The Little Mermaid (musical)
The Little Mermaid is a stage musical produced by Disney Theatrical, based on the Walt Disney Animation Studios 1989 film The Little Mermaid and the fairy tale "The Little Mermaid" by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen about a mermaid who dreams of the world above the sea and gives up her voice to find true love. Its book is by Doug Wright, music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman (written for the film), with additional lyrics by Glenn Slater. Its underwater setting and story about aquatic characters requires unusual technical designs and strategies to create gliding movements for the actors.
The Little Mermaid
After a pre-Broadway tryout in Denver, Colorado from July to September 2007, the musical began Broadway previews on November 3, 2007, at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, replacing Disney's Beauty and the Beast. The production officially opened on January 10, 2008, and closed on August 30, 2009, after 685 performances and 50 previews. It introduced Broadway debuts by director Francesca Zambello and Sierra Boggess in the title role.
Subsequent productions have been seen in US regional theatres and internationally. A modified version of the musical with a new book and direction by Glenn Casale was developed in 2012, and this version is the basis for subsequent productions.
Productions[edit]
Denver tryout (2007)[edit]
The Little Mermaid had a pre-Broadway tryout at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts' Ellie Caulkins Opera House from July 26, 2007, through September 9, 2007. Every seat available (approximately 95,000 seats) for the 6-week run was sold out.[8]
Broadway (2008–2009)[edit]
The musical began previews on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on November 3, 2007, and was temporarily shut down on November 10, 2007, due to the 2007 Broadway stagehand strike.[9] The strike ended on November 28, 2007, and the show resumed previews the next day.[10] The official opening date was postponed from December 6, 2007, to January 10, 2008.[11] Jodi Benson and Pat Carroll, who starred in the 1989 animated film as Ariel and Ursula, respectively, attended the opening night ceremony.[12]
Direction was by Francesca Zambello, making her Broadway debut, with choreography by Stephen Mear. Scenic design was by George Tsypin, costumes by Tatiana Noginova, lighting by Natasha Katz and projections by Sven Ortel. The original cast featured newcomer Sierra Boggess in the title role of Ariel, Sean Palmer as Prince Eric, Brian D'Addario and Trevor Braun alternated 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. Notable replacements included Faith Prince as Ursula and Drew Seeley as Prince Eric. The production closed on August 30, 2009, after 50 previews and 685 performances.[13] 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."[14]
Regional US and Canada productions[edit]
Regional US productions include the Tuacahn Amphitheatre in Ivins, Utah (2011, 2014, 2019);[15] The Muny, St. Louis, Missouri (2011, 2017);[16][17] the California Musical Theatre, Sacramento (2012);[5] the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey (2013),[18][19] the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota (2014),[20] the Music Hall at Fair Park in Dallas, Texas (2014),[21] and the White Plains Performing Arts Center, New York (2014).[22] There have also been limited tours of regional productions, such as a 2015 tour by Theatre Under the Stars,[23] and a 2016 tour which launched at the 5th Avenue Theatre on November 23, 2016, and made stops in Orlando, Cincinnati, Atlanta and Louisville, among other cities.[24] A production at California Musical Theatre in Sacramento, directed by Casale, was performed in the round.[5]
The first Canadian production opened on August 13, 2014, and ran until August 29, 2014, at Rainbow Stage, Winnipeg, MB. Colleen Furlan starred as Ariel along with Marc Devigne as Prince Eric and Jennifer Lyon as Ursula. The production was directed by Ann Hodges and choreographed by Linda Garneau and the music director was Elizabeth Baird. The costumes used were made for this original cast by Kansas City Costumes.[25] Another Canadian production opened on November 19, 2014, at the Dunfield Theatre in Cambridge, Ontario, where it ran until December 21, 2014.[26]
Response[edit]
Audience response of the targeted family demographic to the musical has been generally positive.[58] Critics gave the show a mixed response, with some praising it,[59] and some calling it "less than witty"[60] and "bloated".[61] Ben Brantley of 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."[62] Time Magazine, however, commented, "It was one of the most ravishing things I have ever seen on a Broadway stage."[63]