Akron Beacon Journal

'Little Mermaid' coming to Akron Civic Theatre where Firestone student stars as Ariel 🧜‍♀️

By Kerry Clawson, Akron Beacon Journal,

2024-05-23

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Iveren Iordaah hadn't planned on trying out for the Akron All-City Musical "The Little Mermaid," but her mother, India Rush, who's a house manager at the Akron Civic Theatre, told her she had to.

The last audition day was that very day, so Iordaah, a singer at Firestone CLC's Akron School for the Arts, decided to "go big or go home." That approach clearly worked: The high school junior landed the lead role of Ariel in her first musical ever.

There was a two-week wait after the audition, which left Iordaah nervous with anticipation.

"I was checking my email literally every single day," said Iordaah, who's immersed in the Symphonic Choir and Vocal Jazz singing groups at Firestone.

Now, the 38-member cast whose actors hail from 21 schools is on the home stretch for the beloved Disney musical, which will run for four performances June 7-9 at the Akron Civic Theatre.

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Iordaah said Monday night that rehearsals, held at Goodyear Theater in Akron, have been great. She's enjoyed both singing and the challenge of conveying the story through dance, particularly the harrowing scene where Ariel saves Prince Eric from drowning in a shipwreck.

"I'm really excited, and really like working with [director] Fran [Parr] and everybody else in the cast. They're really nice and everybody treats me so nice. I feel so special," she said.

Special tea with Ariel, her sisters and more

On June 1, Iordaah and other cast members will spread some of that love to children in the community with the "Tea with Ariel and Her Mersisters" event, which will be held from 1-3:30 p.m. at the Knight Stage adjacent to the Akron Civic Theatre downtown. Ariel and her six Mersisters as well as Prince Eric, Sebastian and Flounder will perform songs from the show and do a meet-and-greet with guests, including photo opportunities.

The tea will be the first time the All-City Musical has hosted a community event tied to the annual musical. The Knight Stage will be decked out in under-the-sea style and each guest will receive a tea party box with treats and tea from The Tea Lady.

Living the musical theater dream

Playing opposite Iordaah's Ariel will be tenor Grayson Griffith as Prince Eric. The Stow-Munroe Falls High School sophomore said he's playing a romantic lead for the first time, in his first All-City Musical.

This is his second role outside of the ensemble, after playing Michael Wormwood in "Matilda" at Weathervane Playhouse. Now, he's playing a handsome prince who has wanderlust, sailing the high seas and waltzing with a beautiful, silent Ariel.

"It's definitely interesting, different from anything I've done," he said.

Kevin Wright, a senior at Barberton High School, plays Sebastian. Wright is also new to All-City.

"This is my first All-City Musical and my last one, unfortunately," he said. "I heard about it my sophomore year. I just didn't have the courage do it."

Wright has performed in "The Little Mermaid" before, as the evil eel Jetsam at Barberton High School his sophomore year.

"Every musical I've ever done, I've always played the comedic relief in every show. I love it," he said.

He described Ariel's buddy, Sebastian the crab, as "the paranoid, scared babysitter."

Wright's looking forward to making a big transformation as Sebastian. He was expecting to get a look at his pirate-themed crab costume the next day.

"My favorite part of the whole show is like costuming and makeup and all that stuff. You get to be like a whole different person. You like go in like Kevin and then I come out like a whole character," he said.

"You definitely get more into the character once you get the costume," Griffith agreed.

Matthew Allport, a Cuyahoga Falls High School senior playing King Triton, is also doing his first All-City Musical. His voice teacher, Sue Wallin, recommended that he audition.

"I'm having a ton of fun," he said Monday during the fifth week of rehearsal. "I'm excited to actually have professional sets and stuff. It's gonna be really cool to work with."

Ursula is dream role for Chardon student

Molly Kessler, a homeschooled junior from Chardon, made a deal with her parents that if she got the role of Ursula, she'd commute 51 minutes to do All-City Musical again this year. Last year, she was in the ensemble of "Oklahoma."

Kessler has loved the role of the villainous sea witch Ursula since she played her in "The Little Mermaid Jr." at Garfield Heights Youth Theatre when she was 10. That was a shortened version of the musical.

"It kind of feels like almost like a mark of how much I've grown since then" playing Ursula now, the actress said. "I'm enjoying the heck out of Ursula. It's a big opportunity and experience."

She has especially appreciated having private vocal coaching with All-City music director Helen Kholer.

Francine Parr, daughter of Akron Civic Theatre Executive Director Howard Parr, is directing the All-City Musical for the first time after running Millennial Theatre Project at the Civic for a number of years. She performed in the first All-City Musical ever, "Hairspray" as a Firestone student in 2012, followed by "Ragtime" and "Bye Bye Birdie." Now, she's directing the next wave of high school All-City kids.

"This whole production has been so full circle for me," she said.

Arts and restaurant writer Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or kclawson@thebeaconjournal.com.