Nearly 2 years ago the audition room was filled with large groups of Year 5 and 6 children, all competing for a part in The Little Mermaid. A story about a young mermaid whose curiosity leads her to discover that there may be more to life than what she currently knows. The project seemed straight forward….and then; Covid 19 happened.
For so many reasons, The Little Mermaid will go down in Artz history as the toughest production ever to stage. At times it has felt as impossible as it would be for a mermaid to walk on land; but because of persistence, patience, commitment and courage, the mermaid does walk on land and this production did make it to stage.
As a director, my job is to lead the group through a series of artistic challenges. It is my job to communicate how I want the production to look. It is also my job to help educate, motivate and answer questions that help to alleviate anxiety. All of these jobs have been made considerably more difficult by a global pandemic that knocked many of our young cast for six. My conversations changed from how to move like a fish to conversations about mental health, crisis of confidence and crippling self doubt.
At times the cast was like a merry go round, people getting on and getting off, literally every week. Costumes would be made, then re-made and then made again, or discarded. Scenes would be blocked several times before having to rethink the idea completely. I would plan sessions for six characters for only one to turn up, due to isolations. Students who started the show in Primary School were now having to deal with the challenge of High School life. They were trying to negotiate perhaps the most challenging transition in a young person’s life, whilst considering their part in a show that seemed destined to fail. Motivation seemed impossible to muster, and the most sensible option seemed to be to pull the show and start a fresh in 2022.
We will never truly know the impact that this decision would have had on the cast in the long term. But for me, the project had now become a battle of will. I felt increasingly adamant that this show was to be staged at all costs. It was vital that our young people realised that sometimes things don’t go the way we want them; but we owe it to ourselves and each other to see things through to the end. It is at this point when we are rewarded with the abundant feelings of accomplishment; we learn the lessons that only a journey like this can teach us and we prove to ourselves that we really are stronger than we ever knew we could be.
I have always said in youth theatre, the process is so much more important than the destination. The Little Mermaid will always be the show that emphasises that for us, the most. I will always have huge respect for the cast and crew of this show, who climbed the mountain to reach the summit.
Take a moment to reflect and enjoy it, before you embark on the next of life’s many challenges.
I am hugely proud of you all.