The Little Mermaid on Broadway

[UncleEd]

It seemed wrong because it's a religious object that was commercialized. A lot of my Jewish friends thought it was silly too. Disney never put anything like that in the catalogue after that year so maybe they got complaints?

[UmbrellaFish]

Okay maybe we should take Disney Duster's advice and quit the religious topic and get back on subject. Anyway, I can't wait till thyis hits Broadway. I want to see thye costumes, the sets, and Ursula. When will the wait be over?

[SpringHeelJack]

Not soon enough lol

Does anybody have an opinion about Sherie Rene Scott playing Ursula? Has that been discussed yet? I personally think she's too young, and was really pushing for someone a bit older, more voluptuous, and with a bigger diva-tude, but I guess they need someone to plausibly play Vanessa. But how they plan on doing the whole voice thing is beyond me. Will she lip sync to prerecorded dialogue? And how will Ariel sing, is it gonna be a soliloquy thing or will that be prerecorded too while she just acts the song?

[UmbrellaFish]

Not soon enough lol

Does anybody have an opinion about Sherie Rene Scott playing Ursula? Has that been discussed yet? I personally think she's too young, and was really pushing for someone a bit older, more voluptuous, and with a bigger diva-tude, but I guess they need someone to plausibly play Vanessa. But how they plan on doing the whole voice thing is beyond me. Will she lip sync to prerecorded dialogue? And how will Ariel sing, is it gonna be a soliloquy thing or will that be prerecorded too while she just acts the song?

I'm a little behind on the news, but I was almost certain that Ursula was supposed to a puppet and played by Pat Carroll. I hope that's true because Ursula wouldn't be the same.

[Nandor]

Does anybody have an opinion about Sherie Rene Scott playing Ursula? Has that been discussed yet? I personally think she's too young, and was really pushing for someone a bit older, more voluptuous, and with a bigger diva-tude, but I guess they need someone to plausibly play Vanessa. But how they plan on doing the whole voice thing is beyond me. Will she lip sync to prerecorded dialogue? And how will Ariel sing, is it gonna be a soliloquy thing or will that be prerecorded too while she just acts the song?

First of all, I didn't like the Ursula in the demo's. 'Now my SKINNY bottom's on the throne' Skinny? NO! Ursula is fát! She hás to be fat!
About Ariel singing after she lost her voice: I'm really curious about that. I always had the idea (a rather lame one) of her singing and the background freezing. So, in If Only, Eric says his lines, then Ariel sings a bit while he doesn't move. Then he starts talking again, oblivious to the fact she just sang. It's stupid, I know, but I have no idea how else they're going to tackle this... It'll be interesting to see what they come up with.

[UmbrellaFish]

So, in If Only, Eric says his lines, then Ariel sings a bit while he doesn't move. Then he starts talking again, oblivious to the fact she just sang. It's stupid, I know, but I have no idea how else they're going to tackle this... It'll be interesting to see what they come up with.

Well, actually, other than that they could record her singing (and that's not going to happen......I hope), or the actress will have to be a ventriliquist...... But it's going to be pretty hard to do that.

[UncleEd]

I took the "Skinny" Ursula references to be that she is fat and complains she's thin and wasting away. After all, in the film she said she was wasting away and starving. I thought it was part of her character now to be fat but insist she's skinny.

[Disney's Divinity]

About Ariel singing after she lost her voice: I'm really curious about that. I always had the idea (a rather lame one) of her singing and the background freezing. So, in If Only, Eric says his lines, then Ariel sings a bit while he doesn't move. Then he starts talking again, oblivious to the fact she just sang. It's stupid, I know, but I have no idea how else they're going to tackle this... It'll be interesting to see what they come up with.

That's exactly what I pictured! Like everything around Ariel going dark while she's singing (with a spotlight on her) and then it switches back to real time with Eric singing.

As for the Vanessa issue, I wondered about that myself. Perhaps All Good Things Must End will be sung by a separate actress from the one singing the others. Or maybe they'll have Ursula change to a human version of herself when she's alone with Ariel and then change back to Vanessa for the wedding? That would be strange.

[tsom]

For Ariel singing after she becomes human, I think it'll be sort of a soliloquy. She'll actually be singing her thoughts and everyone else will be oblivious to her singing.

As for All Good Things Must End, I really love that song. I know it's going to be sang by Ursula, but I just don't know where. I think she sings it after it's sunset, but I just can't picture how among the action and climax and all they would add a song right then and there. My guess is the ending may be different from the movie. I imgine something in the line of Ursula taking Ariel back to her lair and singing that song to her. Then Triton appears and the play goes on from there.

I'm really excited about this production. I can't wait to get more info on it.

One curious thing is that in the song Wasting Away, Ursula mentions "who needs ATLANTIS?" I thought the sea kingdom was called Atlantica? Are they changing this?

[UmbrellaFish]

One curious thing is that in the song Wasting Away, Ursula mentions "who needs ATLANTIS?" I thought the sea kingdom was called Atlantica? Are they changing this?

Hmm...... Good question. I haven't listened to the demo yet, but are you sure she wasn't being sarcastic? Kinda like, "Who needs a utopia (Atlantis/Atlantica), anyway?"

[Disney's Divinity]

As for All Good Things Must End, I really love that song. I know it's going to be sang by Ursula, but I just don't know where. I think she sings it after it's sunset, but I just can't picture how among the action and climax and all they would add a song right then and there. My guess is the ending may be different from the movie. I imgine something in the line of Ursula taking Ariel back to her lair and singing that song to her. Then Triton appears and the play goes on from there.

That can't be. In the demo, Ursula tells Ariel, "See you in church, doll!" But I agree about the song being spectacular. It's rivaling Poor Unfortunate Souls' place in my heart.

[UncleEd]

I caught the name change from Atlantica to Atlantis. I just assumed they are changing it now. Seems odd when it was in the sequel too...



I assumed that All Good Things Must End takes place on the ship after Ariel changes back into a Mermaid. Interesting Ursula knows what a church is but we won't go there. Hmm... She did say she was a Saint too. lol. Oh, well....

[tsom]

I think the phrase "see you in church" is an expression meaning see you later! I don't think she literally means church- the place of worship.

Also, if she was singing it before sunset to Ariel, then can't Ariel tell Vanessa is Ursula. Or if Vanessa uses Ariel's voice, couldn't Ariel figure out what was up? I seriously think the song takes place when Ursula was like "poor little princess. It's not you I'm after. I've got more bigger fish to --"

[SpringHeelJack]

Wow!

Okay...

1. I too heard the Pat Carroll puppet rumor, but I'm pretty sure that's fallen by the wayside now. Would I have liked that? Oh yes. But if they're changing it, I'll give it a shot.

2. I'm pretty sure Ursula will still be large. Maybe a fat suit will be involved. The whole point of "Wasting Away" is that she's large and moping about how "thin" she is. I can see lots of heavy stage effects used for whatever Ursula becomes, puppet or not.

3. Emily Skinner, who does Ursula's voice on the Demo, is much better than you might believe. I've heard her many times before, and I can guarantee that had she been picked, she could have torn up the stage. Plus she is a larger-framed woman, which was another reason why I hoped she would be Ursula.

4. I'm pretty sure she literally means "church" as in worship, as in "I'll see you at the wedding".

[UncleEd]

I took "See you in Church" to be literal due to the point in the story this takes place. If Ariel is mute what's wroing with that? Why can't she even tell her that before the boat departs? I still feel like it happens on the wedding barge...but maybe there is no barge and it is in a real church? Who knows till we see it.

[The Little Merboy]

When I heard the idea for a Ursula puppet, I wasn't too keen on the idea. I like someone actually playing the role, it's more, exciting, than the same voice, same puppet everytime. Ya know?

[Disney's Divinity]

I think the phrase "see you in church" is an expression meaning see you later! I don't think she literally means church- the place of worship.

She wouldn't just say Church all of a sudden. They're most likely moving the false wedding from the boat to a Church, where the majority of weddings take place. The only thing is, it'll be harder for them to get back to the sea that way once it's sunset. Still, all the evidence points to that being the case.

Also, if she was singing it before sunset to Ariel, then can't Ariel tell Vanessa is Ursula. Or if Vanessa uses Ariel's voice, couldn't Ariel figure out what was up? I seriously think the song takes place when Ursula was like "poor little princess. It's not you I'm after. I've got more bigger fish to --"

It wouldn't make sense that way, because she also says to Ariel, "Gee, you're awfully mum, dear. So glum, dear. How come, dear?" If it were following the wedding scene, Ariel would have her voice back. Besides, I'm pretty sure it'd be easy for Ursula to keep Ariel from ruining the mock wedding and wouldn't mind revealing that she's Vanessa.

[numba1lostboy]

Not sure if this has been brought up yet, but any idea on what they're going to do about Vanessa? She uses Ariel's voice to woo Eric. Are they going to have the Ariel actress play Vanessa as well? For that matter, are they going to have the Ursula actress play Vanessa? Will there be voice dubbing employed?

Also, what's this about a demo?? Where can I find it, PLEASE!

[candydog]

OK, first of all, I doubt they'd get rid of ursula's tentacles and make her into a mermaid unless they absolutely HAD to. Her sinister, writhing tentacles are her most important feature, they make her look dark and sly. It would be like Maleficent having no horns or the evil queen having no long black cloak or cruella without her black and white hair.
Also, with regards as to how they'll create the illusion of being underwater, I think that is what will make the production interesting. When I saw Beauty and the Beast I wondered how they would stage many of the "magical" scenes like the beast's transformation or even the prologue. I was not disappointed though as they pulled it off brilliantly.
If anyone saw disney on ice:Mickey & Minnie's magical journey, they did a condensed version of little mermaid. To create the giant ursula they brought a huge inflatable ursula out onto the ice - I think they'll probably do the same type of thing on broadway, but perhaps have a huge animatronic figure to make it look more realistic.
Also, I think that most characters with a human-like form will be played by actors, whereas the smaller creatures like sebastian and flounder will probably be puppets, along the lines of the finding nemo musical characters at WDW. They used a similar effect to bring timon to life in lion king on broadway.
The roller skates idea is pretty cheesy, and it doesn't sound like the kind of effect disney would go for in their next smash hit broadway show. They'd be more likely to use wires to suspend them from the ceiling, but this would make singing and acting quite difficult, as, unlike tarzan, the midair routines would have to be far more complex to give an underwater illusion. I have to admit - I'm stumped. Who knows - disney will have the best experts in the business working out this stuff though, and if they can create a stampede on stage in lion king and transform a beast into a prince on stage, I'm sure they'll find a way to pull it off.

[UncleEd]

I think they could have ARiel's understudy be Vanessa. Or maybe they'll cast one of the Ariel hopefuls as Vanessa. IT's pretty easy to get someone who sounds and looks similar in a stage enviornment.