My Little Mermaid Review

[catstagestud]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 3:22am

Alright, I just got back from Denver and thoughts of how to word this have been spinning in my head since the minute I got in the car.

So Disney's got, I believe, quite a hit on their hands. Lights started to dim and people went crazy with whistles, applause, and some "WOOHOO"s. Simply for the overture there were three stints of applause. Here's what I thought of the show...

Sierra Boggess: This girl is a star and sounds amazing. I feel that she really embodies who Ariel is, and has that Disney Princess quality that I feel so many people are going to go into the production associating with. Her voice is crystal clear and she sounds absolutely amazing on "Part of Your World" and in the "If Only/Her Voice (Quartet)".

Norm Lewis: Unfortunately he is under-used in this production. His voice, as usual, is great but I would've liked to hear more of his voice. He's an imposing figure and makes a great Triton. His fin seemed like it was dragging on the ground the whole time, which slightly bothered me as every other merperson's fin was up in the air.

Sherie Rene Scott: Here's the star of the production! She's got it all. She's extremely funny, she's got the villainess (sp?) thing goin' on, and her pipes are in fine form. "Poor Unfortunate Souls" and "I Want the Good Times Back" are both show-stopping numbers. Her costume looks amazing, though I wish they would have used the tentacles that are used during "Poor Unfortunate Souls" during the rest of the show so that they could be more useful during her first number and the end sequence with Triton, etc.

J.J. Singleton: This kid is great! He's got an amazing voice on him and does well with what's he's been given as Flounder. As with every other person on the site his costume has got to go.

Sean Palmer: I'm kind of indifferent on him. Beautiful voice, I felt like the acting was a little over the top and cheesy. "Her Voice" is a great addition to the pre-existing score but I would've liked to see some scenery on the stage during it. It's simply Eric standing there by the shore with a spot on him.

Titus Burgess: He's wonderful. He's got the voice, the dialiect, and has it all going for him. I had a hard time understanding what he was saying a few times due to the dialect but for the most part I knew what he was saying. I think that "Under the Sea" is really entertaining, and simply listening to how high he sings made my jaw drop.

The show as a whole is really good. Yes, the two main set pieces slightly resemble a bong (more the stage right one than left), some of the book gets a little cheesy and uses too many sea jokes but over-all Doug Wright's done an amazing job. I didn't mind the contest idea that's being used instead of Vanessa. I would've liked the destruction of Ariel's grotto to be a bigger deal as opposed to it simply sliding back off-stage. When the show opens on Broadway I could see it getting mixed to positive reviews but regardless of what anyone thinks this show will run for years, I believe. Now I'm heading to bed.

Cheers,

Christopher

[joe5]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 8:13am

Thanks Chris, Sounds like you enjoyed it. I can't wait for November........................

[jessejames]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 11:18am

Well How do they do it? How do they make it seen like its water without flying and without water? Is it true about them sliding?

[Jilani]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 11:56am

You can check out the many other Mermaid threads for the answers to your question, but basically, it's a combination of heelies, lighting, projections, and even a wire at least once that I noticed (when Prince Eric is drowning).

EDIT: Thanks, Christopher - I had forgotten that Ariel's transformation also uses a wire (duh!). Updated On: 8/15/07 at 11:56 AM

[PhantomMag234]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 3:12pm

Did they add more stuff to the battle sequence?

[catstagestud]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 4:46pm

There are two times that wires are used. When Eric is drowning and also during Ariel's transformation. 3M created some sort of material that makes it look like water and from where I was it looked great. I'm not sure if much has been added as far as the battle goes, from what I've read on other posts it seems that it has been kept pretty much the same.

Cheers,

Christopher

[FutureAladdinOnB'Way]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 4:54pm

Thanks for the great review Chris!

[uncageg]

Posted: 8/15/07 at 4:54pm

Thanks for the review Chris! Sorry I missed you while you were here. Didn't get any word on what the cast may be doing outside of the show. If anything does happen, I will let you know about it.