The Alabama Shakespeare Festival's production of Disney's "The Little Mermaid" debuted Friday, July 10, and will run until Sunday, Aug. 2, at the state theater in Montgomery.
Jacob Redden, sophomore in chemical engineering, plays percussion in the orchestra for "The Little Mermaid" production and is a member of the Auburn University Marching Band.
"It's a lot of different instruments that I have to cover," Redden said.
Andi Martin, sales and marketing coordinator for ASF, said she knows Redden through her husband, Andy Martin, who worked with Redden's drumline at Trinity Presbyterian High School.
Redden said he offered him a job with ASF.
Redden works as a paid substitute in the orchestra, and said he gets to play some of the performances, but not all of them.
He said he started taking lessons with Adam Blackstock, associate professor of percussion studies, at Troy University.
Redden said Blackstock and Douglas Rosener, associate professor of music at Auburn, taught him almost everything he knows.
Redden and the orchestra started preparing two weeks ago for the show with three two-hour rehearsals before a one-week break followed by 4:30-9 p.m. sessions every night.
"It's been very different than anything I've ever done before," Redden said.
The run time for the show is two and a half hours and according to Andi, ASF has been researching and planning for the performance since fall 2014.
The actors in the production are professional actors including Ariel, who was an understudy on Broadway before performing for ASF.
ASF is the only theater producing "The Little Mermaid" in the Southeastern region, according to Andi.
"You really forget you're just watching people on a stage because they really transcend what's going on in front of you," Andi said. "Your mind will just ... it's crazy to me how [the actors] have transformed floor and ceiling to sea and sky."
There are 150 catchers moving sets and props including Prince Eric's "massive" ship, which is 30 feet tall, 21 feet long, according to Andi.
She also said there are nine pounds of glitter and more than 35 gallons of paint that went into building the set for the performance.
Marco Santiago, male ensemble member, graduated Auburn with a bachelor's of fine arts degree in theater performance in 2001.
Santiago, who has been acting for more than 15 years, said he grew up going on field trips to the ASF theatre and auditioned for the festival in New York.
"It's an emotional journey, so it's not just light, yes, it'll make you laugh," Santiago said. "I saw people crying in the audience. It just made my jaw drop. When it's done correctly and there's emotional connection, emotional investment, it's a great journey."
He said he plays a chef, yellow fish, sailor and is an understudy to King Triton.
"They have me running around and dancing and singing, throwing girls here, catching them," Santiago said.
Santiago said he felt the first performance went "amazingly well."
"It was actually a blast," Santiago said. "The audience was on fire, they were very receptive, they were with us all the way."
Before the opening show, Redden said he was excited but nervous for the first performance.
"It's very challenging music, and playing in a production like this is something that I've never done before," Redden said.
Redden said he doesn't interact much with the actors, but gets to watch them perform.
"[Watching the actors perform] has been really inspiring," Redden said. "It's very different than just doing something with just band players or an orchestra ... when you have to add singing and choreography and music all in the same thing. It's been very interesting and a learning experience for me."
Redden said he would work in a theater production again after his time working on "The Little Mermaid."
"It's been a lot of fun, just working with everybody and playing the shows is a lot of fun," Redden said.
According to Redden, the show could open up another week and run until Aug. 8.
The next show is tonight, July 14, at 7:30 p.m. followed by shows Wednesday, July 15, at 2 p.m., Thursday, July 16, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Friday, July 17 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets and the full schedule can be found at tickets.asf.net.
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