The Little Mermaid

Reviewed by Holly Bartges

Good Grief Charlie Brown!!! Although Holy Mackerel is probably more like it. I have never in my life seen anything more spectacular, more gorgeous on a stage anywhere then Disney’s on-its-way-to-Broadway production of The Little Mermaid playing at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House.

Sierra Boggess as Ariel in The Little Mermaid presented by Disney Theatrical Productions at The Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Photo by Joan Marcus

Why The Ellie and not the Buell? The Buell is bigger, but the Ellie matches the size of the New York’s Lunt-Fontaine Theatre, where it will play beginning November 3, officially opening December 6.

The lighting, designed by Natasha Katz takes the breath away, dancing its way through the story line in a myriad bright colors.

The set designed by George Tsypin is simply unbelievable taking the audience back and forth from, above the sea where humans live to under the sea where the sea creatures romp and rule.

Could it really happen? Or would Disney only be able to point toward an illusion so beautifully created in the animated film, which, I confess, I did not see. I did see several trailers punctuated throughout television land.

Tsypin’s design succeeded far beyond anyone’s wild imagination. Chris Wiger of the Denver Center Theatre Company warned me I would have to periodically remind myself to breathe. He was oh, so right. To attempt any type of description would destroy the initial impact and serendipitous magical surprises tumbling one after the other.

Directed by Francesca Zambello and choreographed by Stephen Mear, the characters are brought to honest life in three dimensional body, mind, and soul attitude and atmosphere. No paper doll images. No cartoon animated copycats.

It has been said The Little Mermaid is Hans Christian Anderson favorite story of all of the incredible fairytales he wrote. Doug Wright who wrote the Book, Alan Menken who wrote the music, and Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater who wrote the lyrics treat his story on stage with sacred gold imprinting.

I do not believe there could be a more honest, more real Ariel than what Sierra Boggess provides. She gives us Ariel’s heart and soul wrapped up in a golden, gorgeous Ariel voice. She doesn’t just point toward falling in live with Prince Eric, she gives us the process of falling in love on a silver platter surrounded by magnificent light. Boggess gives us the teen-age rebellion of wanting to do what she knows she must do no matter what. Wearing her feelings and heart on her shoulder, Boggess provides the depth of emotional innuendoes.

King Triton couldn’t be more majestic then with Norm Lewis giving him life with Lewis’ majestic, powerful voice shaking the rafters. Triton just doesn’t point toward becoming angry over Ariel disobeying him, he is angry, and with good reason. All too often, anger is played down on stage to avoid “upsetting the children.” Lewis’ strength, power, and Triton characterization leaves everyone shaking in his boots. He has reason to be angry, after having lost his beloved wife to those above the sea monsters, wanting ever so much to protect his beautiful daughter, the light of his life.

Cody Hanford and J.J. Singleton share the role of Ariel’s best friend, Flounder. Hanford played Flounder Opening Night giving us the adorable Flounder personality with every swim of his fin captivated with a delicious strong voice.

In his red crab costume, Titus Burgess claimed Sebastian’s personality with every move of his claws knowing his place to suck-up to Triton with masterful crab-like attentiveness, knowing and understanding full-well how to side-step major issues. He does manage to take one wrong side step suggesting to Triton someone needs to keep a watchful protecting eye on Ariel. Triton whole-heartedly agrees, assigning Sebastian to the job, much to Sebastian’s crab-like chagrin. Burgess brings the house down with his definitive sense of humor, strength, power and perceptiveness as the court composer.

Sherie Rene Scott nearly knocks the roof off of the Ellie with her equally powerful portrayal of Ursala, Triton’s banished sister, for playing with Black Magic. A sea-witch in an incredibly designed costume, Ursala is bound and determined to take the kingdom away from her brother. She sees Ariel as her own personal key to the kingdom. Scott is Ursala and makes no bones about it with her strong powerful voice and inventive Ursala characterization.

Ursala’s sidekicks Jetsam and Flotsam, portrayed by Derrick Baskin and Tyler Maynard respectively, offer side-splitting honest comic slithering, sneaky, eel-like features They’d steal the show if they could, but the competition remains rather stiff, at least stiff for two slimy eels to capture.

Eddie Korbich’s “positoovity” seagull, Scuttle does a fabulous job living in the heart of one who sees himself as the ocean’s greatest authority on humans, strutting his arrogant confidence with bird-like pride.

Having not seen the movie, it took me a few seconds to figure out who and what Scuttle was. I thought his costume could have been slightly more seagull definitive, as with the other seagulls. More feathers and defined wings would help immensely for those as unfamiliar with the movie as was I.

Sean Palmer’s far-sighted, curious, wanting to know more, eager to find the love of his life, knowing full well he will know her when he sees her, Prince Eric knocked me out with a fully developed character and a voice to die for. Palmer gave him realness with three-dimensional depth.

In juxtaposition to Eric’s love of the sea and adventure, Grimsby definitely has his hands full to keep the young prince, soon to crowned king if only he would settle down and take a bride in check. Jonathan Freeman stands up close and personal in his own powerful state as the gatekeeper to the kingdom, so to speak. This would be an easy role to allow slipping into the background. Freeman doesn’t let that happen.

Spectacular as the set and lighting are, one element confused me. It was quite clear the bright colored round object occupying center stage above sea level was the sun. It was ingeniously clear when it was transformed into the chandelier, however appearing in center stage under the sea left me wondering what it was suppose to represent: a very large cluster of seashells, a very large sea creature who just slept through the story? In my ponderings it occurred to me it might be the sun, but it didn’t seem possible that down under the depth of the sea. light refractions wouldn’t distort the brilliant roundness. It was explained it is indeed suppose to be the sun under the water depth as the source of life. I have since learned it is a prominent feature in the film. At the moment, however, it did not read across the boards, serving as a slight distraction to the mind-boggling feast unfolding before my very big eyes and open mouth.

The orchestra under the direction of Michael Kosarin filled the Ellie with the magnificent, enchanting music.

he ingenious costumes designed by Tatianna Noginova allowed one to fall into a believable fantasy of enchantment. Aside for wanting Scuttle to be slightly more definitive, I would also like to have seen Flounder’s costume a little more “flounderish.”

Although there is no question The Little Mermaid was originally written as a children’s fairytale, with a not-so-subtle message for adults, the producer’s ought to seriously think about not allowing anyone under four into the theatre. A little boy, barely one, had to be carried out of the theatre twice by a parent. Covering his ears with his hands, it was obvious the music was way too loud, and the show too long for him. His crying and having to be taken out of the theatre provided an irritating major distraction. Lying smiles to apologetic parents breaks into the enchanting experience.

Two little girls who looked to be about four sitting two rows ahead of me were glued to the stage. Parents ought to be encouraged to think seriously as to whether their children are up to sitting through a two and a half hour major production, how sensitive they might be to loud music, and how unfair is it to ask very little ones to sit still through a major production demanding attention way beyond their pictures books. Granted, there are some rather astute three-year-olds able to handle a gigantic experience as The Little Mermaid, calling for astute parents who know their children’s sensibilities.

Several comments indicated songs added to the show for the stage production were more exciting then the original. Again, not having seen the movie, and not knowing which were which, I couldn’t tell the difference, finding them all definitive of the characters, engulfing the story, moving it at its own perfect pace.

How thrilling to have Center Attractions bring The Little Mermaid to Denver to workshop its way into Broadway status, and to be a part of what actually goes into making a Broadway show grow to perfection. How exciting it will be when Mermaid goes on tour, returning to Denver in its perfected magical world under the sea. As it moves closer to its Broadway opening, the Powers That Be will continue to tweak it, trim it, clarify it just because that’s the way the creative processed mind works. There will be many who will flock to the stage production who never saw the movie for one reason or another. What was obvious in the film isn’t necessarily so obvious on stage. Something the Producers and creative team need too keep in mind.

After The Little Mermaid experience, it will be difficult to accept simplistic sets knowing how cutting-edge innovative thinking can create a near impossible illusion.