Brian's NYC

Last night I checked out The Little Mermaid on Broadway. I always have an issue with seeing Disney musicals, particularly because of the audience. There’s only so much squirming, talking, candy unwrapping, and camera flashing I can deal with.

Little children and annoying parents aside, there is definitely something to be said about Disney and their involvement in resurrecting Broadway and Times Square. And they have had incredible success with The Lion King, and even Beauty & the Beast, which closed last year after an 18-or-something year run. But with their last two ventures—Tarzan and The Little Mermaid—they seem to have really missed the mark.

Perhaps it was the blending of the musical theater, Disney, and opera world (Director Francesca Zambello is renowned for her direction in the opera world), or perhaps The Little Mermaid is just the worst Disney film to make into a musical (where’s Newsies when you need it?), but let’s just say I would have been very disappointed had I paid money to see the show…

It’s a monster of an idea, to blend land and sea on stage. They were successful with adapting the animal world in The Lion King, but their attempt to revolutionize musical theater again, well, failed. A tacky, almost plastic looking sun hanging in the stage throughout the show flips from yellow to blue depending on where the scene is set. A ship flies down and is suspended above the stage while actors with flowy arms glide around on Heely’s (shoes with wheels in the heels). At one point, when Ariel gets her legs and swims to the surface, King Triton holds her while she kicks frantically and blue wave like curtains fly in.

It all just seems so cheesy and hoaky, doesn’t it? The sets and the costumes appeared, well, cheap. I’m sure they’re not, but the props looked like something you would pick up at Toys ‘R Us. The fins bounced along behind the actors as they try to maneuver across the stage without slapping each other with their tails, and their flowy arm movements to demonstrate they are underwater was just about too much to handle. Did I mention all the glitter?

Production aspects aside, sometimes good actors happen to bad productions. Everyone in this production is ridiculously talented, especially the principles. Sierra Boggess embodied Disney princess as Ariel. While playing one of the most beloved Disney princesses, who is actually a mermaid, seems unbelievably daunting, I actually felt like she is too big for the role, like she was being held back by her material. Her big note in “Part of Your World” almost made me want to own the soundtrack just so I can listen to it resonate again and again. The only thing I didn’t like was that she didn’t belt more! Sherie Renee Scott seems a bit miscast as Ursula, but it’s the character that is misinterpreted, not Scott. In the Broadway musical, Ursula is partly there for comedic relief. She is definitely not as evil as in the film. In fact, the poor writing in her scenes keep Scott from soaring into the stratosphere with her interpretation. Instead, she relies on her big notes to wow the audience, which she absolutely does, and gets cheers not boos upon her entrances and exits. Sean Palmer as Prince Eric was, well, Prince Eric, the Disney prince of my dreams (we all have our favorites). His voice was kind of like chocolate. Smooth, gorgeous chocolate. Norm Lewis was commanding as King Triton. His voice sounded great, and let’s be honest, he looks great in a fin (and nothing else). And Titus Burgess was fantastic as Sebastian, as usual. While I prefer him in meatier roles (like the Lion in The Wiz at La Jolla), he stole the show with “Under The Sea” and “Kiss The Girl.” His voice is spectacular, and I’ll jump at any chance to hear it live.

All in all, I give the production a straight C, saved only by the extreme talent coming from the stage.