Directed by Francesca Zambello, the new musical will officially open Aug. 23. After its Denver run ends Sept. 9, Mermaid will arrive at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, current home of Beauty and the Beast, Nov. 3 with an official opening Dec. 6.
Sierra Boggess heads the cast in the title role with Sean Palmer as Prince Eric, Norm Lewis as King Triton, Tituss Burgess as Sebastian, Eddie Korbich as Scuttle, Jonathan Freeman as Grimsby, Derrick Baskin as Jetsam, Tyler Maynard as Flotsam, Cody Hanford and J.J. Singleton as Flounder and Sherie René Scott as Ursula.
The remainder of the cast comprises Adrian Bailey, Cathryn Basile, Heidi Blickenstaff (Carlotta), James Brown III, Robert Creighton, Cicily Daniels, John Treacy Egan (Louis), Tim Federle, Merwin Foard, Bahiyah Sayyed Gaines, Ben Hartley, Meredith Inglesby, Michelle Lookadoo, Joanne Manning, Alan Mingo Jr., Zakiya Young Mizen, Betsy Morgan, Arbender J. Robinson, Bret Shuford, Jason Snow, Chelsea Morgan Stock, Kay Trinidad, Price Waldman and Daniel J. Watts.
"In a magical kingdom beneath the sea," reads 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 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 as well as 11 new tunes by Menken and Glenn Slater. Doug Wright has written the book. The creative team also includes Stephen Mear (choreography), George Tsypin (scenery), Tatiana Noginova (costumes), Natasha Katz (lighting), Angelina Avallone (make-up design) and David Brian Brown (hair design).
Sierra Boggess portrayed Christine Daae in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom — The Las Vegas Spectacular. She was seen in the national tour of Les Misérables as well as in regional productions of West Side Story, The Boyfriend and Pirates of Penzance. Boggess also created the role of Binky in productions of Princesses at Goodspeed and Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre.
Tickets for the Denver run of Mermaid, priced $20-$74 (July 26-Aug. 22) and $25-$77 (Aug. 23-Sept. 9), are available by calling (303) 893-4100 or (800) 641-1222 or by visiting www.denvercenter.org.
Tickets for the Broadway production, priced $41.50-$111.50, 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 on-line at www.disneyonbroadway.com.
