BWW Reviews: Four Big Splashes for THE LITTLE MERMAID!

Literature is replete with tales of deals with the devil, each posing the question of what we are willing to sacrifice for eternal youth, beauty, or wealth. Hans Christian Andersen glommed onto this theme with his legendary fairy tale The Little Mermaid. The story has lived on, adapted by Walt Disney Pictures for its 1989 film and then by Disney Theatrical for the musical which premiered on Broadway in 2007. It is now on stage at Arizona Broadway Theatre in a resplendent and enchanting production, directed by Kiel Klaphake, ABT's versatile founder.

In the Disney iteration of Andersen's tale, the deal is for legs, love, and living on land ~ but mostly for love, of course, and not without a steep price.

Ariel (Jill-Christine Wiley), the youngest daughter of Triton, the king of the sea (Mark DiConzo), is infatuated with the world above. She hears its call and, in headstrong defiance of her father's wishes, the mermaid frequently sneaks to the surface to behold the ebb and flow of humanity. One stormy day, she saves a prince (Patton Chandler) from drowning and falls tail over heels in love with him. Prince Eric likewise is captivated by her. After all, as he has told his guardian, Grimsby (Tim Shawver), he wants a girl who is as carefree and alive as the sea itself.

Ariel's aunt Ursula (Lynzee Jaye Paul 4man), banished by Triton for practicing witchcraft, sees an opportunity for revenge and lures Ariel into a deal. In exchange for Ariel's voice, she will transform her niece into a human and give her three days to be kissed by Eric. If Ariel succeeds, she will become a human forever; if she fails, she will lose her soul to Ursula.

So, the race against time begins. Ariel must learn to perambulate and secure the devoutly wished kiss within seventy-two hours. Grimsby meanwhile has promised to have Eric married by the time they return to court. What remains is a story line and resolution that will delight the audience and leave everyone wanting more.

Ms. Wiley is radiant as Ariel, capturing the vulnerability and hopefulness of her character.

Ms. Foreman, however, knocks the ball out of the park as Ursula ~ menacing, brash, snarky, and sassy. She has attitude and style and a powerful voice to match (I Want the Good Times Back, Poor Unfortunate Souls). Standing in for Cassandra Klaphake, this understudy demonstrates a quality of talent that demands greater exposure. Applause, applause for Ms. Foreman!

Sandwiched between the sweet innocence of Ariel and the sinister ambition of Ursula is a veritable smorgasbord of colorful characters, all played with panache and joyous wit.

There's the marvelous Aaron Ronelle as Sebastian the hip Jamaican crab, charged by Triton to safeguard Ariel. Mr. Ronelle's presence brightens the stage and makes Under the Sea one of the show's more vibrant and memorable moments.

There's the sinuous and synchronized duo of Flotsam (Tyler J. Gasper) and Jetsam (Joey Anchondo), Ursula's agents, gliding on their merblades with perfect harmony.

There's Greg Kalafatas who does a knock-your-socks-off performance as Chef Louis.

There's Kieran Klaphake whose youthful comedic talent shines out loud as Flounder, Ariel's best friend and portends a great future on the stage.

Paul Black's set and lighting create for all these characters an enchanting and magical illusion of a deep sea empire.

The bottom line is that ABT's staging of The Little Mermaid is a winner and needs to be on every family's entertainment schedule.

The Little Mermaid continues its run through June 21st.

Photo credit to Arizona Broadway Theatre

To post a comment, you must register and login.