While touring Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, my castmates and I often find ourselves answering our young audiences' queries of why the dwarves’ names are different from the Disney classic they know. This weekend, the children visiting The Whistle Stop Theatre Company in Ashland, VA may have similar questions. On October 25 and 26 at 2 pm and 4 pm at the Ashland Firehouse Theater, they will be guided deftly into the enchanting world of The Little Mermaid without ever hearing the name Ariel or meeting her sea critter friends Sebastian and Flounder.
Instead, playwright Louise Keeton and composer Samuel Aaron have adapted this classic fairy tale straight from its Hans Christian Anderson roots, proving that they can successfully create magic with nothing more than barebones storytelling. Devoid of Disney trademarks and elaborate special effects, Keeton and her team of savvy theatre artists have re-imagined The Little Mermaid story with an elegant simplicity, relying on classic theatrical devices that would make the ancient Greeks and Shakespeare proud.
Instead, playwright Louise Keeton and composer Samuel Aaron have adapted this classic fairy tale straight from its Hans Christian Anderson roots, proving that they can successfully create magic with nothing more than barebones storytelling. Devoid of Disney trademarks and elaborate special effects, Keeton and her team of savvy theatre artists have re-imagined The Little Mermaid story with an elegant simplicity, relying on classic theatrical devices that would make the ancient Greeks and Shakespeare proud.
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