Porterville high schools host play at Buck Shaffer Auditorium

I was able to see the Saturday version of the play in which former Grizzly, Kayla Roady, was the star, playing the lead female role named Alina (known to Disney fans as "Ariel"). While the lead male role, known as "Elike" was played by Cory Cobarruvias. The play started off with star Roady singing and rocking out to a song about how she wanted to be on dry land. But what I found amazing about this opening scene, besides her harmonious voice, was that it all took place in black light. It was indeed a sight to see. The actors wore black pants with their fins with special paint over them, so it did indeed look like they were floating. What I also found cute was that people were in the background holding up various see creatures "swimming" in the background. This was truly a cool effect.

Elike in the show is an island prince who needed to find a wife in three days, while Alina is about to celebrate her sixteenth birthday. They meet one day while she is on top of a rock, and he happens to come across her while he was surfing. He does not realize during this first encounter however, that she is a mermaid. The story progresses, and if you know the story, you know they fall in love. But then a surprise twist happens. In this version, Alina does trade her voice to the evil Ursnala (Disney’s Ursula) but, Elike also asks his friend who possesses mystic powers to turn him into a merman; a chance that is irreversible. And so, they meet again, Alina, voiceless and now finless, meets Elike who now has acquired them. They decide that in order to break the spell on Alina, Elike must swim and find Ursnala and break her necklace, which possesses the evil Ursnala power, as well as Alinas voice and fins. Alina tries to get it back, but realizes that oh yea, she cannot breath underwater anymore. And so, with the help of her father King Trident, played by Gabriel Reyes, Elike and the King battle her in the big showdown scene.

And of course, justice prevails. Elike takes the necklace and meets with the now unconscious Alina. Elike smashes the necklace, and Alina becomes a mermaid again. So that's basically the gist of it, a happy ending.

Overall, I enjoyed the play, and it I was not very long either. It had some funny moments, as well as a lot of romance scenes. The background props of sea creatures were quite adorable. As well as most of the music was produced just for this play. The costumes were very hippie-esque, Alina being a tie-dye mermaid and all. And I cannot forget the black light effect was pretty cool. For most instances it really did like they were in the ocean. Also, a current Grizzly, Summer Lynn played Alina's not so bright sister named Duhh-linda, which was hilarious for the most part. 

And so, if you missed the play, I’m sorry to say you missed out. It was truly a sight to see. Perhaps you can try to see if someone recorded it, but that will not be the same as actually being there yourself. So hats off the all the actors/actresses in the play! You guys did a great job!

Other Characters:
Santiago (Sebastian)……..Taylor Brown
Flippy (Flipper)………….Cheyenne Nall

The alternate main characters:
Princes Alina………….Elena Valdivia
Prince Elike…………...AJ Teran

Other former Grizzlies:
Justice of the Peace…..Danielle Dowdy
Princess Brides……….Alexis Paul
As well as Jessica Roady were a part of the play.