Fredericksburg, Virginia—The song says it all: fish are friends, not food. Neither are sea turtles. At STEP VA Inc., the local 501(c)3 nonprofit that empowers people with disabilities and their families through creative expression and sensory exploration, the fish, the sharks, the sea turtles, and the sea gulls are all friends. In real life, they're a gaggle of individuals who have come together to bring Disney/Pixar's “Finding Nemo, Jr.” to the stage as the STEP VA Spring Musical Experience. Two of those individuals are returning talent, Emilia Michaud, and newcomer, Isabella.
Michaud is one of the original cast members, going back to “A Special Covid-19,” the in-house musical written by STEP VA participant Noah Finch in 2021.
She hasn't missed a single performance and, like many of the others on cast, returns each year because she enjoys “spending time with my friends.”
While friends are the overriding factor that brings her back each year, Michaud says that her “favorite thing about rehearsals is learning new songs.” Last year she was a founding participant in the All Abilities Choir, along with her mom.
One of the first break-out singers in STEP VA, Michaud landed the role of (adult) Nala when the organization staged Disney's “The Lion King, Kids!” in 2022 and this year she's a member of the sea turtle bale.
Music speaks to Michaud. Her favorite song in the show is “Big Blue World.”
“I love the music to that song,” she explained.
Though the music and singing is her favorite part of rehearsals, there's more to a stage show.
“The biggest challenge for me in rehearsals is the dances,” she said. “I keeping losing my balance and bumping into people.”
It's easy to bump into people in the STEP VA Spring Musical, especially when there are 46 members of the cast. One of those other 45 members of dancing marine life is Isabella.
Cast as one of the sharks in the shiver, Disney/Pixar's “Finding Nemo, Jr.” is Isabella's first time treading the boards for STEP VA, but she's not a complete unknown.
Like Myrdin Coleman and Jacey, Isabella is a member of this year's All Abilities Choir, so she's not among strangers when it came to the cast. In fact, for her, that's part of what makes the experience so much fun.
“Singing, dancing, and seeing all my friends,” she says are her favorite parts of the weekly rehearsals.
The shiver (group of sharks) gets along well and are mastering their big number, “Fish are Friends, Not Food,” which is Isabella's favorite song in the show.
She admits, though, that “the dance steps” can be challenging. Even in the face of that adversity, her cast mates say she's “very committed” and doesn't let struggles bring her down.
“She's a very happy person,” one of the other sharks said.
Michaud, with years of experience under her belt, says she's looking “forward to having fun and bringing the story to life,” while Isabella wants anyone who comes to see STEP VA's version of Disney/Pixar's “Finding Nemo, Jr.” to know that she's worked really hard in her role and she hopes everyone enjoys the show.
STEP VA's version of Disney's “Finding Nemo, Jr.” will be on stage at Courtland High School, April 12 & 13, 2025, 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.
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.