“I watching Alec sitting in the front row when I cast his daughter as Matilda. He literally was mouthing the words and singing along. He was so invested in his daughter’s performance. So proud,” says Director Jolene Dodson Bogard in a news release. She’s referencing one of her dads in her show “The Little Mermaid” opening June 2 and running through June 8 at R. Roger Rowe Performing Arts Center in Rancho Santa Fe.
“I have three amazing dads in our Grimsby cast all with daughters in the cast.” Bogard is referencing her one “community cast” that features both adults and their children. “Usually it’s some of our moms but, for some reason, this was the year of the dad. No moms.”Being the “month of Father’s Day” Bogard is rejoicing. “My own father loved to sing and dance with me and watching these dads rehearse with their daughters is priceless,” Bogard said in the news release. She is talking about: Alec Weinstein, dad to Sky playing “Sebastian”; Patrick Adams, dad to Athena, Amari and Alia (Flotsam/eel, Allana/Mersister, and the adorable Seahorse); and Jon Schwartz with his cute 5-year-old daughter Emma as “the Blowfish.”
“I also have a dad and local contractor Jon Hayes, who builds our sets with his daughter Brooklyn. These men are amazing,” Bogard said in the news release.
Bogard is used to moms driving kids to rehearsals and helping backstage, but was shocked when she realized this go around, the moms all wanted to help backstage and the dads stepped up and wanted to participate, the news release stated.
“When you start a community theater you want the community to all step up and , and they do, but it’s incredible that these dads all really rose to the top of the heap. Even my husband wants to be in the show!” Bogard said in the news release. “He might be a dancing fish with the most insane costume. It’s how he makes me laugh.”
Tickets to “The Little Mermaid” are available at www.heyjojoproductions.com
