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Little Mermaid on BroadwayCritics Pan It But Kids Seem to Love Ariel and the Disney Musical
A look at how Sierra Boggess and cast converted Little Mermaid from film to stage, survived harsh criticism, then won five nominations and generated millions in income.
In July 2008, Walt Disney’s Little Mermaid was doing quite well in New York, topping the gross income of South Pacific, Phantom of the Opera, Mary Poppins and more than two dozen other Broadway productions. That was despite the harsh reception critics gave the $15 million musical six months earlier. New York Times Critic Ben Brantley led the charge, writing that he "loved the shoes, loathed the show." The shoes are Heelys, which have wheels built into the heels. They allow performers to glide along the stage, helping to create a smooth underwater effect against the sea-blue background. Brantley especially disliked the costumes. "The whole enterprise is soaked in that sparkly garishness that only a very young child – or possibly a tackiness-worshiping drag queen – might find pretty," he wrote. Barnes Said Run for the LifeboatsOther critics were also ruthless. Clive Barnes of the New York Post said the set "was plastic, plastic everywhere, enough to lead you to drink. Run for the lifeboats." But Little Mermaid was another one of those cases in which critics were ignored, audiences poured millions into the show and friendlier critics eventually emerged. Shortly after it opened at the historic Lunt-Fontanne Theater January 10, Little Mermaid was nominated for two Tony Awards (best original score and best lighting design) and three Drama Desk awards. Sierra Boggess Wins NominationSoprano Sierra Boggess, who escaped the critics’ early scorn, won a Drama Desk nomination as outstanding actress in a musical. She portrays Ariel, the Little Mermaid who eventually marries a human prince. The nomination made a good story because she was making her Broadway debut in that show. Boggess did have the advantage of creating the stage version of Ariel in Little Mermaid’s pre-Broadway warmup in Denver, her home town. She graduated from Millikin University in Illinois and has a reputation for being as bubbly and starstruck as Ariel is in the play. Her rapid rise to stardom also parallels the success of the Little Mermaid in winning Prince Eric. Boggess was seven years old when she saw the movie version of the Little Mermaid. She told The Denver Post she still remembered some of the original lines from the film. Her singing was never questioned. She had also played Christine in a Las Vegas run of Phantom of the Opera, Cosette in Les Miserables, Binky in Princesses and Maria in West Side Story. But all these were far from Broadway. Disney Provided Staying PowerHer impressive portrayal of Ariel, however, is just one of the reasons the musical has been able to overcome all that early criticism. First it was a Disney product, which guarantees marketing and some staying power. Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King preceded it. Second, the scenery, costumes and acting were probably not as universally bad, or as crucial, as some critics painted them right after the first show. Finally, this is a show for kids and for the parents who bring them to stage shows, an audience which the critics might have overlooked. Kids like garish costumes. They grew up with plastic, so it doesn’t bother them. When adults have spent $86 or more to bring kids to a show, they will enjoy it if their kids enjoy it, especially if it’s a stage version of a film many of them loved. Overpriced SouvenirsIn one particular July matinee, kids applauded, screamed and many jumped to their feet when the cast took its bows. Parents and grandparents were elated because their kids were elated. All those overpriced souvenirs ($20 programs, $30 shirts, etc.) on sale in the lobby only dampened their elation momentarily. References:
The copyright of the article Little Mermaid on Broadway in North American Musical Theatre is owned by Carroll Trosclair. Permission to republish Little Mermaid on Broadway in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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