Disney's The Little Mermaid

Musical

Writers: Doug Wright Alan Menken Howard Ashman Glenn Slater

Overview

Show Information

Music
Based on the Play/Book/Film
Disney's The Little Mermaid animated film
Category
Musical
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
2007
Genres
Romance, Fairy Tale/Fantasy
Settings
Period, Fantasy/Imaginary, Multiple Settings, Spectacle
Time & Place
once upon a time, an undersea kingdom, a kingdom above the sea
Cast Size
large
Orchestra Size
Large
Dancing
Some Dance
Ideal for
College/University, Community Theatre, High School, Large Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Female
Casting Notes
Mostly male cast
Includes late teen, young adult, adult, mature adult, child, early teen characters

Synopsis

Beautiful mermaid Ariel should be a happy girl -- she lives in an enchanted undersea country, her father is a King, and she has the most beautiful singing voice. But she is a passionate, headstrong teenager, and wants what she cannot have -- to live on land. When she falls in love with a handsome human prince, Ariel is more determined than ever to gain a pair of legs. But her only option is to defy her furious father, and bargain with Ursula the Sea Witch, giving her voice as the price of entry onto dry land. With the help of Flounder the fish, Scuttle the seagull, and officious court composer Sebastian the crab, Ariel must wordlessly gain Prince Eric's love within three days -- or lose her soul to the ambitious witch! Based on the classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, and the wildly popular Disney film, this musical staging of The Little Mermaid features a funny and fanciful book by Doug Wright, with the beloved score by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, and Glenn Slater in an expanded but completely faithful form, featuring the rambunctious and persuasive “Under the Sea,” the romantic expectation of “Kiss the Girl,” and that anthem to longing and belonging, “Part of Your World.”

Lead Characters


Disney's The Little Mermaid guide sections