Review: DISNEY'S THE LITTLE MERMAID at Alhambra Theatre And Dining

Life truly is better "Under the Sea!" Disney's The Little Mermaid has begun performances at the Alhambra Theatre in Dining in Jacksonville. Audiences will be transported to the bottom of the ocean as they follow Ariel's story to becoming human, accompanied by twists, turns, and excitement. Audience members of all ages will be completely captivated by the performance.

The entire cast is absolutely phenomenal! I was in awe of the talent before my eyes. Princess Ariel, performed by Grace Gibbons, embodied the character perfectly. Her voice was incredibly beautiful. Gibbons did a beautiful job at the iconic numbers, such as "Part of Your World." The leading man, Prince Eric (Kyle Ivey) had great chemistry with Gibbons and had a beautiful voice. Sebastian, performed by Rendell Anthony Debose, was outstanding. His rendition of "Under the Sea" was fabulous! Debose engaged audiences perfectly, even inviting them to sing along. One of my favorite scenes of Debose's was in the kitchen as he runs from the chef (Brian D. Simmons). His physical comedy was so great, laughter filled the entire theatre. Another truly entertaining character was Scuttle, played by Benjamin Smith, had audiences in stitches in every scene he was in. The energy he brought to his scenes was amazing, especially in "Positoovity." The entire ensemble was just fabulous! They all had great physical acting, such as swimming in the ocean, and their choreography was so in sync and beautiful. Each and every character was able to captivate audiences of all ages.

The set design was also incredible! It takes an incredible team to transport the set from the depths of the ocean, to the shores, to a castle. This team does it flawlessly. I was incredibly impressed with the smoothness of set changes.

The costumes were also spectacular. Every costume was so beautiful and unique. The mermaid sisters truly looked like mermaids with their colorful and sparkly costumes. They were absolutely beautiful! Many costumes had lights and crazy accessories to accompany them to make it look like they were under the sea, or crazy birds, etc.

Disney's The Little Mermaid is the perfect summer treat for families! The musical will captivate all audiences. The Little Mermaid will be at the Alhambra now through July 28!