Moorestown Theater Company Breaks Ground with Disney Show

And they'll be under the sea...well not really, but a magical underwater kingdom will be the setting for the first summer stage production this year. 

When the rights to produce the Broadway sensation, The Little Mermaid, Jr. became an option this past May, Mark Morgan jumped at the chance to recreate the family musical.  

But the real claim to fame: This will be the first time a junior production with Ariel and her briny sea friends will be seen east of the Mississippi.

“It’s an East Coast premiere,” says Morgan, Moorestown Theater Company's producing artistic director.

For Morgan, artistic director of the nonprofit theater—now in its 10th year—it will be the second time that the company will have the privilege of doing a Disney pilot.

Two summers ago,  Morgan’s performers shook the house with the popular Disney's Camp Rock: The Musical, after Disney Theatrical Productions released those rights.

“We will once again have the opportunity of experiencing a newly released play as we go along,” says the ever-enthusiastic Morgan, “which, by the way, is very cool.”

The Little Mermaid, Jr.—performed by kids ages 6-17—will be almost identical to the Broadway version, albeit just a bit shorter, since it’ll be acted and sung by children. But most of the wonderful musical score will carry over.

Rehearsals begin June 25 (a cast of nearly 75 will perform) for a three-week session that culminates in six performances to be held at the on Main Street beginning on July 11. 

“It’s great to have the plays at the Hope Church. Folks can grab a meal at a local restaurant if they want, and then walk over to the play.”

Limited space is still available in the camp. No formal training is necessary. Just bring your bravado and best acting chops.

And when the curtain closes on The Little Mermaid, Jr., big things will be lying on the horizon, according to Morgan. For those interested, the cast will be facing off at the Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta, GA, on Jan. 18-20, 2013, which is Martin Luther King Jr. weekend.

“My wife and I visited the festival last year, and we were stunned at the tremendous opportunities that are there for young people,” Morgan says.

Brought together by the sponsoring iTheatrics, people from all aspects of the theater world are on hand to offer insight to junior attendees.

Each pod or group of entertainers gets to perform before panels made up of actors, choreographers and directors, who usually offer recognition to top performers.

In addition to The Little Mermaid, Jr., the theater company will also be offering three other summer stage sessions this summer. 

Rehearsals for The Music Man, Jr., will begin July 16. 

And in an effort to spread competition among the younger set, this year audience members will see a production of Winnie The Pooh, Kids performed by school-age children ages 6-12, with rehearsals commencing Aug. 6. 

All camps focus on classes in dance, drama and singing, costing $250 weekly.

Also new this year is a two-week teen workshop, also beginning Aug. 6, for those kids aged 13 to 17, who  want to showcase their star power in a lightened version of Into the Woods, Jr. 

“It’s the first time we’ve broken up our summer stage by age this way,” says Morgan. “It’s all about giving more opportunities to children.”

For more information and to sign up for a summer stage session visit Moorestown Theater Company’s