The Little Mermaid has been getting a lot of play as of late. Last year I went to see a phenomenal high school production of the under the sea musical. The singers were amazing and set design and costume design too. So, I expected CSU, Fullerton’s production to be good. Their production of Little Women a few years back was great, but with CSUF the theatre can be hit or miss. Since CSUF’s The Little Mermaid was a miss, I’ll focus on the more entertaining parts.

First off it is opening night so things can go wrong in the beginning. Many of the singers sing off pitch, or are hard to hear, or one screams the high notes. Part of the problem may be the Little Theatre, which seems outdated and not as nice as the other theatres on the other side of the building. The singers may be having difficulty hearing themselves.

Timothy H. Lee (King Triton) has an enjoyable singing voice. Megan McCarthy (Ariel) and Evan Borboa (Prince Eric) have good chemistry. Borboa is a great hopeless romantic. During the song Les Poissons, Jacob Wayne (Chef), enjoys cutting off fish heads with a throaty French “Huh, huh, huh.” In his enthusiasm, his mustache flops half off. He turns his head to the side sans mustache and sings in a higher pitch then exposes the mustache side and sings in a deeper voice. It’s these moments why I love seeing college age theatre. There is always someone willing to play the clown.

When seeing a show at CSU, Fullerton see the shows in the newer theatres where the sound and seating are better. I still enjoyed the production. The Little Mermaid is a strong, romantic story, but for $25 a ticket I’ve seen better entertainment for less.

Disney’s The Little Mermaid • March 23 – April 15, 2018 • Little Theatre • Cal State University, Fullerton • College of the Arts • 800 North State College Blvd. Fullerton, CA 92831 (Parking is free on weekends starting on Friday at 5pm. Park in the Nutwood Parking Structure on Arts Drive. Also, show your high school or college I.D. to get in for $5.)

Copyright 2018 Melissa Crismon