Disney's The Little Mermaid Pembroke Pines Theatre of Performing Arts July 8th - August 7th, 2016 Book by Doug Wright Music by Alan Menken Lyrics by Howard Ashman with additional lyrics by Glen Slater Based on The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen Directed by Geoffrey Short Musical Director Caryl Ginsburg Fantel Choreography by Del Marrero Costumes by Karen Howells Roach and Cindy Short |
Starring
Jessie Rae Jordan as Ariel Chris Alvarez as Prince Eric Chris Santanelli as King Triton Danny Lemache as Sebastian Preston C Howell as Flounder Phillip Andrew Santiago as Scuttle Cindy Pearce as Ursula Logan Larroque as Flotsam Danielle Gonzalez as Jetsam Robert Geils as Grimsby Stephanie Epstein as Aquata Sarah Knoche as Andrina Maria Angela Incorvaia as Arista Sarah Megan Gorfinkel as Atina Alexandria Palazzo as Adella Daniela Machado as Allana Michael Biggs as Chef Louis Elizabeth Anne Garrard Ursula (Saturday matinees) with Zach Weinstein Bryce Lucas Adrian Macchiato Roly Del Rio Eric Bouza Nicanor Alex Ramos Michael Torok Brianna Quackenbush Kaelea Elizabeth Murphy Carly Mandel Max Torok Maisy Surman Nina Shlifer Elizabeth Polk and Bernard Lawrence |
Director's note
Thank you so much for being here! All of us involved in The Little Mermaid are truly grateful for your time and willingness – or need – to shed the shackles of reality for a little while to come with us on this beloved under the sea adventure. Whether this is your first time seeing this story or you can recite every line, your playful imagination is as vital a part of your experience with us as anything on the stage. So let yourself be free to play for a little while! Sing along. Color all over this program. Believe mermaids exist. Because here and now, they do.
Hans Christian Andersen’s original tale of The Little Mermaid written in 1836 is a very dark morality play meant to scare children into good behavior. The 1989 Disney animated film and, later the Broadway musical obviously remade the story into a hopeful and colorful story with more far reaching themes. Admittedly, I was cynical about directing The Little Mermaid at first. I was too concerned with “grown up” themes and “serious” projects to invest my heart in what I thought of as a children’s fairy tale. I forgot how to make believe. I couldn’t have been more wrong because not only should we embrace the child in all of us but also because I’ve embraced the messages at the heart of this story. Those messages – which are still so relevant and important to remember today - are what we built our mission statement for this production upon.
Overcome prejudice and fear and find true love. Too often, we fear people and things that are different from us. That fear, ignorance, mystery and history can divide us and oppress us and make it seem that our worlds are as different as land and sea. But sometimes a fascination with those differences and the bravery to overcome evil to explore them can give love the power to plunge to the deepest depths of the ocean and soar to the highest peaks of the Earth to conquer fear and bring those worlds together. This is what Ariel discovers in The Little Mermaid. She asks the critical question so many of us have asked too. What if home isn’t the place you were born? What if it’s a place you have to discover for yourself? Imagine what a wonderful world we would live in if we all had her bravery, open eyes and open heart. We should all be a part of that world.
Yours in Gratitude and Make Believe,
Geoff Short
Hans Christian Andersen’s original tale of The Little Mermaid written in 1836 is a very dark morality play meant to scare children into good behavior. The 1989 Disney animated film and, later the Broadway musical obviously remade the story into a hopeful and colorful story with more far reaching themes. Admittedly, I was cynical about directing The Little Mermaid at first. I was too concerned with “grown up” themes and “serious” projects to invest my heart in what I thought of as a children’s fairy tale. I forgot how to make believe. I couldn’t have been more wrong because not only should we embrace the child in all of us but also because I’ve embraced the messages at the heart of this story. Those messages – which are still so relevant and important to remember today - are what we built our mission statement for this production upon.
Overcome prejudice and fear and find true love. Too often, we fear people and things that are different from us. That fear, ignorance, mystery and history can divide us and oppress us and make it seem that our worlds are as different as land and sea. But sometimes a fascination with those differences and the bravery to overcome evil to explore them can give love the power to plunge to the deepest depths of the ocean and soar to the highest peaks of the Earth to conquer fear and bring those worlds together. This is what Ariel discovers in The Little Mermaid. She asks the critical question so many of us have asked too. What if home isn’t the place you were born? What if it’s a place you have to discover for yourself? Imagine what a wonderful world we would live in if we all had her bravery, open eyes and open heart. We should all be a part of that world.
Yours in Gratitude and Make Believe,
Geoff Short
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Geoffrey Short
Northeast Ohio Entertainer
Northeast Ohio Entertainer