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This is the earliest in the production process I’ve ever written a director’s note. It is early in March, and we’ve (hopefully) pushed through the worst of the weather delays and cancellations and illnesses. It certainly feels as though the tide has turned and we are gathering momentum for what I am certain will be a fantastically unique presentation of The Little Mermaid.

The idea to incorporate American Sign Language into the storytelling emerged a few years ago, in talks with directors past. I am grateful to my amazing directing team, who have all worked to continue this vision even after major changes to the company. I am also incredibly grateful to our students, who put on their game faces to learn their lines in both English and ASL.

Our biggest thanks and gratitude must go to Terri and Dan Bauer, who generously donated their time and expertise to help our students learn the script in two languages, and educated us and the kids about American Sign Language and deaf culture. We are so grateful for their willingness to be a part of this retelling of Ariel’s story in a way that is sensitive and respectful to the deaf community. While we know that there may be mistakes or errors, we hope they will be seen as bumps in the road as we worked to provide a learning experience for our students to give them insight into lives and experiences not their own.

Thank you to everyone who has volunteered their time for this production to be a success, especially our Drama Boosters. They have taken so much on, and it has been a huge relief. Thanks also to our administration and custodial staff for all your help and patience. Putting together a show really is a village effort.

I have to finish by saying how unbelievably proud I am of our students. Working with a script is always a challenge, developing a spectacle worthy of the name Disney is an even bigger challenge, and then adding another language? I am not surprised by their accomplishments anymore - I have directed too many shows here to be surprised by the ridiculous amount of talent our students have. I am simply proud and happy to get to be their director.

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Please Enjoy the Show!