Sold out crowds soak up another successful fall musical

By Carleen Wild
Moody County Enterprise

The Crystal Theatres latest production, The Little Mermaid, captivated audiences this past weekend with near-sold-out performances, leaving spectators in awe of the nearly 60 actors, musicians, cast, and crew who brought the beloved Disney classic to life.
The Sunday matinee, in particular, was filled with families and friends, many of whom have supported the theatres productions for years and who couldnt say enough about the quality of the show.
We came last year, and it was really good, said Jodie Klein, a Dell Rapids area high school senior who has close friends in the production. Its just crazy because were in South Dakota. I feel like Im on Broadway, but its South Dakota. Its just really cool to see them.
For LeAnn Knippling, the production had even more personal significance. My son is King Triton, my granddaughter is one of the actors, and my grandson is running the lights, she said. The entire family has taken part in nearly every fall production in recent years.
Her daughter-in-law, Erica, played the part of the evil underhanded Ursula.
They have so much fun, and its fun for us. I know its just perfect, Knippling said with a smile, because theyre in there.
While the production earned rave reviews, it also carried an emotional weight. As the curtain closed on the final shows, co-director Val Smith expressed bittersweet feelings about the upcoming departures of several senior actors.
Were going to lose at least five (high school) seniors that have been with us since they were little, like in Childrens Theatre. We were talking about it today, and we all just started crying. Its all great, weve got a lot of young actors coming up behind them, but its just bittersweet, said Smith.
The Crystal Theatres commitment to bringing top-tier performances to the Flandreau community has only grown stronger with each production. The success of The Little Mermaid marks another incredible chapter for the community-driven theatre, with many already eagerly anticipating next years performance.