Idaho Ballet Theatre To Perform 'The Little Mermaid' For Its Spring Production

IDAHO FALLS — Idaho Ballet Theatre will be putting on its spring performance next week, featuring over 100 local children, and community members are invited to attend.

IBT puts on two performances every year. During the winter, they always perform “The Nutcracker,” and in the spring, they showcase something different. This year, IBT is performing “The Little Mermaid.” The show will take place on May 2 and May 3 at 7 p.m. at The Colonial Theater at 450 A. Street in Idaho Falls.

“It is our rendition of ‘The Little Mermaid’ as a ballet,” Jennifer Teuscher, one of IBT’s owners and directors, said. “It doesn’t stay exactly true to the Disney story, but it also doesn’t stay true to the original fairytale either.”

Teuscher said that when the owners and directors were brainstorming what to do for their spring performance, the idea of performing ‘The Little Mermaid’ stuck in their minds.

“Everybody loves ‘The Little Mermaid.’ It was one of my favorite Disney movies when I was a kid,” Teuscher mentioned. “The other owners and directors felt the same way, so we were like it would be so fun to share that story because it feels new and exciting.”

Idaho Ballet Theatre rehearsing for 'The Little Mermaid.' — Idaho Ballet Theatre rehearsing for ‘The Little Mermaid.’ | Courtesy Idaho Ballet Theatre

The cast, which consists of children ages three to 18, started practicing for the show at the end of February.

Guest artists, including one from Brigham Young University Provo and a former BYU-Idaho student, will also join the children for the performances.

“The kids are so talented,” Teuscher said about the cast. “They’ve been working on it for a few months now, and it’s exciting to see how the story’s come together and it’s turning into something really fun and exciting, so we’re excited to share it.”

Tickets to the family-friendly show are $18 (plus tax & fees) and can be purchased here. Teuscher said all the proceeds from their performances go into expanding and improving their future performances so they can “share more with the community and the audiences.”

“I’m so grateful for all the support that we’ve seen (from the community) so far,” she stated. “We can’t wait to continue building our relationship with them, where they know they can come to us and expect these awesome productions that are fun for the whole family.”