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First Official Production Photo: Ariel from The Little Mermaid Musical Picture!
- Thread starter MrsPortiaB
- Start date
mpoppins76
Well-Known Member
:sohappy: :sohappy: Can't wait to see it!!
ArielWannaBe
Member
Ahhh!!!
This is my dream!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :sohappy: :sohappy:
This is my dream!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :sohappy: :sohappy:
Shere_Khan
Well-Known Member
I would really love to see this. Not sure if I will be able to ever.
Is it only in New York at the moment? Or will it tour other cities?
Is it only in New York at the moment? Or will it tour other cities?
I want to see it too!
Nicole220
Well-Known Member
It's in Denver right now. I think it's coming to New York around November.
docandsix
Active Member
I brought my family to see it in Denver the other night... SOME SPOILERS!
It cost as much per person as a single day ticket to a WDW theme park, with no discount for children, of course. The entire family was very excited to see the show, and we made a whole evening of it, dressing up (no one ever does that in Denver) and going out to dinner at a fancy restaurant first.
Herewith, my impressions:
-The male and female leads (Eric and Ariel) were outstanding. Both fit the roles well and had a strong stage presence and excellent voices. They carried the performance.
-The sets left a little (a lot?) to be desired. Other than the boat featured prominently in the first number (Fathoms Below), the sets did little to transport my imagination to the world of the story. There were a couple of mechanical devices that look like giant wine bottle openers (the kind of corkscrews with handles on both sides that one squeezes to extract the cork) that kept reappearing in multiple scenes--under water, on land, and in the palace. They were distracting and lacked the organic form that might have helped them blend into the scenery better. This is an area in which significant improvements could be made, and I wonder if there are plans for more once the show reaches Broadway.
-Similar to the sets, the costumes disappointed me. Perhaps this is because I kept comparing them to the costumes from the stage production of The Lion King, which probably isn't fair, given how ground-breaking and amazing those costumes were. Nevertheless, I thought the costumes were too heavy on sparkle, an odd degree of androgyny, and accordion-like folding paper devices (Ursula's tentacles and Under the Sea's blowfish, for example). I also didn't find the "heelies" the actors used to mimick gliding through water convincing as a representation of swimming, though I admittedly cannot conceive of an alternative.
-The supporting cast was very good, for the most part. Sebastian lacked timing or volume or something in singing Under the Sea, so the number didn't have the show-stopping impact it claimed in the movie. Kiss the Girl, on the other hand turned out nicely. The actress playing Ursula has a fine voice, but seemed less imposing and threatening in singing Poor, Unfortunate Souls than what the film left me to expect.
-On the other hand, Ursula, Ariel's sisters, and Scuttle all have bright, fun, catchy new numbers added to the "soundtrack" just for the show. If I remember, the songs are "I Want the Good Times Back," "She's in Love," and "Positoovity," respectively.
-With an understanding that some of the effects seen in the climax of the film would be difficult or impossible to replicate on stage, I would still say that the end of the live production was insufficiently dramatic and a bit logically implausible, even granting that it all takes place in a fairy tale world.
In all, we enjoyed the show a great deal, but concluded that The Lion King remains the regal standard by which all Disney stage productions will continue to be judged. Also, my wife admonished me for being too critical, so take it all with a grain of salt.
It cost as much per person as a single day ticket to a WDW theme park, with no discount for children, of course. The entire family was very excited to see the show, and we made a whole evening of it, dressing up (no one ever does that in Denver) and going out to dinner at a fancy restaurant first.
Herewith, my impressions:
-The male and female leads (Eric and Ariel) were outstanding. Both fit the roles well and had a strong stage presence and excellent voices. They carried the performance.
-The sets left a little (a lot?) to be desired. Other than the boat featured prominently in the first number (Fathoms Below), the sets did little to transport my imagination to the world of the story. There were a couple of mechanical devices that look like giant wine bottle openers (the kind of corkscrews with handles on both sides that one squeezes to extract the cork) that kept reappearing in multiple scenes--under water, on land, and in the palace. They were distracting and lacked the organic form that might have helped them blend into the scenery better. This is an area in which significant improvements could be made, and I wonder if there are plans for more once the show reaches Broadway.
-Similar to the sets, the costumes disappointed me. Perhaps this is because I kept comparing them to the costumes from the stage production of The Lion King, which probably isn't fair, given how ground-breaking and amazing those costumes were. Nevertheless, I thought the costumes were too heavy on sparkle, an odd degree of androgyny, and accordion-like folding paper devices (Ursula's tentacles and Under the Sea's blowfish, for example). I also didn't find the "heelies" the actors used to mimick gliding through water convincing as a representation of swimming, though I admittedly cannot conceive of an alternative.
-The supporting cast was very good, for the most part. Sebastian lacked timing or volume or something in singing Under the Sea, so the number didn't have the show-stopping impact it claimed in the movie. Kiss the Girl, on the other hand turned out nicely. The actress playing Ursula has a fine voice, but seemed less imposing and threatening in singing Poor, Unfortunate Souls than what the film left me to expect.
-On the other hand, Ursula, Ariel's sisters, and Scuttle all have bright, fun, catchy new numbers added to the "soundtrack" just for the show. If I remember, the songs are "I Want the Good Times Back," "She's in Love," and "Positoovity," respectively.
-With an understanding that some of the effects seen in the climax of the film would be difficult or impossible to replicate on stage, I would still say that the end of the live production was insufficiently dramatic and a bit logically implausible, even granting that it all takes place in a fairy tale world.
In all, we enjoyed the show a great deal, but concluded that The Lion King remains the regal standard by which all Disney stage productions will continue to be judged. Also, my wife admonished me for being too critical, so take it all with a grain of salt.
Epcot82Guy
Well-Known Member
Is this a full run in Denver? I know many shows carry out addition effects when placed in permanent theaters in NY. However, I think the show has huge promise, and I hope to see it on a NY trip coming up. I still haven't seen Lion King or Mary Poppins, so maybe it will be a Disney Broadway trip. :lol:
mpoppins76
Well-Known Member
In New York, the previews start November 3rd and it opens December 6th. 
:sohappy: :sohappy:
:sohappy: :sohappy:
mousefan1972
Well-Known Member
In New York, the previews start November 3rd and it opens December 6th.
:sohappy: :sohappy:
I hope it comes to Boston. If not.... road trip!!!
Zummi Gummi
Pioneering the Universe Within!
To clear up some confusion....
The show is in Denver on its out of town tryout. It's official opening night was tonight, actually. Reviews from the Denver critics should be appearing in the next couple of days.
After Denver, the show closes for six weeks before re-opening in New York in early November.
No tour has been announced yet, though I suspect one will go out sometime next year.
I haven't seen the show yet, but will when it comes to Broadway. Here is what I have heard, from my source in the Denver production...
At the moment, Sherie Renee Scott is stealing the show. She plays Ursula, and has worked for Disney before- she was the original Amneris in Aida.
Sierra Boggess is also getting high praise. Sean Palmer (Eric) is not. He apparently hasn't found the character yet, but that is apparently more due to the fact that his character is not very well-written. Titus Burgess, who plays Sebastian, is apparently not getting any laughs, and he may be replaced before Broadway.
I'm also told there has been a lot of re-writing going on, particularly in Act 2. Two songs have been cut, and Menken is writing a new song for Ariel to sing late in Act 2 (it will be her big 11:00 number).
I was told the giant set pieces actually look like bongs, which I am sure is not the image they were going for. Also, from what I've been told, the heelys concept works much better than many people thought it did.
The creative team has identified a lot of the problems that currently exist, and are working to fix them before NY. That's why they have out of town tryouts!
The show is in Denver on its out of town tryout. It's official opening night was tonight, actually. Reviews from the Denver critics should be appearing in the next couple of days.
After Denver, the show closes for six weeks before re-opening in New York in early November.
No tour has been announced yet, though I suspect one will go out sometime next year.
I haven't seen the show yet, but will when it comes to Broadway. Here is what I have heard, from my source in the Denver production...
At the moment, Sherie Renee Scott is stealing the show. She plays Ursula, and has worked for Disney before- she was the original Amneris in Aida.
Sierra Boggess is also getting high praise. Sean Palmer (Eric) is not. He apparently hasn't found the character yet, but that is apparently more due to the fact that his character is not very well-written. Titus Burgess, who plays Sebastian, is apparently not getting any laughs, and he may be replaced before Broadway.
I'm also told there has been a lot of re-writing going on, particularly in Act 2. Two songs have been cut, and Menken is writing a new song for Ariel to sing late in Act 2 (it will be her big 11:00 number).
I was told the giant set pieces actually look like bongs, which I am sure is not the image they were going for. Also, from what I've been told, the heelys concept works much better than many people thought it did.
The creative team has identified a lot of the problems that currently exist, and are working to fix them before NY. That's why they have out of town tryouts!
Figment82
Well-Known Member
Sherie Renee Scott is Ursula?!? How did I miss this bit of information? Oh I am so going to NY this winter!
I am also dying to see Young Frankenstein (I have the biggest schoolgirl crush on Roger Bart) so if I can time it right, that would wonderful if I could see both shows in one trip. What a great season this is shaping up to be - if only I still lived close to NY.
I am also dying to see Young Frankenstein (I have the biggest schoolgirl crush on Roger Bart) so if I can time it right, that would wonderful if I could see both shows in one trip. What a great season this is shaping up to be - if only I still lived close to NY.
wbboy29
Member
I can't wait to see this show!!! I got my tickets a few months back for the VERY LAST performance in Denver (Sept 9th). I never got to see Tarzan, but I loved Lion King and B&B. I'm planning on seeing Poppins in NYC this coming Jan, and I'll probably see Mermaid again too, just to see what changes were made since Denver. Looking forward to Sept 9th!!!