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The Little Mermaid (musical)
Encyclopedia
The Little Mermaid is a stage musical
produced by Disney Theatrical, based on the animated 1989 Disney film of the same name
and the classic story of The Little Mermaid
by Hans Christian Andersen
. The musical's book is by Doug Wright
, music by Alan Menken
and lyrics by the late Howard Ashman
(written for the film) and new lyrics by Glenn Slater
.
The musical had a pre-Broadway
tryout in Denver, Colorado
in July through early September 2007, with Broadway previews beginning in November 2007 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, previously the home of Disney Theatrical's Beauty and the Beast
, which closed in July 2007 to make way for the new production. With Disney set to open the show at the time, it was believed that having two Disney icons on Broadway at the same time would divide audiences and cause competition between the two shows. The Little Mermaid officially opened on January 10, 2008 and closed on August 30, 2009 after 685 performances and 50 previews.
")
Prince Eric, his adviser Grimsby, and sailors are aboard a ship at sea, discussing the "mythical" merfolk that supposedly live under the sea. Grimsby tries to tell Eric that he must return to court to fulfill his birthright as king. However, Eric hears a beautiful voice and commands it to be followed ("Fathoms Below").
Deep on the ocean floor in the merfolk's kingdom, a concert in honor of a defeated coup d'état by Ursula is underway, being performed by the daughters of Triton the sea king. King Triton's court composer, Sebastian has composed a song for girls to perform ("Daughters of Triton"). However, the youngest daughter, Ariel, is not there for her solo, bringing the concert to a grinding halt. Ariel has forgotten about the concert entirely, and is swimming around the surface, admiring her new-found item, a fork. She reveals that she is fascinated with the human world ("The World Above"). Together with her best friend Flounder, Ariel visits Scuttle and his fellow seagulls to ask about the human things she's collected, and he explains them somewhat erroneously ("Human Stuff").
Elsewhere, the sea witch Ursula is planning revenge against her brother, King Triton. She explains that she was banished from the palace because she used black magic, and tells her minions Flotsam and Jetsam to keep an eye on Ariel, whom she thinks will be the key to getting the crown and trident ("I Want the Good Times Back").
When Ariel returns to the underwater kingdom, she is berated by King Triton, who is angered to learn that she has been on the surface as contact between the merfolk and human world is forbidden. Ariel rushes off, upset, and King Triton assigns Sebastian, of whom Ariel made a laughingstock because of her absence at the concert, to watch over Ariel and make sure she doesn't get into any trouble. Ariel sits alone in her grotto, which contains her collection of human things, and sings about how she does not believe humans are so bad ("Part of Your World").
Ariel and Flounder meet Scuttle at the surface to see Prince Eric's ship and the people on it up close. Grimsby tries to reason with Eric, telling him he must find a bride and take his place as king. A storm suddenly hits, and Eric is tossed overboard. Ariel saves him from drowning and drags him to shore. Ariel realizes that she is falling in love with him, and vows to somehow find a way to be with him ("Part of Your World (Reprise)").
Ariel returns to her underwater home, and her changed behavior makes her sisters and Flounder suspect that she has fallen in love ("She's in Love"). On land, Eric is determined to the find the woman who saved his life, but the only clue he has is "Her Voice". He and Grimsby have the idea of holding a ball where foreign princesses will sing to him in hopes that one will be the girl who saved him.
King Triton learns that Ariel has saved a human, and confronts her about what happened to her mother ("The World Above (Reprise)"). As Ariel and Triton quarrel, Triton uses his trident to destroy Ariel's human collection. Sebastian arrives and tries to comfort Ariel. Furious with Sebastian for slipping out the truth to her father, Ariel decides to run away. Sebastian tries to reason with Ariel by pointing out the wonders of the undersea world ("Under the Sea"). As all the sea creatures join in the jamboree, Ariel swims away with Flounder. As she tries to run away, she is stopped by Flotsam and Jetsam. They sweet talk her into seeking help from Ursula ("Sweet Child").
Ariel goes to Ursula, who presents a deal: Ariel will be turned into a human for three days, during which she has to win the kiss of true love from Eric. If she does, she will be human permanently; if not, her soul will belong to Ursula and she will spend eternity in her "watery hell soaked lair." As payment for the deal, Ariel will have to give up her voice, which would stay safe in Ursula's magic shell. Ariel is unsure about this because of her father telling her that the shell was the fragile life source of Ursula's witchcraft. However, Ursula says that she carries things inside it ("Poor Unfortunate Souls"). Ariel signs the agreement with the ink from her aunt's tentacles. She sings into the shell and swims up to the surface. During this time, Ursula's spell takes effect, and Ariel is transformed into a human.
")
Sebastian and Flounder bring Ariel, newly human and mute, to the shore. Scuttle and the seagulls give her a pep talk to bring her spirits up and get her used to her new legs ("Positoovity"). Thinking Ariel is being attacked by seagulls, Eric chases them off. When Ariel tries to speak with him, she realizes she cannot talk. Eric brings Ariel back to his palace, where the head mistress, Carlotta and the maids bathe and dress Ariel nicely for her night out with the prince. Ariel is fascinated by the human world she finds herself in and the maids wonder why Prince Eric would bring such a girl to the palace ("Beyond My Wildest Dreams"). That night Chef Louis cooks dinner for Ariel, Grimsby, and Eric. He almost cooks Sebastian for the grand finale, but he manages to escape as Louis, the other chefs, and the maids start chasing after him ("Les Poissons"/"Les Poissons (Reprise)"). Later, Eric takes Ariel to the ballroom and teaches her to dance ("One Step Closer"). Meanwhile, Ursula is anxiously waiting for the three days to end and sends Flotsam and Jetsam to hurry things along ("I Want The Good Times Back (Reprise)").
The next evening, after taking Ariel on a tour of the kingdom, Eric takes Ariel on a quiet boat ride through a lagoon. Sebastian and Scuttle watch anxiously, waiting for them to kiss. Sebastian and some of the lagoon animals try to create a romantic atmosphere for Eric to kiss Ariel ("Kiss the Girl"). Just before they kiss, Flotsam and Jetsam give the boat an "electric shock" and swim away gloating ("Sweet Child (Reprise)"). As the second day ends, Sebastian gives Ariel a pep talk in order to help her get the prince the next day. Carlotta arrives to get Ariel ready for bed and tells her about the singing contest which is to be held the next day. As Ariel wishes she could tell Eric everything, Triton worries about where his daughter has gone, Sebastian is concerned for Ariel since her time as a human is almost up, and Eric still dreams of finding the girl who saved him even though he does not want to lose Ariel ("If Only - Quartet"). Afterwards, Sebastian returns to the sea and rehearses his apology and explanation to King Triton. Sebastian and Flounder tell an angry King Triton about Ariel's deal with Ursula. Fearful for his daughter's life, Triton races off to find her.
On Ariel's last day as a human the contest takes place. All of the foreign princesses sing to Eric to the tune of "Part of Your World" to see if he can recognize the girl for whom he is looking ("The Contest"). All of them fail to do so. Ariel chooses at that moment to dance for him, and Eric picks her. Ursula then appears, floods the ballroom, and tells Ariel that the sun has set and she has lost. Flotsam and Jetsam grab Ariel and take her back to the sea.
King Triton arrives to confront his sister and rescue Ariel, who has returned to her mermaid form. He agrees to take Ariel's place, and Ursula celebrates her victory as she claims the trident and declares herself queen ("Poor Unfortunate Souls (Reprise)"). She banishes Triton with a wave of the trident. Eric's ship arrives and Ursula uses the trident to raise the sea level higher, having Eric's interference out of the way. While she is distracted, Ariel then grabs the magic shell and regains her voice, causing Flotsam and Jetsam to swim away. Ursula says to Ariel "Don't be shy, tail-bait, speak up!" Ariel discovers that her voice has come back, and then Urusla demands to her that she gives her back her shell. Ariel, threatening to smash the shell, claims that Ursula would die without her shell, because it has terrible power. Ursula begins to sweet talk her niece, saying she can turn her human again and reunite her with her prince. Ariel starts to believe her and begins to hand the shell over. Believing the shell is within her grasp, Ursula tells Ariel that since they have proven the princess was not a "daddy's girl" anymore, Triton will rot on the ocean floor forever and Ariel will trust her instead. Furious, Ariel yanks the shell away and smashes it, which destroys Ursula. Triton reappears and is reunited with his daughter.
Triton soon realizes that he must let Ariel go and transforms her back into a human ("If Only (Reprise)"). Ariel and Eric are reunited on the beach and Eric and Grimsby are introduced to King Triton. Unaware that Ariel has her voice back, Eric asks King Triton for Ariel's hand in marriage. He tells Eric that Ariel can "speak for herself". Ariel gracefully accepts his proposal. Eric suddenly realizes that it has been Ariel's voice all along and they share a lovely kiss. In honor of his daughter, Triton declares peace between the humans and merfolk. Ariel and Eric are married and sail away happily on a ship ("Finale").
' Ellie Caulkins Opera House
July 26, 2007 through September 9, 2007. Every seat available (approximately 95,000 seats) for the 6-week run was sold out.
on November 3, 2007 and was temporarily shut down on November 10, 2007 due to the 2007 Broadway stagehand strike
. The strike ended on November 28, 2007 and the show resumed previews the next day and the official opening date was postponed from the previously planned December 6, 2007 to January 10, 2008. Jodi Benson
and Pat Carroll
who both starred in the 1989 animated film as Ariel and Ursula
respectively, attended the Opening Night ceremony.
The original Broadway production closed on August 30, 2009, after 50 previews and 685 performances. Thomas Schumacher, producer and president of Disney Theatrical Productions said "it would be fiscally irresponsible to our shareholders to risk operating losses with such a big show in the historically challenging fall months. We are closing the Broadway production to concentrate on the long future life of this title."
Direction was by Francesca Zambello
, making her Broadway debut, with choreography by Stephen Mear
. Scenic design was by George Tsypin
, costume design by Tatiana Noginova and lighting design by Natasha Katz
. The original cast featured Sierra Boggess
in the title role of Ariel, Sean Palmer
as Prince Eric, Brian D'Addario and Trevor Braun alternate as Flounder, Norm Lewis
as King Triton, Sherie Rene Scott
as Ursula, Tituss Burgess
as Sebastian, Tyler Maynard
as Flotsam, Derrick Baskin
as Jetsam, Jonathan Freeman as Grimsby, and John Treacy Egan
as Chef Louis.
To assist the performers in achieving the effect of underwater movement on stage, the actors wear Heelys
wheeled footwear. To depict the fantasy underwater kingdom, according to the director, the set is "very translucent, takes light beautifully and [is] architectural and sculptural to suggest an underwater world without actually being in real water."
The First National US Tour of the musical was scheduled to start in the fall of 2010, but did not surface.
Ivins, Utah (2011-)
Due to the success of the regional premiere of Tarzan
at the Tuacahn Amphitheatre
in Ivins, Utah
, Disney Theatrical gave the rights for the U.S regional premiere of The Little Mermaid to the Tuacahn Center for the Arts http://tuacahnblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/tuacahn-amphitheatre-to-present-us.html. The production is scheduled for Tuacahn's 2011 season.
St. Louis (2011-)
A regional production will take place at the Muny Theatre
, St. Louis, Missouri
, during its 2011 season, running from July 6 to July 14, 2011.
Wichita (2011)
A regional production will take place at Music Theatre of Wichita
in Wichita, KS from Wednesday August 3 - 7, 2011.
An Israeli production of the musical run across Israel starring Rinat Gabai as Ariel and Guy Zu-Aretz as Prince Arik.
Philippines
Philippine-based Atlantis Productions secured the rights to the musical and it opened on November 18, 2011. It will end its run on December 11, 2011. Pop stars Rachelle Ann Go and Erik Santos appear as Ariel and Prince Erik, respectively.
Brazil (2011-)
T4F, the largest company responsible for bringing Broadway musicals to Brazil is building another theatre and The Little Mermaid will be the opening show. The auditions may occur by the end of 2011 and the idea is to bring new names to the Brazilian musical theatre.
Stage Entertainment
Stage Entertainment, the company founded by Joop van den Ende
and producer of musicals like Sister Act
, has come to an agreement with Disney. Stage Entertainment is going to make its own version of the production. Glenn Casal will direct and Bob Crowley
will design the new costumes. Songwriters Alan Menken
and Glenn Slater
will add two new songs to the musical. Stage Entertainment wants to produce the show in several countries.
, Norm Lewis
, Eddie Korbich, and newcomer Sierra Boggess
as Ariel, the little mermaid. The cast recording contains twenty-nine songs from the musical, with music by Alan Menken
and lyrics by Howard Ashman
and Glenn Slater
. Much of the music is from the original film along with scores and 10 new songs by Menken and Slater.
Act II
Music by Alan Menken
* Lyrics by Howard Ashman
† Lyrics by Howard Ashman
and Glenn Slater
All Other Lyrics by Glenn Slater
Note 1: The songs "Where I Belong" (Eric) and Ursula's reprise of "Her Voice" were cut from the musical after the out-of-town tryout in Denver. The "Finale" was re-worked after the Denver tryout. It included a short reprise of "Fathoms Below". Also, the duet between Ariel and Eric was originally a bit longer with a poetic device about he being her land and she being his sea.
Note 2: Three other songs were cut from the show before the tryout started but were available on the leaked demo tape. These included Ursula's "Wasting Away", "All Good Things Must End", and an alternate version of "Poor Unfortunate Souls (Reprise)"
Note 3: The songs "Under the Sea
(Reprise)" and "Les Poissons (Reprise)" are included on the original Broadway cast recording as separate tracks, though on the show's Playbill
"Under the Sea" is not mentioned as a reprise.
Note 4: There were several songs that were written but never available in any recorded format to the general public. These included a reprise of "The World Above" by Ariel, a song called "That Oughta Show Her" and a reprise for it by Sebastien and Triton, and "Ursula's Incantation II" (which was written before the plotpoint of Vanessa was dropped).
Note 5: The Entr'acte
is not listed and does not have a track on the Original Broadway Cast recording.
Princess Ariel (portrayed by Sierra Boggess
) - Mermaid
- The beautiful, adventurous and headstrong primary protagonist of the musical, dreaming of life on land instead of "under the sea". She is the daughter of King Triton, and the apparent niece of Ursula.
Ursula (portrayed by Sherie Rene Scott
) - Sea Witch - The musical's sinister and cunning primary antagonist. She tricks Ariel into trading her voice for a pair of human legs in order to hopefully win Prince Eric's heart, only to attempt to take advantage of Ariel's naivety. She is the apparent sister of King Triton, and aunt of Ariel.
King Triton (portrayed by Norm Lewis
) - Merman
- The strict but caring father of Ariel, and ruler over Atlantica. He originally hates humans, due to the loss of his wife, causing him to commonly reprimand Ariel for her constant human explorations, but eventually realizes it is best to let her follow her dreams. He is the apparent brother of Ursula.
Prince Eric (portrayed by Sean Palmer
) - Human
- The musical's handsome and hopeful secondary protagonist. He is destined to recover the girl that saved him from drowning, ignorant to the fact that it is Ariel, with whom he eventually falls in love.
Sebastian (portrayed by Tituss Burgess
) - Crab
- Ariel's musical and practical guardian, Triton's faithful servant, and court composer. He serves as the musical's primary comic relief, and reluctantly assists Ariel in her efforts to charm Prince Eric.
Flounder (portrayed by Cody Hanford/J.J. Singleton, Trevor Braun/Brian D'Addario*) - Flounder
- Ariel's loyal companion. He often accompanies Ariel on her excursions in search of human artifacts.
Scuttle (portrayed by Eddie Korbich
) - Seagull - He believes he is an expert on human artifacts, although he is mainly incorrect, and is often consulted by Ariel for information on her discovered "treasures". He also serves as a comic relief, alongside Sebastian.
Flotsam (portrayed by Tyler Maynard
) - Eel
- One of Ursula's sly and slippery henchmen.
Jetsam (portrayed by Derrick Baskin
) - Eel
- Another one of Ursula's cunning henchmen.
Grimsby (portrayed by Jonathan Freeman) - Human
- Prince Eric's faithful servant and friend. Seemingly a close friend of Eric's late father, Grimsby's main initiative is to ensure that Eric marries a princess to maintain his promise to the deceased king. However, he realizes Ariel is, a princess, and is more than happy to let them wed.
Chef Louis (portrayed by John Treacy Egan
) - Human
- The castle chef, who tries to capture Sebastian and cook him for dinner.
Madame Carlotta (portrayed by Heidi Blickenstaff
) - Human
- Carlotta is seemingly the castle's primary maid and housekeeper. Despite the remarks of her fellow maids and servants, she is exceptionally kind to Ariel and does her best to make her feel comfortable.
* Cody Hanford and J.J. Singleton were the original Flounder, but had to leave the show shortly after opening because they had grown taller than Sierra Boggess. Trevor Braun and Brian D'Addario replaced them. D'Addario was the vocalist on the original cast recording and performed on the show's opening night.
Musical Numbers
The following musical numbers were written for the stage musical and not included in the original film:
2008 Drama Desk Awards
Outer Critics Circle Awards
Drama League Award
9th Annual Broadway.com Audience Awards
Grammy Awards
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
produced by Disney Theatrical, based on the animated 1989 Disney film of the same name
The Little Mermaid (1989 film)
The Little Mermaid is a 1989 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale of the same name. Distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, the film was originally released to theaters on November 14, 1989 and is the twenty-eighth film in...
and the classic story of The Little Mermaid
The Little Mermaid
"The Little Mermaid" is a popular fairy tale by the Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen about a young mermaid willing to give up her life in the sea and her identity as a mermaid to gain a human soul and the love of a human prince...
by Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author, fairy tale writer, and poet noted for his children's stories. These include "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Snow Queen," "The Little Mermaid," "Thumbelina," "The Little Match Girl," and "The Ugly Duckling."...
. The musical's book is by Doug Wright
Doug Wright
Doug Wright is an American playwright, librettist, and screenwriter. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2004 for his play, I Am My Own Wife.-Early years:Wright was born in Dallas, Texas...
, music by Alan Menken
Alan Menken
Alan Menken is an American musical theatre and film composer and pianist.Menken is best known for his numerous scores for films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. His scores for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Pocahontas have each won him two Academy Awards...
and lyrics by the late Howard Ashman
Howard Ashman
Howard Elliott Ashman was an American playwright and lyricist. Ashman first studied at Boston University and Goddard College and then went on to achieve his master's degree from Indiana University in 1974...
(written for the film) and new lyrics by Glenn Slater
Glenn Slater
Glenn Slater is an American lyricist who collabrates with Alan Menken and other musical theatre composers. He was nominated for the Tony Award, Best Original Score for The Little Mermaid and received his second Tony nomination for Sister Act.-Biography:Slater was born in Brooklyn, New York, but...
.
The musical had a pre-Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
tryout in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
in July through early September 2007, with Broadway previews beginning in November 2007 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, previously the home of Disney Theatrical's Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast (musical)
Beauty and the Beast is a musical with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and a book by Linda Woolverton, based on the 1991 Disney film of the same name. Seven new songs were written for the stage musical...
, which closed in July 2007 to make way for the new production. With Disney set to open the show at the time, it was believed that having two Disney icons on Broadway at the same time would divide audiences and cause competition between the two shows. The Little Mermaid officially opened on January 10, 2008 and closed on August 30, 2009 after 685 performances and 50 previews.
Act I
("OvertureOverture
Overture in music is the term originally applied to the instrumental introduction to an opera...
")
Prince Eric, his adviser Grimsby, and sailors are aboard a ship at sea, discussing the "mythical" merfolk that supposedly live under the sea. Grimsby tries to tell Eric that he must return to court to fulfill his birthright as king. However, Eric hears a beautiful voice and commands it to be followed ("Fathoms Below").
Deep on the ocean floor in the merfolk's kingdom, a concert in honor of a defeated coup d'état by Ursula is underway, being performed by the daughters of Triton the sea king. King Triton's court composer, Sebastian has composed a song for girls to perform ("Daughters of Triton"). However, the youngest daughter, Ariel, is not there for her solo, bringing the concert to a grinding halt. Ariel has forgotten about the concert entirely, and is swimming around the surface, admiring her new-found item, a fork. She reveals that she is fascinated with the human world ("The World Above"). Together with her best friend Flounder, Ariel visits Scuttle and his fellow seagulls to ask about the human things she's collected, and he explains them somewhat erroneously ("Human Stuff").
Elsewhere, the sea witch Ursula is planning revenge against her brother, King Triton. She explains that she was banished from the palace because she used black magic, and tells her minions Flotsam and Jetsam to keep an eye on Ariel, whom she thinks will be the key to getting the crown and trident ("I Want the Good Times Back").
When Ariel returns to the underwater kingdom, she is berated by King Triton, who is angered to learn that she has been on the surface as contact between the merfolk and human world is forbidden. Ariel rushes off, upset, and King Triton assigns Sebastian, of whom Ariel made a laughingstock because of her absence at the concert, to watch over Ariel and make sure she doesn't get into any trouble. Ariel sits alone in her grotto, which contains her collection of human things, and sings about how she does not believe humans are so bad ("Part of Your World").
Ariel and Flounder meet Scuttle at the surface to see Prince Eric's ship and the people on it up close. Grimsby tries to reason with Eric, telling him he must find a bride and take his place as king. A storm suddenly hits, and Eric is tossed overboard. Ariel saves him from drowning and drags him to shore. Ariel realizes that she is falling in love with him, and vows to somehow find a way to be with him ("Part of Your World (Reprise)").
Ariel returns to her underwater home, and her changed behavior makes her sisters and Flounder suspect that she has fallen in love ("She's in Love"). On land, Eric is determined to the find the woman who saved his life, but the only clue he has is "Her Voice". He and Grimsby have the idea of holding a ball where foreign princesses will sing to him in hopes that one will be the girl who saved him.
King Triton learns that Ariel has saved a human, and confronts her about what happened to her mother ("The World Above (Reprise)"). As Ariel and Triton quarrel, Triton uses his trident to destroy Ariel's human collection. Sebastian arrives and tries to comfort Ariel. Furious with Sebastian for slipping out the truth to her father, Ariel decides to run away. Sebastian tries to reason with Ariel by pointing out the wonders of the undersea world ("Under the Sea"). As all the sea creatures join in the jamboree, Ariel swims away with Flounder. As she tries to run away, she is stopped by Flotsam and Jetsam. They sweet talk her into seeking help from Ursula ("Sweet Child").
Ariel goes to Ursula, who presents a deal: Ariel will be turned into a human for three days, during which she has to win the kiss of true love from Eric. If she does, she will be human permanently; if not, her soul will belong to Ursula and she will spend eternity in her "watery hell soaked lair." As payment for the deal, Ariel will have to give up her voice, which would stay safe in Ursula's magic shell. Ariel is unsure about this because of her father telling her that the shell was the fragile life source of Ursula's witchcraft. However, Ursula says that she carries things inside it ("Poor Unfortunate Souls"). Ariel signs the agreement with the ink from her aunt's tentacles. She sings into the shell and swims up to the surface. During this time, Ursula's spell takes effect, and Ariel is transformed into a human.
Act II
("Entr'acteEntr'acte
' is French for "between the acts" . It can mean a pause between two parts of a stage production, synonymous to an intermission, but it more often indicates a piece of music performed between acts of a theatrical production...
")
Sebastian and Flounder bring Ariel, newly human and mute, to the shore. Scuttle and the seagulls give her a pep talk to bring her spirits up and get her used to her new legs ("Positoovity"). Thinking Ariel is being attacked by seagulls, Eric chases them off. When Ariel tries to speak with him, she realizes she cannot talk. Eric brings Ariel back to his palace, where the head mistress, Carlotta and the maids bathe and dress Ariel nicely for her night out with the prince. Ariel is fascinated by the human world she finds herself in and the maids wonder why Prince Eric would bring such a girl to the palace ("Beyond My Wildest Dreams"). That night Chef Louis cooks dinner for Ariel, Grimsby, and Eric. He almost cooks Sebastian for the grand finale, but he manages to escape as Louis, the other chefs, and the maids start chasing after him ("Les Poissons"/"Les Poissons (Reprise)"). Later, Eric takes Ariel to the ballroom and teaches her to dance ("One Step Closer"). Meanwhile, Ursula is anxiously waiting for the three days to end and sends Flotsam and Jetsam to hurry things along ("I Want The Good Times Back (Reprise)").
The next evening, after taking Ariel on a tour of the kingdom, Eric takes Ariel on a quiet boat ride through a lagoon. Sebastian and Scuttle watch anxiously, waiting for them to kiss. Sebastian and some of the lagoon animals try to create a romantic atmosphere for Eric to kiss Ariel ("Kiss the Girl"). Just before they kiss, Flotsam and Jetsam give the boat an "electric shock" and swim away gloating ("Sweet Child (Reprise)"). As the second day ends, Sebastian gives Ariel a pep talk in order to help her get the prince the next day. Carlotta arrives to get Ariel ready for bed and tells her about the singing contest which is to be held the next day. As Ariel wishes she could tell Eric everything, Triton worries about where his daughter has gone, Sebastian is concerned for Ariel since her time as a human is almost up, and Eric still dreams of finding the girl who saved him even though he does not want to lose Ariel ("If Only - Quartet"). Afterwards, Sebastian returns to the sea and rehearses his apology and explanation to King Triton. Sebastian and Flounder tell an angry King Triton about Ariel's deal with Ursula. Fearful for his daughter's life, Triton races off to find her.
On Ariel's last day as a human the contest takes place. All of the foreign princesses sing to Eric to the tune of "Part of Your World" to see if he can recognize the girl for whom he is looking ("The Contest"). All of them fail to do so. Ariel chooses at that moment to dance for him, and Eric picks her. Ursula then appears, floods the ballroom, and tells Ariel that the sun has set and she has lost. Flotsam and Jetsam grab Ariel and take her back to the sea.
King Triton arrives to confront his sister and rescue Ariel, who has returned to her mermaid form. He agrees to take Ariel's place, and Ursula celebrates her victory as she claims the trident and declares herself queen ("Poor Unfortunate Souls (Reprise)"). She banishes Triton with a wave of the trident. Eric's ship arrives and Ursula uses the trident to raise the sea level higher, having Eric's interference out of the way. While she is distracted, Ariel then grabs the magic shell and regains her voice, causing Flotsam and Jetsam to swim away. Ursula says to Ariel "Don't be shy, tail-bait, speak up!" Ariel discovers that her voice has come back, and then Urusla demands to her that she gives her back her shell. Ariel, threatening to smash the shell, claims that Ursula would die without her shell, because it has terrible power. Ursula begins to sweet talk her niece, saying she can turn her human again and reunite her with her prince. Ariel starts to believe her and begins to hand the shell over. Believing the shell is within her grasp, Ursula tells Ariel that since they have proven the princess was not a "daddy's girl" anymore, Triton will rot on the ocean floor forever and Ariel will trust her instead. Furious, Ariel yanks the shell away and smashes it, which destroys Ursula. Triton reappears and is reunited with his daughter.
Triton soon realizes that he must let Ariel go and transforms her back into a human ("If Only (Reprise)"). Ariel and Eric are reunited on the beach and Eric and Grimsby are introduced to King Triton. Unaware that Ariel has her voice back, Eric asks King Triton for Ariel's hand in marriage. He tells Eric that Ariel can "speak for herself". Ariel gracefully accepts his proposal. Eric suddenly realizes that it has been Ariel's voice all along and they share a lovely kiss. In honor of his daughter, Triton declares peace between the humans and merfolk. Ariel and Eric are married and sail away happily on a ship ("Finale").
Denver tryout (2007)
The Little Mermaid had a pre-Broadway tryout at the Denver Center for the Performing ArtsDenver Center for the Performing Arts
The Denver Center for the Performing Arts ' is an organization in Denver, Colorado which provides a showcase for live theatre, a nurturing ground for new plays, a preferred stop on the Broadway touring circuit, a graduate-level training school for actors, acting classes for the community and rental...
' Ellie Caulkins Opera House
Ellie Caulkins Opera House
The Ellie Caulkins Opera House, which opened on September 10, 2005, is located in Denver, Colorado as part of the large Denver Performing Arts Complex. It seats 2,225...
July 26, 2007 through September 9, 2007. Every seat available (approximately 95,000 seats) for the 6-week run was sold out.
Broadway (2007-2009)
The musical began previews on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne TheatreLunt-Fontanne Theatre
The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 205 West 46th Street in midtown-Manhattan.Designed by the architectural firm of Carrere and Hastings, it was built by producer Charles Dillingham and opened as the Globe Theatre, in honor of London's Shakespearean playhouse, on...
on November 3, 2007 and was temporarily shut down on November 10, 2007 due to the 2007 Broadway stagehand strike
2007 Broadway stagehand strike
2007 Broadway Stagehands Strike was a strike action by stagehands represented by Theatrical Protective Union Number One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees against the Shubert, Jujamcyn, and Nederlander theaters...
. The strike ended on November 28, 2007 and the show resumed previews the next day and the official opening date was postponed from the previously planned December 6, 2007 to January 10, 2008. Jodi Benson
Jodi Benson
Jodi Marie Benson is an American actress, voice actress, soprano singer, and Disney Legend. She is best known for providing both the speaking and the singing voices of Disney's Princess Ariel in The Little Mermaid and its sequels. In 2002 and 2006, she reprised the role of Ariel in the English...
and Pat Carroll
Pat Carroll (actress)
Patricia Ann “Pat” Carroll is an American actress. She performed in numerous stage productions, and portrayed the roles of "Bunny Halper" on CBS's The Danny Thomas Show, Shirley Feeney's mother on ABC's Laverne and Shirley, and is the voice of the villainous Ursula in The Little Mermaid film...
who both starred in the 1989 animated film as Ariel and Ursula
Ursula
Ursula is a female given name of Latin origin, meaning "little female bear". Ursula may refer to:-People:*Saint Ursula, Christian saint*Ursula , feminine given name derived from the Latin language-Fiction characters:...
respectively, attended the Opening Night ceremony.
The original Broadway production closed on August 30, 2009, after 50 previews and 685 performances. Thomas Schumacher, producer and president of Disney Theatrical Productions said "it would be fiscally irresponsible to our shareholders to risk operating losses with such a big show in the historically challenging fall months. We are closing the Broadway production to concentrate on the long future life of this title."
Direction was by Francesca Zambello
Francesca Zambello
Francesca Zambello is a leading American opera and theatre director. Zambello lived in Europe when she was a child, learning to speak French, Italian, German and Russian. Zambello is of Italian descent, the daughter of Jean , an actress and Charles C. Zambello, a former actor who became head of...
, making her Broadway debut, with choreography by Stephen Mear
Stephen Mear
Stephen Mear is an English dancer and choreographer best known for his award-winning work in musical theatre. In 2005, Mear and co-choreographer Matthew Bourne won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Choreography, for their work on the new West End musical Mary Poppins...
. Scenic design was by George Tsypin
George Tsypin
George Tsypin is an American sculptor, architect and stage designer .-Early life and education:...
, costume design by Tatiana Noginova and lighting design by Natasha Katz
Natasha Katz
Natasha Katz is a lighting designer for the theatre, dance, and opera. She was educated at Oberlin College and did an internship with Roger Morgan....
. The original cast featured Sierra Boggess
Sierra Boggess
Sierra Boggess is an American theater actress and soprano singer. She was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, with her two sisters, Summer and Allegra. The three of them were members of the Colorado Children's Chorale. Her parents are Kellun Turner and Michael Boggess...
in the title role of Ariel, Sean Palmer
Sean Palmer
Sean Palmer is an actor, singer, and dancer of both stage and screen.His most recognizable role on television is that of Stanford Blatch's boyfriend, Marcus on the HBO series Sex and the City...
as Prince Eric, Brian D'Addario and Trevor Braun alternate as Flounder, Norm Lewis
Norm Lewis
Norm Lewis is an American actor and baritone singer. He has appeared on Broadway as well as in regional theatre.-Life:Lewis was born in Tallahassee, Florida and grew up in Eatonville, Florida...
as King Triton, Sherie Rene Scott
Sherie Rene Scott
Sherie Rene Scott is an American actress, singer and writer. She is a co-founder of Grammy winning Sh-K-Boom Records and Ghostlight Records and has appeared in numerous Off-Broadway and Broadway musicals and plays appears on numerous solo and original cast recordings.-Life and career:Scott was...
as Ursula, Tituss Burgess
Tituss Burgess
Tituss Burgess is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in four Broadway musicals, and is known for his very high tenor voice.-Biography:...
as Sebastian, Tyler Maynard
Tyler Maynard
Tyler Maynard is an American stage and film actor. He is best known for playing Mark in the 2005 musical Altar Boyz, for which he won a Theatre World Award and received a nomination for a Drama Desk Award.-Biography:...
as Flotsam, Derrick Baskin
Derrick Baskin
Derrick Baskin is best known for his role of "Comfort Counselor" Mitch Mahoney in the popular Broadway show, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.Baskin also played the role of "Jetsam" in the Broadway version of The Little Mermaid...
as Jetsam, Jonathan Freeman as Grimsby, and John Treacy Egan
John Treacy Egan
John Treacy Egan is an American actor and singer.-Career:Egan first appeared off-Broadway in When Pigs Fly at the Howard Fairbanks Theater in 1996. In 1997 Egan made his Broadway debut in Jekyll & Hyde, playing the roles of Groom and Mike. He is also in the film version Broadway Television...
as Chef Louis.
To assist the performers in achieving the effect of underwater movement on stage, the actors wear Heelys
Heelys
Heelys is a brand of roller shoes that have one or more wheels embedded in each sole, similar to inline skates. Thus, the wearer can walk, run, or, by shifting their weight to their heels, roll. Braking can be achieved by lowering the back of the foot so that sole contacts the ground...
wheeled footwear. To depict the fantasy underwater kingdom, according to the director, the set is "very translucent, takes light beautifully and [is] architectural and sculptural to suggest an underwater world without actually being in real water."
Subsequent US productions
US Tour (2011)The First National US Tour of the musical was scheduled to start in the fall of 2010, but did not surface.
Ivins, Utah (2011-)
Due to the success of the regional premiere of Tarzan
Tarzan (musical)
Tarzan: The Musical is based on the Disney film of the same name and the story by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Music and lyrics are written by Phil Collins, with a book by David Henry Hwang.-Production:...
at the Tuacahn Amphitheatre
Tuacahn
Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts is a nonprofit 501 arts organization nestled in the mouth of Padre Canyon below towering 1500 foot red sandstone cliffs in Ivins, Utah adjacent to Snow Canyon State Park...
in Ivins, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, Disney Theatrical gave the rights for the U.S regional premiere of The Little Mermaid to the Tuacahn Center for the Arts http://tuacahnblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/tuacahn-amphitheatre-to-present-us.html. The production is scheduled for Tuacahn's 2011 season.
St. Louis (2011-)
A regional production will take place at the Muny Theatre
The Muny
The Muny, short for The Municipal Theatre Association of St. Louis, is an outdoor musical theatre, located in Forest Park, St. Louis, Missouri...
, St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, during its 2011 season, running from July 6 to July 14, 2011.
Wichita (2011)
A regional production will take place at Music Theatre of Wichita
Music Theatre of Wichita
Music Theatre of Wichita is the major performing arts company in the city of Wichita. Music Theatre of Wichita has been around since the early seventies and has premiered many shows in the state of Kansas. Many famous stars, including Tad Hilgenbrink and Kristin Chenoweth have performed onstage...
in Wichita, KS from Wednesday August 3 - 7, 2011.
International productions
Israel (2010-2011)An Israeli production of the musical run across Israel starring Rinat Gabai as Ariel and Guy Zu-Aretz as Prince Arik.
Philippines
Philippine-based Atlantis Productions secured the rights to the musical and it opened on November 18, 2011. It will end its run on December 11, 2011. Pop stars Rachelle Ann Go and Erik Santos appear as Ariel and Prince Erik, respectively.
Brazil (2011-)
T4F, the largest company responsible for bringing Broadway musicals to Brazil is building another theatre and The Little Mermaid will be the opening show. The auditions may occur by the end of 2011 and the idea is to bring new names to the Brazilian musical theatre.
Stage EntertainmentStage EntertainmentThe musical production company Stage Entertainment is based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It has a very successful subsidiary in Germany based in Hamburg which almost has a monopoly in Germany.- History :...
Stage Entertainment, the company founded by Joop van den EndeJoop van den Ende
Johannes "Joop" Adrianus van den Ende is a Dutch media tycoon, theatrical producer, co-founder of Endemol and founder/owner of Stage Entertainment....
and producer of musicals like Sister Act
Sister Act
Sister Act is a 1992 American comedy film released by Touchstone Pictures. Directed by Emile Ardolino, it features musical arrangements by Marc Shaiman and stars Whoopi Goldberg as a Reno lounge singer who has been put under protective custody in a San Francisco convent and has to pretend to be a...
, has come to an agreement with Disney. Stage Entertainment is going to make its own version of the production. Glenn Casal will direct and Bob Crowley
Bob Crowley
Bob Crowley is a theatre director, scenic and costume designer.Born in Cork, Ireland, he is the brother of director John Crowley...
will design the new costumes. Songwriters Alan Menken
Alan Menken
Alan Menken is an American musical theatre and film composer and pianist.Menken is best known for his numerous scores for films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. His scores for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Pocahontas have each won him two Academy Awards...
and Glenn Slater
Glenn Slater
Glenn Slater is an American lyricist who collabrates with Alan Menken and other musical theatre composers. He was nominated for the Tony Award, Best Original Score for The Little Mermaid and received his second Tony nomination for Sister Act.-Biography:Slater was born in Brooklyn, New York, but...
will add two new songs to the musical. Stage Entertainment wants to produce the show in several countries.
Original Broadway Cast Recording
Disney's The Little Mermaid: Original Broadway Cast Recording is the cast album for the 2008 musical. It features performances from the show's cast, which includes Tituss Burgess, Sherie Rene ScottSherie Rene Scott
Sherie Rene Scott is an American actress, singer and writer. She is a co-founder of Grammy winning Sh-K-Boom Records and Ghostlight Records and has appeared in numerous Off-Broadway and Broadway musicals and plays appears on numerous solo and original cast recordings.-Life and career:Scott was...
, Norm Lewis
Norm Lewis
Norm Lewis is an American actor and baritone singer. He has appeared on Broadway as well as in regional theatre.-Life:Lewis was born in Tallahassee, Florida and grew up in Eatonville, Florida...
, Eddie Korbich, and newcomer Sierra Boggess
Sierra Boggess
Sierra Boggess is an American theater actress and soprano singer. She was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, with her two sisters, Summer and Allegra. The three of them were members of the Colorado Children's Chorale. Her parents are Kellun Turner and Michael Boggess...
as Ariel, the little mermaid. The cast recording contains twenty-nine songs from the musical, with music by Alan Menken
Alan Menken
Alan Menken is an American musical theatre and film composer and pianist.Menken is best known for his numerous scores for films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. His scores for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Pocahontas have each won him two Academy Awards...
and lyrics by Howard Ashman
Howard Ashman
Howard Elliott Ashman was an American playwright and lyricist. Ashman first studied at Boston University and Goddard College and then went on to achieve his master's degree from Indiana University in 1974...
and Glenn Slater
Glenn Slater
Glenn Slater is an American lyricist who collabrates with Alan Menken and other musical theatre composers. He was nominated for the Tony Award, Best Original Score for The Little Mermaid and received his second Tony nomination for Sister Act.-Biography:Slater was born in Brooklyn, New York, but...
. Much of the music is from the original film along with scores and 10 new songs by Menken and Slater.
Musical Numbers
Act I- OvertureOvertureOverture in music is the term originally applied to the instrumental introduction to an opera...
- Fathoms Below† - Pilot, Sailors, Prince Eric, Grimsby
- Daughters Of Triton* - Mersisters
- The World Above - Ariel
- Human Stuff - Scuttle, Gulls
- I Want The Good Times Back - Ursula, Flotsam, Jetsam, Eels
- Part of Your WorldPart of Your World"Part of Your World" is a song written and composed by the songwriting duo of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. It was originally featured in the 1989 Disney film The Little Mermaid, and is also featured in the Broadway musical adaptation of the film...
* - Ariel - Storm at Sea
- Part of Your World (Reprise)* - Ariel
- She's In Love - Mersisters, Flounder
- Her Voice - Prince Eric
- The World Above (Reprise) - King Triton
- Under the SeaUnder the Sea-Parodies:In 1991, this song was parodied by musician Tom Smith with his song, "On The PC". This song was re-written in 1999 as "PC99".The song was parodied on the TV show Kappa Mikey where Mikey tries to convince a squid to live on land with him....
* - Sebastian, Sea Creatures - Under the Sea (Reprise)* - Sebastian, Sea Creatures
- Sweet Child - Flotsam, Jetsam
- Poor Unfortunate SoulsPoor Unfortunate SoulsThe Jonas Brothers covered "Poor Unfortunate Souls" for the Little Mermaid two-disk special special edition of the soundtrack, released on October 3, 2006 to correspond with the two-disk The Little Mermaid Platinum Edition DVD...
* - Ursula, Ariel
Act II
- Entr'acteEntr'acte' is French for "between the acts" . It can mean a pause between two parts of a stage production, synonymous to an intermission, but it more often indicates a piece of music performed between acts of a theatrical production...
- Positoovity - Scuttle, Gulls
- Beyond My Wildest Dreams - Ariel, Maids, Carlotta
- Les Poissons* - Chef Louis
- Les Poissons (Reprise) - Chef Louis, Chefs
- One Step Closer - Prince Eric
- I Want The Good Times Back (Reprise) - Ursula, Flotsam, Jetsam
- Kiss The GirlKiss The Girl"Kiss the Girl" is a calypso song from Disney's 1989 animated film The Little Mermaid, composed by Alan Menken with lyrics by Howard Ashman. In the film, the song was performed by Samuel E. Wright...
* - Sebastian, Animals - Sweet Child (Reprise) - Flotsam, Jetsam
- If Only (Quartet) - Ariel, Prince Eric, Sebastian, and King Triton
- The Contest - Grimsby, Princesses
- Poor Unfortunate Souls (Reprise) - Ursula
- If Only (Reprise) - King Triton, Ariel
- Finale† - Prince Eric, Ariel, Ensemble
Music by Alan Menken
Alan Menken
Alan Menken is an American musical theatre and film composer and pianist.Menken is best known for his numerous scores for films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. His scores for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Pocahontas have each won him two Academy Awards...
Howard Ashman
Howard Elliott Ashman was an American playwright and lyricist. Ashman first studied at Boston University and Goddard College and then went on to achieve his master's degree from Indiana University in 1974...
† Lyrics by Howard Ashman
Howard Ashman
Howard Elliott Ashman was an American playwright and lyricist. Ashman first studied at Boston University and Goddard College and then went on to achieve his master's degree from Indiana University in 1974...
and Glenn Slater
Glenn Slater
Glenn Slater is an American lyricist who collabrates with Alan Menken and other musical theatre composers. He was nominated for the Tony Award, Best Original Score for The Little Mermaid and received his second Tony nomination for Sister Act.-Biography:Slater was born in Brooklyn, New York, but...
All Other Lyrics by Glenn Slater
Note 1: The songs "Where I Belong" (Eric) and Ursula's reprise of "Her Voice" were cut from the musical after the out-of-town tryout in Denver. The "Finale" was re-worked after the Denver tryout. It included a short reprise of "Fathoms Below". Also, the duet between Ariel and Eric was originally a bit longer with a poetic device about he being her land and she being his sea.
Note 2: Three other songs were cut from the show before the tryout started but were available on the leaked demo tape. These included Ursula's "Wasting Away", "All Good Things Must End", and an alternate version of "Poor Unfortunate Souls (Reprise)"
Note 3: The songs "Under the Sea
Under the Sea
-Parodies:In 1991, this song was parodied by musician Tom Smith with his song, "On The PC". This song was re-written in 1999 as "PC99".The song was parodied on the TV show Kappa Mikey where Mikey tries to convince a squid to live on land with him....
(Reprise)" and "Les Poissons (Reprise)" are included on the original Broadway cast recording as separate tracks, though on the show's Playbill
Playbill
Playbill is a monthly U.S. magazine for theatregoers. Although there is a subscription issue available for home delivery, most Playbills are printed for particular shows to be distributed at the door...
"Under the Sea" is not mentioned as a reprise.
Note 4: There were several songs that were written but never available in any recorded format to the general public. These included a reprise of "The World Above" by Ariel, a song called "That Oughta Show Her" and a reprise for it by Sebastien and Triton, and "Ursula's Incantation II" (which was written before the plotpoint of Vanessa was dropped).
Note 5: The Entr'acte
Entr'acte
' is French for "between the acts" . It can mean a pause between two parts of a stage production, synonymous to an intermission, but it more often indicates a piece of music performed between acts of a theatrical production...
is not listed and does not have a track on the Original Broadway Cast recording.
Original Broadway cast
Sierra Boggess
Sierra Boggess is an American theater actress and soprano singer. She was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, with her two sisters, Summer and Allegra. The three of them were members of the Colorado Children's Chorale. Her parents are Kellun Turner and Michael Boggess...
) - Mermaid
Mermaid
A mermaid is a mythological aquatic creature with a female human head, arms, and torso and the tail of a fish. A male version of a mermaid is known as a "merman" and in general both males and females are known as "merfolk"...
- The beautiful, adventurous and headstrong primary protagonist of the musical, dreaming of life on land instead of "under the sea". She is the daughter of King Triton, and the apparent niece of Ursula.
Ursula (portrayed by Sherie Rene Scott
Sherie Rene Scott
Sherie Rene Scott is an American actress, singer and writer. She is a co-founder of Grammy winning Sh-K-Boom Records and Ghostlight Records and has appeared in numerous Off-Broadway and Broadway musicals and plays appears on numerous solo and original cast recordings.-Life and career:Scott was...
) - Sea Witch - The musical's sinister and cunning primary antagonist. She tricks Ariel into trading her voice for a pair of human legs in order to hopefully win Prince Eric's heart, only to attempt to take advantage of Ariel's naivety. She is the apparent sister of King Triton, and aunt of Ariel.
King Triton (portrayed by Norm Lewis
Norm Lewis
Norm Lewis is an American actor and baritone singer. He has appeared on Broadway as well as in regional theatre.-Life:Lewis was born in Tallahassee, Florida and grew up in Eatonville, Florida...
) - Merman
Merman
Mermen are mythical male equivalents of mermaids – legendary creatures who have the form of a human from the waist up and are fish-like from the waist down.-Mythology:...
- The strict but caring father of Ariel, and ruler over Atlantica. He originally hates humans, due to the loss of his wife, causing him to commonly reprimand Ariel for her constant human explorations, but eventually realizes it is best to let her follow her dreams. He is the apparent brother of Ursula.
Prince Eric (portrayed by Sean Palmer
Sean Palmer
Sean Palmer is an actor, singer, and dancer of both stage and screen.His most recognizable role on television is that of Stanford Blatch's boyfriend, Marcus on the HBO series Sex and the City...
) - Human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
- The musical's handsome and hopeful secondary protagonist. He is destined to recover the girl that saved him from drowning, ignorant to the fact that it is Ariel, with whom he eventually falls in love.
Sebastian (portrayed by Tituss Burgess
Tituss Burgess
Tituss Burgess is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in four Broadway musicals, and is known for his very high tenor voice.-Biography:...
) - Crab
Crab
True crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" , or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax...
- Ariel's musical and practical guardian, Triton's faithful servant, and court composer. He serves as the musical's primary comic relief, and reluctantly assists Ariel in her efforts to charm Prince Eric.
Flounder (portrayed by Cody Hanford/J.J. Singleton, Trevor Braun/Brian D'Addario*) - Flounder
Flounder
The flounder is an ocean-dwelling flatfish species that is found in coastal lagoons and estuaries of the Northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.-Taxonomy:There are a number of geographical and taxonomical species to which flounder belong.*Western Atlantic...
- Ariel's loyal companion. He often accompanies Ariel on her excursions in search of human artifacts.
Scuttle (portrayed by Eddie Korbich
Eddie Korbich
Eddie Korbich is an actor, singer, dancer. He was born in Washington, D.C. but grew up in Shamokin, Pennsylvania.-1980s:He graduated from the Boston Conservatory with a B.F.A...
) - Seagull - He believes he is an expert on human artifacts, although he is mainly incorrect, and is often consulted by Ariel for information on her discovered "treasures". He also serves as a comic relief, alongside Sebastian.
Flotsam (portrayed by Tyler Maynard
Tyler Maynard
Tyler Maynard is an American stage and film actor. He is best known for playing Mark in the 2005 musical Altar Boyz, for which he won a Theatre World Award and received a nomination for a Drama Desk Award.-Biography:...
) - Eel
Eel
Eels are an order of fish, which consists of four suborders, 20 families, 111 genera and approximately 800 species. Most eels are predators...
- One of Ursula's sly and slippery henchmen.
Jetsam (portrayed by Derrick Baskin
Derrick Baskin
Derrick Baskin is best known for his role of "Comfort Counselor" Mitch Mahoney in the popular Broadway show, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.Baskin also played the role of "Jetsam" in the Broadway version of The Little Mermaid...
) - Eel
Eel
Eels are an order of fish, which consists of four suborders, 20 families, 111 genera and approximately 800 species. Most eels are predators...
- Another one of Ursula's cunning henchmen.
Grimsby (portrayed by Jonathan Freeman) - Human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
- Prince Eric's faithful servant and friend. Seemingly a close friend of Eric's late father, Grimsby's main initiative is to ensure that Eric marries a princess to maintain his promise to the deceased king. However, he realizes Ariel is, a princess, and is more than happy to let them wed.
Chef Louis (portrayed by John Treacy Egan
John Treacy Egan
John Treacy Egan is an American actor and singer.-Career:Egan first appeared off-Broadway in When Pigs Fly at the Howard Fairbanks Theater in 1996. In 1997 Egan made his Broadway debut in Jekyll & Hyde, playing the roles of Groom and Mike. He is also in the film version Broadway Television...
) - Human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
- The castle chef, who tries to capture Sebastian and cook him for dinner.
Madame Carlotta (portrayed by Heidi Blickenstaff
Heidi Blickenstaff
Heidi Blickenstaff is an actress based in New York City best known for playing a version of herself in the musical [title of show] during its Off-Broadway and Broadway runs.-[title of show]:...
) - Human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
- Carlotta is seemingly the castle's primary maid and housekeeper. Despite the remarks of her fellow maids and servants, she is exceptionally kind to Ariel and does her best to make her feel comfortable.
- For full cast information see The Little Mermaid Cast Lists.
Differences between the Musical and Film
Plot- The shark chase sequence that introduces Ariel and Flounder has been removed and replaced with "The World Above".
- Ursula's magic shell is just a large nautilus shell, whereas in the 1989 film it is a necklace.
- In the musical (like in early versions of the film), Ursula is King Triton's sister.
- Ursula and Triton are equal, and upon the death of their father, PoseidonPoseidonPoseidon was the god of the sea, and, as "Earth-Shaker," of the earthquakes in Greek mythology. The name of the sea-god Nethuns in Etruscan was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon...
, Ursula received the magic shell while her brother received the trident. Each ruled half the oceans, until Ursula's cruelty and use of black magic led to Triton deposing her and assuming full reign over the entire ocean world. - The "Under the Sea" sequence has been moved to after King Triton destroys Ariel's collection of human things rather than before.
- The magic shell allows Ursula to spy on people, so she does not "use" Flotsam and Jetsam's eyes as in the film.
- Eric's sheepdog Max is not included.
- Ursula's alter ego Vanessa is not included thereby omitting the subplot of Eric's brainwashing by her as well as the subsequent end. In place of the Vanessa subplot, there is a contest with foreign princesses singing songs to see if Eric can recognize any of them to have Ariel's voice.
- In the musical, Ariel does not receive her voice back until after she is turned back into a mermaid.
- In the movie, Flotsam and Jetsam are killed when Ursula accidentally zaps them with the trident; in the musical they swim away after Ariel takes Ursula's magic shell and their fate is unknown after that.
- Ursula is destroyed simply by breaking the magic shell, as staging her becoming a giant and subsequent impalement on a ship would be too complicated to stage.
Musical Numbers
The following musical numbers were written for the stage musical and not included in the original film:
- The World Above - Ariel
- Human Stuff - Scuttle, Gulls
- I Want The Good Times Back - Ursula, Flotsam, Jetsam, Eels
- She's In Love - Mersisters, Flounder
- Her Voice - Prince Eric
- The World Above (Reprise) - King Triton
- Sweet Child - Flotsam, Jetsam
- Positoovity - Scuttle, Gulls
- Beyond My Wildest Dreams - Ariel, Maids, Carlotta
- Les Poissons (Reprise) - Chef Louis
- One Step Closer - Prince Eric
- I Want The Good Times Back (Reprise) - Ursula, Flotsam, Jetsam
- If Only (Quartet) - Ariel, Prince Eric, Sebastian, and King Triton
- The Contest - Grimsby, Princesses
- Poor Unfortunate Souls (Reprise) - Ursula
- If Only (Reprise) - King Triton, Ariel
- Finale - Prince Eric, Ariel, Ensemble
Response
Audience response of the targeted family demographic to the musical has been generally positive. Critics have given the production a mixed response, with some praising the show, and some calling it "less than witty" and "bloated". The New York Times was especially critical, saying that the "charm-free" musical is "stripped of the movie’s generation-crossing appeal. Coherence of plot, endearing quirks of character, even the melodious wit of the original score (supplemented by new, substandard songs...) have been swallowed by an unfocused spectacle...." Time Magazine, however, commented, "It was one of the most ravishing things I have ever seen on a Broadway stage."Awards and nominations
62nd Tony Awards62nd Tony Awards
The 62nd Tony Awards ceremony was held on June 15, 2008. The Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Awards, recognize achievement in live American theatre. CBS television broadcast the event from Radio City Music Hall in New York City as it has since...
- Best Original Score: Alan MenkenAlan MenkenAlan Menken is an American musical theatre and film composer and pianist.Menken is best known for his numerous scores for films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. His scores for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Pocahontas have each won him two Academy Awards...
(music); Howard AshmanHoward AshmanHoward Elliott Ashman was an American playwright and lyricist. Ashman first studied at Boston University and Goddard College and then went on to achieve his master's degree from Indiana University in 1974...
and Glenn SlaterGlenn SlaterGlenn Slater is an American lyricist who collabrates with Alan Menken and other musical theatre composers. He was nominated for the Tony Award, Best Original Score for The Little Mermaid and received his second Tony nomination for Sister Act.-Biography:Slater was born in Brooklyn, New York, but...
(lyrics) Nominated - Best Lighting Design of a Musical: Natasha KatzNatasha KatzNatasha Katz is a lighting designer for the theatre, dance, and opera. She was educated at Oberlin College and did an internship with Roger Morgan....
Nominated
2008 Drama Desk Awards
- Outstanding Actress in a Musical: Sierra BoggessSierra BoggessSierra Boggess is an American theater actress and soprano singer. She was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, with her two sisters, Summer and Allegra. The three of them were members of the Colorado Children's Chorale. Her parents are Kellun Turner and Michael Boggess...
Nominated - Outstanding Set Design of a Musical: George TsypinGeorge TsypinGeorge Tsypin is an American sculptor, architect and stage designer .-Early life and education:...
Nominated - Outstanding Lighting Design: Natasha KatzNatasha KatzNatasha Katz is a lighting designer for the theatre, dance, and opera. She was educated at Oberlin College and did an internship with Roger Morgan....
Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Awards
- Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical: Sherie Rene ScottSherie Rene ScottSherie Rene Scott is an American actress, singer and writer. She is a co-founder of Grammy winning Sh-K-Boom Records and Ghostlight Records and has appeared in numerous Off-Broadway and Broadway musicals and plays appears on numerous solo and original cast recordings.-Life and career:Scott was...
Nominated
Drama League Award
Drama League Award
The Drama League Awards, created in 1935, honor distinguished productions and performances both on Broadway and Off-Broadway, in addition to recognizing exemplary career achievements in theatre, musical theatre, and directing...
- Distinguished Performance Award: Sierra BoggessSierra BoggessSierra Boggess is an American theater actress and soprano singer. She was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, with her two sisters, Summer and Allegra. The three of them were members of the Colorado Children's Chorale. Her parents are Kellun Turner and Michael Boggess...
Nominated
9th Annual Broadway.com Audience Awards
- Favorite New Broadway Musical Nominated
- Favorite Leading Actress in a Broadway Musical: Sierra BoggessSierra BoggessSierra Boggess is an American theater actress and soprano singer. She was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, with her two sisters, Summer and Allegra. The three of them were members of the Colorado Children's Chorale. Her parents are Kellun Turner and Michael Boggess...
Nominated - Favorite Featured Actor in a Broadway Musical: Tituss Burgess Nominated
- Favorite Featured Actress in a Broadway Musical: Sherie Rene ScottSherie Rene ScottSherie Rene Scott is an American actress, singer and writer. She is a co-founder of Grammy winning Sh-K-Boom Records and Ghostlight Records and has appeared in numerous Off-Broadway and Broadway musicals and plays appears on numerous solo and original cast recordings.-Life and career:Scott was...
Nominated - Favorite Diva Performance: Sherie Rene ScottSherie Rene ScottSherie Rene Scott is an American actress, singer and writer. She is a co-founder of Grammy winning Sh-K-Boom Records and Ghostlight Records and has appeared in numerous Off-Broadway and Broadway musicals and plays appears on numerous solo and original cast recordings.-Life and career:Scott was...
Nominated - Favorite Breakthrough Performance (Female): Sierra BoggessSierra BoggessSierra Boggess is an American theater actress and soprano singer. She was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, with her two sisters, Summer and Allegra. The three of them were members of the Colorado Children's Chorale. Her parents are Kellun Turner and Michael Boggess...
WINNER - Favorite New Broadway Song: "If Only" Nominated
- Favorite New Broadway Song: "She's In Love" Nominated
Grammy Awards
- Best Musical Show Album Nominated
External links
- Official Website
- Song list at DenverPost.com, dated August 17, 2007
- Article about a preview of the show at Yahoo Broadway, dated October 11, 2007
- BroadwayWorld TV: Making of Disney's The Little Mermaid CD