Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
clarkstallings
Leading Actor Joined: 1/9/05
#0Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
Posted: 1/27/06 at 8:52pmI 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
Stand-by Joined: 5/19/05
#1re: Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
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.
MassOfMen on 5/17/07: "and lastly, I have no vested interest in LB. I have seen the show, I paid my money (a lot of money for that tix) I didn't watch it on a bootleg, yes I saw the flesh and bone of the people up there working their tails off. But do I really have to explain myself to you? are you the judge jury and executioner of Bwyworld.com message board? no.
But I digress, I will leave this subject as I am bored of the rebuttals anyway, and go back to "wasting my time" with the job of building buildings. We have chat boards for architects as well, ya know."
#2re: Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
Posted: 2/7/06 at 4:17pmHas anyone heard any updates on "The Little Mermaid?" Is it a go or are they pulling back?
"You know just because you put a smiley face after it doesn't change the fact that it was an a-hole comment." ~ Sumofallthings
mikeyb16
Broadway Star Joined: 1/22/06
#3re: Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
Posted: 3/8/06 at 11:38amur rite, i got fathoms below and silence is golden. they wud b gr8 if the demo songs came 2 the musical
mikeyb16
Broadway Star Joined: 1/22/06
#4re: Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
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.**
#5re: Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
Posted: 3/8/06 at 12:41pmIt will probably be released on the upcoming October 3 Platinum Edition DVD of the film.
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
--Aristotle
RentBoy86
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
#6re: Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
Posted: 3/8/06 at 12:45pmOnly 10 songs? Seems like a small # of songs for a musical.
NewYorkYankee2006
Stand-by Joined: 4/30/06
#7re: Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
Posted: 5/29/06 at 1:23pmyeah 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.
#8re: Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
Posted: 5/29/06 at 9:17pmThey'll probably call in Tim Rice to write some new songs with Howard Ashman
"A coherent existance after so many years of muddle" - Desiree' Armfelt, A Little Night Music
"Life keeps happening everyday, Say Yes" - 70, Girls, 70
"Life is what you do while you're waiting to die" - Zorba
#9re: Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
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.
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
--Aristotle
Rentaholic2
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/14/04
#10re: Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
Posted: 5/29/06 at 10:35pmI think sondheimboy meant Menken when he said Ashman. Tim Rice and Howard Ashman are both lyricist, while Menken is a song writer.
jarred03
Leading Actor Joined: 10/17/04
#11re: Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
Posted: 5/30/06 at 12:36amI'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
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/10/04
#12re: Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
Posted: 5/30/06 at 1:17am
Glenn Slater is doing the new lyrics for THE LITTLE MERMAID not Tim Rice
Who can explain it, who can tell you why?
Fools give you reasons, wise men never try
-South Pacific
NewYorkYankee2006
Stand-by Joined: 4/30/06
#13re: Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
Posted: 5/30/06 at 5:02pmi 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
Broadway Star Joined: 1/22/06
#14re: Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
Posted: 5/30/06 at 6:20pmi 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
#15re: Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
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...
"I'll eat some breakfast, then change the world."
mikeyb16
Broadway Star Joined: 1/22/06
#16re: Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
Posted: 5/30/06 at 6:28pmoh, 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
#17re: Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
Posted: 5/30/06 at 6:32pmoh. yea. thats what I was thinking the show's design was gonna be something like.
"I'll eat some breakfast, then change the world."
#18re: Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
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
Stand-by Joined: 4/30/06
#19re: Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
Posted: 6/1/06 at 12:58pmdoes anyone know how they will do the effects on stage if they are not actually going to set it under water?
#20re: Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
Posted: 6/1/06 at 5:56pmI 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
Stand-by Joined: 4/30/06
#21re: Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
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
#22re: Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
Posted: 6/2/06 at 11:44amyes, i'd like to know where I could hear the demo version as well.
"I'll eat some breakfast, then change the world."
NewYorkYankee2006
Stand-by Joined: 4/30/06
#23re: Fathoms Below Full Version in The Little Mermaid
Posted: 6/2/06 at 12:49pmi bet it's really cool as THE LITTLE MERMAID has such a beautiful musical score.
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