‘Finding Nemo’ takes audiences on an under the sea adventure
For too short a time, the ocean comes alive onstage at the John W. Engeman Theater in Northport, where Disney and Pixar’s Finding Nemo takes audiences on a colorful, music-filled journey through the Great Barrier Reef.
The production, based on Pixar’s beloved 2003 film, follows Marlin (Max Unlu), an anxious and overprotective clownfish who sets out across the ocean after his son Nemo (Ashley Huber) is captured and taken to Sydney. Along the way, Marlin meets a host of memorable characters, including the optimistic Dory (Jessica Mae Murphy) and the laid-back sea turtle Crush (Tiara Solorzano).
Unlu brings the right combination of nervousness, determination and heart to Marlin, as seen in the 2003 film, making the overprotective father easy to relate to as he ventures far beyond his comfort zone to find his son. Huber gives Nemo an energetic independence, capturing the young fish’s desire to explore the world while also showing the vulnerability underneath his confidence. Murphy’s Dory provides much of the show’s humor and energy. She brings the character’s optimism and lovable confusion to the stage without losing the warmth that makes Dory such an important part of the story.
Directed by Andrew McCluskey and choreographed by Katy Snair, with music directed by Lacey Cornell, the show opens with “Prologue,” performed by Marlin, Coral and the Sea Chorus, before moving into “Big Blue World,” which introduces audiences to Marlin and Nemo’s underwater home. The song immediately establishes the relationship between father and son, and the tension between Marlin’s desire to keep Nemo safe and Nemo’s desire to explore.
That relationship is tested when Nemo ventures too far from home.
After Nemo is taken, Marlin’s journey begins, leading audiences through a series of musical numbers that keep the production moving. Murphy gets a chance to shine in “Dory’s Ditty,” while “Fish Are Friends Not Food,” featuring Bruce, Chum, Anchor, Marlin, Dory and the Sharks, provides one of the show’s more playful moments.
Nemo’s storyline continues with “Where’s My Dad?” and “We Swim Together,” as he finds himself among the Tank Gang. The production does a great job showing how Nemo begins to find confidence and friendship away from his father.
And, of course, audiences get to hear the famous phrase often, “Just Keep Swimming.”
The familiar song appears in two parts, first featuring Dory, Marlin and the Sea Chorus and later bringing in Moonfish and Jellyfish. It is an especially fitting song for this production, where the characters continually have to push forward despite the obstacles in front of them.
The cast deserves considerable credit for bringing the large number of characters to life. While Unlu, Huber and Murphy remain the central trio, the entire cast is filled with talented performers who move between characters with impressive ease. Rather than having every actor confined to a single role, the performers switch characters throughout the production, creating a constantly changing world beneath the sea.
Daniel Bishop, Jules Curtis, Brian Ross Gershowitz, Will Logan, Cassidy Rose O’Brien, Jack O’Connor, Joslyn Shepard-Stivers, Tiara Solorzano, Lucas Tovar and Terrence Bryce Sheldon all contribute to the production’s energy. The ability of the cast to swap between characters without disrupting the flow of the story is one of the show’s strengths. One moment an actor may be part of the reef community and the next they are helping create another group of sea creatures, allowing the stage to continually transform.
That transformation is also helped by the production’s scenic design.
The stage, designed by Dennis Kaydanov, is turned into the Great Blue Ocean through a combination of scenic elements, lighting, props and costumes. The design doesn’t attempt to recreate the computer-generated world of the Pixar movie. Instead, it embraces the fun of live theater, creating playful takes on sea life that work particularly well for a family audience.
The costumes (Laura McGauley) and props (Megan Cohen) add another layer of personality to the production. The sea creatures are recognizable while still feeling like theatrical interpretations rather than exact copies of their animated counterparts. The result is a stage that continually feels alive.
At its heart, Finding Nemo remains a story about a parent learning to let go and a child learning to find confidence in himself.
For families, it is an entertaining way to introduce young children to live musical theater, and for adults who grew up with the original Pixar film, it offers a nostalgic trip under the sea with a talented cast putting its own spin on some very familiar characters.
Sometimes, you just need a good cast, some imagination, and as Dory would say, you just have to keep swimming.
