By Rachele Stoops
Finding Nemo Jr., Nebraska Communities Playhouse, Friday May 31, 2024
I may be biased, but I fully believe that participating in theatre productions is one of the best experiences to help kids become well-adjusted adults. It teaches cooperation, creativity, following directions, dealing with conflict (it’s drama!), and lessens speech anxiety!
Okay, I’m ridiculously biased. I teach Oral Communications, an LPS high school course that requires public speaking, I direct the productions for the new Standing Bear High School, and my first stage performance was in 1986. I was ten, and it shaped the rest of my life.
My own kids auditioned for shows and participated in theatre camps through elementary and middle school, and two-thirds of them appeared in high school shows as well. In fact, my youngest was only six months old when she made her Lincoln Community Playhouse debut (ask me about that story later).
Kids + theatre = SO MUCH GOOD. So the opportunity to see and enjoy the Nebraska Communities Playhouse production of Disney Pixar Finding Nemo Jr., was a no-brainer, especially when two of my Standing Bear theatre kids were involved!
Don’t let the ‘Jr’ in the title fool you; this show packs a LOT into the 75-minute performance time (the show includes a 15 minute intermission). If you’ve been anywhere near a child since the movie, Finding Nemo, debuted in 2003, you know the story: adventurous kid has overprotective dad, adventurous kid gets lost, dad saves the day. Oh, and they’re fish.
The set for this production stretches across the large NCP stage, and uses a clever combination of projections on the back curtain and brightly colored set pieces. The IRL boulders and water plants were created using some recognizable implements, like the pool noodles grouped together in the bottom of the ocean to represent water plants. I appreciate this kind of ingenuity, and hopefully the kids do, too.
The costumes were also adorably creative. Instead of cartoon fish costumes, each character is dressed in clothing that represents the species they portray. Marlin, Nemo’s father, (played by an outstandingly talented Bryan Jaimes), a clownfish, wears black dress pants, a white dress shirt, and bright orange vest and bow tie. There is much attention to detail for every cast member, and the ensemble and minor characters play so many roles that the costume changes inspired awe in my director’s heart! Kudos to Leah Arington/Theatre Arts For Kids for the fantastic costume design.
Working with a large group of kids in a wide range of ages is not easy, and director Jill Hauschild manages it nicely. Bryan Jaimes, as Marlin, has a strong voice with a pure tone, and he embodies Marlin’s overwhelming fear. Nemo, played by Elsie Ebben, is equally solid in both her vocals and characterization. Layla Studley is an adorably ditzy Dory! I loved her costume and her facial expressions, and she didn’t miss a note. Other standouts were Shayne Skaw as Gill (and several other characters), and the turtle duo, Crush (Kira Showalter) and his son Squirt (Natalie Nelson). The turtle number, ‘Go With the Flow’, was my favorite!
[Special shoutout to my Standing Bear Grizzly peeps: Jordan Majorins, who played several roles effectively as a member of the ensemble, and Chloe Saathoff, who helped things run smoothly as a backstage volunteer. So proud of you!!]
There were a few opening night sound issues, and some of the cast spoke a little fast (It was opening night! It’s exciting!), but nothing detracts from the joy of watching kids work together to tell a story, get comfortable and confident in the spotlight, and remind us of the joy we can find when we reunite with loved ones. It’s a great family-friendly show, but don’t skip it if (like me) you don’t have a little one to bring! Jump in – the water’s adorably fantastic.
If you go: Disney Pixar Finding Nemo Jr. is performing at The Nebraska Communities Playhouse at 7:30pm June 1, 6, 7, and 8; and at 2:00pm June 2 and 9. Tickets for all shows are available at neplayhouse.com.
Rachele Stoops teaches English and directs the theatre program at Lincoln’s Standing Bear High School. In the summer, she fills her time with jewelry-making, jewelry-selling, planning for fall, and spending quality time with her grumpy yet adorable chihuahua, Cecil. She is currently working on her first book; a collection of wisdom titled, ‘Stoops Lore’.
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