Nashville Children's Theatre's World Premiere of FINDING NEMO Musical Is Captivating and Heartwarming

Captivating, heartwarming, colorful, imaginative and down-right magical, Nashville Children’s Theatre’s world premiere production – it’s 19th in the past few years since executive artistic director Ernie Nolan’s arrival – of the theatre for young audiences version of Disney-Pixar’s Finding Nemo is just the latest theatrical hit from the venerable Nashville institution.

And before I get into the heart of the matter, I should probably make a confession (it being good for the soul, I am told): I have never seen the animated film version of the beloved Disney-Pixar Finding Nemo! Certainly, you’d think that with the 2003 film’s ubiquity, I’d surely have seen it by now, but truth be told that when I select a film to see, it’s almost always a drama; I like films to challenge my perspective and pre-conceived notions about a subject, make me think, cry, commiserate and identify with the downtrodden, or saddle me with self-doubt and self-recrimination (it's just who I am).

The colorful tale of a young fish gone missing and his father going on a life-changing journey to find him may sound dramatic, for sure, but its Disney-Pixar pedigree would indicate otherwise. Further, I am not a fan of Ellen Degeneres, the comedian/talk show host and allegedly temperamental boss.

Thus, NCT’s Finding Nemo, the musical, falls under my critical consideration with a relatively clean slate intact (all I knew beforehand is that DeGeneres’ character was named Dory, played here by Nashville actor Darci Wantiez, a talented young woman I happen to like a great deal in the real world and love even more when she is under the sea). And knowing how clever and inventive Mr. Nolan and his creative team are on the regular – and assessing the depth of talent among the production’s cast (seriously, it’s a veritable who’s who of Nashville theater glitterati) – my hopes were high as I settled into my seat in anticipation of a bona fide hit.

And that, my friends, is exactly what Nolan and company have on their ultra-skilled and remarkably talented hands. NCT’s Finding Nemo, which features a score by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez and a book adapted by Lindsay Anderson from the screenplay of the 2003 film, is entertaining and engaging, telling a story that has plenty of levity in its 52-minute playing time, along with enough pathos and understated drama to warm the hearts of the coldest and most unfeeling of theater-goers. In fact, I can offer another confession [Spoiler Alert]: tears filled my eyes when Nemo (played with ample charm and complete confidence by Lipscomb University’s triple threat Meghan Wombles) was reunited with Marlin (real-life dad Eric D. Pasto-Crosby brings a heartfelt paternal warmth to the proceedings), with the frankly adorable Dory/Darci looking on.

The messages delivered by the well-known story of Finding Nemo are particularly well-suited for all audiences, regardless of their age, and the wisdom imparted by the beloved characters is warmly authentic, without being bombastic, and - in the grand tradition of NCT - is quietly profound and lovingly presented.

While Wantiez, Wombles and Pasto-Crosby may elicit the loudest applause during the show’s curtain call, the other five members of Nolan’s ensemble (one of the most impressive casts in recent memory) are equally appreciated throughout the performance: Annabelle Fox, Alex Pineiro, James Rudolph II, LaDarra Jackel and Tyler Evick bring a dazzling array of characters/creatures to life with an artful blend of self-assurance and aplomb. One need only look at the expressions of wonder on the faces of the younger theater-goers in the crowd to see the impact of each performer’s ability to create magic with such grace.

William Ditty’s eye-catching costume design, which somehow takes everyday beachwear and elevates it to become another example of NCT’s brand of theatrical magic, is another example of his tremendous skill.

With brilliant, beautifully designed and conceived puppets by Jesse Mooney-Bullock serving as the various undersea creatures who populate the world of Nemo, Marlin and Dory, the actors bring them to life through movement (both studied and evocative) and glorious singing (kudos to musical director Sarah Michelle Bailey for her impressive efforts to create a full sound with an eight-member ensemble, much to the delight of every audience member, and to sound designer Marsalis Turner who ensures every note sung is heard to perfection, every line delivered comprehended). The result is a wonderfully staged musical that brings all the characters to life with great imagination and a remarkable knowledge of that which ensures the audience’s rapt attention is focused on the scenes that transpire onstage.

Perhaps most noteworthy about Nolan’s staging (he both directs and choreographs the eight actors and their puppets) is the cinematic flow of the onstage action which keeps the plotting in constant movement, with each scene neatly connected with the one that comes before it and leading gracefully into that which follows. It’s absolutely fascinating!

Along with the amazing projections created by Kyle Odum and Sam Lowery of Woven Theatre that so effectively take audiences under the Coral Seas off the coast of Queensland, Australia, Scott Leathers’ extraordinary scenic and lighting design takes his audiences from the Great Barrier Reef to the giant aquarium in Sydney via theatrical magic that is nothing less than stunning. It’s tremendously gratifying to view Finding Nemo in the context of all the other NCT productions of the Ernie Nolan era to note that, with each new production, they seem increasingly awe-inspiring and technically advanced, and reflect Nashville Children’s Theatre continuing legacy of inspiring art that has been a hallmark of the company since its founding in 1931.

Disney and Pixar’s Finding Nemo. Music and orchestrations adapted and arranged by Myrna Conn. Based on the 2003 Disney/Pixar film Finding Nemo written by Andrew Stanton, Bob Peterson, David Reynolds and directed by Andrew Stanton. Music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez. Book adapted by Lindsay Anderson. Directed and choreographed by Ernie Nolan. Musical direction by Sarah Michelle Bailey. Stage managed by Abby Locke Austin and Joe Mobley. Presented by Nashville Children’s Theatre. Through May 19. For more information, go to www.nashvillechildrenstheatre.org. Running time: 52 minutes, with no intermission.

Photos by Michael Scott Evans

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