Monessen’s GPA ready to make a splash with ‘The Little Mermaid Jr.’

Before their official opening night, there will be a sensory-friendly show for local kids today.

Get ready to be blown out of the water by the Monessen School District spring musical, “The Little Mermaid Jr.,” which brings a well-known mermaid to the Mon Valley.

The Monessen Group for the Performing Arts will present the popular Disney musical at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday at Monessen High School, 1245 State Road.

Tickets are $10 and can be bought online ahead of the show at https://cur8. com/17225/project/130150.

Christine Zboyovsky and Stephanie Guglielmi, advisors for the theater program, said the kids are ready to take the stage.

“They’re happy with the show,” Zboyovsky said. “We’re all a little bit tired because Monessen being so small, our students are in multiple activities, so they have to share their time. Basketball, softball, baseball, all of that is going on, but they’re doing a wonderful job.”

The cast and crew comprise more than 50 students from the middle school, high school and elementary school levels. The musical was designed to include a wide range of students.

“The Little Mermaid Jr.” follows the story of Ariel and her aquatic friends, and her journey from the sea to the land in search of Prince Eric. The story follows the Disney “Little Mermaid” movie and Broadway adaptations, but also derives inspiration from Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale stories.

Monessen High School senior Raven Anderson, who plays Sebastian, Ariel’s red crustacean friend, said she is excited for this year’s show. Anderson has been doing theater since she was in the sixth grade.

“It’s my senior show, so we’re going out with a bang for sure,” Anderson said. “I really like the character of Sebastian, it’s very fun. I like to get to play around with the different kinds of characters and this is very different from anything I’ve ever played.”

Anderson is planning to go to college for musical theater after she graduates in May, although she hasn’t set her mind on a school yet.

MHS senior Carson Skomsky, who portrays one of the sailors/chef and sea creatures, has done multiple shows with the school district. He said his favorite show they’ve done in the past was the “The SpongeBob Musical.”

Jami Lucero, an eighth-grader who is playing Flotsam, said she is enjoying her character’s personality and can’t wait to show the audience this year’s performance.

“There’s a bunch of little kids and other cast members who have worked so hard, and they’re just really excited to perform for people,” Lucero said. “I think you guys should come see it, because they’re just working really hard on it.”

Zboyovsky said the musical has a lot of moving parts and that it couldn’t be done without the teamwork of students and staff. She said musical director Quenten Zboyovsky, and sound tech Donnie Caterino have been working with the program for a long time.

“We have Donnie Caterino, he does our sound system for us, and he has for years been coming and doing this for free, and donates his time,” Christine Zboyovsky said. “Then, of course Quenten, he is a student at PennWest, he’s had to wear multiple hats this year. He had to do the choreography, the music and he had to be the director.”

Zboyovsky was grateful for all the help they’ve received from the school staff and the community as well.

Faith Jackson, a junior playing Allana, expressed her enjoyment in welcoming new members to this year’s musical and working alongside the younger kids. She added that it has also been wonderful to make friends throughout the process.

“I’m excited to put on the show finally; I can see everything just come together,” Jackson said. “It’s going to be a great show, and it will be worth it to watch.”

Sensory-friendly show

Before their official opening night, the high school is hosting multiple schools for a sensory-friendly show today.

Zboyovsky said this is their first year doing it and that they’re thinking of continuing it for upcoming shows in the future. The show is meant to accommodate autistic children in Monessen and surrounding school districts.

“It’s for our autistic students and life skills students who may have issues with loud sounds or lights,” Zboyovsky said. “Our kids will put on the performance; there won’t be any kind of spotlights, we’ll just leave on the general lights. The music will be lowered, it won’t be loud, so that they can enjoy the show.”

Zboyovsky added that they’re expecting around 300 kids from multiple school districts on Wednesday and that they’re excited to try it out.

Cast and crew

Kennedy Lindsay (Ariel); Raven Anderson (Sebastian); Noelle Spagnolo (Ursula); Paige Lindsay (Scuttle); Londyn Johnson (Flounder); Jakob Dell (Prince Eric); Tayvin Craggette (King Triton); Damari Martin (Aquata); Baylee Post (Andrina); Avaya Brewer (Arista); Quinn Coles (Atina); Anaiya Merritt (Adella); Faith Jackson (Allana); Davincci Weible (Pilot/Chef Louis); Breslin Trubiani (Grimsby); Jami Lucero (Flotsam); Aaliyah Mickey (Jetsam); Taft Jones (Triton’s Herald); Leah Savage (Carlotta); Jae’kwon Craggette, Garan Fennell Jr., Kairah Nyiri, Kaylee Guerrieri, Taft Jones, Carson Skomsky (Sailors/Chefs); Kayee Guerrieri, Garan Fennell Jr., McKenzie Galilei, Annalyse Spagnolo, Ashlyn Silva (Gulls); Baylee Post, Faith Jackson, Avaya Brewer, Damari Martin, Anaiya Merritt, Quinn Coles (Princesses).

Sea Creature/ Lagoon Animal Ensemble: Carson Skomsky, Jae’Kwon Craggette, Zaryah Anderson, Taylynn Minnie, Brooklynn Williams, Garan Fennell Jr. Kaylee Guerrieri, Callie Holguin, Leah Savage, Izabella Boyd, Carter Bransom, Eden Holguin, Milena Savko, Heaven Stoner, Malia Davis-Bell, Mia Davis- Bell, A’Saiyah Corbett, Aniyah Howard, Gionna Moon, Persephone Dodato, Riley Dodson, McKenzie Galilei, Amira Hall, Harper Lawrence, Athena Nestor, Elaina Stanisz, Ashlyn Silva, Annalyse Spagnolo, Laina Johnson.

The stage crew comprises: Kaylee Noel, Bethany Yoder, Abby Thomas, Nick Marinos, Teara Rowe, Deenah Savage, Abrielle Ward, Demetria Dodson, Frank Galilei, Gianna Palmer, Kenneth Silva, Jaidyn Rankin, Bry Aunna Cook, Jadyn Bradley. The student stage manager is Kaylee Noel, and the assistant stage manager is Bethany Yoder.