Spring Musical Cast Spotlight: Warrick Couture and Christian Merrill

by Rachel Crowley

In every great production there must be an anti-hero, villain, or a group of bad guys. In Disney/Pixar’s “Finding Nemo, Jr!” that honor goes to the sharks. There is a shiver of sharks in the musical. The sharks work as a team, just like it's truly a team effort to prepare for a Spring Musical. STEP VA, INC. is a 501c3 non-profit organization that provides sensory-based theater and arts programs for individuals with disabilities. Its vision is to transform the world by offering everyone the opportunity to flourish in the community.

One of those participants who has flourished in STEP VA is Warrick Couture, who is back on stage this spring playing Bruce, the ringleader of the sharks. Preparing for his role as the leader of the sharks was also fun for Couture. “I enjoy being able to portray how a shark is a true beast of the ocean,” he said.

This show will be Couture’s fifth time in the cast of a STEP VA’s spring musical. Last year he played Jojo the Who in “Seussical Jr.” His previous roles include Snoopy in “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, Timon in “Disney’s ‘The Lion King, Kids!” and Nathan in “A Special Covid-19,” written by STEP VA’s very own Noah Finch.

“I love getting to run my scenes with Christian and Raymond,” he said that is what he enjoys the most about rehearsals. That does not mean rehearsals are always easy. For Couture, it is the choreography that makes the rehearsals more challenging. “Trying to nail the dances, because they are about the fastest dances, any cast of a STEP VA musical has done,” he explained.

He hopes the audience will learn, “that even though independence is important for growth, it is okay to stay close with family,” he stated. Lastly, Couture, in character, has a message for the community. Bruce wants “everyone to swim to Courtland High School....if they dare” to see the musical.

STEP VA welcomes Christian Merrill. He is taking the stage for the first time this year. Though he is new to STEP VA’s spring musical experience, he has adventured out to highlight his talent in Fredericksburg’s First Friday, “Finding Nemo Jr.” preview. Merrill will be playing Chum, one of Bruce’s sidekicks. Chum tries to keep Bruce in line and helps remind him that “fish are friends, not food.” Preparing for his role was fun. “I like playing Chum because I like the idea of playing a shark that likes to eat fish,” he said.

“To hang out with many people and likes some of the dance moves.”, he said this what he enjoys the most about rehearsals. That does not mean rehearsals are always easy. For Merrill, he admits that he likes to dance but choreography is a challenge, “learning the dances and trying to remember all the dancing moves, because there is a lot to learn,” he said. He and his co-star Couture agree on this.

As for the show itself, Merrill cannot wait. He is excited to be on stage and ready to perform in front of other people! He hopes the audience will not only enjoy the musical but also have a fun time. He admits that once the musical ends he will miss getting together with everyone.

See Couture and Merrill as they chomp down in their roles as sharks in STEP VA’s stage version of Disney/Pixar's “Finding Nemo, Jr.” on April 12 & 13, 2025 at Courtland High School, with American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation available for audience members at the show on Saturday, April 12 (6 p.m.). Tickets are $15 (kids under five are free) and are on sale now. CLICK HERE to purchase.

Color-printed programs and flowers for cast members are also available for advanced purchase, HERE.

For more information or to donate to STEP VA, visit www.stepva.org.

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STEP VA, Inc. is a 501c3 non-profit organization that provides sensory-based theater and arts programs for individuals with disabilities. Its vision is to transform the world by offering each individual the opportunity to flourish in the community.