The Little Mermaid on Broadway

Billy Moon · Post by **Billy Moon** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 2:48 am

I have a bad feeling about this show. It's doomed to failure. I mean, a female drag queen.. a mute character singing.. it just doesn't make any sense!

The Little Merboy · Post by **The Little Merboy** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 3:14 am

I hope it works out, TLM is such an amazing story. And it was very wonderful when I saw it, hopefully it makes it. I can't wait for the freakin' OBCR! I need my Mermaid fixx.

L&E · Post by **L&E** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 9:15 pm

Perez Hilton has a new image of Sherie Rene Scott (as Ursula) and Francesca Zambello

http://perezhilton.com/?p=5681

Her wig is wicked!!

Disney's Divinity · Post by **Disney's Divinity** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 6:02 am

That picture's awesome. If only they'd get rid of the gloves and made the tentacles not look so huge, she would be perfect.

Here for others:

SpringHeelJack · Post by **SpringHeelJack** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 10:17 am

The wig is fantastic. But when you put that with the whole goofy costume under the lights, it looks like a bad theme park ride. But seriously, if the rest of the costume were as great as the wig, they'd be all set.

Disney Duster · Post by **Disney Duster** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:10 pm

Disney's Divinity wrote:That picture's awesome. If only they'd get rid of the gloves and made the tentacles not look so huge, she would be perfect.

I disagree. If the actress playing Ursula isn't going to be a large woman in her own weight, than her costume needs to be big and overpowering to make up for it. If the tentacles can't be so big, then somehow the bottom half of her dress will have to be, and the only thing I can think of is a hoopskirt, or Ursula has an oddly disproportionate bottom-heavy figure. Also, the gloves further illustrate that Ursula's two "human" arms are what make her an octopus (I think, I don't know for sure). Aquids have six arms and octopuses have eight. In the movie she may have only six black suction-cupped arms below the belt, but her purple humanoid arms are supposedly a way that she is still an octopus. And the animators came up with the idea to make her an octopus when viewing footage of one, I doubt they'd change it to squid.

SpringHeelJack, once again (about the wig) you've voiced a very common opinion in the learned theater geek community. Basically, you've said what I've heard many other theater lovers say. Glad to have that taste here, meaning not all theater people hate Disney.

SpringHeelJack · Post by **SpringHeelJack** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:36 pm

Yeah, as a theatre person, I love Disney. I think "Beauty and the Beast" was good and "The Lion King" was incredible. Even "Mary Poppins" had its merits, though the show overall was not as good as I would have hoped. That's why I dislike "The Little Mermaid", because I know Disney could do so much better and could salvage the show before it hits Broadway, but they likely won't. It's frustrating more than anything.

Disney Duster · Post by **Disney Duster** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 2:47 pm

Yes, Disney does have the roots of it's 90's (and very late 80's) films in musical theater thanks to Menken and Ashman. And there movies always relied on music to tell the story. A lot of Broadway theater snobs just seem to hate Disney, and I don't know if it's because they think it's just for kids or too corporate or what. Anyway, I heard that Thomas Schumacher, president of Disney Theatricals, said there wouldn't be any changes, and I heard somewhere else that the costumes wouldn't be changed at all. I don't believe that, I think they jumbled up something he said in an interview:

He said the elements of “Mermaid” that he and the creative team are working on are not, in many cases, the elements that were criticized in the reviews.

From this article:
Monster, Meet Mermaid

Personally, I like the very different, colorful things I've seen and heard from Mermaid. Even some things about Ursula's costume, but I definitely do want changes.

leuchtmuschel · Post by **leuchtmuschel** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 2:47 pm

Hi everybody,

The little mermaid is the Disney classic I most like. I wish that the musical version from "The little mermaid" will replace "The lion king" in Hamburg soon.

Hamburg is the most important seaport in Germany. I think that a mermaid fits better to this city as a lion (Especially in water…).

Hamburg is making a new skyline in their harbour. This project will be finished about 2014.

The little mermaid will be adverse the Landungsbrücken if she would replace the Lion King.

I will make holiday in Hamburg if the little mermaid would come!

Siren · Post by **Siren** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 6:41 pm

Ursula's gloves look like gloves used handling radioactive waste for too long. I agree in making her look big, but the gloves are hideous. And the tentacles are a fine size, but they look more like venus fly-traps run over by an ATV. They don't even look like tentacles. They look like an ugly skirt over a petticoat. That isn't what any octopus tentacles look like.

Disney's Divinity · Post by **Disney's Divinity** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 7:41 pm

Disney Duster wrote:
Disney's Divinity wrote:That picture's awesome. If only they'd get rid of the gloves and made the tentacles not look so huge, she would be perfect.
I disagree. If the actress playing Ursula isn't going to be a large woman in her own weight, than her costume needs to be big and overpowering to make up for it. If the tentacles can't be so big, then somehow the bottom half of her dress will have to be, and the only thing I can think of is a hoopskirt, or Ursula has an oddly disproportionate bottom-heavy figure. Also, the gloves further illustrate that Ursula's two "human" arms are what make her an octopus (I think, I don't know for sure). Aquids have six arms and octopuses have eight. In the movie she may have only six black suction-cupped arms below the belt, but her purple humanoid arms are supposedly a way that she is still an octopus. And the animators came up with the idea to make her an octopus when viewing footage of one, I doubt they'd change it to squid.

Well, considering that they dumped on one aspiring Ursula because she was a little too heavy makes me believe that they aren't attempting to stay true to the film. Obviously, they wanted a smaller actress, so I don't think having gigantic tentacles that are disproportionate with the rest of her body will make up for that. And then there's the fact that most people have been saying the tentacle assortment prevents Sherie from moving very much.

As for the gloves, all I can say is: they're hideous. I hope they see that before the show goes to broadway.

Siren · Post by **Siren** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 9:09 pm

Yes, I was disappointed when the actress they hired was thin and they turned down bigger actresses. Of course maybe she can play a really good Ursula, but I still do hope they hire a woman of size eventually for the role. Do Ursula some much needed justice.

Widdi · Post by **Widdi** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 9:23 pm

SpringHeelJack wrote:A picture of the Ursula costume.

I personally...am not a big fan. I kinda like the colors a bit, but Sherie looks like a drag queen and the costume itself looks like the love child of a drugged-out spider and a pinata.

Ick, I really don't like it.

Personally I'd much rather see Ursula played by a drag queen. She was based on one after all, and a drag queen could really add the fiestiness and over the top sense of glamour Ursula possess.

Disney Duster · Post by **Disney Duster** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 10:15 am

Siren, Disney's Divinity, I never knew they turned down a larger actress just because she was large. Are you sure they just didn't think Sherie was best in acting skill, and look wasn't a part of it? But if that's the case, I still think something should be done to make Ursula big and imposing, and I think it should be done with her Octopan body, not her actual weight. But you brought up good points, Divinity, she needs to be able to move. If she was on heelies and the tentacles didn't drag on the ground (they could be elevated like the Ursula costume in Disney's ice shows), then I think big tentacles could still work. I heard she's not on heelies currently, she just shuffles around!

Meanwhile, since quite a few people brought up Ursula played by a drag queen, maybe the female relationship between Triton and Ursula or Ariel and Ursula is just an important one? But more than that, does anyone think Disney won't allow a drag queen because it would upset parents who think it's sinful or homosexual or gross or adult-only?

Siren · Post by **Siren** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 5:17 pm

Disney Duster, please re-read my last post where I SAID she got the role probably because she was the better actress, I was simply disappointed because I think fat actresses get type-cast if cast at all, and at least the role would give a chance to bigger women to make it big (no pun intended).

I don't think a drag queen should play her per say. I just think the best actress should play her. Be it a man or woman, big or little. I personally think Queen Latifah would make an awesome Ursula. She's a good actress and singer and after her Mama roll in Chicago, I feel she is perfectly suited for Ursula on a live production. But she is more into the movies at this time, but I would love to see her in the future play her. I think she would do a fantastic job.

And who cares if a drag queen plays Ursula anyways? If parents are afraid of homosexuals, then the last thing they should do is bring their kids to a BROADWAY SHOW....HELLO?!?!?! I wouldn't know the exact percentage of gays on Broadway, but its probably pretty high. Probably over 50%. Hell, work at any Disney park and you are surrounded by gay people, so if parents fear gay people around their kids, maybe they should stick to stories about talking vegetables and stay away from Disney and Broadway all together.

For all I care a hermaphrodite could play Ursula, so long as he/she is perfect for the roll. Who cares what they are or do outside of the show?

Billy Moon · Post by **Billy Moon** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 4:10 am

Siren wrote:And who cares if a drag queen plays Ursula anyways? If parents are afraid of homosexuals, then the last thing they should do is bring their kids to a BROADWAY SHOW....HELLO?!?!?!

Oh, that was hilarious.

I think the reason they've wanted a slim Ursula may only be so that the same actress can play her when she's disguised as Vanessa. Queen Latifa would've been great in the role, though.

Ariel'sprince · Post by **Ariel'sprince** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 5:22 am

Siren wrote:And who cares if a drag queen plays Ursula anyways? If parents are afraid of homosexuals, then the last thing they should do is bring their kids to a BROADWAY SHOW....HELLO?!?!?! I wouldn't know the exact percentage of gays on Broadway, but its probably pretty high. Probably over 50%. Hell, work at any Disney park and you are surrounded by gay people, so if parents fear gay people around their kids, maybe they should stick to stories about talking vegetables and stay away from Disney and Broadway all together.

Agreed,althought from what i heard on the Little Ariel Forum most of the audionce were little girls and their perents,people should be ashamed

,the actors are trying to hard and who's the main audionce who come? little girls,and people should stop treating Disney this way

.
Queen Latifa is perfact for Ursula

.

PeterPanfan · Post by **PeterPanfan** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 5:29 am

Oh my God will you just GET OVER IT!
Seriously. Please stop complaning about only LITTLE girls and women being there. I'm sure they're will be FAMILIES and MEN there when it hits Brodway and becomes a HUGE success!

Ariel'sprince · Post by **Ariel'sprince** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 5:41 am

PeterPanfan wrote:Oh my God will you just GET OVER IT!
Seriously. Please stop complaning about only LITTLE girls and women being there. I'm sure they're will be FAMILIES and MEN there when it hits Brodway and becomes a HUGE success!

PeterPanFan-no,i"m not getting over it and if you havn't noticed-it's everywhere and even the reviews about the show said that,if you denail it,fine,but don't it's not true becouse it is.
Maybe later but not now

.

Dottie · Post by **Dottie** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 2:08 pm

Just look at John Tartaglia, he was in Avenue Q, playing the closeted Rod and now he's Johnny and has his own (actually very cute and adorable) show "Johnny and the Sprites". And he's gay.
So much about Disney and gay people. There is nothing wrong with that anyway. They're people like everybody else.

But back to topic:
I actually like the Ursula costume, it looks cool, and if it were a different villainess it'd be totally awesome, but in this particular show it just isn't Ursula. It feels wrong. It's not the Ursula you know, and I think that might be another reason why the show is kinda bashed.

I do hope though it will be a success on Broadway even though there were major story changes and such, but the new songs and the score are beautiful and I think people just have to learn to view the movie and the show as two different things. I guess then one could appreciate it much more.

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