The Little Mermaid on Broadway

[cheshirecat]

the Idea of the Little Mermaid on Broadway sounds pretty good. I really would like to see Hunchback on broadway.Also Hercules and Alladin would be really awsome to.

[The Little Merboy]

"Mermaid" star on crest of a fave



Much has changed in the life of 2000 George Washington High School graduate Sierra Boggess.

"Yes, indeed," Boggess understated in her first interview since being named to play Ariel in the Broadway-bound Disney musical "The Little Mermaid," which first bows at Denver's Ellie Caulkins Opera House from July 26 through Sept. 9.

On Feb. 22, Boggess was flown to New York and introduced as Disney's newest princess. On March 11, she sang the National Anthem before a Las Vegas NASCAR race to a live audience of 142,000 - plus 6.1 million more on national TV.

"Pretty cool, isn't it?" said Boggess. "This is absolutely the most thrilling thing, and the fact that it will be happening in Denver is unbelievable."

Boggess will continue playing Christine in the Vegas "Phantom of the Opera" through May 13. Then six weeks of "Mermaid" rehearsals in New York, the world premiere run in Denver and finally, in November, her Broadway debut.

"Every little girl sings in her bathtub, dreaming of being Ariel," she said. "It really is my favorite Disney movie of all time, and Ariel is my favorite Disney princess. My family is so excited - especially my sisters. We all grew up loving that movie."

Sierra is the middle daughter of Mike Boggess and Kellun Turner. Older sister Summer is a cellist in New York who helped prepare Sierra for her "Mermaid" audition. Younger sister Allegra is a piano-performance major at the University of Colorado. "We're all kind of musical," Sierra said, "and we all grew up loving that movie."

Boggess first auditioned for Ariel in October. Her final, nerve-racking (and winning) audition lasted five hours.

"I walked in there very prepared, and I walked out knowing that I gave them absolutely everything I had," she said.

Then, the blur: In New York, she met fellow Disney stage stars Ashley Brown ("Mary Poppins") and Josh Strickland ("Tarzan"). "Both were telling me they've been there, in this position where all the sudden your life is a complete whirlwind. It's cool that I could talk to them about it, so I feel like I'm coming into this with support."

That support system extends to Jodi Benson, the voice of Ariel in the 1989 animated film, who long ago inspired Sierra to pursue her master's at Benson's alma mater, Milliken University in Decatur, Ill. It also includes G.W. drama teacher Nancy Priest. ("But I will never call her Nancy," Sierra says. "She's Ms. Priest.") Also Denver voice teacher Bob Downard ("He taught me how to belt") and everyone at the Colorado Children's Chorale, where Sierra once performed ("I'd like to be a role model to those kids while I am in Denver.")

But life won't really turn topsy-turvy until New York. "Nothing has really changed yet - except that I've made a bunch of new friends. People are kind of coming out of the woodwork," she said. "Right now, it's all anticipation."

She can't even imagine yet what it will be like to walk (swim?) out on that Ellie Caulkins stage on July 26.

"I really hope I will be able to just take it all in and love every second of it," she said. "This is what I've worked for my whole life, so to be able to just appreciate the moment would be all that I could ask for.

"All the stars are kind of lining up for me ... and now I have to do my part."

http://www.denverpost.com/theater/ci_5654355

[Atlantica]

She seems so sweet! I'm so happy for her, and so glad she got the role of Ariel. I can really see her in the role now

[ChrisLyne]

I can't wait to see this show! July 26th can't get here soon enough!

Flights and hotels are all booked now, going from the UK to New York to see Tarzan, then internal to Denevr to see TLM on opening night before returning home. I'm broke now, but it will be so worth it in a few months! The only thing making me a little sad is knowing that in the same month Beauty and the Beast will be closing on Broadway.

[The Little Merboy]

so far ChrisLyne, we're the only two on here going to opening night. aren't you just like counting down the days? i am uber excited, July needs to get here, and soon!!

[candydog]

so far ChrisLyne, we're the only two on here going to opening night. aren't you just like counting down the days? i am uber excited, July needs to get here, and soon!!

Yeah - you are. AND I'M JEALOUS!!!!!!!!!!










P.S. Please take me with you (I'm quite flexible, I could squeeze into your luggage.

[ChrisLyne]

I am counting down! Just worked out that today marked 100 days to go! (at least I think I worked it out right, I've had a long day and it's getting late over here)

I'm also really excited as I get to see Tarzan on my Birthday!

I'm really hoping Alan Menken is there, if there's one person I'd love to meet it's him (hey I can dream!) as he's been behind all of my favorite Disney films since I was a kid, I still have the cassette of Aladdin I got when I was a kid, it was my first Disney soundtrack!

I did just check and there are still tickets available for opening night so maybe more people from there boards will get tickets and come to the opening. I can't believe the value! $70 is fantastic, I know it's not on Broadway but I was expecting a lot more for the opening run.

[candydog]

Don't worry Chris, I'm pretty sure Alan Menken will be there. If I wrote the music for a multi-million dollar musical I'd want to be there on opening night. The real star-studded event is usually the broadway opening though.

and I'm still jealous!

[The Little Merboy]

i got bored, so i decided to change Sierra's hair. to a less bright red, just to get an idea of her as Ariel. I CAN'T WAIT!!!!

[The Little Merboy]

UPDATE

The Official Site has been updated. Including the cast headshots, and wallpapers(of the poster). Yay, can't wait til' they upload pictures of the cast in costume!
http://disney.go.com/theatre/thelittlem ... index.html

[DonDuck]

Oh, interesting:
Jonathan Freeman (voice of Jafar) plays Grimsby.
I didn´t know that he even played a part in Beauty and the Beast on stage.
Does somebody know which role that was?

Have a nice day!

[candydog]

Oh, interesting:
Jonathan Freeman (voice of Jafar) plays Grimsby.
I didn´t know that he even played a part in Beauty and the Beast on stage.
Does somebody know which role that was?

Have a nice day!

He played Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast on Broadway, just to let you know.

[DonDuck]

Thank you

[singerguy04]

I'm so excited about this production!

Sierra has been the talk of the university! In all of my theatre classes we've been using her as a success story. After-all it's really fun to be able to proove to our parents that Millikin is actually doing us good! lol

I'm hoping to go out to NYC in December to see this show!!!

[TheSequelOfDisney]

Here's a picture I found: Click Here

Maybe it will answer some questions.

[ichabod]

Here's a picture I found: Click Here

Maybe it will answer some questions.

Like why the actress playing Ursula was allowed to come into contact with an electrical current?

[TheSequelOfDisney]

Here's a picture I found: Click Here

Maybe it will answer some questions.

Like why the actress playing Ursula was allowed to come into contact with an electrical current?

Possibly

[ichabod]

Well it's a necessary concern. With water conducting electricity, any currents could wind up with Ariel as the contents of a McDonald's Fillet O'fish!

[TheSequelOfDisney]

She's probably appeared in one of those before!

[Ting Ting]

I really hope this gets as big as Disney's other Broadway productions. I would love for it to last as long as The Lion King is lasting so that I can actually go see it someday.

I can't wait for the Original Broadway Cast recording!