“Sukey and the Mermaid” is an opera written and performed by local kids under the sponsorship of Opera Theatre of St. Louis. It’s adapted from an African-American folk tale set in the American South in the 1930s. 

This summer, sixth and seventh grade kids from Carr Lane Visual and Performing Arts School worked for the first time under professional stage, set and costume directors. Also, this was the first student production performed on the Opera Theatre’s main stage. 

The original music and words for “Sukey” were written by 7th graders during the 1995-96 school year. It had been performed as a student production previously. 

But, this year, Opera Theatre hired a professional stage director as well as a professional set and costume designer. This year’s Carr Lane 6th and 7th graders gave two performances at the Loretto-Hilton Theater on the campus of Webster University.

Thirteen-year-old Elayne Bruner was in the title role of Sukey, who is saved from an abusive father by a mythical mermaid, Mama Jo.

Elayne admits she was “a little nervous” about performing in her first professional play. 

“But, I’ll get over it. I just have to remember that this is what I want to do for a living,” she said. Elayne wants a career in the movies and as a rhythm and blues singer.

Diane McCullough is a vocal music and piano teacher at Carr Lane VPA who has the kids in class. She and three students provided the musical accompaniment for the opera.

McCullough plays the piano. Others in the orchestra are students Jessie James, Calvin Miller and Ashley Clemon. They play percussion instruments that give the opera an unusual musical background. 

McCullough said development of the opera was part of a school program sponsored by Opera Theatre. 

Allison Felter is the director of education for Opera Theatre. She said Carr Lane VPA is one of 50 St. Louis area schools that are using the musical curriculum. It’s called Music! Words! Opera!

She said the Carr Lane opera was selected from among several candidates for the professional staging. “The opera was in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Opera Theatre,” Felter said.

Vernnell Warlick, another 13-year-old, plays the part of Dembo. He’s the guy that mermaid Mama Jo tells Sukey to marry. But, before that happens, he’s killed by Sukey’s father and brought back to life when Sukey puts a magic pearl into his mouth. 

Vernnell said this is his first performance in a professionally-directed show. But, he said he’s not nervous. “I just don’t think about the audience,” he said. He said he wants to be a movie actor. 

Twelve-year-old Phillip Hamer was the villain of the opera. He’s Sukey’s father, who’s always making his daughter work hard. He also steals the gold Mama Jo gives to Sukey. 

But, after he kills Dembo, he comes to a bad end. Mermaid Mama Jo whips up a severe storm and overturns his boat. He drowns.

This was Phillip’s first professional play. He said, to avoid nervousness, “my teacher told me to take deep breaths before I go on.” 

Sukey’s father isn’t the only one after Sukey’s money. Three other young men try to marry her. 

Sam Fick, who is 13, plays the part of Billie Bob. Concerning his first professional part, Fick said he’s not nervous. 

“Before, when I performed before friends at school, I was nervous. But, when I’m performing for people I don’t know, I won’t be nervous,” he said.

A total of 19 Carr Lane students took part in the opera performances. Sixteen were on stage and the other three were in the orchestra pit. 

Tiffany Piel, who is 13, has the part of the narrator. She’s the one that tells the audience the story line between the various scenes. For instance, she has to tell about the 10 years that go by while Sukey lives with Mama Jo. 

When Sukey goes to live under the sea, she was a young girl. But, when she comes back to meet Dembo, she is a young woman. 

All of the youngsters showed a stage presence well beyond their middle-school years.