The Little Mermaid on Broadway

candydog · Post by **candydog** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 5:25 pm

My guess would be that the giant skirt thing in the picture is Ursula growing into a giant at the show's climax - I hope I'm wrong though, it doesn't exactly look as menacing or even as convincing as I'd hoped. Personally, when it comes to flying on stage, I'm a fan of the old-fashioned wires. Come to think of it, the giant in the pic looks to be wearing wires if you look closely. I do think that looks just like a picture from WICKED though, with a flying Elphaba and the woman in the white ress being Galinda - I could be wrong though. Well, who knows, I just wish that they wouldn't use heelies and cranes in place of wires - costume ideas for sea creatures sound clever though - I'd love to see the mermaid costumes - I'm hoping the tail won't be split into two legs like Disney on Ice, but I don't see how they'll be able to move without wires otherwise.

The Little Merboy · Post by **The Little Merboy** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 3:57 am

The Little Merboy wrote:" The show will look a lot like this:

It's not a photo of the actual show, I believe it's Wicked. Anywoo, thats what it will look like, or so TLM blog says.

Disney Duster · Post by **Disney Duster** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 8:01 am

I saw Wicked, and that picture is not from Wicked, unless it was from the early set-up and design from it.

And tsom already said he saw the picture on the internet last year, and it's probably from a set designed by the same person who's designing the one for The Little Mermaid.

The Little Merboy · Post by **The Little Merboy** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 8:39 am

I've seen Wicked like 6 times, I'm actually seeing it this Wednesday. Anyways, back to the subject at hand. I figured it was Wicked, because the backlighting design looks alot like Wicked.

July needs to hurry up and get here soon!

SpringHeelJack · Post by **SpringHeelJack** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 10:31 am

It looks like a try-out of Wicked or something. But the less it looks like that show, the better.

mariadny · Post by **mariadny** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 2:28 pm

This musical will be a succesful, the music (If only, I love it) are really beautyful

The Little Merboy · Post by **The Little Merboy** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 4:59 pm

Another update from TLM blog:

I received another email yesterday stating the following;

" I just wanted to tell a little more about the puppets in the show. I am attaching two pics I found on the Internet that most represent what you will see in the show. Please do not take these as actual puppets from the show."

The pictures can be seen below;

"As I mentioned before the actor's head will be shown, some are in partial mask and make-up. The picture of the person wearing the fish mask is almost how the fish characters will work. The difference is the design. The design more closely resembles the second pic. But the actual face of the human is almost all visible. There is very detailed make-up incorporated as well. For the birds (Scuttle) it is more like Timon on Taymor's Lion King. Only the bird head is the actor's head and the body runs down the torso, but stops with feet at the waist. The hands are marrionetted. These are not styled in anyway you have seen Disney puppets thus far.

The design philosophy to me most resembles art nouveau [see bottom image]. Its much more Denmark Little Mermaid than the cartoon Mermaid you know from the film. These are old school mermaids, opera mermaids with a great mystery about them. The puppets, Mermaid and human world are classic looking more like Anderson fairytale stuff. The waves are curly and look painted, but in a good fake way. More opera than Beauty or Lion King. Think Wagner’s Ring Cycle. The mermaid tails and sets a reall in this very specific design style that is very classic and romantic looking.

That is why the logo looks so much different than anything we've seen from Disney. It is nothing like Lion King. "

I am very excited from an artistic point of view about this production and the different direction that it is taking, as apposed to the previous Disney Theatrical shows. I hope that it is as spectacular as the above picture is, with lots of rich details, soft colours, curves and swirls.

candydog · Post by **candydog** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 5:27 pm

This is certainly becoming a very interesting thread (and as a broadway lover - my current favourite!). I can't wait to see it someday - damn, I wish I lived in New York.

Anyway, the designs for fish and bird characters sound very interesting, quite a clever way of portraying them on stage. A major problem in developing disney musicals is managing to portray non-human characters on stage - Enchanted objects in beauty and the beast, African wildlife in Lion King and a family of gorillas in Tarzan.

At the moment I'm waiting to see some designs for the mermaid costumes, let us know if you receive any updates please Little Merboy.

The Little Merboy · Post by **The Little Merboy** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 5:55 pm

"Its much more Denmark Little Mermaid than the cartoon Mermaid you know from the film. These are old school mermaids, opera mermaids with a great mystery about them."

This is very exciting, seeing Ariel in a whole new way, a whole new light. Gosh, I wish summer was here already!

SpringHeelJack · Post by **SpringHeelJack** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 6:03 pm

Ooh. The stuff I've seen looks really interesting. I hope they make it all gel properly. I'm glad they're treating this as more like a "Lion King" translation than a "Beauty and the Beast" or "Tarzan" one. Too bad I can't get out to Colorado for this!

UmbrellaFish · Post by **UmbrellaFish** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 6:30 pm

Very interesting news. I was pretty sure that's the way the masks would work. But how are they going to skate with those masks on?

I hate those stupid heelies!

The Little Merboy · Post by **The Little Merboy** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 3:35 am

Does anyone know what "Wagner’s Ring Cycle" is? I tryed to research it, but I just ended up being more confused

I just don't understand how it's going to be more opera?

And UmbrellaFish has a good point, how can they skate with those masks on?

An opera on skates

Only time will tell.

SpringHeelJack · Post by **SpringHeelJack** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 9:18 am

The Ring Cycle, or "Der Ring des Nibelungen", is a very very long opera written by Richard Wagner which is actually four long operas told together using Viking gods and heroes. It was one of the influences for Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings". The cycle is still performed often today, albiet abridged. I think the reference to "The Little Mermaid" being more opera-esque is a stylistic choice as opposed to anything else.

As for skating with masks...it's not unheard of. It just requires a bit of practice.

The Little Merboy · Post by **The Little Merboy** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 11:16 am

Yay! Another Update from TLM Blog:

Ok, the D.I (Disney Insider) has sent me yet another fun-filled email, clearing up the rumors and truths behind the production. I asked the tough questions and luckily he/she was all to happy to oblige. No extortion here folks!

Just wondering how they are going about combining this 'classical' fairy tale style with the Caribbean style of music - ie. will they be changing the sets during the songs 'under the sea' and 'kiss the girl'? This seems logical.

"These parts are stylized but not much differently than the rest of the show. It is just old-fashioned Zeifield Follies/Fanny Brice stuff. There are more fishes and more action, but not like a special curtain (ie Can't Wait to be King or Be Our Guest). There are some color shifts that are supposed to occur and sfx, but nothing like what was done in beauty. We haven’t seen any of this outside of models. Ursula also has some big numbers, but they are all in the same Follies kinda way. It's old-fashioned. "

I had an inkling that the little mermaid may be similar to Wagners Ring Cycle after reading that Francesca would be directing both on her website last year. I don't know how or why I came to this conclusion, as I have never seen the Ring before.

" I think it would be cool if you linked her site to her name and all the rest. I know she and her designers were picked because of their Opera work and direction of Aladdin in CA. "

Do you have any news on the whole 'swimming' effect for the mermaids - you stated in your email that the shoes are 'custom' made and expensive. Is this an acknowledgment of the whole 'wheelie' shoe rumor that has been circulating the Internet for months - or am i reading too much into this comment?

" I will say this much. The show was originally conceived as mostly a dance/ballet show. The mermaids were going to dancing with camouflage legs. Matthew Bourne (Swan Lake, Edward Scissorhands) was originally tapped to direct this show. Disney was looking for something beautiful NOT spectacular. Bourne works in scale and elegance. The sets for Mermaid are huge and dancing is key. Obviously with Tarzan Disney tried very hard to push flying and it is just laughable. It is also not practical to have seven flying mermaids on stage at the same time. Stephen Mear was brought on in part because of his work with Bourne. The mermaids, Ursula and some of the sea creatures have different types of movement. The mermaids will not all move the same and the tails are not the same. There have been movement tests, but they are waiting to do the tryout. In the end the most of the mermaids will not be on skates and this “swimming” effect is going to come from elegant movements and the illusion that a tail is attached. It is not spectacle though; don’t expect to see Cirque du Soleil style stuff being done. The dancing is sufficient and when combined with the varying stage levels it will be convincing enough. There are however different parts of the show and different areas of staging that will require special effects or mechanical devices. In some of these parts skates will be used, I’m not sure who leaked the heelie rumor, but it is not the only mode of swimming. Also like I said there is some “flying” but it is limited to just a simple but safe lift. "

I am also really wanting to find out whether this design

is close in theory (obviously not colour, ect.) to the designs for the mermaids or is this way off the mark?

" This design is similar to what will be used. These vary on the mermaid and scene. "

SpringHeelJack · Post by **SpringHeelJack** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 11:24 am

Ooh...that's different. I like that. I was so worried that they'd like be wearing goofy bell-bottom type pants or something, but that's interesting there.

candydog · Post by **candydog** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 11:37 am

UmbrellaFish wrote:But how are they going to skate with those masks on?

Ever see Disney On Ice?

UmbrellaFish · Post by **UmbrellaFish** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 2:14 pm

candydog wrote:
UmbrellaFish wrote:But how are they going to skate with those masks on?
Ever see Disney On Ice?

I was actually being sarcastic, and I was surprised at the discussion brought up. Anyway, I'm so so so happy now to know that skates are to be minimal! YES!!!!!!!!! He, he. Sorry.

candydog · Post by **candydog** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 3:15 pm

UmbrellaFish wrote:
candydog wrote: Ever see Disney On Ice?
I was actually being sarcastic, and I was surprised at the discussion brought up. Anyway, I'm so so so happy now to know that skates are to be minimal! YES!!!!!!!!! He, he. Sorry.

Nah, I was just kidding

- I've been a little annoyed with the skates idea since I first heard about it. I spent ages wondering what weird and wonderful special effects were to used to give the impression of real, swimming mermaids on stage, then one day I checked broadwayworld to be greeted with the words: "roller skates". It could work well - but I still prefer flying - even if it's not practical.

Disney Duster · Post by **Disney Duster** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 8:28 am

Okay, okay, I just want to clear something. I know that the picture looks like Wicked, but it said

The Little Merboy wrote:Here is a collaborative pic from two designers. Typsin has portfolio online. Expect stuff like this.

So, I checked, and George Tsypin was never a scenic designer for Wicked. The scenic designer was Eugene Lee. Also, the director for Mermaid is Francesca Zambello, not Joe Mantello who did Wicked

So I just don't see how it could be from Wicked, even though it looks like it. It's supposed to be from the designers of Mermaid.

Anyway, thanks once again The Little Merboy! I'm so glad you showed us that design, too, because I wouldn't have thought to look for that on the blog. This is looking to be very beautiful!

The Little Merboy · Post by **The Little Merboy** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 6:59 am

TLM BLog Update: Speculated Song List

According to one blog reader, they believe they have the song list (in order) for the broadway musical.

" I'm not involved with the production, but I've gathered enough legit material to come up with this songlist. This song list is based on the demo, printed material from the actual production, and the tiniest bits of speculation to fill in the gaps in terms of the order.

Act I
1. Overture/Decent Into The Sea (Orchestra)
2. The World Above (Ariel)
3. Fathoms Below (Sailors, Eric, Grimsby, Ariel)
4. The World Above - Reprise (Ariel)
5. Daughters of Triton (Aquata, Andrina, Arista, Atina, Adela, Alana)
6. Part of Your World (Ariel)
7. That Oughta Show Her (Triton, Sebastian)
8. Human Stuff (Scuttle, Gulls, Ariel)
9. Wasting Away (Ursula, Flotsam, Jetsam)
10. She’s in Love (Flounder, Mermaids)
11. That Oughta Show Her - Reprise (Triton, Sebastian)
12. The Storm (Orchestra)
12. Part of Your World - Reprise (Ariel)
13. Under The Sea (Sebastian, Ensemble)
14. That World Above (Triton)*
15. Sweet Child (Flotsam, Jetsam, Ariel)
16. Her Voice (Eric)
17. Poor Unfortunate Souls (Ursula, Ariel)**

Act II
18. Positoovity (Scuttle, Gulls)
19. Beyond My Wildest Dream (Ariel)
20. Les Poissons (Chef Louie)
21. If Only / Her Voice (Eric, Ariel)
22. If Only - Reprise (Sebastian)
23. Poor Unfortunate Souls - Reprise (Ursula)
24. Kiss the Girl (Sebastian, Ensemble)
25. All Good Things Must End (Ursula)
26. Finale [If Only - Reprise / Part of Your World Reprise] (Ariel, Eric, Ensemble)

*Not sure if this song is a variation on Ariel’s earlier one, or something completely new.
**Pure speculation that this will be the Act I Finale "

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