Lobster

Adelaide is 9 years old and is in 4th grade at OCS. She made her Strauss debut in the ensemble of Sound of Music and has been in multiple productions including the Princess and the Pea and The Music Man. She loves hanging out with friends and being on center stage.

Squirt (EAC Cast)

Alexa is a 3rd grader at Claiborne Elementary. Finding Nemo is her second show at SYAA and she loves being able to sing, dance, and create new friendships with each show. She loves trips to Disney World so being a part of Nemo has so totally rocked dude! Her favorite song from the musical is Go With the Flow.

Electric Eel

Amelia is 8 years old and is in second grade at Jesus the Good Shepherd. She loves art, reading, math, gymnastics, music, and dancing with DBK. Amelia made her stage debut in 2022 on Strauss’s main stage in “Annie Get Your Gun”. This is her first show at SYAA. She has made new friends and enjoyed this experience very much!

Stage Manager

Anna Beth is a 16 year old junior at Ouachita Christian School. This is her first time participating in the tech crew for a show, and she is so thrilled to have the chance to see this show come to life thanks to the work of so many amazing people!

Seahorse

Annabelle is 9 years old and is a 3rd grader at Jesus the Good Shepherd. In her free time, she enjoys playing soccer, cheering, dancing, reading and playing with her little sister! Annabelle has participated in one other SYAA production and loves the time she spends here! Thank you for swimming in to see her shine and remember - Just Keep Swimming!

Electric Eel

Annelise is an 8 year old second grader who attends River Oaks. She has attended workshops in the summer at SYAA for two years and has thoroughly enjoyed her time in SYAA. She enjoys playing softball, singing, making art, and knitting. Thank you for coming to see her first role in a play - an electric eel in Finding Nemo Jr!

Pearl( EAC Cast)

Audrey is 9 years old and is a 3rd grader at Sallie Humble. Audrey loves playing with friends and having tea parties! Finding Nemo, Jr. is her 2nd time on stage after playing Tinker Bell in Shrek, Jr at Ruston Community Theater last summer.

Moonfish/Jellyfish

Autumn-Raye is an 11 year old homeschooled 6th grader in NELCHA. This is her second year of homeschooling and her second show. She enjoys tumbling, 4-H, photography, theater, and volleyball. She is actively involved wherever she can be helpful and serve others. She is looking forward to many more shows. She hopes you enjoy this cute, silly show and that it makes you laugh as it has her.

Octopus

Bailey is 11 years old and enjoys playing piano, swimming, and being with her family. She attends Sallie Humble Elementary and North Monroe Baptist Church where she is involved and serves her community. This Baileys first show at SYAA. She looks forward to performing in more shows!

Sea Turtle

Bayles Beard is a 12 year old 6th grader at Good Hope Middle School. Her very favorite thing in the world is anything musical theatre! This is her 5th Strauss production to be a part of, and she is so excited to be here and be a part of this production and the Strauss Youth family!

Tad’s Parent

Breanna is 11 years old in the 6th grade. Finding Nemo Jr is her first play. She has been in Honor Choir, Allstate Choir and Regional Choir this year. She has been wanting to act all her life. She has really enjoyed this journey. “Just keep swimming”

Pearl (Wallaby Way Cast)

Brelea is 10 years old and is homeschooled. She enjoys drawing, singing, collecting Squishmallows, and riding horses. Finding Nemo Jr. is her first show ever and she is enjoying her part as Pearl. She is excited for her family and friends to see the musical.

Stage Manager

Brianna Cobin is a 14yo homeschooled freshman who loves to perform. She started in theatre at age 8 and has been in several shows at SYAA. When not performing, Brianna loves to travel with family, play basketball & volleyball and hang out with friends. She has truly enjoyed working tech for Finding Nemo, Jr. as her final production at SYAA.

Chum

Brynlyn is 13 and a home schooled 6th grader. She loves reading and the theatre. She has done several shows at SYAA, including The Little Mermaid, The Sound of Music and The Music Man. She loves being a part of SYAA and is thankful for all the friends she has made here.

Angelfish

Cora is 8 years old and is in second grade at Lexington Elementary. Finding Nemo is her first show! She has made lots of new friends and likes exploring backstage. Her favorite song from the show is Go With the Flow.

Sea Turtle

Cruse is a 6th grader at Sallie Humble Elementary. He started his SYAA career acting in The Phantom Tollbooth. He has done tech for the Christmas Show and High School Musical. Cruse loves legos and video games!

Breeze

Daniel is a 10 year old 5th grader at Kiroli Elementary. He is in his first SYAA season including roles in Peter Pan Jr. (Curly), Music Man Jr. (Winthrop) and Percy Jackson (Mozart). Daniel is currently obsessed with the musicals Wicked and Grease and plans on playing football when he attends Good Hope Middle School in the fall. Daniel’s favorite Nemo song is ‘Go With the Flow’.

Spotlight Operator

Nemo (EAC cast)

Emily Grace is a 5th grader at George Welch Elementary who loves to shop and hang out with friends. This is her 5th production with SYAA. Her favorite song from Finding Nemo is Where’s My Dad.

Coral

Mic Tech

Eva is a sophomore at River Oaks. She has been in many shows at SYAA since she was 8 years old. Her favorite roles include Chenille in Junie B. Jones and ensemble in Big Fish last summer. Most recently, she played a cheerleader in Highschool Musical! She enjoys making music and art, and spending time with friends.

Pearl's Parent/Moonfish

Evie Grace is 11 years old and a homeschooled 5th grader. She and her sister Georgia enjoy their home here at SYAA. She is a musical theater junkie, who would happily spend ALL her free time either on the stage herself or seeing any Broadway production. This show is the 12th SYAA production with which Evie has been involved...and she looks forward to many more!!

Moonfish

Octopus

Finley Kate Neely is excited for her debut show Finding Nemo Junior. Theater is a new and exciting venture for her. She is a fifth grade student excelling in her studies and a social butterfly to her peers. She looks forward to many more seasons and expanding her knowledge of the theater.

Professor Ray

Georgia is 14 years old in 9th grade. This year she made All-State choir. She loves all things musical theater—from her obsession with Broadway soundtracks to this show being her lucky number 13th with SYAA. Georgia has found her tribe through her involvement with SYAA, and. loves getting to share the stage with her close friends, as well her younger sister Evie!! She hopes you love the show!!

Light Board Operator

Sheldon (Wallaby Way Cast)

Gianna is a 3rd grade Student at Jesus the Good Shepherd school. This is her 3rd show at SYAA. She loves art, singing and dancing! She hopes you will come see her and all her friends in this amazing show!

Tad (Wallaby Way Cast)

Grayson is a 2nd Grader at Kiroli Elementary School. He likes playing video games, swimming, and hanging out with his friends. He has been in three productions at SYAA. He loves performing in shows and thinks SYAA is so much fun!

Marlin (EAC Cast)

I’m Grayson Whitaker. I’m 11 years old and I attend Kiroli Elementary. My past shows include Lightning thief, Music Man, A Christmas Carol etc. My favorite movies are Grease and Hairspray. I enjoy goofing off with my friends and watching movies. I love SYAA because everybody is so nice. I have loved being Marlin! Hope you enjoy the show!

Tad (EAC Cast)

Dory (EAC Cast)

Izzy is 13 years old and in 7th grade at NJH. She enjoys playing tennis, doing art, acting and singing. Some of her favorite roles include playing Flounder in the Little Mermaid, James in James and the Giant Peach, and Wendy in Peter Pan. Her favorite song from Finding Nemo is Just Keep Swimming!

Bubbles

Jonathan is 10 years old and in 4th grade at Boley Elementary. He has been in 7 shows. He loves to sing, tell jokes, play guitar. He loves to make people laugh.

Spotlight Operator

Spotlight Operator

Marlin (Wallaby Way Cast)

Landon is 12 years old and is finishing 6th grade at Sallie Humble. He is a member of SH Choir, band, and Art club. This is his second play to be in however he was on the tech crew the last two plays here at SYAA. He is looking forward to many more performances with SYAA & hopes you enjoy the underwater adventures of Finding Nemo Jr..

Gill

This is Lara Jayne’s 8th experience at SYAA. Her favorite previous role was Vice-President of the APU in Princess and the Pea. She loves to dance competitively with Linda Lavender School of Dance. She leads in Fellowship of Christian Students at Kiroli Elementary, and is Parliamentarian for 4-H. Lara Jayne loves the friends she has made at SYAA. She hopes you enjoy the dancing and singing of Finding Nemo, JR!

Crush

Leah is a 12 year old student at Neville Jr High. Leah has been doing theatre for 5 years and intends to continue for more. You may have seen her in other shows as PIP from Princess and the Pea, Smee from Peter Pan, Chiron from the lightning thief and more! Leah hopes every one enjoys the show and learns to go with the flow!

Kai

Lillian is 8 years old and in third grade at Jesus the Good Shepherd School. This is her second role in an SYAA production with her first being a Brave Girl in Peter Pan last Summer. She loves dance, soccer, singing and hanging out with her friends. She can’t wait to dive into her role as Kai into the deep blue!

Lobster

Lucille is a nine-year-old third grader at JGS. She is thrilled to play a part in her second show at SYAA! Lucille enjoys reading, singing, playing piano, playing soccer and basketball, as well as riding horses. Her favorite song from “Finding Nemo” is “Fish Are Friends, Not Food!”

Peach

Magnolia is a 5th grader at Sallie Humble Elementary school. Maggie’s other stages include the soccer field, the basketball court and on the sidelines cheering on the Tigers. Maggie is thrilled to be a part of her fourth show at SYAA and is ready to be Peach perfect in the tank!

Moonfish and Jellyfish

Mara is 8 years old and attends Sterlington Elementary. She is somewhat new to SYAA. Her first production was Home For the Holidays and she loved it immediately. Mara has danced for 4 years prior to theater but has loved this new journey and hopes there are many more productions to come. She hopes you all enjoy swimming the EAC with her and her SYAA family.

Gurgle

Mary Lou is a 3rd grader at Sallie Humble Elementary. Some of her favorite things are sewing, designing dresses, and Christmas! She enjoys watching movies with her family and going to Disney World. Mary Lou is thrilled to be making her stage debut at SYAA and would like to thank her family for all of their love and support.

Seahorse

Mary Thomas is a 4th grader at Jesus the Good Shepherd School where she cheers and plays softball. Although this will be her debut SYAA performance, she is no stranger to a stage. She dances with Linda Lavender School of Dance and Twin City Ballet. Mary Thomas is looking forward to performing for family and friends!

Microphone Technician

Dory (Wallaby Way Cast)

Molly is an 8th grader at River Oaks School. She dances with Linda Lavender School of Dance and is a member of the Lady Mustangs softball team. She has been part of the SYAA family for over 5 years. She has loved all the opportunities she has been given on and off stage and being cast as Dory has been her most favorite role yet!

Bloat

Nola attends the 6th grade at Sallie Humble Elementary. She enjoys hanging out with her friends and doing anything involved with the arts. She is very happy to be a part of this cast and loves being a part of the theatre family.

Squirt (Wallaby Way Cast)

Otto is 9 years old and enjoying his second show at SYAA. He loves art, gaming, and making YouTube videos with his sisters for their channel, Oventures. Otto also loves the outdoors and will camp, hike, and explore all day. He’s always ready for the next adventure and hopes many more shows will be in his future!

Sheldon

Perry is ten years old and enjoys reading and listening to audio books while drawing. She loves her friends from theatre and spending time with her family.

Nigel

Rayn is 13 years old and in the 7th grade at Woodlawn Junior High. He plays percussion in the band. He's been at SYAA since Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief in June 2022. He loves coming to the theater and hanging out with his friends. His favorite part of Finding Nemo JR is the development of his Australian accent!

Grouper

Rory is 9 years old, and is in 4th grade at JGS. Rory likes to sing, dance, draw, and hang out with her friends. This is her 4th SYAA production to be a part of in the past two years. She loves theater and all the friends she has made along the way!

Anchor/Sheldon’s parent

Sound Board Operator

Tanner Ellerman is 14 years old and loves this show! He love the vibrant colors and atmosphere, and is so happy to be operating the amazing soundtracks!

Nemo (Wallaby Way Cast)

Toby is an 8 year old LEGO architect who got bitten by the theater bug, starring as Little Jake in "Annie Get Your Gun." When he's not mastering school at home, belting his vibrato, or tinkling the ivories, he's perfecting his dad jokes, enduring his sister’s tyranny, and wrangling his golden doodle. As a daddy’s boy he’s “so glad of all the fish in the ocean, that’s my dad!”

Bruce

Waylon is 12 year old sixth grader at Good Hope Middle School. He made Honor Band in percussion in the Colonel's Band.

Director/Choreographer

Megan has been involved in theatre for the past 15 years performing both onstage and offstage. She has a number of credits for choreography, some of which includes Cinderella, Shrek Jr., Elf, Bright Star, Sister Act, Godspell, Mamma Mia, Peter Pan, and many more. She recently directed and choreographed Bright Star at Strauss MainStage and High School Musical at SYAA. Some of her on stage work includes CATS, Rumors, The Producers, Hairspray, Oklahoma, and All Shook Up, along with many others. Megan works as a Clinical Accreditation Specialist at Affinity Heath Group and resides in West Monroe with her husband Matt, their twin girls Piper and Meridian and twin toddlers Forest and Ella.

Assistant Director

Musical Director

Lynette Murphy is no stranger to the Ruston/Monroe area or SYAA. Lynette has taught voice and piano students for 20+ years along with over 16 years experience musical directing shows such as Magic Flute, Footloose, Beauty and the Beast, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, Schoolhouse Rock, Willy Wonka Jr, Aladdin, Music Man Jr and many more at Strauss Main Stage, Strauss Youth Academy for the Arts (SYAA), and the University of Louisiana at Monroe. She currently holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Louisiana Tech University along with 30+ graduate hours in Music from the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Lynette is Director of Choirs at Ruston High School, Worship Leader at First Baptist Church - Choudrant and a member of local Barbershop chorus, Piney Hills Harmony Chorus in Ruston.