Tony Tuesday: THE LITTLE MERMAID
With the trailer for 2023’s live action movie of The Little Mermaid dropping recently (and looking amazing!), we thought it was time that the stage version of the story got featured on Tony Tuesday!
The Little Mermaid first hit Broadway in 2008. Produced, of course, by Disney Theatrical, it was based on the 1989 Disney film of the same name, which in turn was based on Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairy tale. The stage musical has a book by Doug Wright, with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman (written for the film), and additional lyrics by Glenn Slater
The story follows Ariel, a young mermaid who dreams of the world above the sea and falls in love with a shipwrecked prince. In an attempt to join him in his world and win his love, she goes to the sea witch, and exchanges her voice for a pair of legs.
The show first hit Broadway in November 2007, after a sold-out six-week tryout in Denver, Colorado. Its Broadway opening night was on 10 January 2008, a little later than planned due to the 2007 Broadway stagehand strike.
The show was directed by Francesca Zambello and starred Sierra Boggess as Ariel, Sean Palmer as Prince Eric, Norm Lewis as King Triton, Sherie Rene Scott as the sea witch Ursula, and Tituss Burgess as everyone’s favourite crab, Sebastian. It was the Broadway debut for both director Zambello and its star, Boggess!
Staging an underwater show was always going to be a challenge, but the production team were inventive. Choreographer Stephen Mear had the actors wear Heelys wheeled footwear, which they termed "merblades", to give the sense of moving through water. Luckily, this choice of footwear was no problem for Sierra, who used to be an ice-skater!
Critical response to the show was mixed, but family audiences loved it, and it played over 700 performances in total. A US tour was planned for after the Broadway closing, but sadly did not occur. Still, several regional productions took place, as well as international productions in Israel in 2010, and the Philippines in 2011.
In 2012, a revised version directed by Glenn Casale opened in the Netherlands. There were changes to the book and score, including a new song, and the Heelys were replaced with aerial effects and flying harnesses. These changes were incorporated into the official licensed version from then on.
Since then, The Little Mermaid has played on stages in Russia, Japan, Belgium, Brazil and Finland, but it is yet to debut in the West End. With the recent success of other Disney productions like Frozen and Beauty and the Beast, though, it seems like it could be an ideal time for the show to finally reach our shores!
FACTS:
Music: Alan Menken
Lyrics: Howard Ashman & Glenn Slater
Book: Doug Wright
Theatre: Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
Run: 3 November 2007 - 30 August 2009 (685 performances & 50 previews)
TONYS:
NOMINATED: Best Original Score - Alan Menken (music), Howard Ashman & Glenn Slater (lyrics); Best Lighting Design of a Musical - Natasha Katz
Watch Sierra Boggess perform ‘Part of Your World’ at the 2008 Tony Awards: