Little Mermaid Review/Update- Page 2

[candydog2]

Posted: 8/14/07 at 7:40pm

Yeah I still stand by what I said: Disney already has a winning formula with The Little Mermaid, they know the movie was successful, so why change it?

I can just remember all those stories of how kids seeing BatB would point and say "Look Mommy, it's Belle!" All I can think of now is a kid pointing at the stage and saying "Mommy, what the hell is that?"

But these are out of town tryouts, so who knows?

I know that the way I imagined it to be when I first found out about this project seems to be nothing like the show i'm hearing about now.

I'll definitely go see it though!

[Katurian2]

Posted: 8/14/07 at 7:55pm

HAHA! Actually, that is a totally accurate description of what went on. A little girl- I'd say maybe about 9 sitting a seat down from me was continually asking her mother what something was. She asked "Who is that lady?" - that lady was Ariel. And she was totally lost at what Sebastian and Scuttle were supposed to be. Mabye the kid was just stupid, but I would never have guessed that old guy in a fuzzy jacket was supposed to be a seagull.

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 8/14/07 at 9:27pm

Yeah, I think that kid might just be dumb. You'd think that she'd make the connections if she's ever seen the movie...

[wicked4life51]

Posted: 8/14/07 at 10:02pm

1. You all need to relax
2. Disney knows what they are doing their not idiots
3. Remember its doing a PRE BROADWAY TRYOUT meaning its being worked so it is going to be changed a lot from what you see now when it comes to broadway people , its disney they know what they are doing
4. I have a lot of faith in it , and know it will be amazing once it hits broadway

so just think positive guys and remember its being TRIED OUT its being WORKED it is not the final product . IT TAKES TIME , IT WILL BE AMAZING TRUST ME DISNEY IS NOT FULL OF IDIOTS

[Katurian2]

Posted: 8/14/07 at 10:17pm

EDITED: meh- it's not worth it.

Updated On: 8/14/07 at 10:17 PM

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 8/14/07 at 10:27pm

Right, they know what they are doing.
After all, they produced TARZAN,
I have been called everything but the devil for my thoughts on how this show has been developed, and am I getting any joy from all the negitivity being tossed about it, well, no.
I love the Theatre, especially Musicals, my main feeling about the bad word of mouth is frustration.
DISNEY Theatricals is one of the few companies with the never ending pockets to put on a Huge show, but the mistakes they make just make me sad.
Who hands a reported;y 20 Million plus show over to a Director, Choreograoher, Set and Costume Designers who have never done Broadway before?
Would you give a Stock investor who never has never invested in the Market before that much money?
Of course not!
Yes, this is an out of town try out, but a very high profile one, If the sets and costumes are not finished, how do you fix them if you can't even see them?
It is an interesting journey, to say the least, but I am afraid some Giant Egos are in for a fall.
THe story of the movie worked just fine.
Fish Meets Boy
Fish Loses Boy
Giant Octopus Drag Queen intervenes
Fish gets Boy in the end
Why change that unless yor Ego says
"We can do better"
Let's see how it all pans out.

I say break that 20 million into four parts and hand it to new writers or composers and mix them up with seasoned Directors and Designers and see if any sparks fly, then put up the big bucks.

But, hey I am the Devil, what do I know?

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 8/14/07 at 10:45pm

Not that it matters much, but remember all naysayers, stay constructive. Posts that get too nasty may have the same effect on "Mermaid" that they did "Seussical"

[[e-mail]]

Posted: 8/14/07 at 10:56pm

haha do elaborate what happened with Seussical...

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 8/14/07 at 11:45pm

Anthony-
ATC posted about it's major issues, and blew it majorly out of proportion, causing it to loose portions of it's advance.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 8/14/07 at 11:50pm

Maybe they're not sure "how" to do make Ursula "blow-up" like she did in the movie. Movies and theaters are two different things. What is done in an animated movie might not work too well on stage. I can't think of any way to translate this movie to the stage without it looking cheesy - I mean she's friends with a talking crab and a talking seagull? I think the only way to do it is to the go the puppet route which has been done before, but works.

[gypsy4]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 12:38am

well i haven't seen this but it sounds like it stinks TLM is one of my favorite disney shows so i hope it all comes together
and they could just make ursula tall like they do elphaba in wiked
Updated On: 8/16/07 at 12:38 AM

[candydog2]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 6:24am

I remember hearing earlier on that Ursula would turn into a giant at the end of the show like the movie. Apparently they were planning on using the same type of effect used to make Elphie fly in Wicked, but instead of a giant black cloak, Ursula would be surrounded by giant tentacles.
Updated On: 8/15/07 at 06:24 AM

[Justin D]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 8:20am

As i've said before, the whole thing seems a bit rushed. They have the Lunt already booked and marquied up, so they dont really have alot of time to do any drastic changes (as they ended up doing with Aida). If they were to to the way or fyring the creative team and starting over they may have to let the Lunt go to someone else, then when things are sorted out, they may not have a theatre available.

But i agree with the above post, it just does not make sence to me that they have so much money to invest yet the whole project seems rushed. I wasnt around when Beauty and Lion King came around, did they have the Broadway theatres for them reserved before the out of town tryouts came around?

[joe5]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 8:31am

I just think certain elements of the show are not working. They just need a little fixing. And it sounds like that is happening. From what I've read on here. And also the DenverPost. Most of the feedback has been positive. Again its still in its tweaking stage. And does not sound like a wreck. That everyone seems to think.

[Out In The Sticks]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 8:38am

"Mary Poppins at least had the Bourne dancing, but when "Mermaid" swims to Broadway, it will (forgive the pun) be left out in the open ocean with no defenses at all."

Stephen Mear was co-choreographer and a lot of the dancing and staging in MP was totally down to him.


"Who hands a reported;y 20 Million plus show over to a Director, Choreograoher, Set and Costume Designers who have never done Broadway before?"

As above Stephen has done Broadway, Mary Poppins!!!

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 8/16/07 at 1:37am

Will MERMAID postpone?
So much tech trouble?

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 8/16/07 at 1:44am

They could indeed make Ursula "explode" at the end in a way very similar to how Elphaba flies in "Wicked."

The best method would probably be to have Sherie Renee rise up in a lif surrounded by many tentacles that fill up alot of the air space, and then have a burst of light and maybe a shot of black confetti and have her be gone.

While it certainly isn't the most technologically impressive stage visual, it would at least allow them to explore that aspect of the story.

[MovieGuy1031]

Posted: 8/16/07 at 1:47am

While I sit up and await the cast announcement of the studio recording of "Bare", could someone please enlighten me as to the exact aspects of this aformentioned "contest" that seems to embody the climax of this musical? I am just completely dumbfounded as to how this show ends...

Please, spoilers and details would be incredibly appreciated!

[uncageg]

Posted: 8/16/07 at 1:47am

For anyone interested, Channel 4 here in Denver is doing a weekly report on the show with interviews. I only caught todays but here is a link with an interview with Alan Menken. If you click on "video library" under the video, it will take you to todays segment with the 2 kids who play flounder. (In the right column 4th down) They are briefly interviewd and are rolling around the theater lobby in their heelies. I think there is one more but I can't find it. You may have to poke around the site.

http://cbs4denver.com/topstories/local_story_220095642.html

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 8/16/07 at 2:07am

Speaking of the two actors playing Flounder, has anyone seen Cody Hanford in the role? Every review I've read here only mentions JJ Singleton.

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 8/16/07 at 11:22am

THanks for that video link! So much more interesting than any of the "behind the scenes" vids that disney has put out:)

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 8/16/07 at 11:36am

If Little mermaid doesn't fix the majority of its apparent problems before it leaves Denver...I shudder to think...

Little Mermaid ends in Denver and starts previews in NY one month later for a very long preview period. That's not much time to fix problems.

What could end up happening is them trying to drastically fix the show in NY, which is a terrible, and often times suicidal (to the show) idea. EVERYONE in NY ends up knowing about the problems, gossip spreads, and the show's weaknesses are studied intensly by everyone (and thus retained).

I hope things work out for it.

Updated On: 8/16/07 at 11:36 AM

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 8/16/07 at 11:50am

My idea for Ursula is similar to the movie.

Sherie and Sierra would have a fight and, suddenly, the lights fade and turn dark blue and purple. Sherie rises up a la Wicked, surrounded by black smoke and black glittery confetti (it looks like water). Huge tenacles rise from the stage, the fly space, and even the proscenium. Actors come onstage with heeleys holding up some tentacle (3 people per tentacle). Sherei does her thing as part of a shipwrecked boat starts to come on from the wings. Sierra is on the side, tied to a pole(?). Sean comes onstage with the triton and it magic grows large enough to hit Sherrie. She screams as strobe lights flash like crazy. The tentacles deflate/go offstage somehow and Sherrie is lowered to the ground. Scrim comes down as this happenes and a projection of Ursula is shown, being electrocuted. Blackout.

PS: Does anyone know when press photos/videos will be out yet? Young Frankenstein hs had theirs out for a while.

[Katurian2]

Posted: 8/16/07 at 12:06pm

Someone asked a few posts back what the "contest" was: In the show, Grimsby suggest that Eric form a contest where every beautiful young lady in the kingdom will sing for him and he can figure out who belonged to the voice that saved him from the shipwreck. Think "Cinderella", but with singing instead of the slipper.


I think the "Wicked" cherry picker effect would be very interesting. However, that would basically mean an entire overhaul of the end of the show, and a removal of what is really an idiotic plot element. (Ursula's magic shell). Right now, as I said it's just spotlights zooming around the audience and Ariel and Eric riding this giant ship center stage.

I have a friend seeing it again on Friday, and I'll pass onto you all if it has changed any.

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 8/16/07 at 1:18pm

"Right now, as I said it's just spotlights zooming around the audience and Ariel and Eric riding this giant ship center stage."

Well, that's still better than what I saw in July. They went "underwater" and carried on for a bit, then Eric came in with the trident, handed it to Ariel and she tapped Ursula with it and she and her bubble thing were pulled offstage. LAME.