FSDB students present Little Mermaid Jr

Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind Music Theatre Director Leslie Costello has invited Historic City News readers to attend a free presentation of Disney’s THE LITTLE MERMAID JR based on the 2008 Broadway production and the 1989 animated feature film.

The K-5 troupe, consisting entirely of blind and visually-impaired students, will perform on campus in the Wilson Memorial Music Building on Thursday, May 28th at 1:30 p.m.

“It is an ambitious undertaking of a major musical production, and the students have been working diligently to memorize their lines, learn their songs, and create drama,” Costello, who will lead about 50 students in the presentation, told local Historic City News reporters. “They are also discovering how to use body language and other non-verbal communication skills, which are foreign to visually-impaired children.”

This classic Disney title contains all of the songs from the Academy Award winning animated feature film as well as three new songs from the Broadway show.

The 60-minute musical takes place in a magical kingdom beneath the sea, where a beautiful young mermaid named Ariel longs to leave her ocean home to live in the world above. But first, she’ll have to defy her father, the king of the sea, escape the clutches of an evil sea witch, and convince a prince that she’s the girl with the perfect voice.

“I’m so proud of them,” Costello said. “The staff has been awesome in their support, and we can’t wait to show off everything we’ve learned.”

Admission is free, thanks to generous financial support from The Ludwig Fund and the Foundation for the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind. The show will be audio-described for visually-impaired attendees and interpreted for deaf attendees.