I’m new to Laredo and, as a lover of the arts – all art – I try to support the artists however I am able.
When a new friend, recommended the upcoming production of Laredo Theater Guild International’s The Little Mermaid, I thought, “Sure! Why not go out and support some young folks from the college and some fun music.”
I thought I would walk to the performance, which is just around the corner and across the railroad tracks from me in the Fort McIntosh Historic District, but the July heat dissuaded me, and so I drove.
I confess I was surprised that the Laredo College’s Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Fine Arts Center Theater is such a fine venue.
I was further surprised by the enthusiastic support from the audience during the performance, though I shouldn’t have been.
The orchestra, unseen in its pit, offered an unexpected richness that captured us all with the familiar songs of the production.
The play built from the opening acts like a fireworks display to an exciting crescendo of color and music from this troupe of actors, some new, some seasoned, and all enthusiastic.
Ariel (Assison Cavazos), with her captivating voice, captured my attention. All the characters, from Sebastian (José Villa), the sidestepping Jamaican crab, to King Triton (Rafael Mangual) and his wonderful daughters, Prince Eric (Gianncarlo Pedraza), and the Flounder (Adan Villarreal) – who for me was a delightful Clown Fish – filled the stage with a vibrancy that was thrilling.
The costumes – clever and colorful – were utterly delightful.
For me the biggest surprise was Ursula! What a performance by Alex López, a force of nature who delivered a stellar performance as the villainess.
I came away from the performance with a sense of the gargantuan effort that had been orchestrated by so many at every level of the production to breathe life – and art – into this lovely old tale.
There are four performances this week – Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and a 3 p.m. Sunday matinee. You can purchase tickets at laredotheaterguild.org.
(Geoff Gibson describes himself as “a bi-cultural guy who grew up in Puerto Rico.” He is a retired architect, a former project manager for the University of Texas – Austin.)
