The 2024–25 Middle School Production of Finding Nemo Jr. took place on October 24 and 25. Adapted from the beloved 2003 Pixar film, the play follows Marlin, an overprotective father, on his quest to find his son, Nemo, who has been captured and taken to Sydney.
The search for a suitable musical with a large cast was no small feat. Theater Director Andy Brown ‘14 expressed his excitement, saying, “I was excited by the possibility of bringing my favorite movie as a kid to life on stage at Williams. We chose this musical due to the large cast required to put it on, which gave every student who wanted to be on stage a chance to perform. Finding Nemo Jr. is such a bright and vibrant show, and the students did an excellent job filling the stage with energy.”
A unique aspect of this production is that every middle school student participates, taking on roles in acting, set and costume design, lighting and sound operations, as well as marketing and house management. This collaborative experience provides valuable insights into the arts for all involved.
Nicholas Carseli ‘29, who played Marlin, expressed his gratitude for the teamwork, stating, “I enjoyed being part of the show. Every middle school student worked hard to make the show successful.”
With all students engaged, those who might not have envisioned themselves on stage had the chance to explore new avenues. Aeryn Smith ‘30, who portrayed Nemo, remarked, “I especially appreciated the opportunity to learn and develop new skills throughout the process. It was encouraging to see my progress and find success in areas I hadn’t explored before.”
Participating in the production also fostered strong friendships. Lena Cosentino ‘29, who played Dory, shared her memorable experience: “I loved this experience; it brought me closer to my friends and helped me make new ones too! I’m sad this is my last year in the middle school play.”
Be sure to catch the next production of the 2024–25 season, All in the Timing, our Upper School Play, at the Daren Performing Arts Center on December 5 – 7 at 7:00 p.m.
Cast (listed alphabetically):
Zoelle Boor ‘30 – Kai, Seagull, Jellyfish
Nicholas Carseli ‘29 – Marlin
Lena Cosentino ‘29 – Dory
Will Dockery ‘29 – Tad, Vacationer
Veronica Falkenstein ‘29 – Sheldon’s Mom, Moonfish, Seagull, Sea Chorus
Jules Foisie ‘29 – Pearl, Moonfish, Seagull, Sea Chorus
Annie Gingras ‘29 – Sheldon, Moonfish, Seagull, Sea Chorus
Sierra Hurst-Ruales ‘29 – Bruce, Jellyfish, Sea Chorus
Maggie Keenan ‘29 – Peach, Sea Chorus
Emilia Leeming ‘30 – Coral, Moonfish, Seagull, Sea Chorus
Connor Ma ‘31- Bloat, Sea Chorus (Ace Bairos ‘27 – Bloat Understudy)
Jack McClenahan ‘30 – Gill, Sea Chorus
Madeline Muench ‘31 – Squirt, Moonfish, Seagull, Sea Chous
Sanjana Naik ‘29 – Bubbles, Sea Chorus
Lauren Naysnerski ‘30 – Anchor, Jellyfish, Sea Chorus
Elle Reid ‘29 – Chum, Jellyfish, Sea Chorus
Madeline Reid ‘31 – Breeze, Seagull, Sea Chorus
Elijah Rodriguez ‘29 – Crush, Seagull, Sea Chorus
Aeryn Smith ‘30 – Nemo
Addie Squillacote ‘29 – Gurgle, Sea Chorus
Annie Walker Ellis ‘30 – Nigel, Tad’s Mom, Jellyfish
Julia Wang ‘29 – Pearl’s Mom, Scuba Mask, Jellyfish, Sea Chorus
Claire Xenelis ‘29 – Professor Ray, Moonfish, Seagull, Sea Chorus
Production Crew:
Director: Andy Brown ’14
Music Director: Jeffrey Cregeur
Stage Manager/Dimmer Board: Emily Smith ‘27
Sound Board: Finn Pesarik ‘30
Lighting Setup: Sophia Behm ‘27, Liam Boland ‘25, Thomas Carpenter ‘27, Ouranab Murtaza ‘27, Paul Petersen ‘27, Hogan Porter ‘28, Emily Smith ‘27
Backstage Crew: Teddy Corkhill ‘29, Will Corkhill ‘29, Nico Field ‘29, Victor Hasse ‘29, Kai Hurst-Ruales ‘29, Ouranab Murtaza ‘27, Thomas Taylor ‘29
Costumes: Bea Bailey ‘30, Ace Bairos ‘27, Julia Battista ‘26, Sabina Canning ‘30, Greta Field ‘30, Sarah Folstien ‘30, Alexa Gjonaj ‘31, Alex Lindler ‘30, Caitlin Rossman ‘29, Vicky van Berkel ‘30
Set & Props: Lucian Bace ‘31, Barbara Bates-Ma ‘31, Ian Chester ‘31, Lylah Sawyer ‘31, Julian Thorn ‘30, Valentin Vasquez ‘30, Tekla Zweir
Sound Design: Eli Fetzer ‘30, Finn Pesarik ‘30, Simon Tomlinson ‘30, Hutch Walsh ‘30
Box Office: John Paul Champagne ‘31, Nick Cosentino ‘30, Shawn Decastro ‘30, Henry Folstein ‘31, Jake Gjonaj ‘30, Jonny Gould ’30, Raffi Manley ‘29, Bo Parish, Nanak Patidar ‘30, Gabriel Ramos-Esteban ‘30, Tony Raynor ‘30, Calvin Rossman ‘31
Special Thanks to Stephanie Lane, Emma Tanabe, and Katie Gingras P ’26, ‘29
