From now until opening night on Nov. 9, the Livingston Post will be profiling cast members of the Community Theatre of Howell’s production of “The Little Mermaid.”
He’s only 15, but Ethan O’Dell already has a list of theater credits a mile long.
He plays Sebastian the Crab in the current Community Theatre of Howell production of “The Little Mermaid,” and it’s his 11th show with the group. The theater bug didn’t just bite him – it devoured him.
“I first came to CTH in winter of 2012 when CTH was doing ‘Little Mermaid Jr.’ I was 8 and I remember being so scared during auditions,” Ethan said. “After my audition, I waited several days until the cast list was posted. I had made it! Ever since that show, I’ve been bit by the theater bug.”
“Little Mermaid Jr.” was his first show, and he followed that up with roles in “Into the Woods Jr.” (2013), “Honk! Jr.” (2014), “Phantom Tollbooth Jr.” (2015), “Beauty and the Beast” (2016), “Magic Tree House: Dinosaurs Before Dark Kids” (2017), “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” (2018), “James and the Giant Peach Jr.” (2018), “Tarzan” (2018), and now “The Little Mermaid.”
“The Little Mermaid” tells the tale of a rebellious 16-year-old mermaid named Ariel who is fascinated with life on land. On one of her visits to the surface, which are forbidden by her controlling father, King Triton, she falls for a human prince. Determined to be with her new love, Ariel makes a dangerous deal with the sea witch Ursula to become human for three days. But when plans go awry for the star-crossed lovers, King Triton is forced to make the ultimate decision. Along the way, they encounter a variety of colorful and crazy sea creatures.
Ethan plays Sebastian, a servant of King Triton who provides much of the comedy in the show.
“I really like playing the role of Sebastian because for one, I get to do a Jamaican accent,” Ethan said. “I also really enjoy the overall seriousness and comedic relief that this character adds to the show. One thing that’s really fun about the role is the costume. Costumes are one of the greatest parts of a production. The detail and work that’s used on the costumes are one of the biggest factors in making the show.”
Ethan lives in Brighton, and he’s a freshman at Livingston Christian Schools in Brighton. His mom and dad have six kids: Ethan is the oldest, followed by Hailey, 13; Lucas, 11; Noah, 9; Zane, 7; and Ruby, 4. Ethan says that when he’s not on stage, his hobbies include drawing and snowboarding.
“Drawing is one of my favorite hobbies,” he said. “I usually will draw late at night when it’s quiet and I can focus.”
Ethan said he’s enjoyed all of his CTH experiences, but certain roles were especially memorable for him.
“I’d have to say that my favorite roles that I have played so far are LeFou from ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and Jack from ‘Dinosaurs Before Dark.’ LeFou was a really fun role to play because it was my first family show, and I also just really got to let loose and express my inner goofball,” Ethan said. “Jack was also another one of my favorites because it was my first lead role. So I was at the theater a lot more, which I love, and I really had to put hard work into the development of my character.”
Spending time with his CTH family is something he truly loves.
“One thing that I like most about being involved at CTH is the overall acceptance of newcomers and veterans to CTH alike,” he said. “I remember when I was the newbie to it all and I felt really scared about this new group of people I was being introduced to for the first time. Well, I had nothing to worry about because the people there were very accepting and encouraging and I have made some really great friendships at the theater.
“Another thing I love about theater is being able to be in shows with my family,” he added. “My little brother Noah is in this show with me and my other siblings have been in shows with me as well. There’s always a place for everyone, helping with the set or with the costumes or the sound, etc… and that allows my entire family to be a part of the same thing. That’s pretty cool.”
With opening night of “The Little Mermaid” less than a week away, the excitement is coming to a head.
“What I like about being a part of ‘Little Mermaid’ is how the cast and staff are bonded and we all work together as a unit to pull off this show,” Ethan said. “There is a huge age range in this show from 6-80. We all make friendships amongst each other and that really helps for us to make this show possible. I also really like seeing the progress of the show. Where we were and how far we’ve come. It’s incredible to see just how much hard work and effort goes into making an amazing show at CTH possible.
“My favorite part of experiencing ‘Little Mermaid’ is the teamwork of the cast, crew, and staff,” Ethan said. “One missing component and the whole show would fail. It really is amazing to see a group of people come together and make a show possible, simply because they love doing it. The fact that people are willing to give 5-6 days a week for several months is incredible and it truly is a blessing that I thank God for that I am able to be a part of CTH.”
The Community Theatre of Howell is presenting “The Little Mermaid” at the Howell High School Freshman Campus, 1400 W. Grand River Ave., Howell. Shows are Nov. 9-11 and 16-18, with showtimes at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with matinees at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday each weekend.
Tickets are $17 for adults, $15 for students and seniors, available at Finding Roots in Howell, Maria’s School of Dance in Fowlerville, Big Acre in Brighton, and Ed Bock Feed and Seed in Pinckney. Tickets are also available by calling 517-545-1290, or online at cththeatre.org. You can buy tickets by clicking here.
