In my Sunday Spotlight column I write about Fresno native Heidi Blickenstaff, who is currently appearing in "The Little Mermaid" on Broadway. In the first act of the show she sings and dances in the ensemble. (Yes, she had to learn to skate around on specially designed "mer-blades" while she's playing an eel.) In the second act of the show, she plays the role of Carlotta, who serves as a sort of maid/governess/confidante to Ariel. Here's a picture of her playing Carlotta in the show. The bustle on her dress weighs more than 40 pounds, making it one of the heaviest costumes on Broadway.

Heidi can be heard on the original cast album for "Title of Show," which became an off-Broadway hit when it played at the Vineyard Theater in New York.

Another recent project for her was a new musical called "Meet John Doe," which was staged in Washington, D.C. at the Ford Theater. She just found out last week that she received a Helen Hayes award nomination (given for Washington-area productions) for best leading actress in a musical for her role in the show.