Teaching Compare/Contrast with The Little Mermaid

A good friend of mine, Sarah Kirkpatrick, invited my squirts and me to see a production of The Little Mermaid at Metcalf Theater located on the SIUE campus.  Directed by Johanna Beck, a 2012 graduate of SIUE in Theater Education, this production mesmerized my kiddos.  A modern take on The Little Mermaid, costumes consisted of colored jeans and brightly colored tank tops for Ariel and her sisters.  Flotsam and Jetsam, Ursula's hench-eels slithered around the stage on scooters wrapped in lights.  A ten-minute intermission occurred between Beluga Sevruga and Les Poissons with an opportunity to purchase fundraiser cupcakes, but they were sold out by the time Sarah and the squirts approached the line (bummah!).  During the performance, Sebastian surprised the squirts by running and hiding between the rows of seats in the audience.  On the way home, excited chatter asked when we could see this show again.

As luck would have it, talking with a friend at church, Carolyn Biagi, she told me about Hard Road Theater located in Highland, IL.  When I visited their website, I was pleasantly surprised to see their next production was of The Little Mermaid Jr.  Kismet!  I ordered the online tickets, and we headed to The Kennel at Highland High School on the second performance evening.  Directed by Gentry Nessel, this performance, too, took on modern elements intertwined with traditional costumes.  Ariel, Flounder, the Princesses, Flotsam, and Jetsam all swam with the use of shoes with wheels.  The overall age of the performers was much younger than those in the SIUE production, but the caliber of the performance was the same, phenomenal.  My daughters sat on the edge of their seats throughout the 21 scenes.  The fact that there was no intermission was not missed as a concession stand was available prior to the opening scene complete with beverages, popcorn, and snacks.  

The ride home consisted of discussion of the comparison of the two productions.  They were unable to pick a favorite as both showings rocked.  We look forward to another lesson in compare/contrast with use of theater.  In fact, I was able to sniff out an upcoming dance performance of The Wizard of Oz coming in January, performed by Dance St. Louis.

 

Courtney Winkler 

Connect with Carolyn Biagi

RUBY:  How long have you attended Troy United Methodist Church?
Carolyn:  Approx. 11 years.  I remember attending a Palm Sunday service as a pregnant lady just before my son was born on Easter Sunday that year.  (April 15th, 2011 – yes, ironically, also tax day)

RUBY:  What drew you to this church?
Carolyn:  My cousin was attending this church at the time.  We were searching for a church since we had just moved to this area.  The people were nice & there were lots of kids my daughter’s age.  I also enjoy the music.

RUBY:  Which service do you typically attend?
Carolyn:  9am – Most Sundays my husband Mark runs either lyrics or lights for the Tech Team. 

RUBY:  Share a favorite Bible verse and/or inspirational song, and why this is a favorite.
Carolyn:  I enjoy reading the book of Ecclesiastes when I need some perspective.  It can be related to the current times and help us realize that all on this earth is futile.  My favorite is chapter 3 verses 1 -12.  It talks about there being a time to weep and a time for joy.  Basically a time for everything under heaven.  But in verse 12 it says, “So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can.”  Mandissa has turned it into a great song called “He  Is With You.”

RUBY:  Tell us about your involvement at Troy UMC and/or the community.
Carolyn:  I currently sing in the Praise Band on a rotating schedule and have recently started singing in the Chancel Choir for the Christmas program & the 10 am service.

RUBY:  I heard you recently started a new job.  Congratulations!  Tell us about it.
Carolyn:  I have been a CPA for the last 17 years.  I enjoy doing taxes for other people and helping them manage their finances better.  My new job is with a small CPA firm in St. Louis on the 20th floor of the Sevens building.  It has a great view of downtown & the Arch!

RUBY:  Tell us about your family.
Carolyn:  I have been married to my wonderful husband, Mark, for 17 ½ years.  We have a 13-year-old daughter named Jenna and an 11-year-old son named Tyler (TJ).  We enjoy playing video games and board games and going to the movies as a family.  Jenna is into musical theater, playing the clarinet & piano and singing in school choir and the Praise Band Jr.  TJ enjoys playing football and baseball and playing video games as much as possible.    

       

RUBY:  What is your favorite smell?
Carolyn:  My favorite time of the year is Fall, and during that time I love to smell burning leaves.  It reminds me of growing up in a small town.

RUBY:  What is your favorite hobby?
Carolyn:  My husband says I have a lot of hobbies.  But I think I just enjoy trying new things.  I really enjoy going away for a girls’ weekend to scrapbook memories of my family.

RUBY:  How may we contact you in order to make a further connection?
Carolyn:  I get emails on my cell phone, so either email or call me. 
Email address:  carolyn@biagis.net (yes, my husband is a computer guy) 
Cell phone:  618.973.1713