Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID Opens in June at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & McCOY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT invite you to journey "Under The Sea" as it presents the fifth and final show of its 2015-2016 season, THE LITTLE MERMAID, music by Alan Menkcn, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, book by Doug Wright, musical direction by Colin R. Freeman, choreography by John MacInnis and directed by Glenn Casale. THE LITTLE MERMAID will preview on Friday, June 3, 2016 (with a press opening on Saturday, June 4) and run through Sunday, June 26, 2016 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.

Full of Disney magic! In a magical kingdom beneath the sea, the beautiful young mermaid Ariel longs to leave her ocean home to live in the world above. Based on one of Hans Christian Anderson's most beloved stories and the classic animated film, Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID is a hauntingly beautiful love story for the ages. With music by eight-time Academy Award-winner Alan Menken, this fun for the whole family, fishy fable will capture your heart with its irresistible songs including "Under the Sea," "Kiss the Girl," and "Part of Your World."

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM AND CAST

GLENN CASALE (Director) is thrilled to be back with The Little Mermaid. Broadway: Peter Pan starring Cathy Rigby (Tony Award nomination, Best Revival), filmed by A&E (two Emmy Awards). Off-Broadway: The Property Known as Garland, Dragapella at Studio 54 (Lortel Award nomination, Outstanding Musical.) International: Disney's The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast (Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan, and Russia). Tours/regional: Doctor Dolittle, Ballroom starring Tyne Daly and Charles Durning, Wrestlers starring Mark Harmon and George Clooney, From the Top starring Carol Burnett, Camelot starring Michael York, The Prisoner of Second Avenue with Jason Alexander.

TV: "The Faculty" starring Meredith Baxter, "The Wayans Bros." Glenn is artistic director for California Musical Theatre in Sacramento.

JOHN MACINNIS (Choreography) is thrilled to be working on this production of The Little Mermaid. He choreographed the Japanese production of The Little Mermaid currently running in Tokyo. He is the associate choreographer ofSomething Rotten and Disney's newest Broadway hit Aladdin. He also choreographed Disney's Beauty and the Beastin more than five European countries. In 2011 he served as the associate choreographer of the Tony award-winning musical The Book of Mormon. Other credits include directing and choreographing the Olympic Medals Ceremonies at the 2010 and 2002 Winter Olympic Games. From 1999-2001 he directed and choreographed the Radio City Christmas Spectacular including the first international production in Mexico City, Mexico

COLIN R. FREEMAN (Musical Director/Conductor) Theatre credits include: Annie, Assassins, Cats, Chess, Anything Goes, Annie Get Your Gun, Disney's The Little Mermaid, Grease, My Fair Lady, Gypsy, Guys and Dolls, The Wizard of Oz, Sweet Charity and Forever Plaid. His varied concert work has taken him from recording for the B.B.C., to conducting many of the principal U.S. and Canadian symphony orchestras including the Pittsburgh, Rochester, Ottawa, Calgary, Utah, St. Louis and Minnesota symphony orchestras. He has worked as an arranger and orchestrator for Lorna Luft, Rod Stewart and Hal Linden amongst others. He is an Ovation Award winner and Desert Theatre League winner for Best Musical Direction. He lives happily in Palm Springs with his wife, Lorna Luft.

ALAN MENKEN (Music) Stage credits: Aladdin, Sister Act, Little Shop of Horrors, Beauty and the Beast, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, A Christmas Carol, King David, God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, Leap of Faith, A Bronx Tale, Real Life Funnies, The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravits, and Weird Romance. Film credits: "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin," "Newsies," "Pocahontas," "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," "Hercules" and "Home on the Range." Other achievements: A Billboard #1 album ("Pocahontas") and #1 single ("A Whole New World"). Awards include eight Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, 10 Grammys, the London Evening Standard Award, the Olivier, the New York Drama Critics Award, the Drama Desk and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical.

HOWARD ASHMAN (Lyrics) wrote the lyrics for the Disney animated films "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast" and "Aladdin" (three songs). He served as Producer on "The Little Mermaid" and Executive Producer on "Beauty and the Beast." With composer Alan Menken, he received two Academy Awards and two Golden Globes for Best Son ("Beauty and the Beast" and "Under the Sea") and four Grammy Awards. He received an Academy Award nomination with Mr. Menken for "Friend Like Me" from "Aladdin." As author, lyricist and director for the stage musicalLittle Shop of Horrors, which ran for five years in New York and was produced worldwide, Mr. Ashman received two Outer Critics Circle Award, a London Evening Standard Award and a Drama Desk Award. For his screenplay version of "Little Shop of Horrors," Mr. Ashman received a nomination from the Screen Writers Guild and "Mean Green Mother From Outer Space" was nominated (with Mr. Menken) for an Academy Award for Best Song. He was author, lyricist and director of Smile for which he received a Tony nomination for Best Book. Stage credits include God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater and The Confirmation (his only full-length play). Artistic Director: WPA Theatre (1976-1982).

GLENN SLATER (Lyrics) Broadway: School of Rock (2016), Sister Act (2011), Leap of Faith (2012), Disney's The Little Mermaid (2008 Tony Award nomination for Best Score and Grammy Nomination for Best Cast Album). West End:Sister Act (2010), Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies (2010, Olivier nomination for Best Musical). Regional: Leap of Faith (Ahmanson Theatre, L.A. 2010). Off-Broadway: The New Yorkers (Manhattan Theatre Club 2001, Lucille Lortel, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations). Film: Disney's "Home on the Range" (2004) and "Tangled" (2010, Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Song). Awards: Kleban Award for Lyrics, ASCAP Foundation Richard Rodgers New Horizons award and the Jonathan Larson award. Glenn lives in New York City and has two sons, Benjamin and Daniel.

DOUG WRIGHT (Book) is a Pulitzer Prize-winner and has received a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, GLAAD Media Award, an Outer Critics Circle Award, a Drama League Award and a Lucille Lortel Award for I Am My Own Wife which premiered at Playwrights Horizons in 2003. For Grey Gardens, he was nominated for Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards for Best Book of a Musical. He was also nominated for a Drama Desk award for the Book for Hands on a Hardbody (2013). In 1995, Doug won an Obie Award for his play Quills, his screen adaptation was named Best Picture by the National Board of Review and nominated for three Academy Awards. Doug was cited by the American Academy of Arts and Letters and awarded the Tolerance Prize from the KulturForum Europa. Other plays include The Stonewater Rapture, Interrogating the Nude, Unwrap Your Candy, and The Pavilion. Currently, he serves on the board of the New York Theatre Workshop and is President of the Dramatists Guild of America.

The Cast for THE LITTLE MERMAID features: Alison Woods as Ariel, Melvin Abston as Sebastian, Adam Garst as Flounder, Fred Inkley as King Triton, Eric Kunze as Prince Eric, Tracy Lore as Ursula, Jeff Skowron as Chef Louis, Jamie Torcellini as Scuttle, Scott T. Leiendecker as Flotsam, Jeffrey Christopher Todd as Jetsam, Time Winters as Grimsby and the ensemble features: Ashley Anderson, Kim Arnett, Kristine Bennett, Marjorie Failoni, Melissa Glasgow, Devon Hadsell, Michael McGurk, Amanda Minano, Dennis O'Bannon, Marco Ramos, Aaron Ronelle, James Shackelford, Brian Steven Shaw and Tro Shaw.

The Design Team for THE LITTLE MERMAID is as follows: Scenic Design by Kenneth Foy; Lighting Design by Charlie Morrison; Sound Design by Julie Ferrin; Original Soundscape Design by Gareth Owen; Costume Coordination and Design by Amy Clark and Mark Koss; Hair/Make-Up/Wig Design by Leah J. Loukas. Casting is by Julia Flores, and the Production Stage Manager is Michael McEowen.

ABOUT THE SCHEDULE AND PRICING

THE LITTLE MERMAID will preview on Friday, June 3, 2016 (with a press opening on Saturday, June 4) and run through Sunday, June 26, 2016 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.

Performances are 7:30pm on Wednesdays & Thursdays; 8pm on Fridays; 2pm and 8pm on Saturdays; and 2pm on Sundays. There will be additional performances on Sunday, June 19 at 7pm; Tuesday, June 21 at 7:30pm & Sunday, June 26 at 7pm. Talkbacks with the cast and creative team will be on Wednesday, June 8 and Wednesday, June 22.

Tickets range from $20 - $70 and can be purchased at La Mirada Theatre's website, www.lamiradatheatre.com or by calling the La Mirada Theatre Box Office at (562) 944-9801 or (714) 994-6310. Student, Senior, Child and group discounts are available.

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