Disney’s The Little Mermaid

Uptown Music Theater is excited to announce general auditions for Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Disney’s The Little Mermaid will be directed by Tor Campbell, and choregraphed by Zak Jacobs. Music Director is Aaron Kaplan, who will also conduct the JAM Orchestra. Associate Director is Sharon Miles. Assistant Choreographer is Amber Golich. Associate Music Director is Kevin Zhou. Uptown Music Theater’s Artistic Director is Jamie Davidson.

​Audition Dates: Saturday and Sunday, December 20 and 21, 2025  – 8:00 am – 5:00 pm. *Portions of auditions will be recorded on video. If you are not available on the audition dates, please email info@uptownhp.org

Callback Dates: Sunday, January 11, 2026 – – 8:00 am – 4:00 pm; 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm; Monday, January 12, 2026 – 6:00 – 10:00pm. *Portions of callbacks will be recorded on video

Audition and Callback Location: The Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz Center, 1949 Campus Dr., Evanston, IL

Rehearsal Locations: The Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz Center, 1949 Campus Dr., Evanston, IL; and The Perforning Arts Center @ Deerfield High School, 1959 Waukegan Rd., Deerfield, IL

Performance Location: The Performing Arts Center @ Deerfield High School, 1959 Waukegan Rd., Deerfield, IL

​What to Submit and Prepare: Please reserve an audition slot and submit Uptown’s The Little Mermaid Audition Form and include your resume and headshot. Through the online form, please submit your headshot and resume, and sign up for an audition slot. Please prepare a 1 minute music selection in the style of the show that highlights your musical and vocal strengths. Please bring your sheet music in a three-ring binder for the piano accompanist, and a copy of your headshot and resume for the creative team. Please arrive at least 15 minutes before your audition call time. Your audition will be approximately one hour. First, you will be called as a group for a 30-minute dance call. Your individual vocal audition will follow.

​Disney’s The Little Mermaid Description

Disney’s The Little Mermaid is an adventurous love story about identity, community, and finding the strength of your inner voice. The tale revolves around Ariel, King Triton’s youngest daughter who dreams of exploring the human world and falling in love. After bargaining with Ursula the evil sea witch to trade her tail for legs, Ariel needs the help of her colorful friends, Flounder the fish, Scuttle the seagull and Sebastian the crab to restore order under the sea.

Disney’s The Little Mermaid Character Descriptions

Roles that require a specific race/ethnicity have been noted in the breakdown. Many classic musicals are written with binary gender terms. While the character descriptions are limited to binary pronouns, we encourage gender non-conforming, genderqueer, transgender, and non-binary actors to submit for the roles they most identify with.

Principals

ARIEL (18-30) – A mermaid and King Triton’s youngest daughter. She is curious about the human world, and dreams of becoming a part of life above the water. Pragmatic, trusting, kindhearted, and passionate. Vocal range: Bb3-Eb5

PRINCE ERIC (18-30) – A human monarch who has little interest in taking the crown. He is adventurous and a risk taker. Once Ariel saves his life, he becomes enthralled with finding his rescuer. Vocal range: B3-D5

SEBASTIAN (any gender, 30-45): A crab and advisor to King Triton. A musical virtuoso who is constantly distraught from keeping after Ariel. Despite his paranoia, he cannot bring himself to stand in Ariel’s way. Vocal range: Bb2-C5

URSULA (30-50): The manipulative sea witch and sister who tries to overthrow King Triton. She is cunning and devious and will stop at nothing to get what she wants. Vocal range:F3-C#5

Supporting/Featured/Ensemble

FLOUNDER (any gender, young adult (age 14+) to play teen): A fish and smitten with Ariel, their best friend. Rambunctious but cautious, fearful of the dangers that lurk in and above the water. Vocal range: A2-G4SCUTTLE (any gender): A disheveled seagull and expert in human artifacts. Loudmouthed, optimistic, and a bit ignorant, despite their supposed expertise. Vocal range: C3-G4

KING TRITON (35-50): King of the Sea and Ariel’s father. Beneath his imposing presence and commanding nature lurks a harried single father who will do anything to protect his daughters. The death of his wife has also given him an irrational fear of humans. Vocal range: Ab2-F4.

FLOTSAM (any gender, 20s-30s): An eel and one of Ursula’s lackeys. Oily and spineless, he will say anything you want or need to hear. Vocal range: C4-C#5

JETSAM (any gender, 20s-30s): An eel and one of Ursula’s lackeys. Oily and spineless, he will say anything you want or need to hear.  Vocal range: C4-C#5

GRIMSBY (male presenting, 40-60) Prince Eric’s British guardian. Droll, stuffy, and constantly urging Eric towards his royal duties, specifically marriage.

PILOT/CHEF LOUIS (30s-50s) These are featured Ensemble roles played by the same actor in this production. The Pilot is the head of Prince Eric’s ship. He has featured solos in the song Fathoms Below. Chef Louis is the French Palace chef. He is diabolical and violent. A culinary perfectionist with an affinity for blades. Vocal Range: Bb2-A4

ENSEMBLE – MERSISTERS/OTHER ROLES (18 – 40 years old). The female presenting ensemble will play many featured roles including Ariel’s 6 Mersisters (Aquata, Andrina, Arista, Atina, Adella, Alanna), Palace Maids, Princesses, Sea Creatures, and Gulls.

ENSEMBLE – SAILORS/OTHER ROLES (18 – 40 years old) The male presenting ensemble will play many featured roles including the Sailors, Chefs, Sea Creatures, and Gulls.

NOTE: Sea Creatures, Gulls, and other animals are gender non-binary and will be played by all members of the ensemble.

Understudies: Ensemble will understudy Principal/Supporting roles. Understudies will attend principal/supporting rehearsals and will attend an understudy rehearsal between opening weekend and the second weekend.

Please let us know if we can assist with any accessibility accommodation or questions to facilitate the audition process.

Time Commitment:

Rehearsals:  Tues. 5/26/26 – Thur., 7/9/26: Weekly rehearsals will be four nights per week: 6:30 -10:30pm on Sundays through Wednesdays, and also two Thursdays, 5/28/26 and 7/9/26. The Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz Center, 1949 Campus Dr., Evanston, IL. Rehearsals will move to the theater on Monday, June 29. Thursdays (except May 28 and July 9), Fridays, and Saturdays will be designated as days off each week. There will also be one evening understudy rehearsal between 8/3-8/5/26 (TBD).

Tech Rehearsals/Final Dress: Fri 7/10, 6pm-11pm, Sat and Sun 7/11 and 7/12, 10am – 10pm, Mon 7/13-Friday 7/17, 6-11pm

Performances: Saturday 7/18/26 – Sunday 8/2/26: Nine performances. Performance schedule includes 7:30pm on Fridays, 2pm and/or 7:30pm on Saturdays, and 2pm on Sundays. A tenth performance may be added on either Thursday, 7/23 or Thursday 7/30, as a special morning matinee for young audiences.

Uptown’s Illness & Infectious Disease Response: Actors will participate in weekly symptom checks. These checks involve a self-assessment for common infectious disease symptoms. If symptoms are present, a COVID-19 test shall be taken. All symptom-related information, testing, and results will be treated confidentially. Negative test results without symptoms will allow the actor to resume work, while positive results require following the local health guidelines. This policy will be periodically reviewed and communicated to the actors as needed, ensuring a safe working environment.

Uptown Music Theater’s Commitment
Uptown stands against systemic racism, hatred, and violence. Uptown strives to ensure our theater is a safe space and secure environment, free of harassment or intimidation. We acknowledge that lack of action is harmful.

Uptown is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment.

Uptown is dedicated to upholding values of equal opportunity and engages in a policy of promoting a positive model of diversity, equity, inclusivity, and accessibility. As such, Uptown confirms our commitment to equitable hiring practices in order to achieve that goal. We celebrate inclusivity and encourage actors of all genders, ethnicities, body types, and abilities to submit for the roles to which they most identify.