Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid

[clarkstallings]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 8:52pm

I recently read the book "Disney War" and read that the opening number of The Little Mermaid (Fathoms Below) was originally intended to be about a seven minute opening number but it was cut by Jeffrey Katzenberg before the movie was released. Apparently it was Katzenberg's desire to cut "Belle" as being an opening as well, but Ashman insisted that it stay thank God. I was wondering if anyone knew if for the musical of Mermaid, they were planning on restoring the original "Fathom's Below" as a full length opening number? I would personally like to see that. Just about anything that is Ashman/Menken is brilliant. I know it's really early in the game to be talking about this but I know some of y'all out there have been privy to some of the new material and might know this kind of thing.

[Hester Prynne]

Posted: 1/27/06 at 9:15pm

The demo version was found in a great box set that Disney put out in 1994 (I think) titled THE MUSIC BEHIND THE MAGIC: THE MUSICAL ARTISTRY OF ALAN MENKEN, HOWARD ASHMAN & TIM RICE. It featured all the demos from THE LITTLE MERMAID, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and ALADDIN, including the original one by just Menken & Ashman.

I think it would be great if it was restored for the stage version.

[Footlooser]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 4:17pm

Has anyone heard any updates on "The Little Mermaid?" Is it a go or are they pulling back?

[mikeyb16]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 11:38am

ur rite, i got fathoms below and silence is golden. they wud b gr8 if the demo songs came 2 the musical

[mikeyb16]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 11:44am

foot loose,

eres the info bout wat u need 2 no bout little mermaid

**Progress has finally been made on the long in the works stage adaption of The Little Mermaid, with the hiring of a director and scenic designer for the show. That will be Helmer Francesca Zambello and George Tsypin respectively, and the first Bway show for Zambello, (the second for Tsypin). No more details on the production yet, other than that it won't actually take place under water, and that so far, the show has 10 songs vs. the movie's 5 written by Alan Menken.**

[CapnHook]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 12:41pm

It will probably be released on the upcoming October 3 Platinum Edition DVD of the film.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 3/8/06 at 12:45pm

Only 10 songs? Seems like a small # of songs for a musical.

[NewYorkYankee2006]

Posted: 5/29/06 at 1:23pm

yeah it does. i'm sure they'll have the other songs from the original film in the show though...hopefully. the show will be really short otherwise.

[sondheimboy2]

Posted: 5/29/06 at 9:17pm

They'll probably call in Tim Rice to write some new songs with Howard Ashman

[CapnHook]

Posted: 5/29/06 at 9:24pm

sondhiemboy,

Howard Ashman passed away. He died before BEAUTY & THE BEAST was fully completed. He only wrote one or two songs for ALADDIN before passing as well. So no, Tim Rice won't work with Howard Ashman.

On the other hand, Alan Menken has already written new songs for the show, and in addition, might be using unused songs from the original film.

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 5/29/06 at 10:35pm

I think sondheimboy meant Menken when he said Ashman. Tim Rice and Howard Ashman are both lyricist, while Menken is a song writer.

[jarred03]

Posted: 5/30/06 at 12:36am

I'm sure there will be more than 10, the post said 10 by menken, there might be more writers. I just wish they would get their asses in gear with this show already.

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 5/30/06 at 1:17am

Glenn Slater is doing the new lyrics for THE LITTLE MERMAID not Tim Rice

[NewYorkYankee2006]

Posted: 5/30/06 at 5:02pm

i wish they would hurry up with the show aswell because i can't keep my fingers crossed for much longer. i just wish they would hurry up with the casting already.

[mikeyb16]

Posted: 5/30/06 at 6:20pm

i agree, it's about time the creative team should start sorting out who's going to be in the original broadway cast, i really am hoping for kerry butler to get the lead, i've got a demo track of her singing part of your world and she was brilliant at it. some of you might disagree but my prediction still remains strong (until we find out eventually) i suggest that's what you should all do for your predictions for who will get the lead, no matter what other people would say, believe in your choice and you may never know, you might get lucky

[showbiz287]

Posted: 5/30/06 at 6:25pm

mikeyb16

what do you mean by "the show will not be under water"?

I'm assuming you mean visually it wont be a huge pool of water onstage like some CIRQUE DU SOLEIL show...

[mikeyb16]

Posted: 5/30/06 at 6:28pm

oh, it's just a figure of speech, they try to make the article a bit more interesting by using those kinds of expressions as a joke because i wouldn't think the entire cast could last 2 hours under water on stage, well i would reckon they would use visual affects and see-through scrims and lights to create the sea water underneath

[showbiz287]

Posted: 5/30/06 at 6:32pm

oh. yea. thats what I was thinking the show's design was gonna be something like.

[Eastwickian]

Posted: 5/31/06 at 4:39am

After a movement workshop takes place in London in a couple of weeks, it has been suggested that it may open in the UK first:


Whatsonstage Messageboard Updated On: 5/31/06 at 04:39 AM

[NewYorkYankee2006]

Posted: 6/1/06 at 12:58pm

does anyone know how they will do the effects on stage if they are not actually going to set it under water?

[leon1489]

Posted: 6/1/06 at 5:56pm

I have the demo version of the Little Mermaid for the Broadway show, and Fathoms Below is actually not on the demo, which could mean that it is going to be cut from the show... however, only the reprise of "Part of your World" was recorded, so it's very possible that Fathoms Below MAY be in the show and just not on the demo. Additionally, the Demo has 18 songs, not 10. Also, the original film had 9 songs, not 5. I'm pretty sure that the show will have somewhere between 15 to 25 songs, since that's been the general number in the previous Disney Shows on Broadway. For instance, Beauty and the Beast went from 12 to 23 songs, so I would not be surprised if Little Mermaid doubled as well.

[NewYorkYankee2006]

Posted: 6/2/06 at 8:37am

is there any way of getting hold of the demo cd? i would like to hear how the stars sing the songs. is cheyenne on the demo?
Updated On: 6/2/06 at 08:37 AM

[showbiz287]

Posted: 6/2/06 at 11:44am

yes, i'd like to know where I could hear the demo version as well.

[NewYorkYankee2006]

Posted: 6/2/06 at 12:49pm

i bet it's really cool as THE LITTLE MERMAID has such a beautiful musical score.