How 'heelys' help the mermaids swim
It's hard to swim on the dry land of a performance stage.
Not to worry, however. "The Little Mermaid" director Allison Cherry and her production team have it figured out.
Enter: imagination and, oh yes, shoes with wheels in the heels.
Every last starfish, tropic fish, sea turtle and other ocean inhabitant in the Children's Theatre of Elgin and Fox Valley Theatre Company production has been practicing not only acting, singing and dancing but also how each particular sea creature would move through the sea - and to keep that in mind always while acting, singing and dancing.
"I've told them, 'You're not just doing the dance moves, you are doing the dance moves like jellyfish would do the dance moves,'" Cherry said.
The cast got so into that way of thinking that all the mermaids, plus Flounder and a few other select fish, are on "Heelys," the shoes made with wheels in the heels.
"It creates the illusion of gliding, much more like swimming through the sea," said Cherry.
"They are much more difficult to use than roller skates, but our actors have been practicing every chance they get," she said.
"I'm very proud of their Heely capabilities," she added. "They're all pretty impressive. Our audiences are going to love it."
- Karen Karner