Down here all the fish are happy, as aft through the waves they roll! The fish at Charm City Players’ production of The Little Mermaid have no troubles and life is de bubbles under the sea! Diving into Part 2 of the TheatreBloom exclusive interview series we sit down with one very special fish— Flounder— played by Logan Dubel, and talk all about his experience as the yellow and blue striped guppy.

Thanks for sitting with us, Logan. Can you tell us a little bit about what you’re doing and what you’ve done with CCP?

Logan Dubel: I’m Logan Dubel. I play Flounder. I just did Seussical here with Charm City, I played Jojo. With Peabody (Peabody Opera Theatre) I did Street Scene at The Lyric (The Lyrica Opera House Baltimore.) And last summer I did Music Man here with Charm City. I played Winthrop.

Why did you want to be a part of The Little Mermaid?

Logan: Well, I wanted to be a part of The Little Mermaid because I really enjoy working with Charm City Players. And it was also a show that I really had never seen or done, so I really wanted to be a part of it because I really like getting to be a part of shows that I’ve never seen or done before.

Are you familiar with The Little Mermaid fairytale story or the Disney movie?

Logan: No. I’ve actually never seen the movie. So this is my first experience with The Little Mermaid.

How are you and Flounder similar and how are you and he different?

Logan: Okay, so Flounder? He knows a lot about Ariel, obviously, because he’s Ariel’s best friend. And sometimes he says things that he shouldn’t be saying in front of other people— like her dad— because he forgets and sometimes he’s just like a teenager spreading gossip almost. Now I don’t gossip— well, a tiny bit, but nothing bad, you know? I don’t get anybody in trouble the way Flounder sometimes gets Ariel in trouble, but he doesn’t really mean to.

You get to play on heelies, right? What’s that been like?

Logan: Yes. I do! First, at the way beginning, I had these one-wheel heelies and we quickly decided that that was just not going to work. So I didn’t have any heelies for a while. Then a few weeks ago they discovered that they make two-wheel heelies! They are so much easier and they work way better! I’m doing really well using the two-wheel heelies, so I’m happy they found them.

What is your favorite song?

Logan: My favorite song is “She’s in Love.” It’s such a diva song! The choreography of the Mersisters is so great and its very lively. It’s a number, where unlike “Under the Sea” and “Kiss the Girl” everyone already knows those songs, this song isn’t well-known, people don’t recognize it because it’s not from the movie but it’s just so good. I hope it’ll be a fun surprise for people who don’t know it.

What are some of the challenges of being Flounder?

Logan: Some of the challenges of being Flounder are getting down the personality. There are some places where he’s sarcastic, some places where he’s being very mopey and childish. He changes moods a lot!

Do you like to swim? In the ocean? In the pool?

Logan: I do like to swim. And I think I like to swim in both. I don’t like one more than the other. I like them both.

If you could be a mermaid, would you?

Logan: Yes. I like how they can just swim around all day and be relaxed. They always move so gracefully.

If the Ursula could use her magic shell to grant you one wish, what would you wish for?

Logan: My great-grandmother to be alive again.

Ariel’s most treasured possession is her voice. What is your most treasured possession and would you trade it for a chance at true love?

Logan: Can it be an animal? If it can, then it’s my dog, Nero. And Nero is a German Shepherd. I don’t think I’d trade Nero…I love Nero. He’s awesome. I love him a lot.

If you could be any creature in the ocean, what would you be?

Logan: I’d be an ee like Flotsam and Jetsam because they get to slither around. They can be kind of creepy but they know what they’re doing and they move really, really cool.

What has getting to do this show taught you about yourself?

Logan: I think it’s taught me that I can do a lot with my movement on stage. Any show, even this one with the heelies, there is always a way to make yourself be the character, you just have to find it throughout the rehearsal process.

What’s your favorite human stuff object?

Logan: A microphone. It makes me feel like everyone hears me. It lets everyone know “Hey, I’m here!” It almost makes you feel comfortable when you’re on stage.

Do you like your costume?

Logan: So I have this huge costume. It has its own zip code. But it’s very fun. It’s very big, and it sticks way out in the front and the back. I have this little tail in the back that I can move around. It’s actually very comfortable and it looks exactly like Flounder does in the movie. The blue, the yellow, it’s all there and it looks perfect.

Now does Flounder do a lot of dancing?

Logan: So Flounder does some dancing. “She’s in Love” is really the Mersisters dancing with Flounder just kind of singing right in the middle of where they’re dancing. Now, “Under the Sea” and “Kiss the Girl” Flounder does the dancing with everyone, more so in “Under the Sea.” The costume does make the dancing a little bit challenging but it’s cool to work it out and see what you can do and what you can’t.

Why do you want people to come and see The Little Mermaid?

Logan: First of all because it’s such a great family show for anyone and everyone. It has a lot of good morals in the story. Also, this show is going to be so lively— the set is going to be great, the costumes are going to be great. The cast has put so much work into it, so just to have a great audience coming to see all that hard work will be a really great thing. I’m having a great time so far. I really love working with Charm City, and it’s going to be a great show. Come out and see us— CCP Little Mermaid!

The Little Mermaid plays through July 17, 2016 at Charm City Players now in residence at Mercy High School in the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Auditorium— 1300 E. Northern Parkway in Baltimore, MD. To purchase tickets, call the box office at (410) 472-4737 or purchase them online.

To read Part 1 of Under the Sea with CCP: B. Thomas Rinaldi as Chef Louis, click here.