Review: THE LITTLE MERMAID at Music Theatre Wichita

I had the pleasure of seeing The Little Mermaid in the MTW 2011 Season, so I was really looking forward to seeing it again this season. I must say, it did not disappoint. With all the brilliant singing, colorful costumes and sets, and spritely choreography, The Little Mermaid is a perfect season finale! There were lots of families in the audiences, and I didn't hear a peep out of the children. Bringing children to this show would be a marvelous way to introduce them to the magical world of theatre. The two young girls sitting in front of me sat rapt during the performance, never once touching their cell phones.

The Little Mermaid is based on Hans Christian Andersen's story and Disney's animated film. The music is by eight-time Academy Award winner, Alan Menken, with lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, and book by Doug Wright. Mermaid Ariel falls in love with human Prince Eric in the world above, and bargains with the evil sea witch, Ursula, to trade her tail for legs. Ariel's pursuit of Eric unfolds as a glorious fantasy of the Technicolor variety.

Director/Choreographer Linda Goodrich (University of Michigan) does a fantastic job here. The pacing is brisk, but not so fast that children can't keep up. The choreography is clean, and the actor's intentions are clear, keeping the audience entertained and engaged for the duration. All the beautiful voices were guided under the expert direction of Thomas W. Douglas (Carnegie Mellon University), and Sound Designer David Muehl did an outstanding job making sure we heard all those beautiful voices, as well as the orchestra.

The set, by J Branson, who delivered the innovative set for Freaky Friday, is clever and colorful, and well utilized by Goodrich. The set is colorfully lit by David Neville (Wichita State University), with lovely underwater projections of various waves and bubbles. I especially liked the dancing waters projection on the opening drop during the Overture. Award winning Costume Designer Leon Dobkowski (MUNY, Paper Mill Playhouse) brings the creatures of the sea to life with his luminously vivid designs. I loved the jellyfish and the turtles!

Tatum Grace Ludlum, a rising senior at University of Oklahoma, is just lovely as Ariel. Her voice is so versatile, cute and quirky in the comedic songs, and wonderfully lush in in her more serious moments, like Part of Your World. Ludlum has created a full character here, replete with subtle body rolls, which helps give us a flavour of underwater motion. I would later notice that the entire cast worked to create this illusion, no doubt a detail added by director Goodrich. Ariel's Prince Eric, played by Jake Smith, a rising senior at Elon University, is equally appealing. Smith looks every bit a Prince, sounding gorgeous and smooth in Her Voice. There is some great partner work and cute choreography between Ludlum and Smith in One Step Closer.

Ten year old James Heinrichs, a local actor from Trinity Academy, plays Flounder. He possesses a strong voice, which he uses to great effect in She's In Love, sharing a spotlight with Ariel's MerSisters! Heinrichs holds his own with the ladies, executing Goodrich's clever staging with ease. I can't wait to see what Heinrichs does next!

Elliot Mattox does some great comedic work here as Scuttle, the know-it-all seagull. Mattox's fine delivery and excellent song and dance work keep the delightful bird choreography in Positoovity moving. Ludlum does some smart work here as well, as her Ariel tries to work her new and unruly legs and feet.

Broadway veteran Edward Watts is a swoon worthy King Triton, maintaining the balance between a classic hunk and a loveable dad. He has a gorgeous, clear voice, sounding warm in Triton's Lament, yet strong and commanding when he conjures up his magic to defend Ariel. Local favorite Karen Robu stops the show just walking out on the stage as Ursula. Robu looks and sounds great, and works her gorgeous costume to great effect. Her sidekicks Flotsam (Aidan DeWitt) and Jetsam (Devon McCleskey) moved well as a unit, sinuous and undulating, and shared many fun moments with Robu, including a tentacle kick line in Daddy's Little Angel!

Lawrence Cummings, who played the cop "Sweaty Eddie" in Sister Act at the beginning of the season, shows us his versatility playing the loveable crab, Sebastian. His comedic timing is spot on, and his Jamaican accent is as clear as a bell. Cummings gives us a feisty rendition of Under the Sea, but his delivery of Kiss the Girl combined with the visually stunning costumes and set pieces really transported the audience into another world.

Local actor Steve Hitchcock Jr. (Mosely Street Melodrama) serves up some incredibly hysterical moments as Chef Louis in Les Poissons. The wonderfully staged chase scene that ensues was lively and boisterous, including some great moments with Sebastian. Last but not least, local favorite Tim Robu was wonderfully acerbic yet loveable as Grimsby, Prince Eric's guardian!

I would be remiss if I failed to mention the Teen Choir, who helped Producing Artistic Director Wayne Bryan introduce the 2019 Season before the main event. With great arrangements from Musical Director Emily Sternfeld Dunn, and energetic choreography from Joshua Larson, the teens looked and sounded great as they sailed through numbers from each show. The 2019 Season includes The Sound of Music (June 12-16), An American In Paris (June 26-30), A Chorus Line (July 10-14), Chicago (July 24-28), and In The Heights (August 7-11).

The Little Mermaid is the final show of the season, and runs one more weekend until Saturday, August 18th, with performances Friday and Saturday at 8pm. There is a Matinee on Saturday at 2pm, which children ages 3 and older may attend. Tickets can be purchased online at https://mtow-internet.choicecrm.net/templates/MTOW/?event#/events , by calling 316.265.3107, or by visiting the box office on the first floor of Century II. On Saturday, August 18th, at 10am & 11:30am, there will be Under The Sea Backstage Tours. Admission is $20, and tickets to see The Little Mermaid must be purchased separately. This activity is sponsored by the Independent School. There is also a Podcast - check Facebook and mtwichita.org for new episodes each Monday. Also, on Tuesday, August 14th, there is a College Audition Workshop at Century II by registration only, which is open to rising 8-12 grade students.

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