By Kathy Collins
The Village Players will present The Little Mermaid this April. Opening night will be held on Friday, April 1 with the now famous Dinner Theatre. This one will be sponsored by Chick-fil-A (Westfield Mall and Lake Brandon Village). Doors open at 7 p.m. The cost to attend the Opening Night Dinner Theatre is $25.
Additional shows will be held on Saturday, April 2, 9 and 16 and Friday, April 8 and 15. All evening shows begin at 8 p.m. There will be two matinees on Sunday, April 3 and 10 at 3 p.m. Regular admission is $15. For seniors, students and military with ID, the cost is $13. For groups of 10 or more, tickets are $12.
The Little Mermaid is a Disney classic seen on both the big screen and on Broadway. The Village Players’ version is directed by Vinnie Natale.
“I chose The Little Mermaid as it has an amazing story plot, and well known and beloved characters such as Ariel, Flounder, Sebastian. I wanted everyone, including my 3-year-old son, to experience this fun family-friendly play,” explained Natale.
“Every part in the show is important. Also, I wanted the crew to be part of our team too. From working on set and backstage to creating costumes and helping actors run their lines. It takes a village to raise a play,” added Natale.
Proceeds from the Opening Night Dinner Theatre will help to fund much needed renovations at the historic James McCabe Theatre located at 506 5th St. in Valrico.
The Village Players are a 501(c)(3) non-profit, so any students in need of community service hours who love the theatre can contact them about working on an upcoming project. Gail Pierce, a long time director and producer with the Village Players, said, “Students can work on sets, help park cars and work in concessions. Please get in touch with us. We would love to have you be a part of our production.”
The next production for the Village Players will be Mel Brooks’ hilarious musical comedy, The Producers. The show will run the first three weekends in June.
For more information and to get tickets, visit www.thevillageplayersvalrico.com or call the information line at 643-8292 or the box office at 480-3147.
