See the Cast of THE LITTLE MERMAID Fly at Paper Mill Playhouse! - Page 2

[JoeMaMa2]

Posted: 5/25/13 at 10:37am

The costumes, while already better than the Broadway version, are not there yet.

My big problem is this: the flying is cool, no doubt, and will make for a better effect than the heeley's, but as a regional/community theater director - how is this going to be the licensed version? How many community theaters can fly their cast? I know that flying isn't required, but this is hopefully the new licensed version of the show and I can see the calls to the flying companies now :)

[broadway guy]

Posted: 5/25/13 at 11:16am

Jesus Christ this looks horrible! The set looks tacky as hell and dear god what is triton wearing?? The Broadway show had its problems but this looks like death.

Updated On: 5/25/13 at 11:16 AM

[trentsketch]

Posted: 5/25/13 at 11:24am

I didn't think my post was that confusing.

There's a tail piece on the back that actually moves during flight like a mermaid tail.

There's a tail piece on the front that is just sitting in front of the long skirts the actors are wearing to simulate moving in water.

The tail piece in the back actually moves like a tail when the actors are flying.

The tail piece in the front just sits on the skirt.

I find the static tail in the front distracting compared to the actually flexing tail in the back.

[Princeton Returns]

Posted: 5/25/13 at 11:54am

they obviously dont have a broadway budget so sets wont be lavish and yes tritons costume is odd (ariels looks ok though) but if the broadway production with their budget, cratives etc had done the flying aspect i think it woukd have been a much better show and far more effective

[Princeton Returns]

Posted: 5/25/13 at 11:54am

they obviously dont have a broadway budget so sets wont be lavish and yes tritons costume is odd (ariels looks ok though) but if the broadway production with their budget, cratives etc had done the flying aspect i think it woukd have been a much better show and far more effective

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 5/25/13 at 12:47pm

That "flexing" tail is the actor's leg in the costume... when you see it move, it's because the actor was moving like that. when it was just hanging there, it's because the actor was not moving...

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/25/13 at 7:52pm

I have to admit with those who feel the "flying" is rather sad. As someone who has flown actors in PETER PAN, CINDERELLA and THE WIZARD OF OZ, I would suggest that the harness be connected to the actor's lower back to simulate swimming. Right now the connection is in the upper back and it just looks like their being pulled through space. Some sort of frontal support may be required if the connection is lower, though.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 5/25/13 at 8:07pm

"I have to admit with those who feel the "flying" is rather sad. As someone who has flown actors in PETER PAN, CINDERELLA and THE WIZARD OF OZ, I would suggest that the harness be connected to the actor's lower back to simulate swimming. Right now the connection is in the upper back and it just looks like their being pulled through space. Some sort of frontal support may be required if the connection is lower, though."

I'm sorry, did you watch the video? They clearly say that there are two connections on their harnesses, one on each hip (which is the same type of harness that Cathy Rigby uses). I'm not sure about you, but my hips are nowhere near my upper back.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/25/13 at 8:22pm

Well the sound hasn't worked on either time I viewed the clip. Sorry.

[DEClarke]

Posted: 5/26/13 at 9:14am

As TUTS is importing the physical production of this incarnation of THE LITTLE MERMAID, I find this video to be rather exciting.

Does it look kind of silly? Yes. But it's also their very first rehearsal with the flying rigs. I also feel rather certain that none of the costumes or sets in the video are finalized. I'd imagine that the costume designer was watching this rehearsal closely, looking at what edits go the design would need to be made.

Anyway... hopefully this works well. If not, I look forward to seeing how TUTS improves upon it. Disney is not ready to let MERMAID die, so imagine that after this physical production moves through a few more companies we'll see tweaks and changes along the way. As far as I know, TUTS is its final home. So, I'd be willing to guess that once the previews period is done at TUTS is when the show will be "finalized."

[defygravity24]

Posted: 5/26/13 at 10:03am

How is this going to work with big dance numbers like Under the Sea? So is basically the entire show done with the flying I guess (except for obviously the parts on land)? It seems cool, but impractical.

[Kad]

Posted: 5/26/13 at 10:14am

"My big problem is this: the flying is cool, no doubt, and will make for a better effect than the heeley's, but as a regional/community theater director - how is this going to be the licensed version? How many community theaters can fly their cast? I know that flying isn't required, but this is hopefully the new licensed version of the show and I can see the calls to the flying companies now :)"

You've answered your own question. Flying isn't required. There are few scripts that specifically state how an effect must be staged.

[Mrs. Bumbrake]

Posted: 5/29/13 at 11:39pm

I just got back from the show.
The flying was beautifully done - the flowy costumes worked well, and Triton's costume does not look as "miranda-esque" in real life as it does in the video.
Scuttle flies for most of the show, and he does land and has the tap number with the other gulls. There is no flying in Under the Sea.
The costumes were beautiful, with the exception of Flounder. I know he's supposed to be young, but his costume was ugly and I couldn't stand the skateboarding he does to get around. Flotsam and Jetsam are on heelies, otherwise everyone "swims" or walks.
The cast was terrific - standouts for me were Liz McCartney as Ursula and Alan Mingo Jr. as Sebastian.
It was a really fun show. I've never seen the original Broadway production, so I don't have anything to compare it to, but it was very well done and fun for adults and kids alike.
Alan Menken was in the audience and we had the privilege of meeting him during intermission.

[Hex3]

Posted: 5/30/13 at 7:04am

Mrs. Bumbrake, can you tell us more about Ursula? This seems to be the most changed character from the original broadway run. I know that you're not familiar with it, so I'll ask some specific questions. Can you describe her costume and how the tentacles were used? Does she do any flying? If not, how does she get around? What did you think of her new opening song? Was the singing contest ball scene still used? And, finally, (and you can use a spoiler tag for those that don't want to know) How was her demise handled? Thanks a lot!

[Mrs. Bumbrake]

Posted: 5/30/13 at 7:53am

Ursula does not fly at all. Her tentacles move around some, and Flotsam and Jetsam wrap themselves around in them. She sings "Daddy's Little Angel" and two of the dolls representing her sisters are attached under her tentacles.
Her demise was a low point of the show. It was very abrupt.
They do have the singing contest, which seemed silly and stolen from Cinderella. At the end of that Eric decides he loves Ariel despite her lack of voice. They don't have any of the storyline from the movie where Ursula becomes Vanessa, which to me seems to be a major plot point. At the end of the singing contest, Eric states his love for Ariel, then Ursula's eyes are projected onto a screen behind them. Ariel is taken, and Triton comes down to get her and turns over his kingdom to Ursula. Eric, meanwhile, just kind of wanders around on the beach saying how he won't rest until he finds Ariel again. Then Ariel grabs the shell containing her voice, gets her voice back and smashes the shell, which in turn kills Ursula. They hold up a sheet and some electrical currents are projected on that, and Ursula is gone. Triton gets his power back, gives his blessing to Ariel to marry Eric, turns her human again and they live happily ever after. Is that how she was killed in the original production? That definitely could have been handled better.
Overall I still really enjoyed the show. The audience loved it and gave an immediate standing ovation.



Updated On: 5/30/13 at 07:53 AM

[darreyl102]

Posted: 5/30/13 at 9:19am

on Broadway, Ariel smashes the shell and Ursula disappears down a little elevator, leaving the trident over it, then Triton rises up through it and grabs the trident

[Hex3]

Posted: 5/30/13 at 10:44am

Thank you for the reply, Bumbrake. It really does annoy me that they really haven't changed anything at all despite saying how they "retooled" the show. The only real change seems to be the replacement of Good Times with Daddy's Little Angel. Of course I'm just talking about the libretto and not the production design and staging which does seem like a vast improvement. Hope they put out some production stills and video soon.

Edit: And Darreyl, when I saw the show with Heidi as Ursula, she did go down the trap but Triton just entered in from the wings. Updated On: 5/30/13 at 10:44 AM

[darreyl102]

Posted: 5/30/13 at 11:25am

I Can't remember for Heidi- but looking at the three bootlegs I have of the Broadway Production (two with Sherie and one with Cicely) that is how it was done.

[Starship]

Posted: 5/30/13 at 1:13pm

Please tell me the Poor Unfortunate Souls (Reprise) is still in the show!

[Mrs. Bumbrake]

Posted: 5/30/13 at 1:43pm

Yes, it is, at the end of the second act.
Here's a list of the musical numbers:
Act 1:
The World Above
Fathoms Below
Daughters of Triton
If Only (Triton's Lament)
Daddy's Little Angel
Part of Your World
The Storm
Part of Your World (reprise)
She's in Love
Her Voice
Under the Sea
If Only (Ariel's Lament)
Sweet Child
Poor Unfortunate Souls
Act 2:
Positoovity
Beyond My Wildest Dreams
Les Poissons
Les Poissons (reprise)
One Step Closer
Daddy's Little Angel (reprise)
Kiss the Girl
If Only (quartet)
The Contest
Poor Unfortunate Souls (reprise)
Finale

[Wishing Only Wounds]

Posted: 5/30/13 at 1:56pm

Ariel has a lament? That's interesting. Does it come off as redundant so shorty after Part of Your World?

[Cowboysfan84]

Posted: 5/30/13 at 2:26pm

How are the transformations handled? Also, how is the ship done? Is it flown in from above like the broadway version? (I am doubting that it is)

Thanks!

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 5/30/13 at 3:17pm

That's too bad - I prefer "Good Times Back" to "Daddy's Little Angel"

[grandpianoalex]

Posted: 5/30/13 at 7:09pm

VIDEO REEL!
CLICK HERE

[Visceral_Fella]

Posted: 5/30/13 at 7:20pm

I thought that was pretty good. Ariel looks like she was really struggling in the harness a few times, and I could here a few vocal quivers that I'm going to guess come from the flying. I actually like the projection of Ursula's eyes a lot more than I thought it would.

Updated On: 5/30/13 at 07:20 PM