Approximately 50 children are currently rehearsing for Rising Stars Children’s Theatre’s upcoming production of “Once On This Island.”

The show will be presented in two performances, Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Fulton Education Center. Performances will represent the culmination of Rising Stars’ week-long spring theater program.

The show is an original and theatrical Caribbean adaptation of “The Little Mermaid.” The award-winning songwriting team of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty wrote the score. Rising Stars’ Meghan Pearson is directing the show with music performed by Shayne Knight.

The young actors are rehearsing every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Granby Elementary School. At the beginning of the week, the children auditioned for the various parts in the play.

“There are a lot of different parts in this show,” said Meghan Pearson. “Unlike “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” which we did in February, this show has several speaking parts and a lot of different kinds of characters. There will be kids performing as birds, trees and even linked together to form a wall. It is a lot of fun to watch.”

Children taking part in the theatre camp range from 6- to 18-years-old. Joe Clark, co-founder and director of operations and marketing, said that approximately half of the performers took part in the February program and half are new to Rising Stars. The cast hails not only from Fulton, but also Syracuse, Mexico, Oswego, Hastings and Hannibal.

Jennica Vehrs, who is working on the choreography for the show with Jenny Pearson, said that the children are quickly learning the steps for the various numbers.

“I think a lot of the kids were a little nervous when we first started,” Vehrs said. “But once they got in there and started dancing, their comfort levels were a lot higher and I see them having a lot of fun with it.”

Knight boasted the same progress with the musical scores.

“It is really amazing how much the kids can learn in such a short amount of time,” Knight said. “In a few hours, they were already learning the songs. In a few days, they are singing along as if they’d known them forever.”

Performances of Once on This Island are open to the public but space is limited. Tickets will be for sale at the door with a special offered to past Rising Stars participants.

“Any child who performedin Joseph who is not in this show can see the show free of charge,” Clark said.

The group also continues to seek sponsorships for the show’s program. Those interested in placing ads in the program or making reservations for seats can contact Clark at 402-4694.

A raffle will be offered during the performances for a Hawaiian-themed Build A Bear teddy and other assorted treats including a free enrollment for one of the group’s three summer theater camp programs. Personal messages can also be sent to the performers on a palm tree for opening night.

“For a slight cost, people can ‘leaf a message’ to the young actors,” Clark said.

Rising Stars is preparing for its Fulton summer program, as well. The summer theatre camp will culminate in performances of “Seussical.” The program and performances will be held on the stage at G. Ray Bodley High School.

Those interested in additional information about the summer program can contact Deb Pearson at 288-5052