Rose's Little Mermaid review- Page 2

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 2:15pm

Wow! Okay, I'll do my best to answer all your questions:

*LimelightMike: The contest is exactly what it sounds like: A contest to find the owner of the voice that enchanted Eric. The girls who play Ariel's sisters are the contestants and they all sing a snippet of POYW with their own forceful lyrics. Ariel comes out and tries, knowing full well that her voice is gone, but Eric kind of comes to his senses and realizes that his mystery woman has been right in front of him all along. Then Ursula interrupts, etc. And I relly liked Jonathan Freeman. He plays him a little frazzled by his charge's exuberance, but by and lagre the character is the same as in the movie.

*Out In The Sticks: I really liked the choreography. It's fun and zazzy (is that a word?) I especially like what they did with Scuttle's gull troupe. "Positoovity" is a tap number that's great fun, even if it's ancillary to the story. I think my favorite was in "One Step Closer," which shows Ariel and Eric communicating through dance. It's sweet and hesitant and strikes the perfect note.

*uncageg: The audience LOVED it. They were gasping and applauding all throughout. Sierra practically got a standing O upon her entrance. And at curtain call, people barely waited for the curtain to come up before they were on their feet.

*it'sjustshowbiz: There's more merch available now than I expected. They had shirts, hats, keychains, lapel pins and posters. There isn't a program yet; my understanding is that they have to wait until the show is more locked in before they can do that. And there is no recording yet, but it was available for preorder.

*emcee: The swimming is done mostly through the Heelys. The actors use their arms to make it look like they're moving through the water, and the female cast (who are the only ones with suspended tails) do a kind of hip shimmy...thing...to make it appear that their tails move. Again, it plays out a lot better than it sounds. I can't seem to coherently explain this...

*misschung: The end did nothing for me. Like I said, Ursula is too easily defeated and they kind of rush the denoument. I would really like to see them rework it to be a little closer to the movie's end. And Sierra is such a doll, both onstage and off. She really IS Ariel, that's all there is to it.

*Kelly2: Tyler and Derrick make a good team. They have one song together, "Sweet Child," where they convince Ariel to come to Ursula's lair. Do you remember their theme in the movie? It's set to that melody, which I really liked. They don't get too much to do, but they're engaging and fun together.

*BroadwayEnthusiast2: Unfortunately, "All Good Things Must End" was not in the show last night. Although, since they're in prre-previews, there's always a chance they'll put it in other shows to see how it plays. Sorry! And I think I was expecting more of "Under The Sea." I was also expecting a "Be Our Guest" moment, but it left me a little disappointed. It's certainly not bad, but it could use a punch-up.

*Jonny boy/TapTapTapioca/popular_elphie: I really liked Tituss. He has the accent down pat and he strikes a nice balance between stern taskmaster and soft-hearted friend. One of my favorite lines of his, after realizing how miserable Ariel will be if he drags her back home: "I have no backbone!" And I think his shining moment was in the "If Only/Her Voice" quartet. His part is about how he wants so badly to help Ariel, if he only knew how.

[misschung]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 2:22pm

I am now really excited to see Sierra in this role.

You are so being flooded by questions since you are one of the lucky ones to see this in Denver - thank you for responding!

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 2:22pm

No surprise about Sierra since she is from here. (CO) I almost went last night but will be content to wait until the 21st of August. Thanks for the notes on the show last night. I will post my thoughts after I see it.

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 2:22pm

This is for broadwaybound882, since it seems you don't accept PMs:

Norm doesn't really have his own song. He sings a reprise of Ariel's song "The World Above" when he confronts her in her grotto and destroys it, he's part of the "Her Voice/If Only" quartet, and he does a reprise of that at the end when Eric asks for permission to marry Ariel. He's good in the little stage time he has, and I really wish he was given more to do.

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 2:36pm

this is just a bit off-topic....but they're totally gonna bring in Donny Osmond as Kind Triton in 10 years when Mermaid has lost it's zing...

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 2:41pm

but they're totally gonna bring in Donny Osmond as Kind Triton

No, he'll be Mean Triton.

[Jonny boy]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 2:45pm

Thanks Rose!

[JonathanGroffislove]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 3:15pm

awesome! i can't wait to see it when it opens! but i've been wanting to know, what does Ariel's costume look like? I mean her with the fin? how could she move on stage?

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 3:40pm

She moves just like everyone else in a fin, so she manuevers on Heelys. I think I should just sketch out what the fin costumes look like, since they're hard to describe.

And I just bought tix for the beginning of September, because I really want to see how the show changes (if at all). I'm excited all over again!

[TapTapTapioca]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 3:45pm

How big was the role of Sebastian? How was Jonathan Freeman?

[sundaymorning6am]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 4:00pm

Could there be any chance that the reason certain things seem less than grand is because it's an out-of-town try-out and they're waiting until they come to New York to put everything together?

That sounds very condescending of me to say, but I really don't mean it like that, it's just a suggestion. I'm excited to see it when it comes to New York!!

[FutureAladdinOnB'Way]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 4:10pm

I said this in the other thread...This is what I hope happens:

I really hope during the run they change act II so that they have it more like the movie and have "all good things must end" as the song when Ursula is human and singing in the wedding ship...I really am not liking the idea of the contest thing, my mom said it sounds too Cinderella....and I want a GIANT Ursula at the end!

[NewYorkYankee2006]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 4:18pm

has anybody got any photographs from the first denver preview of the show?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 4:22pm

The taking of photographs is strictly prohibited by law!

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 4:37pm

I knew i could count on u LizzieCurry for my type-o's.

[uncageg]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 4:38pm

And I am sure that if our ushers catch anyone taking photos, they will make sure they don't get out.

Sunday, I really doubt that. They chose us for a reason. The new theatre can handle this show and they can mount the entire show there.

[rose_pearl]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 4:48pm

How was the scene where Triton destroys Ariel's grotto?

GREAT review. Can't wait to see this! :)

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 4:55pm

They were VERY strict about photography. Although that didn't stop a few yahoos from taking pix of the pre-show curtain...

The destruction scene was meh. Triton just zaps the grotto set and it's wheeled off as projections of bubbles and lightning and stuff happen.

And I keep reminding myself that this is still a work in progress and there's the chance that what I saw last night might change a lot between now and November. I kind of hope so, in some regards...

Lastly, here are some links to some quick (REALLY quick) sketches I did of some costumes and the sun/bong set pieces. Please remember that these are by no means exact; I dashed them out from memory. They're meant as approximations only. Anyway, here you go:

Updated On: 7/27/07 at 04:55 PM

[FutureAladdinOnB'Way]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 4:57pm

I hope they change Flounders costume! Ursula's looks great!

[Shawk]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 5:08pm

Oh dear. I feel like a giant caterpillar should come out and smoke those set pieces.

Updated On: 7/27/07 at 05:08 PM

[B3TA07]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 5:11pm

K I may love you for actually writing "Random Sea Denizen."



Yeah, I do.

[Steve2]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 5:16pm

Old guy here, had to look up the definition of meh.

[rose_pearl]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 5:20pm

The destruction scene was meh. Triton just zaps the grotto set and it's wheeled off as projections of bubbles and lightning and stuff happen.

Aw, that sucks. But I mean there is room to improve.

How about Kiss The Girl? I didn't read anything on it...

[NewYorkYankee2006]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 5:25pm

i know how strict they are in the theatre about taking ANY photos and what i meant, was if anyone had found any press photos. shortly after this last message, i read a piece from the denverpost website of the little mermaid, about how the press won't be going to the show until the 23rd august as it it is the official opening for the show at the opera house, so i apologise.

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 7/27/07 at 5:26pm

thank u so much for the drawings!!! I can't wait to see real set pics!