Disney’s 1989 animated feature The Little Mermaid is regarded as the first film of the “Disney Renaissance”. A sparkling animated musical, it was an Academy Award-winner for its score by Alan Menkin and Howard Ashman and the song “Under the Sea”. Another song, “Kiss the Girl”, was nominated for Best Song as well. In 2007, Disney brought the film to life on stage, with additional songs by Menkin and Glenn Slater and a book by Doug Wright. It is this stage version that Paper Mill Playhouse has brought to its stage to end their 2024-2025 season.
The plot, based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, revolves around the mermaid Ariel (Hillary Fisher), seventh daughter of King Triton (Graham Rowat). She is infatuated with the world above the sea, collecting human artifacts against the orders of her father. Helping her in her pursuit is her best friend Flounder (Aubrey Matalon) and the seagull Scuttle (Jared Goldsmith). The crab Sebastian (Kyle Taylor Parker), dispatched by Triton to keep an eye on his wayward daughter, tries to convince her to stay underwater but to no avail. She rescues Eric (Mark Doyle), the prince of a seaside kingdom, from a shipwreck, only to have her collection destroyed by her father as punishment. Longing to live life as a human, Ariel is led by the moray eels Flotsam (Sean Patrick Doyle) and Jetsam (Nick Cortazzo) to her octopus-like aunt, Ursula the Sea Witch (Haven Burton), who offers her a deal: life above the waves with legs instead of her tail — in exchange for her voice. Ursula also imposes a condition: if Ariel can’t get Eric to kiss her within three days, she will be transformed back to a mermaid in perpetual servitude to the Sea Witch.
Guided by director-choreographer Joann M. Hunter, the cast ably handles familiar numbers including “Kiss the Girl,” “Under the Sea,” “Part of Your World,” and “Poor Unfortunate Souls” and new tunes such as “Daddy’s Little Angel,” “She’s in Love,” and “One Step Closer.” Scenes of merpeople and other forms of aquatic life moving underwater and seagulls flying have been created by Paul Rubin. Kenneth Foy’s fluid scenic design smoothly transitions between the kingdoms of King Triton and Prince Eric, aided by the lighting designed by Charlie Morrison and the sound designs of Matt Kraus. The costumes designed by Amy Clark and Mark Koss capture the essences of the characters wearing them, be they aquatic or land-dwellers. Mention must be made of the designs for the non-human characters; it’s no easy job to create an octopus, a crab, two moray eels, and a seagull through costuming, not to mention individual looks for Ariel and her six sisters.
The Little Mermaid is a typical Disney stage show. There are plenty of visual effects, some catchy tunes, and humor easy enough for younger audience members (say, the under-12 set) to enjoy. That’s not to say that adults will not have a good time at The Little Mermaid if they allow themselves to revert to their days of innocence. For families looking for a good starter musical for their kids, or for adults who are Disney-philes, I recommend making the trip to Millburn to visit the undersea world of The Little Mermaid!
The Little Mermaid is presented at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn through June 29, 2025. For more information, or to purchase tickets, go to papermill.com.
