Tipperary school make a splash with The Little Mermaid musical
The four night, two matinee run of this year’s Ursuline School Musical, The Little Mermaid, wowed and delighted full houses for each of the six performances.
It also marked the directorial debut of Ms Erica Flanagan, who has taken up the musical legacy laid down by the school’s former principal, Ms Mary Butler, who presided over fantastic Ursuline shows over an incredible forty-year career.
Erica, along with Musical Director Ms Joan Butler, proved themselves to be a formidable duo this year, producing a wonderful stage adaptation of a most loved Disney classic.
Ariel, sweet and courageous, who forsakes her ocean home and family to be with the man of her dreams was played by TY student Molly Burgess who was captivating in the role. Sarah Grace Ginty, sixth-year was the charming Prince Eric, determined to follow his heart and find the girl he fell in love with from first hearing her beautiful voice.
Fifth- year student Sheena Wright put in a stellar performance as the lively, witty creole crab Sebastian, with dancing that was worthy of the BBC show “Strictly”.
The vengeful, villainous Ursula was brilliantly adapted by Leaving Cert, Emma Moran, who really captured the essence of the spurned, hilariously hideous wicked auntie.
King Triton was portrayed by Hannah Murphy, Fifth Year, who gave a powerful performance in the role of an overprotective father who eventually realises he must let his beloved daughter go in order to keep her.
One of the highlights ofthe show was the moving quartet If Only sung by Ariel, Prince Eric, Triton and Sebastian.
The leads were supported by a host of other lively and funny characters, including Isabelle O’Connor as Flounder, Rosa Ryan as the seagull Scuttle, Cáit Browne, as royal guardian Grimsby, Aoibhinn Rae and Katherese Allen as Ursula’s sidekicks, Flotsam and Jetsam, Christina Whelan as the fish-cooking Chef, Anna O’Callaghan as Pilot, Chloe Cahill, Kaitlyn Barry, Luanne Everard, Bibi Russell, Grace Mahon and Maura Moran were the Mersisters, the roles of Windward and Leeward were taken on by Emer Commins and Tara Rae, and the maid parts were played by Caitlin Tierney, Aisling Stanley, FionaBarry and Aoife Crosbie.
The stage and set crew, including Jack Gleeson, Tommy Sweeney, Antony Kirby, Gary Dempsey, Kevin Heaney and Amy Delahunt, did phenomenal work transforming the Sr Ursula Memorial Hall into a magical underwater world.
Mr English and Mr McGlynn in the Technology Department and Ms Hackett and Ms Spillane in the Art Department and Ms Egan were working on props weeks in advance of opening night.
While Ms Gaynor, Ms Coffey and Ms Nash did Trojan work getting the cast of 250 looking vibrant, colourful and aquatic in their costumes,including for the many outfit changes that took place throughout the show.
Many thanks to Ms Annette Flanagan, past pupil Erin Hayden and the students who took charge of make-up.
Brian Gleeson, Vincent Doyle and Pat Bermingham worked tirelessly in the hall and the grounds. Bernie, Eileen and Tarcelina, in the office and the Fifth Year, School Council and Charities Committee students all volunteered their time to ensure everything ran smoothly.
Finally, there would be no show if it wasn’t for the commitment of the great students of UCT, so many of whom love to be involved in this long-standing tradition and the staff of the Ursuline who support the cast and crew in so many ways.
The Little Mermaid was a huge success and marvelously entertaining,a show that everyone is the Ursuline was proud to be associated with.
Contributed to School Days in the Tipperary Star.