Review: Escape to THE LITTLE MERMAID

It was a heartbreaking week for our country. It has been a rough summer around the world. It makes you question everything to see such horror played out in the media.

Last night I put all of it behind me for a bit and headed to the Dorothy Jemison Day Theatre at the Alabama School of Fine Arts with my guys to see Red Mountain Theatre Company's production of THE LITTLE MERMAID. During the curtain speech, RMTC's Executive Director Keith Cromwell asked the audience as a group to just take a breath and then he asked us to say hello to someone around us that we didn't already know. It was a moment to put all of the ugliness in the world that we have been bombarded with behind us and smile at the strangers around us. And it was the start of forgetting the outside world for a couple of hours of pure joy.

Right from the beginning, the live orchestra brings the well-known music to life. Along with interesting lighting effects to make you feel like you are "under the sea," the overture is relaxing and exciting all at the same time.

This musical is perfect for people of all ages and highlights some phenomenal local talent as well as a smattering of out of town performers. It is quite the spectacle and fun from start to finish. Creative direction by Henry Scott, interesting choreography on shoes and skates by Chip Abbott and expert musical direction by Katie Holmes line up for a superior production.

Jane Bernhard as Ariel and Tim Hellar as Prince Eric, bring the beloved characters of this Disney classic to life. Having had a small child during the height of Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID craze, I can remember watching the video over and over and over. Hearing the familiar music again all of these years later is a delight.

One of my favorite songs of all time, "Part of Your World" is Ms. Bernhard at her best. The staging, set, and costumes add to the lovely overall effect.

Brandon A. McCall is excellent as Sebastion. His consistent Jamaican dialect and his sideways crab walk made me smile and although his shining vocal moment is "Kiss The Girl", his other big number "Under The Sea" is also visually stunning and musically enjoyable. The small children used in the large group songs made us all chuckle.

Cecil Washington, Jr. as King Triton has the deep voice and the slim, yet sinewy physique to be the perfect King of the sea. His singing voice is exactly what you want it to be, deep and smooth.

There are so many stand outs, it is difficult to name them all. Sebastion V. Addy as Jetsam and Michael Williams as Flotsam are just the right mix of slimy and funny. Alex Rader as Scuttle, Caleb Clark as Chef Louis, Don Garrett as Grimsby and Reilly Durkin as Flounder are all well cast and add to the fun of the show.

But the real star of the show is Amy Johnson as Ursula. There is no denying that Ms. Johnson is a cut above most any performer in the area. Her portrayal of Ursula proves once again her versatility and the power of her voice. Able to take an iconic villain and make her scary, funny and sexy (think Mae West) Ms. Johnson does her job making the character classic, yet unique.

With fun sets and lavish costumes, the production is visually stunning. Technically heavy, the opening night jitters got to the sound techs and spotlight operators. Hopefully the missed cues will get remedied. Unfortunately, sound guys are like offensive linemen- never mentioned or noticed until they miss their mark. But anything that pulls me out of the magic of a show like this one has to be addressed.

If you have a small child that you want to introduce to theater, I cannot think of a better introduction than THE LITTLE MERMAID. A story they know, characters they love, and the magic of Live Theatre all rolled into one, makes for a truly magical night.

As for me, an "adult", I was thrilled to be able to forget the horrors of the real world for a couple of hours and see a show where good triumphs over evil, where families from different worlds can accept their differences, put them aside and focus on love, and where everyone lives happily ever after. I know the real world waits outside the theatre door, but I hope that the good feelings of this magical show will last.

THE LITTLE MERMAID runs through July 31. For more information and tickets go to www.redmountaintheatre.org or call 205-324-2424.

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