Name: BHS Productions Presents: The Little Mermaid
Start: 2025-11-06T19:00:00
End: 2025-11-09T14:00:00
Location: Batavia Fine Arts Centre Main Stage

November 6 – 9

Batavia School District Events

2 Hours 15 minutes

Dive into the magical world beneath the waves with The Little Mermaid, the timeless story of Ariel, a spirited young mermaid who dreams of discovering the world beyond the sea. Fascinated by life on land, Ariel longs to explore, to find her voice, and to live on her own terms. Along the way, she faces difficult choices, unexpected challenges, and the consequences of daring to step outside the boundaries others set for her.

While Ariel’s adventure is filled with unforgettable music, dazzling costumes, and enchanting underwater worlds, it is also a story with a powerful message about identity, individuality, and belonging. Ariel refuses to be confined by the expectations of her society or the limits others place on her, showing us that no one should be reduced to a label or told where they “fit.” Just like Ariel, we all have the right to discover who we truly are and follow our own path, even when the journey is uncertain or scary.

Our production brings this beloved Disney tale to life with energy, imagination, and heart, encouraging audiences to celebrate differences, challenge assumptions, and embrace the courage it takes to be authentic. It is a story not just about dreams and adventure, but about empathy, understanding, and the beauty of allowing everyone to define themselves.

Director’s Notes

There is a lyric in the show that hopefully stays with us even after the show ends: “What would I give, if I could live out of these waters?” Beneath the surface of these words is a timeless truth about aspiration, sacrifice, and the courage it takes to step into the unknown to become who we know we are.

Now more than ever, that feels significant. We live in a world full of noise, where voices fight to be heard, where it’s easy to label others instead of listening, and where curiosity can be taken as defiance. Ariel’s story challenges that. She’s told that the world above is full of danger, and yet she believes there’s beauty there too. She believes people, even those she’s been warned against them, are capable of goodness.

King Triton tells us early in the show, “Those humans are dangerous!” It’s a moment which reflects something familiar at this time. How we too can overgeneralize, to judge an entire group of people by fear, misunderstanding, or the actions of a few. Triton’s journey becomes one of unlearning that instinct, discovering that compassion requires more courage than judgment.

Throughout the show, we hear lines which contrast Triton’s words: “I don’t see how a world that makes such wonderful things could be bad.” It’s a reminder that curiosity and hope are not weaknesses, they’re in fact acts of unification. Ariel believes in a better world, even when those around her do not. She’s told she doesn’t fit, that her dreams are dangerous, that her voice, literally and metaphorically, doesn’t belong. And yet, she dares to imagine more. By doing so, Ariel becomes a bridge between these two worlds. Her silence is a symbol of what many of us experience: being unheard, unseen, or misunderstood for who they truly are. But through that silence, she still communicates bravery, love, and the power of knowing oneself even when others do not.

This story is about finding our voice, losing it, and fighting for it. It’s about the sacrifices we make for belonging and all that it takes to be ourselves in the face of those who don’t, or can’t, see us due to unwillingness or inability. Most of all, it’s about empathy: the fundamental belief that the world above and the world below might not be so different after all.

What would we give to live in a world where everyone’s voice is heard? Where curiosity is viewed as understanding instead of fear? Where people are not judged for what makes them different, but celebrated for it?

Hopefully, we leave today inspired to listen more openly, to see beyond the surface, and to believe in the possibility of change. If we do, then maybe, just maybe, we’ve already started to become a bridge for our world. We need more bridges.

BE A BRIDGE!

Dominic A. Cattero