By Stephanie Cousins
Murray Arts Council’s Arts in the Park presents a Disney family favorite, The Little Mermaid, at the Murray Amphitheater. The musical is based on the Howard Ashman/Alan Menken animated feature released by the Walt Disney Company in 1989, with ten additional songs by Menken and Glenn Slater. 2021 is an exciting year for theater and Murray’s first foray since the pandemic into large-scale production does not disappoint. This performance is a much-needed bright light in a dark world.
Kat Hawley Cook’s Ariel swims onto the stage with all the perfect poise of a Disney princess. Her personality is almost too precious for words with a voice to match. Her torch-bearing best friend Flounder, played by the pint-sized comic genius, Thomas Bullen, keeps the audience laughing and caring throughout the evening. King Triton, played by Kyle Larsen, stands out as the quintessential embodiment of a royal sea king. He instantly envelops the audience into his world with sonorous voice and refined acting chops. The large cast delights at every turn, whether it be Quentin Hodges’ perfect-pitch rendition of Sebastian, erudite comic relief provided by Mark Fotheringham’s Grimsby, delightful smoothness of Thomas Sant’s voice as Prince Eric, or the beautiful blended singing voices of the six sisters played by Olympia Pead, Alice Maphey, Chelsea West, Gretchen Devine, Camille Jensen,and Anna Roelofs.
“Fathoms Below,” the first ensemble piece of the evening, unveils a night filled with energy and power as an impressive number of sailors sing from a fantastical ship in an imagined ocean. Not to be outdone, the women bring the harmonies and the sparkle in “Daughters of Triton” and later in the catchy “She’s in Love.” After an encounter with the humans, Cook’s Ariel mesmerizes with the iconic ballad “Part of Your World.” Every face in the audience shines with child-like enchantment during the magical moment. “Under the Sea” and “Kiss the Girl” are both everything big musical numbers should be, with an impressive collection of well-choreographed creatures moving about harmoniously while Hodge’s vocal gymnastics thrill and entertain.
While some characters may be considered secondary, their top-notch performances prove integral to the show. Alan LaFleur gives Ursula surprising new dimension. His commitment to the role and nimble choreography come together to make an enthralling villain. Ursula’s henchmen (henchpeople?), Flotsam and Jetsam, played by Eric Lash and Hailee Christensen, give evil an additional clever oomph. Their harmonies and movements are spot-on and fun to watch. And who can forget Remick LaFleur, whose energy and exuberance give the Scuttle of this version life and laughter.
One of the stand-out features of The Little Mermaid is the live orchestra, directed by Anthony Buck, local artist with over 100 stage credits to his name. Having a live orchestra elevates the level of the performance and enhances the onstage talent, allowing them freedom to play off the audience and imbue the show with more emotion. The professional qualities of the musicians in the pit are unified by Buck, resulting in polished and perfectly balanced instrumentals. This special set of talents is further proven by the incredible vocal blends of every character onstage, as Buck is also the Music Director. Another performer wearing two hats is Alan LaFleur, who is not only Ursula but also the Assistant Director/Choreographer. His talents especially shine in the tap number, “Positoovity.” Getting seven silly seagulls to tap dance convincingly is a feat, especially in community theater, and they pull it off with gusto.
Candy Tippetts as director brings out the best in her players and unites many personalities on one stage. She creates magic as each of her cast and crew perform with total buy-in one hundred percent of the time. The fantastical feels relatable, the past feels present, and the story feels significant in her sensitive and delightful interpretation of this classic Hans Christian Andersen tale. Costuming magnifies the effects further, with incredible detail and variety in what seems like hundreds of characters. The talents of Costumer Karen Allred shine in a stunning way from the first fin to the final flipper. Jared August’s set design and special effects delight the audience with surprises and wonder.
The Little Mermaid at Murray Amphitheater has audiences appreciating an old Disney favorite anew. The light in the eyes of performers and patrons alike is contagious and inspirational. No time would be better — Live theater is back and it couldn’t be hotter under the water and over the ocean in Murray.
Murray Arts Council presents The Little Mermaid, Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, Book by Doug Wright.
Murray Amphitheater, 495 E. 5300 South Murray, UT 84107
June 17-19, 21-23, 2021 8:00 PM
Tickets: $10
Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Murray Parks & Recreation Office (296 E Murray Park Avenue) or at the gate approximately 30 minutes prior to show time. Tickets for The Little Mermaid are also available via Venmo – send money to @murray-arts-council (please include which date you would like to use the tickets in the description).
Murray City Cultural Arts Facebook Page
Murray City Arts in the Park Website
Disney’s Little Mermaid Facebook Event
0 Comments