A cast of young actors is bringing to the stage a beloved underwater tale of a father fish searching for his son.
The ARTx3 Campus will present “Finding Nemo Jr.” at 7 p.m. Sept. 25-26; 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Sept. 27; and 3 p.m. Sept. 28. Performances are in the Catherine M. Bellamy Theater at the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, 701 S. Main St. The production is sponsored by Relyance Bank.
Based on the 2003 Disney Pixar animated film, it follows clownfish Marlin (played by Isaiah T. Austin) on his journey across the ocean to rescue his son, Nemo (Avery M. Martin), who’s been captured and taken to Sydney. Along the way, Marlin meets characters such as the forgetful blue tang fish Dory (Allison Carraway) and laid-back sea turtle Crush (Brandt Lunsford), while both father and son learn about courage, friendship and self-discovery.
Exploration and inclusion are two big themes in the show, according to a news release.
“‘Finding Nemo’ does a really great job of showcasing that anybody can have an adventure,” said the production’s director, Bethany Gere. “Something that Disney has done a good job of is showcasing the inclusivity of differently abled people. Nemo and Gill have limb differences; there are different fish with OCD, ADHD, allergies, etc. Dory has short-term memory loss. It’s really good to show kids that being different is OK. ‘Finding Nemo Jr.’ really shows that, through the lens of a fun story, acceptance and inclusion for ev
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erybody. And I think that’s really important to teach children today.”
The rest of the cast is Addie Ashcraft, Ellie Breedlove, Langston Cosner, Aurora Cox, Paisley Jai Criner, Addison Dean, Rory Earnest-Lake, Trenton Frieri, Harley Garrison, Parker Harris, Kali Horton, Lily Jennings, Violet Jennings, Bree Lunsford, Brooks Lunsford, Ally Moore, Jasper Nguyen, Cali Reed, Rylie Rice, Bentley Richardson, Susan Rittenhouse, Landon B. Stewart, Sawyer Terry, Hazel Thompson and Olivia Thompson.
In addition to Gere, the production crew includes musical director Melody Gere and choreographer Grace McKissic. The book, music and lyrics are by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. The book is adapted by Lindsay Anderson. Music and orchestrations are adapted and arranged by Myrna Conn.
“The music is so much fun,” Gere said. “The composer and lyricist of this show were the same ones who wrote the music for ‘Frozen,’ so you know you’ll be singing these songs in your head for days after seeing the show. Songs like ‘Fish Are Friends Not Food,’ ‘Big Blue World,’ ‘Just Keep Swimming,’ and the cast’s favorite song, ‘Go With The Flow,’ will have you singing for days.”
Performances are 60 minutes long with no intermission. Tickets are $13 for members, $18 for nonmembers, and $10 for students when purchased in person with a student ID. Children ages 3 and younger who can sit in a parent or guardian’s lap are admitted free. Tickets may be purchased by visiting artx3.org/all-events/finding-nemo-jr, calling (870) 536-3375 or in person.
For more information, contact Gere, who is also the ARTx3 Campus’ theater and programs coordinator, at bgere@artx3.org, or call (870) 536-3375. Details: artx3. org.