There were "mike checks," "places" and "action" at Tuesday's dress rehearsal for Maple Place's annual spring musical The Little Mermaid premiering Friday night and running through the weekend.

Directed by Wolf Hill music teacher Erica Siegel, the production has bubbly sets created by art teacher Kelly Jakubowski, fabulous costumes designed by Patty Cooper (wait 'til you see Ursula) and serious theater chops lent by Siegel's college pal DJ Brown (who's back for his sixth production with the school). Fifth grade teacher Cathy Kornick once again leads the stage crew through its paces.

Siegel says about 70 fifth through eighth grade students are involved in the production and that a lot of them go on to perform with the Shore Players in high school.

The Little Mermaid premieres Friday, March 22 at 7 p.m. with repeat performances Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $8 and can be purchased in advance through the Maple Place office or at the door before performances.

The cast for The Little Mermaid includes:

ARIEL - Hope Allem PRINCE ERIC - Jake Cecero SEBASTIAN - Ian Smith FLOUNDER - Isabella Whitaker URSELA - Molly Santi GRIMSBY - Murray Elinson KING TRITON - Martin MacStudy FLOTSAM - Summer Ward JETSAM - Madison McGeddy SCUTTLE - Gillian Andresen CHEF LOUISA - Eliza Howard PILOT - Cameron Janovic CARLOTA – Kristen Murphy AQUATA/PRINCESS 1 - Lily Anderson ANDRINA/PRINCESS 2 – Alex Dunn ARISTA/PRINCESS 3 - Eliza Howard ATINA/PRINCESS 4 - Hannah Birdsall ADELLA/PRINCESS 5 - Annika Kotch ALLIANA/PRINCESS 6 - Diana Mincolla GULL 1 - Jack Hester GULL 2 - Saylor Whiteman GULL 3 - Sydney Sears SEAHORSE - Isabella Antoon ASSISTANT CHEF - Joey Graci            

Chorus: Morgan Shade, Megan Kelly, Stephanie Seymour, Josie Howard     Hailey Katzenberger, Jocelyn Cullen, Antonia Patti, Lily Santi, Jamie McNicholas, Tiffany Parrino, Julia Valinoti, Marina Cioffi, Katie Travlos, Maggie Harvey