A theatrical production of “Finding Nemo Jr.” helped close out summer with creativity, confidence, and an undersea adventure brought to life by local students.
The show gave students in grades K–12 a free opportunity to participate in a full-scale theatrical production as part of an annual summer camp made possible by a partnership between P&HCC Productions and the Martinsville-Henry County Charity League. It was sponsored by Sarver Real Estate, and held in the Walker Fine Arts Theatre at Patrick & Henry Community College (P&HCC).
“There were 45 kids in the show,” said Director Devin Pendleton. “So that night, you saw about 45 of our show buddies helping cheer on our actors who might’ve been a little more nervous before opening.”
The camp not only taught students performance skills but also incorporated lessons about ocean currents and marine life. “It was a great educational opportunity while the kids had a lot of fun,” Pendleton said.
The first performance was a “Show Buddy Night,” where young actors brought their favorite stuffed animals to ease first-night jitters.
“It was an opportunity for our actors, especially those who had never been on stage before, to bring their favorite stuffed animal friend to help cheer them on,” Pendleton said. “I don’t know that that’s a gimmick, and I wish I could take the credit for it, because I think it’s a brilliant idea.”
Pendleton emphasized that despite being a youth production, the effort mirrored the quality of Patrick & Henry Community College’s adult shows. “We gave our actors K through 12 the same attention you would give to our adults,” he said. “If you’re thinking, ‘Oh, this is a kid show, I’m not really interested in that,’ it was every bit of a P&HCC production.”
“This isn’t a children’s theater company,” Pendleton said. “But we offer this one time annually. It’s a free camp experience.”
This year’s show ran from Friday to Sunday and featured favorite characters from Finding Nemo and Finding Dory. “It was something fun for the whole family,” Pendleton said. “Everyone remembers Finding Nemo, Finding Dory, all the characters you love. We took a very similar Disney theme park approach to the show. So we had theatrical puppets, the lighting, all the things.”
One of the standout features of the show was Nigel—a 15-foot-tall pelican puppet designed and built by student and actor Landon George.
“Nigel is about 13 feet tall, or at least his neck is. At total, I believe he’s about 15 feet tall,” George said. “He’s made completely out of PVC pipe, pool noodles, chicken wire and stuff we had laying around.”
George explained that Nigel’s mouth was powered by a rope and pulley system. “His mouth was connected by two pieces of 1x wood with spring hinges and bungee cord. There was a rope pulley system that ran all the way down his neck and came out the back. We were able to move his mouth up and down,” he said.
“I’m gonna cry a lot,” George added. “We’re probably gonna have to dismantle him. I mean, what truck would he fit in?”
Pendleton said Nigel had been a “pipe dream,” but George brought the bird to life with ingenuity and commitment.
For many of the students, the story of Finding Nemo was new. “It was kind of a full-circle moment to be able to bring a show like this to a generation of kids who didn’t grow up with it the way we did,” Pendleton said.
Nemo, played by Tristan Armstrong, was a crowd favorite. “Everyone loved Nemo,” Pendleton said. “His name is Tristan Armstrong, and I couldn’t picture a better Nemo.”
Dory delivered comic relief, and Bruce the shark was a crowd pleaser, requiring two actors to operate.
The behind-the-scenes team included regular production crew and adult actors who volunteered to support the campers.
“It really did teach a whole level of confidence at such an early age,” Pendleton said. “Oftentimes in our K through 12 spaces, we don’t always have time to focus on that outside of the curriculum.”
“Even if you didn’t know a kid in the show and you were looking for something to do, especially in a cool space, it was super hot in Martinsville—it was the best $15 you could’ve spent,” he said.
“I’m so stinking proud. And, you know, next year’s a milestone year ’cause we’re gonna be hitting show number 50.”
