Team of creative new directors helms fishy production

DAYTON - Waitsburg's Natalie Knudson, a freshman at Walla Walla High School, has been dancing since age four. Erika Greenup, recently of Dayton, has been sewing since age six. Her husband, Devin, had a knack for contorting his face in all sorts of funny ways. His parents called him the next Jim Carrey.

These are the new directors who are working hard on this fall's Touchet Valley Arts Council (TVAC) production of "The Little Mermaid," scheduled for a 13-show run beginning November 9 at the Liberty Theater in Dayton.

"I've always wanted to help direct a show," says Knudson, oldest daughter of Lloyd and Jaimee Knudson of Waitsburg. Already a familiar local talent, she has participated in TVAC productions of "Mary Poppins" and "The Sound of Music, as well as variety shows, school plays, and solo performances in the community. She wasn't shy about volunteering to help direct "The Little Mermaid." As a result, she was named Co-Director.

"My dream is to have a professional career in music and theater," she says.

Natalie will shadow Devin and Erika Greenup as Artistic Directors for this year's production. The couple are new to the scene. Both have a solid theater background.

"We had a professional show producer when I was in high school in Las Vegas," says Devin of his early experience. "When we did 'Grease' they actually put a car on the stage. It was intense."

The couple met in 2015. Erika was studying at Central Washington University, earning her Bachelor of Arts in Theater Production. Their mutual interest in stage production and performance created an apt partnership. The couple was living in Everett when they decided they needed a change of venue, which brought them to Dayton in September of 2021.

It didn't take them long to join the TVAC family, signing up to direct "The Little Mermaid" after the TVAC Board had chosen it for this year's live musical show. Except for the Covid-19 shutdown period, TVAC has produced a live musical show every year since 2001.

Local Kaelee McCauley, 23, is playing the little mermaid Ariel. Andrew Blodgett, 26, of Walla Walla, will portray Prince Eric, who falls in love with Ariel's beautiful voice after she saves him from drowning in the sea. Touchet Valley favorite Kyle Terry will pull off the role of King Triton, Ariel's father. Liberty Theater veteran Samantha Steinhoff will play Ursula, the manipulative, evil undersea witch with the dastardly plan to steal Eric from the mermaid he loves. Jim Thorn of Dayton will play the role of Prince Eric's butler, Grimsby.

Thirty-four cast members and a dozen crew aim to entertain audiences with a uniquely crafted performance of this favorite Disney story, originally authored by Hans Christian Andersen.

Mary Luce, the veteran costumer of TVAC Productions, continues in her role to outfit this undersea adventure, and Gayle Dawn Hill of Starbuck lends her professional singing experience to the show as the cast's vocal coach.

However, unlike previous shows, this production will benefit from co-director Erika's specialties in set design and prop construction.

Supporting creature roles in the story will be voiced by actors manipulating "puppets." Erika's ingenious muppet-like creations include Sebastian the Crab, complete with a fully articulated body that takes two people to operate.

"Joshua Tapp will do the voicing for Sebastian," says Devin, "and there will be a second person dressed in black who will help manipulate the legs."

The same goes for Scuttle the Gull and Flounder the Fish.

"We decided to make Flounder an actual Flounder," says Erika. Flotsam and Jetsam, twin eels, will be similarly brought to life, as will Windward and Leeward, two trumpet fish whose job is to trumpet King Triton's announcements. The eels are even electric, wired with fully functional mouths.

Jellyfish, coral reefs, sea plants, and the ship's deck are being handcrafted by members of the cast and crew. Other props include a school of 200 glittering fish, being steadfastly sewn together by cast and crew to suspend in choreographed motion during musical numbers, all of which Knudson will choreograph.

"The Little Mermaid" will play at the Liberty Theater from November 9 to December 2. Tickets will go on sale in October. Check out http://www.libertytheater.org for more information and updates.