The Little Mermaid Creative

Director
Michelle Goodwin
Michelle is very excited to be directing her fourth show for Goodrich High School. She loves The Little Mermaid and is ecstatic that this production was possible. Outside of theatre, Michelle enjoys reading, video games, wrestling, and her cat Patches. She would like to give an extra special thanks to Karen, Ibrahim, and Kamaya for all their hard work in choreography, vocal coaching, set building, and so much more, this show would not have been possible without them.
Technical Director
Patricia Whittaker
Tricia is excited to be back as the technical director at Goodrich High School! She has ran tech for other local productions at Lake Fenton, Fenton, Fenton Community Players and Wishing Well Theatre. She has been so excited to see many new faces to this production. She wants to send a huge thank you to Karen, Kamaya and Ibrahim for coming in and taking on such a big production. She has had a blast working with the students and is amazed at seeing their dedication and improvement throughout rehearsals to the show.
Choreographer
Karen Whittaker
Karen Whittaker is thrilled to be choreographing The Little Mermaid! She previously choreographed Beehive: The 60s Musical and couldn’t resist returning for this production. With more years of experience than she cares to admit, Karen’s choreography has been seen at Fenton, Lake Fenton, and numerous community theaters in the area. She is also currently working on Mamma Mia! at Hartland. She is incredibly proud of the students for embracing the challenges of this show and working so hard to create a memorable experience for their audiences.
Vocal Director
Ibrahim Sene
Ibrahim Sene is thrilled to make his debut as music director for this production! With a strong background in musical theatre, he has taken on memorable roles such as Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors and the Emcee in Cabaret. His musical journey began as a tenor in his hometown’s vocal jazz competition choir and as a clarinetist in his school's invitational wind ensemble. Ibrahim is passionate about bringing music to life on stage and hopes you enjoy the show!
Choreography / Set Construction
Kamaya Whittaker
Kamaya Whittaker is excited for you to experience The Little Mermaid! While she has assisted with set building at Goodrich in the past, she now takes on the role of Set Designer. Her work has also been seen at Lake Fenton and with the Hartland Community Players. In addition to bringing the underwater world to life, you’ll often find her dancing alongside Karen to help the students perfect their steps. She is incredibly proud of this cast’s growth and dedication and can’t wait to see their hard work shine on stage!
Tech
Audrey Wilson
Audrey is a junior at Goodrich High School. She is super excited to be working in the booth for her third production. When Audrey isn't in theatre she is enjoying her time playing soccer, doing art, singing, learning about sharks, and hanging out with her friends. She would like to say thank you to her family for always helping her get to practices and rehearsals. She would also like to say a thank you to the whole theatre group because they have been like a second family to her, she couldn't imagine being in any other theatre program.
Light Board Operator
Gilbert Buhl
Gilbert is a Senior at Goodrich High School. This is Gilbert's fourth performance as the light board operator. Gilbert is excited for this year's spring musical, "The Little Mermaid", and to share in another successful performance. He would like to thank everyone who has supported him throughout this performance. He hopes you enjoy the musical!
Stage Manager
Riley Lorencz
Riley is a junior and she is incredibly excited to be returning to stage crew for this year’s spring production. This is her third show and first ever musical performance (as well as her first time appearing under lit stage lights as more than crew). Previously she worked on "Almost, Maine" and "Alice in Wonderland", in which she helped make set and move props. Riley has loved all her experiences with the Goodrich Theatre and would like to thank all of her lovely friends and family for their encouragement and unending support for her multitudinous escapades.
Sound Board Operator
Casey McClellan
Casey has been running the soundboard for the past 6 productions and is excited for her senior show. She is very thankful to everyone in the program who has made all of this possible and for all of the good memories that were made on the way. She would like to give an extra thank you both to her family and to Tricia for always encouraging and supporting her to pursue what she loves.
Tech
Jacob Nelson
Jacob is thrilled to be working backstage and doing tech. He enjoys making friends, destroying, and creating set pieces. Aside from tech, he enjoys hanging with his friends and joking around.
Tech
Noah VanCamp
Noah VanCamp is a junior who joined the theatre program this year. He was in tech in the "Almost, Maine" production. He remains in tech for this show and plans on working in the booth or backstage. Outside of theatre he enjoys aviation and band.
Tech
Ayden Bliss
Ayden is in his junior year and has been doing theater since sophomore year. he is excited for this show.
Tech
Keira Bates
Keira is very excited to be in her first high school show as freshmen. She’s glad she gets to be in the cast this year and learn new things. Being athletic means that she couldn't do things out of training and meet days. But now she knows that she can do more than be athletic.

Original Creative Team

Alan Menken (Music) Theater scores: God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater; Real Life Funnies; Atina: Evil Queen of the Galaxy; Little Shop of Horrors; Kicks; Patch, Patch, Patch; The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz; Beauty and the Beast; A Christmas Carol; King David; Weird Romance; Der Glöckner von Notre Dame; The Little Mermaid; Leap of Faith; Sister Act; Newsies; Aladdin; and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Film scores: Little Shop of Horrors; The Little Mermaid; Beauty and the Beast; Aladdin; Newsies; Pocahontas; The Hunchback of Notre Dame; Life with Mikey; Hercules; Home on the Range; The Shaggy Dog; Noel; Enchanted; Tangled; and Mirror, Mirror. TV: Lincoln, Galavant. Honors: Eight Academy Awards®(19 nominations), seven Golden Globe Awards, eleven GRAMMY® Awards, two Outer Critics Circle Awards, New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award, Drama Desk Award, Tony Award®, Olivier Award, London’s Evening Standard Award, membership in the Songwriters Hall of Fame, a doctorate in fine arts from New York University, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 

 

Howard Ashman (Lyrics) wrote the lyrics for the Disney animated films The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin (three songs). He was a producer on The Little Mermaid and executive producer on Beauty and the Beast. With Alan Menken, he received two Oscars® and two Golden Globes® for Best Song (“Beauty and the Beast” and “Under the Sea”) and four GRAMMY® Awards. He received an Oscar® nomination with Mr. Menken for “Friend Like Me” from Aladdin. As author, lyricist, and director for the record-breaking stage musical Little Shop of Horrors, he received two Outer Critics Circle Awards, a New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award, a London Evening Standard Award, and a Drama Desk Award. For the film version of Little Shop of Horrors, he received a Best Screenplay nomination from the Writers Guild and, with Mr. Menken, an Oscar® nomination for Best Song. He was author, lyricist, and director of Smile for which he received a Tony Award® nomination for Best Book. His other credits include God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater; The Confirmation; and artistic director, WPA Theatre (1976-1982). Born in Baltimore, Mr. Ashman died at age 40 of complications due to AIDS.

 

Glenn Slater (Lyrics) Broadway: School of Rock, Leap of Faith, Sister Act (2011 Tony Award® nomination – Best Score, Drama Desk Award nomination – Outstanding Lyrics, Outer Critics Circle Award Nomination – Outstanding New Score); Disney’s The Little Mermaid (2008 Tony Award® nomination – Best Score, GRAMMY® nomination – Best Cast Album). West End: Sister Act (2009), Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies (2010, Olivier Nomination – Best Musical). Regional: Leap of Faith (Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, 2010). Off-Broadway: Newyorkers (Manhattan Theatre Club, 2001, Lucille Lortel, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle nominations). Film: Disney’s Home On The Range (2004), Disney’s Tangled (2010, Oscar® and Golden Globe Nominations – Best Song). Other musicals: Beatsville, with composer/lyricist/wife Wendy Leigh Wilf. TV: Galavant with composer Alan Menken. Awards: The Kleban Award for Lyrics, the ASCAP/Richard Rogers New Horizons Award, and the Jonathan Larson Award. Upcoming: Happy Trails with composer Alan Menken and The Hudsucker Proxy with composer Stephen Weiner. Glenn lives in New York City and has two sons, Benjamin and Daniel. 

 

Doug Wright (Book) received Tony® and Drama Desk Award nominations for his book for the Broadway musical Grey Gardens. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, a Tony Award®, the Drama Desk Award, a GLAAD Media Award, an OCC Award, a Drama League Award, and a Lucille Lortel Award for I Am My Own Wife, which premiered at Playwrights Horizons in 2003. In 1995, Doug won an Obie Award for his play Quills. His screen adaptation was named Best Picture by the National Board of Review and nominated for three Academy Awards®. Plays include The Stonewater Rapture, Interrogating the Nude, Watbanaland, and Unwrap Your Candy. For career achievement, Doug was cited by the American Academy of Arts and Letters and awarded the Tolerance Prize from the Kulturforum Europa. Currently, he serves on the board of the New York Theatre Workshop and the Dramatists Guild Council. He is married to singer/songwriter David Clement.

 

Music Theatre International (MTI) is one of the world's leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting theatres from around the world the rights to perform the greatest selection of musicals from Broadway and beyond. Founded in 1952 by composer Frank Loesser and orchestrator Don Walker, MTI is a driving force in advancing musical theatre as a vibrant and engaging art form.

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