"A Way Back to Then": Blickenstaff Will Return to Mermaid Cast in 2009 as Ursula
By Andrew Gans
07 Nov 2008
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Heidi Blickenstaff
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Heidi Blickenstaff, who was one-quarter of the cast of the recent Broadway musical [title of show], will step into the leading role of the evil Ursula in Disney's The Little Mermaid in 2009.
Blickenstaff, according to a Disney spokesperson, will succeed Sherie Rene Scott in the role beginning Jan. 27, 2009. She is currently scheduled to stay with the production through April 5, 2009.
The big-voiced Blickenstaff was originally cast as Carlotta and Scott's standby in Mermaid, but left the production when [title of show] transferred to Broadway following its Off-Broadway run at the Vineyard.
Heidi Blickenstaff has been seen on Broadway in [title of show], The Little Mermaid and The Full Monty and Off-Broadway in [title of show]. Her touring credits include The Full Monty, Jekyll & Hyde, Steel Pier, The Who's Tommy and Dreamgirls.
"In a magical kingdom beneath the sea," according to Mermaid production notes, "a beautiful young mermaid named Ariel longs to leave her ocean home to live in the world above. But first, she'll have to defy her father — the king of the sea — escape the clutches of an evil sea witch and convince a prince that she's the girl with the perfect voice." The musical is based on both the Disney animated film (written and directed by John Musker & Ron Clements) and the classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale.
The Little Mermaid features songs penned by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman for the Disney film ("Part of Your World," "Under the Sea," "Kiss the Girl," among others) as well as ten new tunes by Menken and Glenn Slater. Doug Wright (I Am My Own Wife, Grey Gardens) wrote the book.
The creative team includes Francesca Zambello (direction), Stephen Mear (choreography), George Tsypin (scenic design), Tatiana Noginova (costume design), Natasha Katz (lighting design), John Shivers (sound design), Angelina Avallone (makeup design), Sven Ortel (projection and video design) and David Brian Brown (hair design). Associate producer is Todd Lacey. Fight director is Rick Sordelet. Technical director is David Benken. Production supervisor is Clifford Schwartz.
Dance arrangements are by David Chase, music coordinator is Michael Keller, orchestrations are by Danny Troob. Music direction, incidental music and vocal arrangements are by Michael Kosarin.
Disney Theatrical Productions is under the direction of Thomas Schumacher.
Tickets for the musical are available by calling (212) 307-4747 or by visiting the Lunt-Fontanne box office at 205 West 46th Street.
For more information visit Walt Disney Theatricals at www.disneyonbroadway.com.
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