How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

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How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

Posted: 1/26/07 at 1:07pm

While I would love the entire stage to be an aquarium, where the actors wear wetsuits and oxygen tanks... I doubt this will be the case.

I saw them swing from ropes and walk the back of the stage in Tarzan. I've seen people tap dance upside down in Mary Poppins. I saw them using puppets in Finding Nemo.

My question - does ANYONE know how the characters in Little Mermaid will "swim"?

Cages or wings - which do you prefer?

re: How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

Posted: 1/26/07 at 1:10pm

wheeee

"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

re: How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

Posted: 1/26/07 at 1:12pm

So no expensive crazy special effects? It's Starlight Express with singing fish?

Boo!

Cages or wings - which do you prefer?

re: How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

Posted: 1/26/07 at 1:18pm

I hope they do it in a "flying" way, where it looks like they're actually going toward the surface.

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To Kill A Mockingbird

re: How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

Posted: 1/26/07 at 1:20pm

They seem to have a love affair with long pieces of fabric as water (see: tarzan)

Maybe it'll be something like that.

Cages or wings - which do you prefer?

re: How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

Posted: 1/26/07 at 1:34pm

At the Disney stage show in Orlando they used puppets for songs like Under the Sea. The stage was black and the performers wore all black, but the puppets were fluorescent so they appeared to "swim" on their own. I have no idea if a similar concept will transfer, but it did look pretty cool.

Don't be too sure I'm as crooked as I'm supposed to be.

re: How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

Posted: 1/26/07 at 1:37pm

Yeah i did just see that show a month ago. But cmon man! This is Disney on Broadway!

Where's the spectacle!?

Cages or wings - which do you prefer?

re: How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

Posted: 1/26/07 at 1:41pm

As another poster said, they are going to be using the "heely" shoes/skates to represent the underwater movement on stage.

I too would have liked to see it done in a way that is a bit more visually appeasing, but apparently Francesca Zambello said from the start "no water, no wires."

The search for a director was prolonged for such a significant amount of time because of most people's inability to come up with a functionable method of portraying the aquatic atmosphere. Considering Zambello was finally hired on the basis of her concept, I hope it works out for the best (although I just don't get it.)

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re: How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

Posted: 1/26/07 at 1:43pm

Well at least the Broadway show won't be the Cliff's Notes version you get in Orlando!

My guess is that they'll use a mix of techniques. You can't just have Ariel sitting on a rock for the first half of the show. Still, those fish looked pretty cool "floating" around.

Don't be too sure I'm as crooked as I'm supposed to be.

#10

re: How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

Posted: 1/26/07 at 2:22pm

What I'm puzzled about is how the actors will manage to have a tail if they have to skate. Unless they divide the tail into two legs...Which is unthinkable. That would be beyond tacky.

I'm pretty disappointed that they aren't doing any wires. This is Little Mermaid! Can't they be bothered to go all out?

#11

re: How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

Posted: 1/26/07 at 2:23pm

I was thinking along the lines of heelies specially made for the costumes.... which probably means everyone is going to grow 3 inches.

I imagine they're going to do alot of lighting effects especially if they don't want to deal with wires or water. So a bunch of mirrors or reflective surfaces making that underwater apparence.

#12

re: How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

Posted: 1/26/07 at 2:24pm

Seriously! I mean there could be something so much more interesting.

Maybe they'll coast around on ramps and things to look crazier.

Time will tell, I suppose.

When does this open?

Cages or wings - which do you prefer?

#13

re: How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

Posted: 1/26/07 at 2:26pm

"I'm pretty disappointed that they aren't doing any wires. This is Little Mermaid! Can't they be bothered to go all out?"

Maybe they're aiming for an artistic (read: less obvious) approach, à la THE LION KING. Who knew headdresses could pass for lions?

Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae
Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra
Salve, Salve Regina
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Eva
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
O clemens O pia

#14

re: How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

Posted: 1/26/07 at 2:28pm

True - but look at tarzan. I mean it's special effects and they're flying, yes. But something as simple as the obvious metal clips hanging from everyone's waists - that was artistic. It was saying "we know you know these are wires... so here they are - suspend your own disbelief"

But, in all honesty, I guess there really IS no other way to simulate swinging for an entire production.

(though, to be fair, swimming MOSTLY happens in the first "act", so to speak).

Cages or wings - which do you prefer?

#15

re: How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

Posted: 1/26/07 at 2:34pm

Well if they suspended their disbelief for Tarzan belt clips, why can't they suspend they're disbelief for NOT ACTUALLY floating????????

I for one am estatic they're not flying on cables, I think inventive set, lighting and costumes can create a cool effect without the only effect being the effect. EDIT; Of course, this would mean they are putting the emphasis on the story, which for Disney could be a serious hazard. God, I hope this one is good.

I have several names, one is Julian2. I am also The Opps Girl. But cross me, and I become Bitch Dooku!

Updated On: 1/26/07 at 02:34 PM

#16

re: How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

Posted: 1/26/07 at 2:48pm

My guess is they'll do it somewhat like the Red Fish, Blue Fish thing from Seussical.
The Cathy Rigby touring production used a lot of flying equipment.

I'm rather sad that it's The Little Mermaid that's being done. I think Sleeping Beauty would make a much more interesting stage spectacle and would be must as big a challenge. Think about the sequence where the thorns surround the castle and Malificent turns into a dragon. That, I'd pay to see onstage.

NYC Visitor and Broadway Fan

#17

re: How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

Posted: 1/26/07 at 2:53pm

It is either going to look really cool...or awful.

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#18

re: How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

Posted: 1/26/07 at 3:04pm

Exactly. Well if they arent flying around the stage, we BETTER get a huge Ursula that takes the roof off the theater for the finale :)

Cages or wings - which do you prefer?

#19

re: How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

Posted: 1/26/07 at 3:18pm

i think it will be like tarzan in the beginning when the {spoiler, not really} boat crashes and tarzan's parents go flying of the boat

#20

re: How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

Posted: 1/26/07 at 3:51pm

Yep, I believe they're going to use a HECK of a LOT of underwater projections.
How else can you do it?

"How could she just suddenly, completely disappear into thin water?" - The Little Mermaid

#21

re: How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

Posted: 1/26/07 at 4:21pm

Lots and lots of blue fabric?

Cages or wings - which do you prefer?

#22

re: How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

Posted: 1/26/07 at 9:53pm

I laughed when I saw Lizzie post the heelys.. but you mean they are actually using them? Oh lordy.

#23

re: How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

Posted: 1/26/07 at 11:00pm

I saw a condensed version of the show at Disney Tokyo Sea last month in the Mermaid Lagoon.

Ariel was attached to this swing bar that allowed her to "swim." I doubt that the actress could do it for a full performance eight times a week, though. It would be quite grueling.

Flounder was a...hmm. It was a contraption that someone peddled like a car, and it also was attached to the ceiling, so whenever the person peddled, Flounder swam around. It's hard to describe.

Sebastian reminded me of the [i]Avenue Q[/i] set-up or of Zazu in [i]The Lion King[/i] because there was a man in red standing behind the Sebastian puppet and making him move/sing/etc. That seemed like a very likely way to portray him (and possibly Flounder) when the show goes to Broadway.

My friend took a couple of pictures, but my camera wasn't able to capture anything w/o the flash. I'll ask her for pics if anyone is curious.

There was a gorgeous "dance" sequence during...I believe it was "Kiss the Girl," where a woman in white did tumbling tricks from a wire while someone was on the ground. It was beautiful.

I can't wait to see what happens for real! I was thinking about going home in August for a visit, but I should seriously wait until December because then I can see TLM and Young Frankenstein.

#24

re: How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

Posted: 1/26/07 at 11:05pm

Where did this heelys rumor come from? I think that it just started as a post on some thread and everyone took it seriously. If it has been printed anywhere can someone show me where, because otherwise this is ridiculous!

#25

re: How do they swim in the Little Mermaid?

Posted: 1/26/07 at 11:09pm

JustinRZB, with both Francesca Zambello and George Tsypin known for their love of grandiose and awe-inspiring visuals, don't expect anything less than a large scale spectacle that will be stunning to behold (within the boundaries of logic, of course.)

Neddy, while I agree that there hasn't been any confirmation of the skate concept, Disney has repeatedly said that flying and actual water will not be apart of the staging of the show. Thomas Schumacher said in the past, "It's not an aquatic show. There won't be any swimming. We didn't have animals walking on all four in The Lion King."

He reitterated this same statement recently, confirming that Zambello was insitent on a "no water, no wires" rule from the get go, and went as far as to say that the underwater issue will be dealt with in a "very low tech way." What else do you think they could do?

Updated On: 1/26/07 at 11:09 PM

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