The 2026 Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy High School Musical Production is making a splash! Announcing Disney’s The Little Mermaid featuring local high school students on stage and off as our next highly-anticipated high school musical!
Performer auditions and backstage interviews
to be announced in early 2026.
The High School Musical Production Program allows high school students to learn valuable life skills gained by participating in a fully-staged Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy Production.
September 22 to October 4, 2026
Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge
Drayton Entertainment has been steadily growing its training offerings for young performers over the past several years, including launching its state-of-the-art training hub, The Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy. Its mission is to provide performing and technical arts training opportunities anchored in the Drayton Entertainment brand of live theatre excellence, facilitated by professional industry mentors. Our aim is to cultivate community, incite leadership, ignite imagination, and boost confidence in a socially aware, inclusive environment.
The High School Musical Production Program offers 100% barrier-free access, including financial, emotional and physical, to unite students from different backgrounds, identities, cultures, abilities and interests, completely free of charge. Drayton Entertainment is committed to diverse, inclusive casting without regard to disability, ethnocultural identity, or gender. It allows students to be mentored by professionals in ALL departments, both on stage and off. We’re seeking passionate theatre-makers, whether their passion lies in performing or technical arts, to gain the hands-on, transferable life skills required to present a fully-staged Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy Production.
About the Show
Ariel, King Triton’s youngest daughter, wishes to pursue the human Prince Eric in the world above, bargaining with the evil sea witch, Ursula, to trade her tail for legs. But the bargain is not what it seems, and 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 offers a fantastic creative opportunity for rich costumes and sets, as well as the chance to perform some of the best-known songs from the past 30 years.
A full plot synopsis can be found here.
Objectives
We strongly believe that skills developed through participation in the arts are becoming increasingly important in the workplace, in all sectors, and are essential to a young person’s success in developing a fulfilling life. We also believe that today’s post-pandemic world presents new, difficult challenges that arts education can help overcome.
A few of these parallel life skills include:
1. DEVELOPING CREATIVITY
Now more than ever, employers are looking for creative thinkers who can move their business forward, not just academic achievers who know how to maintain the status quo. Being able to think on your feet, approach tasks from different perspectives and think ‘outside of the box’ will distinguish arts students from others.
2. DEVELOPING CONFIDENCE
The real time reward that comes with stepping out of your comfort zone, taking risks, learning from mistakes and willingness to try new things with new people results in increased self-worth and a deep sense of belonging.
3. DEVELOPING FOCUS
The ability to focus is a key skill developed through ensemble work. Whether you’re in a big production number onstage or working together with fellow crew members, keeping a balance between listening and contributing involves a great deal of concentration and focus. It requires each participant to not only think about their role, but how their role contributes to the big picture of what is being created.
4. RECEIVING CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK
Receiving constructive feedback is a regular part of any arts instruction. Children learn that feedback is part of learning and it is not something to be offended by or to be taken personally. It is something that is a valuable experience and greatly contributes to the success of the final piece.
5. ACCOUNTABILITY
When children practice creating something collaboratively, they get used to the idea that their actions affect other people. They learn that when they are not prepared or on-time, that other people suffer. We also learn to acknowledge mistakes, learn from them and move on. This is a crucial skill to learn early in life because it contributes to the development of integrity of character, which every employer is seeking in a staff member.
All of this, plus even more life skills like perseverance, understanding, body language, collaboration, and dedication are the reason we do what we do.
The High School Musical Production Program is being offered at no cost to the participants. Participants will not be paid. Participants can count their rehearsal and performance hours as Volunteer Hours.
Rehearsal Schedule
Performer Rehearsal Schedule
Rehearsals begin August 20.
Tech Rehearsal Schedule
To be confirmed.
*SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Performance Schedule
*SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Performer Auditions and Technical Production Interviews
will be announced in early 2026.
Rehearsals will begin August 20th, 2026.
DISNEY’S THE LITTLE MERMAID is presented through special arrangement with Musical Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.MTIShows.com.
A look back at our previous High School Project productions
A look back at our 2025 High School Project, Mean Girls High School Version
2025 saw the return of the Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy High School Musical Production with Mean Girls High School Version! With 57 cast and crew members from 25 different high schools, Mean Girls High School Version had a nearly sold-out run at the Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge in September of 2025.
A look back at our 2024 High School Project, Footloose…
2024 saw the return of the Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy High School Musical Production with Footloose! With 35 cast members and 15 crew members from 20 different high schools, Footloose had a sold-out run at the St. Jacobs Playhouse in February of 2024.
Read more about the show on the Wellington Advertiser’s website: Drayton Entertainment’s production of Footloose takes stage Feb. 14
A look back at our 2023 High School Project, Legally Blonde…
2023 saw the inaugural Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy High School Musical Production with Legally Blonde! With 35 cast members and 15 crew members from 15 different high schools, Legally Blonde has an almost sold-out run at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse in February of 2023.
Read more about the show on CTV’s website: ‘Legally Blonde: The Musical’ to showcase young talent from Southwestern Ontario
“It’s just so professional. You get so much input on your acting and your singing. You get a lot of feedback […] Everyone here has gotten so close and we’ve helped each other grow and build.”
– Alyssa Panda, Legally Blonde Cast Member
Read Bill Jackson’s full article in the Waterloo Chronicle: ‘A new community of like-minded people’: Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy to stage inaugural high school musical
For more information, please contact us at
youthacademy@draytonentertainment.com, 519-804-1100