By PAM HARBAUGH

Titusville Playhouse dives into its 51st season with the brilliantly colorful and tunefully upbeat Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.”

And what a stir it’s making: This is the Florida premiere of the Broadway show; the second performance had to be cancelled after the theater was struck by lightning; it’s been featured on Orlando television; and the run is almost sold out.

Last Saturday’s cancellation came when, during the overture, a lightning bolt knocked out power and melted technical equipment. Even the follow spot operators got a little shock. They are fine. No one was injured, but this was a case when the show simply could NOT go on, So director Steven Heron hopes to add an extra performance in order to accommodate Saturday’s audience.

Thanks to backup equipment director Steven Heron already had on hand, the show was back up on its feet the next day. But this is really putting a crush on tickets, so if you want to see the show, I suggest you act right now.

Here’s a little video with some still photos of the show (keep reading below the video):

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This musical is based on the 1989 movie. Hard to believe it’s been so many years since that delightful movie was first brought to the screen.

The storyline follows the Hans Christian Andersen tale of Ariel, a young mermaid who falls in love with a human sailor. Longing to trade her tail for legs, Ariel beseeches her powerful father, King Triton, to help. He then made a deal with Ursula, a sea witch who offers to perform magic for a price — Ariel’s enchanting voice.

And yes, there’s all those supporting characters including the lobster and the sea gull and Ursula’s two creepy minions.

SIDE O’ GRITS: “The Little Mermaid” runs through Sept. 6 at Titusville Playhouse, 301 Julia St. Tickets cost $20 to $26 and are available on the phone and online. Call 321-268-1125 or visit TitusvillePlayhouse.com.