Deep in the salty waters of the Sassafras Sea, there lived a Little Mermaid. Her name was Celia, and she wanted to learn the secrets of life on dry land.

Join Celia and her friends on a deep sea adventure this Friday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m., and Saturday, Sept. 23, at 3 and 7 p.m., at the Sunrise Theater when Missoula Children's Theatre (MCT) and more than 55 local Moore County students present an original musical adaptation of the classic tale, "The Little Mermaid."

Tickets, at $5 for ACMC members and $8 for nonmembers, are available in advance at the Campbell House (482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines) and at the door.

Directed by Erin Brierty and Kepler Correia of Missoula Children's Theatre, the local cast of "The Little Mermaid" features Stevie Adams, Paige Adkins, Kayla Anderson, Robert Bahner, Alexan Bailey, Ally Baldelli, Megan Bloom, Mac Boorman, Nadia Boron, Emory Bradley, Madelaine Bradley, Tara Brenner, Morgan Bunch, Hannah Burns, Frances Capel, Olivia Capel, Haleigh Conner, Danielle Cormier, Brooke Dozier, Rebecca Fry, Mary Furby, Annie Futtrell, Abby Greene, Rebecca Hipp, Savannah Hogan, Eden Holt, Aaron Ismail, Charlotte Ix, Jinny Jackson, Sam Kruyer, Crawford Liner, Jonathan Martin, Peyton McDonald, Emily McMurray, Mary McMurray, Katherine McMurray, Savannah Merritt, Kathryn Palmer, Kelly Palmer, Sydney Patton, Aimee Pincock, Killian Poplyk, Murphy Poplyk, Melinda Russell, Sienna Salang, Amanda Salloum, Katie Salloum, Andie Schaible, Mia Smithson, Tanna Stafford, Sydney Stavros, Morgan Stephens, Delaney Strank, Marcus Thliveris, Elizabeth Wilson, Jentry Womack, Caleb Wood, Amelia Wood, and Madeline Wooten.

Based in Missoula, Mont., the Missoula Children's Theatre (MCT), the nation's largest touring children's theater, has been touring extensively for over 30 years. They will visit over 800 communities this year with 24 teams of tour actor/directors. All MCT shows are original adaptations of classic children's stories and fairytales a twist on the classic stories that you know and love. MCT's mission is the development of life-skills in children through participation in the performing arts.

"The Little Mermaid" and MCT's residency is presented by the Arts Council of Moore County, and sponsored in part by Time Warner Cable and the North Carolina Arts Council, an agency funded by the State of North Carolina and the National Endowment for the Arts.

For tickets and information, call 910-692-4356 or click onto www.artscouncil-moore.org.