Since the spring of  2020, St. Robert School hasn’t been able to have a musical due to fear of the spread of COVID-19. However, after two long years, the school was finally able to bring the middle school musical back. This year, middle school students had the opportunity to join this year’s musical, The Little Mermaid Jr.  St. Robert School has been doing musicals for over twenty years. Musicals started in 1997 and have continued until the 2020 pandemic brought them to a stop. 

Students in grades six, seven, and eight were invited to join the musical. Since the 8th graders were not able to perform in past musicals, the musical this year is a new experience for everyone, no matter their age. Eighth-grader Caroline, who also played Ariel, said, “I auditioned in 6th grade, but I never got the chance to perform.” Caroline auditioned for a role in the 2020 musical, but it was canceled because of COVID-19. Many students were disappointed at this, but now the eighth graders have finally been able to be a part of an awesome musical.

Many students have positive experiences to share about this year’s musical. Veronica, a stage manager, said before the performance, “I think that it will be a success. I think the characters are doing a good job. Not many people think the crew do much, but they are learning how to work the lights and do much more than people might know. The crew makes the show a success.” The crew is in charge of the lights, the sets, telling actors where to go, and so much more. According to Veronica, “Everything behind the scenes is done by the crew, the actors wouldn’t be able to know when to go on stage, and the sets wouldn’t be put easily on stage.” As one of the stage managers, Veronica has a hard job. She has to tell actors when to go on stage, run around taking notes, make sure people are quiet behind the stage, tell people when to go on, and tell the crew when to put certain sets on stage.

Furthermore, Caroline shared “Sometimes [having a lead role] can be a little nerve-wracking, but it’s also awesome and I can show the audience what I can do.” Moreover, Charlie, a sailor in the musical stated, “Definitely, [being a part of the musical is] an amazing experience and I recommend it to other middle schoolers.” Being a part of the musical means that students can meet more people, learn more about each other, and have fun in the costumes and makeup. Being part of the musical allows people to play with characters that they only have seen on a screen. Everyone in The Little Mermaid Jr. did an amazing job at performing, and the shows were enjoyed by people of all ages. Even though this was a new experience for everyone this year, they all did their best and created a show that everyone enjoyed.