By Christine Dolan
Based on the smash hit 1989 animated Disney movie (which was inspired by a far darker Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale), this 2007 Broadway version of “The Little Mermaid” has a score by Oscar and Tony Award winner Alan Menken, lyrics by Oscar winner Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, and a book by Pulitzer Prize winner Doug Wright.
It’s a star-crossed tale of a red-haired mermaid named Ariel (Josslyn Shaw), daughter of the stern King Triton (Frank Montoto), and a dashing seafaring prince named Eric (Henry Thrasher), who has no interest in ascending to his father’s throne.
The two meet when she saves him after he’s tossed overboard during a storm. Though the prospect of a life together seems very dim indeed, Ariel’s scheming sorceress aunt Ursula (Jonathan Chisolm) coaxes her into signing a clause-filled contract almost as long as one of the ropes surrounding the set. Ariel trades her beautiful voice for a set of legs, but unless she can get Prince Eric to kiss her within three days, it’s back to the depths to live out her life as Ursula’s slave.
That’s the plot in a nutshell. Or maybe a conch shell. “The Little Mermaid” follows the classic Disney formula – imperiled beauty and a prince fall for each other, true love’s path is blocked by a villain, then the enemy is vanquished in time for a wedding – but the specifics of each story are what captivate audiences for generations.
Rodaz utilizes a combination of young and more seasoned talent, veterans of Area Stage’s conservatory program, and several frequent collaborators in his immersive take on “The Little Mermaid.” The production’s style is more reminiscent of the director’s deservedly lauded 2021 take on “Annie,” a show that kicked the buzz about Rodaz’s talent into high gear.
The emphasis this time is largely on playful fun –well, maybe not so much with Chisolm’s stunning, conniving Ursula. But as an audience member, you never know when a cast member will leap onto your table to sing.
Or if you’re in the priciest VIP seats, the ones surrounding the grotto, you’ll get an up-close view of the dancers’ thundering feet as they perform choreographer Irma Becker’s work, an exuberant tap number to “Positoovity”[cq].
You’ll hear the crab court composer Sebastian (Aaron Hagos) crooning a dreamy “Kiss the Girl” while Ariel and Prince Eric circle the grotto in a “boat” pushed by their castmates. Will the prince finally go for it and plant true love’s kiss on the adoring Ariel? Whether or not you know the answer, the moment is full of tender hope.
