11 – August 22, 2021, Evening performances are at 7:30pm and matinees are at 2pm. For tickets: www.lyceumtheatre.org or (660) 837-3311 x1.

The Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre is a non-profit 501(c)(3), professional theatre located in the unique village of Arrow Rock, Missouri, a 19th century National Historic Landmark. The Lyceum has been entertaining audiences in the heart of Missouri for 60 years producing a variety of musicals, dramas and comedies. Each year, this 416 seat theatre attracts professional talent from across the country to produce an eight show season. Actors, designers, stage managers, directors, and technicians take residence in Arrow Rock to bring its patrons Broadway caliber productions throughout the summer. 

The Lyceum Theatre is affiliated with Actors’ Equity Association, the Union for Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States, and the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers.

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