Mr Punch will star as Chef Louis in the production, who fans will remember as the eccentric cook who tries to catch Sebastian the crab. 

Sebastian, meanwhile, tries to avoid becoming dinner so he can continue helping heroine Ariel. 

“Chef Louis is mad about all types of fish and how to prepare it and he’s a little bit crazy,” Mr Punch said. 

“It’s a great role – just learning French is the thing.”

READ MORE: Annie’s Bella and Amelia team up again for The Little Mermaid

Mr Punch said he enjoyed playing opposite Nicholas Tarpey as Sebastian and said as rehearsals continued, he was relaxing more into the character. 

“I do get to play with the audience,” he said.

He said the Orange cast was larger than most for the musical and had pulled together with the help of his wife, and production director, Lindsay Punch. 

“The choreography’s going to be great, she’s really professional when it comes to that, she wants it to be spot on,” he said. 

Tickets for The Little Mermaid’s seven shows are available through Ticketek here.

The production will run at Orange Civic Theatre from Friday, October 26 until Saturday, November 3. 

Adults are $52.50, children $30 and families of four $150. 

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