When I saw my first Broadway show, The Little Mermaid, I was captivated by it. Now, seeing it again is this revised version at New Jersey's Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, I was more amazed by it. When it opened on Broadway five years ago, it was greeted with a brutal critical response and mixed box office. But now, the creative team have rejuvenated most of it and seeing this new version is like meeting a old long-lost friend who recently had surgery and getting a new life.
The plot is the same as before based on the 1989 hit animated film. Ariel (Jessica Grove) is a mermaid princess who falls in love with human Prince Eric (Nick Adams), after saving him from a storm at sea. Ariel's dad, King Triton (Edward Watts) and her other guardian, Sebastian the crab (Alan Mingo, Jr.) doesn't approve of this romance. But Ariel decides to defy them by becoming human and getting her prince. To do so, she makes a deal with her Aunt Ursula (Liz McCartney) by trading in her precious voice for a pair of legs.
Director Glenn Casale have made this production not just a delightful, enchanting joy of summer family entertainment, but a more intimate and almost better Mermaid. Casale has taken away much of the pizazz and big pomp of the Broadway version and made this a more small and straight-forward affair. The show's spirit now resonates more closely with the original Disney film than the Broadway production. Plus, instead of making the cast swim on Heelys like in the original, Casale makes his cast swim by flying which makes the undersea experience more relaxed here.
Bookwriter Doug Wright have made some changes such as improving the characters of King Triton and Ariel's mersisters, making Flounder a teen, eliminating Carlotta the maid from this version, adding a bit more into Ursula's backstory and explaining why Triton hates humans so much. The much improved and much better book has some sharp and very funny lines that I think the tweens and parents will enjoy a bit more than some kids.
The Oscar-winning and Tony-nominated score by Alan Menken, Glenn Slater and the late Howard Ashman is still splendid on the stage with classics including "Part of Your World", "Under The Sea" and "Kiss The Girl". Plus, like in the book, there are some changes such as taking out some songs and putting in new ones including one for Ursula called "Daddy's Little Angel", which feels like a underwater version of "Mother Knows Best" from the recent Disney animated classic, Tangled, with a similar beat.
The choreography by John MacInnis (associate choreographer on Broadway's Book of Mormon) is fine at times, but feels routine. A example of this is the "Under The Sea" number. The music still makes you tap on your feet, but on stage, it looks like a stiffed number from a cruise line.
Kenneth Foy's sets, Amy Clark and Mark Koss's costumes and Charlie Morrison's lighting help gives the show a more pop-up colorful book like feel.
Grove is convincing as Ariel, with a teenage-like innocence and a clear voice that remind one of the original voice of the character in the movie, Jodi Benson. Adams (Broadway's Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) is dashing as Eric. Mingo Jr. could be the next Ben Vereen with his very hip performance of Sebastian. McCartney's hilarious portrayal of Ursula reminded me of Glenn Close's funny take on the role of Cruella De Vil in the 1996 remake of 101 Dalmatians. There's also impressive performances from Watts, Ron Wisniski as Eric's guardian Grimsby, Christian Probst as Ariel's friend, Flounder, Matt Allen as the seagull Scuttle and Timothy Show as Chef Louis.
After helping bring Disney's Newsies to Broadway, it was no fluke for Paper Mill Playhouse for revising this on the stage. This Mermaid is a prime example that family entertainment can still thrive in a world that gets topsy-turvy every day. I think that this version of this precious family musical should go tour across the country after playing in Millburn and two upcoming stops this summer, Pittsburgh and Kansas City. I also think that Music Theatre International should license this to community theatres and high schools, including maybe my own former HS, Francis Lewis.
If I were you, you should call or go online at the Playhouse's website as quick as possible because this engagement has only two weeks left. Believe me, it's worth the ticket and a ride by car or NJ Transit train to get there.
If you miss this one, you'll won't be wowed whether you're with a kid or still a kid at heart.
Rating: ***1/2
Parent Advisory: Suitable for all ages.
Disney's The Little Mermaid is playing at the Paper Mill Playhouse on 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn, New Jersey, now thru June 30. Transportation is available thru the Morris-Essex Line on NJ Transit from New York Penn Station to Millburn. For tickets, call 973-376-4343 or go online at papermill.org.
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