Under the sea, on the stage – kids take Nemo to new depths

NEMO, Dory, Marlin and their friends are swimming onto the stage in Ballina Players’ production of Finding Nemo Jr, which runs from January 10 to 19.

Peter Harding, who is directing the show alongside his wife Karen Goodsell, said whilst the basic story of Finding Nemo Jr is the same as the much-loved Pixar movie, the musical condenses part of the story to suit a junior cast.

The length of the show has also been reduced to around one hour.

“Some characters or scenes are alluded to without portraying them,” he said.

“As an example, Darla and the dentist are spoken about but not seen as in the movie. Also fitting a whale on stage would be difficult!”

Twelve-year-old Charlise Carrier, who also performed in Lion King Jr for the community-based amateur theatre group last year, plays the role of Nemo. Fifteen-year-old Gabe Dunwoodie-Halverson, who played Mustafa last year, plays Marlin while 16-year-old Alyssa Starkey, who played Pugsley in The Addams Family, takes the role of Dory.

 

Ballina Players added a January junior production to its playlist in 2005 to give its younger cast members aged eight to 18 the opportunity to perform live theatre during the summer school holidays.

Harding said it was a privilege to see the kids in the cast and crew learn and grow.

“We enjoy watching their journey from perhaps being terrified and in tears at audition to walking on stage with confidence,” he said.

It’s a family affair for the couple, with their 14-year-old daughter Destiny on stage playing one of the main characters, starfish Peach; 28-year-old son James on sound design, and 26-year-old Pippin in a range of roles, including choreography, soundscape and music adjustment and costume, hair and make-up design.

Many of the props were created with products found at Ballina Salvage Shed and Bunnings.

“A simple pipe or a piece of junk can become a grate to escape to the big blue ocean, a towering underwater plant or a giant net,” Harding said.

For more information or to book, visit https://ballinaplayers.com.au/