On May 13, the lights dimmed, the music began, and the curtains parted as the opening night of “The Little Mermaid Jr.” at Fieldstone Middle School (FMS) in Montvale, NJ officially began. Students of the FMS drama club performed, but behind the middle schoolers singing and dancing were the people who worked behind the scenes (and sometimes on stage!) to bring this show to life: nine students of Pascack Hills High school who took on the roles of directors for five months.

Starting in 2018, students of the Pascack Hills Players voluntarily and independently directed multiple musicals at FMS. “The Little Mermaid Jr.” was originally set to open on the FMS stage in the spring of 2020, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it was not able to debut. The program and plans to revitalize the show came with the return of school being fully in-person in 2022. Sure enough, “The Little Mermaid Jr.,” years in the making, was able to perform for four shows, two open to public viewing.

From auditions to the final curtain, the student directors greatly impacted the show. Particularly, seniors Scianna Scott, Rachael Lokshin, Riley Solomon, Shariany Then, and Aaron Solomon played crucial roles in leading this show to its success. 

Lokshin, who directed acting and stage-managed, commented on the directing process.

“Teaching the kids blocking and how to become their roles was really fun, and they learn quickly! Even the students involved in the stage crew were amazing at working together and learning the show,” she said. 

However, the team hit many obstacles throughout the process, unrelated to the cast and crew. Being students themselves, the directors often had limited resources and little access to funding. Technical issues, such as broken microphones, blown speakers, burnt-out lights, and missing curtains, also caused issues at times. 

Another obstacle happened during the week of the show: the temporary loss of multiple actors due to unforeseen circumstances. Some of the directors had to make their own “Little Mermaid Jr.” debut to cover for the missing actors. Amid these challenges, FMS put on a successful show.

Acting director Scott, who was involved in the original 2020 production, said, “working on this had its fair share of challenges, but working with the students and watching them create something they’re proud of while making lasting memories has been so special. I’ve learned so much throughout the two shows that I’ve had the privilege of directing, and helping the younger generation of Pascack Hills Players has been a doubtlessly unforgettable experience.”

Many of the middle school students later attend Hills and have the chance to join the program as directors. This process not only allows an older generation to teach a younger generation, but also provides an opportunity for directors and students to connect and learn together. 

Choreographer and costume designer Solomon said, “I’ve loved making a connection with the kids and watching them learn and grow so much since the beginning. The process has been more challenging than I could have ever imagined but getting to see these kids shine and be proud of themselves after months of hard work made it all worth it.”

As the curtains closed for a final time, the directors felt pride in what their students accomplished. Through the hard work and passion of these nine Hills students, the middle schoolers were able to have the opportunity to put something on stage that they were also proud of.