“The Little Mermaid” at Theatre by the Sea

By Richard Pacheco

            “The Little Mermaid,” the Disney classic film turned into a musical at Theatre by the Sea is perfect family fare, well acted, and well sung with bright costumes and flashy dancing. In short it is sheer fun for all ages. It is utterly charming and delightful for all.

            The show comes from the Disney movie which comes from the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale abut a mermaid who is willing to sacrifice her life in the sea and mermaid identity to  gain a human soul and love a human prince.

Ariel ventures to the surface when she turns 15. She witnesses a great storm and sees a handsome young prince on board and rescues him from drowning, taking him to shore. When he awakens she is gone and he doe not realize it was she who saved him. In an effort to become human she goes to visit the sea witch, her aunt, willing to sacrifice her lovely voice in order to become human and thereby win the heart of the prince. Is she fails to get him to kiss her within three days she will be forever doomed to serve the Sea Witch and never view humans or the prince again.

Adrienne Eller is Ariel, the mermaid with the longing to be human. She is pert and perky, with a girlish charm and special voice. She is enchaining in the role, the embodiment of the little mermaid. Her voice is angelic and yet strong. She ably displays her talents in “The World Above” and “Part of Your World” as well as the other songs she sings Like “Ariel’s Lament.”

Austin Colby is the handsome prince who would rather be a sailor that inherit his father’s throne and rule his kingdom. He is a mixture of boyish yet complex with a solid voice and impressive stage presence. He is a great foil for Eller and the two work well together with charm and vitality. He is excellent in “Her Voice” and “One Step Closer.”

Andrew Holder is Ariel’s friend Flounder. He adores Ariel and follows her pile a puppy. He shows his singing voice off well in his song with the mersisters, “She’s in Love.”

Zachary Berger is the seagull the irrepressible Scuttle. Scuttle is a madcap mixture of confidence and malapropisms, misstating all kinds of things with unbridled enthusiasm. He is hilarious with the seagulls who all tap dance their way with finesse and confidence through “Positooovity.”

Of course there is the charming and winning crab, Sebastian, anointed guardian for Ariel and yet she always manages to outwit him to pursue her goals. He speaks with a Jamaican accent and is flamboyant and sun.  Nkrumah Gatling brings him to life with terrific comic timing and a strong singing voice. He really shines in a vigorous and fun version of “Under the Sea” with the sea creatures.

The wicked Sea Witch, Ursula is King Triton’s sister and a dark force to be reckoned with using her cohorts the darkly evil eels, Flotsam and Jetsam. She has a killer voice, full of raw power and variance. When she sings “Poor Unfortunate Soul” she explodes with energy and scathing sarcasm. Her trio with Flotsam (Robert Conte) and Jetsam (Daniel Hurst), “Daddy’s Little Girl” is also excellent.

King Triton is all bluster and pomp, demanding his daughters, and everyone else obey him without hesitation or question. Yet he does indeed love his daughter, in particular the youngest, Ariel. He shows this at last at the end.  Joseph Torello is King Triton and handles the role ably, but is in fact the weakest singing voice onstage.

One of the most impressive part of this endearing show is the complex and  rich quarter, “If Only” which carries the finesse of Verdi sung by Ariel, Prince Eric, Sebastian and King Triton.

            The musical is attractive with great songs from the Alan Menken music the Howard Ashman Glenn Slater lyrics and the book by Doug Wright. It is both warm and fun.

            Director and choreographer Billy Sprague Jr. keeps everything lively and appealing from first to last. His dance numbers have sass and class, a delight to behold. His number with the tap dancing seagulls is funny and fun to watch, robust and endearing.

            Musical director Esther  Zabinski who also conducts the orchestra is right on the mark and conducts the orchestra with verve and feeling.

            The set by Nate Bertone is simple, basic and effective. It successfully evokes and underwater world with simple yet impressive touches, creating undersea caves and dark areas for the denizens of the deep to prowl. His suggestive sets for out of the water worked well too.

            The costumes, the original costume and wig design by Kurt Alger were fanciful and energetic.

            If you loved the 1989 Disney movie, you will love this show which faithfully follows the movie. You won’t want to miss it!

           

            "Disney's The Little Mermaid" runs through Aug. 15 at Theatre By The Sea, 364 Cards Pond Rd., Matunuck. Tickets are $45-$65. Call (401) 782-8587, or visit theatrebythesea.com.