'The Little Mermaid' swims into Durham next week

"It's the core of the story," said Steve Blanchard, who plays King Triton in the production. Blanchard, a father of three girls, can relate to his character's struggles.

"My favorite scene is the turning point in the plot that sends Ariel swimming up to meet her boyfriend," Blanchard said of the moment Triton finds his daughter has been collecting items from land and longs to live above the sea. It is an incredibly relatable moment for any parent, he said.

Blanchard and his fellow mermen and mermaids will be taking to the skies during the production, as flying is used to simulate swimming.

"The show is such a visual candy store of colors and moving parts," Blanchard said.

Blanchard started with the show in 2014 but left for a stint with Newsies. He rejoined the show last year. While stepping into the role of King Triton is familiar, Blanchard has a very familiar face on stage with him. His wife, Meredith Inglesby, will be debuting as the show's villain Ursula.

"She covered (the role) on Broadway, so when our Ursula was leaving, it was a no brainer," Blanchard said. The two have worked together before in Beauty and the Beast and Newsies, which played DPAC last year.

The Little Mermaid runs Oct. 17-22 at DPAC. Tickets are still available.