By Ruth Ross
Two recent Animal Planet "documentaries" alleging the existence of mermaids may have been a hoax, but Ariel, The Little Mermaid now onstage at the Paper Mill Playhouse looked pretty real and lovely to me, from her flowing tail to her red hair and beautiful, siren's voice.
The musical extravaganza that opened last night at the Paper Mill Playhouse is nothing like Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, with their signature nuanced characterization and social themes. Instead, as in previous Disney musicals (Beauty and the Beast, Newsies) we get rousing production numbers, fantastic scenery and special effects, imaginative costumes and a boat-load of talent, all of them proven crowd pleasers.
This is not to say that The Little Mermaid is just for children. Although I am a grandmother of four, I was bowled over by the sheer professionalism of the production and found myself pleasantly surprised to like it! The story of the little mermaid who wants to know what it's like to live in "The World Above," who falls in love with a handsome human prince and who arouses the ire of her over-protective father is a universal tale of parent-child/youth-maturity conflicts that continue plague society today. Every child and parent would recognize Ariel's dilemma as their own. And the fact that Ariel would give the Sea Witch her voice in exchange for legs and a chance to visit the world above for three days in hopes that the prince will kiss her and allow her to remain forever reminds us how quickly young people make fateful decisions without regard to the consequences, which can be terrible indeed.
The stage version of The Little Mermaid is a re-creation of the 1989 Disney animated film fantasy that won two Academy Awards and was itself an adaptation of a beloved Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale (in fact, her lovely statue graces the entrance to Copenhagen's harbor). This version sports a revamped script, additional songs for Ursula and Triton, new scenery and costumes, and a new interpretation of the musical that makes it different from the 2008 Broadway production. (Above, Christian Probst as Scuttle, cavorts with a bevy of mermaids.)
As noted, the production values of the Paper Mill production are superb—in some cases, outrageous. The scenery, props and costumes—created in partnership with Dallas Summer Musicals, Kansas City Starlight Theatre, Pittsburgh CLO and Theatre Under the Stars—are breathtaking, from the foam bubbles that descend to signal the arrival of the characters on land to the algae that hangs from above to denote the undersea realm to the neon that lights up the sleeves and legs of the evil electric eels Flotsam and Jetsam to the tentacles lovingly caressed by Ursula, the ugly, nasty Sea Witch, just to name a few. Indeed, from the moment we enter the theater auditorium, shimmering bubbles on the blue stage curtain make us feel as though we are underwater! Scene changes occur seamlessly and quickly; the only time the action pauses is to allow the wild applause that greets the final notes of each musical number to die down.
The beautiful score (music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater) compliments the book by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, Doug Wright. Director Glenn Casale has at his disposal an octet of talented singers and dancers to fill the lead roles and bring the animated film to life. Jessica Grove (top) is an adorable Ariel, filled with a longing to know the outside world that she expresses in a glorious voice with a winning innocence. Nick Adams' Eric is a tall and handsome storybook prince; his displeasure at being told what to do by his dour guardian Grimsby (played acerbically by Ron Wisniski) is palpable and makes him the perfect match for 
the rebellious Ariel. The King of the Sea, Triton, is given a regal presence by Edward Watt; every parent will commiserate with his exasperation at being defied by his youngest mermaid daughter. Ariel's co-conspirators, Flounder and Scuttle, played by Christian Probst and Matt Allen, respectively, are true and loyal friends, the former hopelessly in love with Ariel and the latter a source of much merriment and misinformation, all delivered with a wise-guy accent! And the skill of the actors playing Ariel, Triton and Scuttle to fly around in harnesses while undulating or flapping wings requires great upper body strength that is to be commended.
But it's Alan Mingo, Jr. (right, with Edward Watt as Triton), wearing a red lobster suit (even though he's described as a crab) and sporting a Caribbean accent, as Triton's right-hand man Sebastian, who manages to slyly steal the show, whether singing the calypso-beat "Under the Sea" and "Kiss the Girl" or scurrying around fussily, trying to keep Ariel in line and her father in the dark. His performance is 
matched by the incomparable Liz McCarthy (left) as the villain Ursula, the Sea Witch, seeking revenge for her brother Triton's ascension to the Sea throne, depriving her of her birthright. Cunning, sly, she moves smoothly around the stage in a huge gown with tentacles, as her minions (left), Flotsam (Scott Leiendecker) and Jetsam (Sean Patrick Doyle) egg her on. She's a villain in the mold of Miss Hannigan (Annie) and Miss Trunchbull (Matilda)—a force to be reckoned with. Her demise is reminiscent of that of the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz.
Are the characters cartoonish (especially Ariel and Prince Eric)? Yes. Does the spectacle sometimes overpower the narrative? Sure. Is the sound volume loud enough to hurt adult ears? Absolutely. However, this show will charm the kiddies. It may not be their mothers' or grandmothers' Broadway musical, but it could be a good first step to introduce them to the real thing later on.
The Little Mermaid will be performed at the Paper Mill Playhouse, 22 Brookside Drive, Millburn, through June 30. Family-friendly performances are available Wednesdays and Fridays at 7 PM; Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 1:30 PM and 7 PM. For more information and to purchase tickets, call the theater box office at 973.376.4343 or online at ww.papermill.org. There will be a special Autism/Sensory-friendly performance on Wednesday, June 26, at 4 PM.
Photos by Jerry Dalia and Billy Bustamante
