Akasha Grace and Anne Terze-Schwarz lead a top flight cast in Colorado Springs

Swim your way into a spectacle for all the senses with The Little Mermaid playing through Dec. 29 at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. Popularized by the 1989 Disney film which has enchanted children for years (and has fueled marketing sales for decades!) the story resonates widely with its themes of love and sacrifice, self-expression and never giving up on your dreams.

Teenage defiance is center stage as well, as young Ariel the mermaid wants what she cannot have: legs to live on land and marry her human prince. Loosely based on the 1837 Danish fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson, the story has all the trappings of love interrupted. There is the rigid father, jealous sisters, quirky friends and an evil sorceress with fishy henchmen.

L to R: Guillermo Jemmott as King Triton, Katy Williams as Flotsam, Corbin Payne as Jetsam and Anne Terze-Schwarz as Ursula; Akasha Grace as Ariel | Photo: Isaiah Downing

Well-done, watery production

Staging an underwater tale of merman and mermaids with its land counterparts is no small feat, but the FAC lands it. Under the direction of Cory Moosman, Mermaid’s expansive creative team collaborates to create a perfect watery illusion. There are translucent hues of green and blue in costumes and scenery, seemingly fluid props and even aquatic sounds as the actors project subtle gliding motions.

Akasha Grace is simply radiant as Ariel. As the musical opens, the adolescent mermaid with the flaming red hair pops up from the orchestra pit as if swimming to the surface. Not only can this talented Julliard-trained actor sing and dance, but she also embodies the youthful cadence of the innocent that Ariel is. Effervescent and energetic, she swims, floats and dives into her role (and our hearts) headfirst.

Grace’s scenes with her father King Triton (Guillermo Jemmott Jr.) are particularly moving. The youngest of his seven daughters, she is adorably defiant with her regal father who is the ruler of the underwater Atlantica. Jemmott is a powerhouse of an actor. He just owns the stage in voice and physical presence.

The ensemble, largely Ariel’s six older sisters — Aquata, Andrina, Arista, Adelia, Adella and Allana — are showstoppers in their own right. Intrigued with their little sister’s rebellion, they warn and foreshadowed the trouble to come if she stays her course.

L to R: Guillermo Jemmott, Anne Terze-Schwarz, Akasha Grace and Corbin Payne | Photo: Isaiah Downing

The human prince

Ariels’ love interest is the handsome human Prince Eric, played with charming vibrato by Corbin Payne (u/s for Clinton Greenspan on the night I attended). His tenor vocals are pitch-perfect as he imagines the girl of his dreams. Amazing stagecraft has the audience sailing the high seas with Prince Eric and his sailors thanks to the aid of imaginative tech.

Many of Ariel’s underwater friends are sea creatures brought to life with the expert puppetry of WYNOT Productions. Actors manage their fishy compatriots with fluid movements that merge the two into one character with ease.

Among the standouts in King Triton’s court is his faithful friend Sebastian, the crab, portrayed with endearing warmth by Elio Nova-Wolf. Coming stage forward, he is the story’s moral compass and comic relief, torn between his alliance to the King and Ariel’s plight.

As with any fairytale worth its salt, the good is very good, while the bad is heinous. As Ursula, the evil-personified sea witch, is played to perfection here by Anne Terze-Schwarz. A Colorado native who has lived around the world, Terze-Schwarz is the quintessential villain to Ariel’s naivete.

Presenting her an irresistible deal to realize her dream, Ariel takes Ursula’s bait as Act One closes in an amazing transformation. The stage is set for a perilous journey between land and sea.

Opening weekend brough a good crowd to the College theatre just north of downtown. While youthful patrons were clearly enthralled with the adorable mermaid’s spirit, adults may have unpackaged the familiar themes of struggle and sacrifice amid the visual pageantry of such a big show.

Act Two resonates with the all-too-familiar notion of be careful what you wish for. Evil and good jockey for position as the water and land worlds collide into a spectacular finale.

Fine stagecraft, well executed with strong acting and musical performances hoist this latest Fine Arts Center production to new heights. Book your package for The Little Mermaid and set sail with this one!