Review: Disney's The Little Mermaid

Ariel, the beloved Disney Princess and Mermaid is in Kansas City this week for Starlight's showing of Disney's The Little Mermaid.  I was thrilled to take my three oldest girls (ages 7, 5, and 3) to the opening night production. It was the most beautiful night I remember at Starlight - the weather was glorious, the moon was gorgeous, the show was packed, and Disney fans were in awe. The show was - as to be expected - magical! As a mom, I always measure the success of a family show on the following:

• Were my kids squirmy / did the show hold their attention? - They sat on the edge of their seats (YES, on the edge of their seats) throughout most of the show. My three year old switched to my lap a few times simply for a better view. They were captivated.
• Were my kids scared? The stage show knows its audience and it respects them - I believe the play was less scary than the film. I was so thankful that they successfully created the power of Ursula with a bit of lightning, an evil cackle, and dramatic costuming, keeping those scenes somewhat short - even my most timid child was not scared by these scenes.
• Will they remember the show next year? My girls have been enjoying live theater "from day one" (many hot nights spent at Starlight pregnant with each of them, and each attending shows as infants, and every year following) - they remember their favorites and they remember the details. This one? They'll remember! How do I know? My girls hummed themselves to sleep, after singing song the entire drive home... Alan Menken's music from the 1989 film is unforgettable and the new songs for the stage show were fun as well, playing homage to the originals repeating the familiar melodies throughout.
• Did they love it? As a mom, my hope for the evening was a night of fun family-friendly theater my children would adore - and the show delivers! As we walked out of the theatre I asked all three girls what they thought of the show: Emily, age 7, "I can't get the music out of my head! It was incredible!" Kayla, age 5, "I Loooooooooooooooooooooved it! It was the best show ever!" (Note: Even above Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Peter Pan, and Sound of Music - quite the achievement for her!) Brielle, age 3, "It was my favorite!"

It was a night of musical, magical, funny, and romantic fun - recommended for everyone! 

Little Mermaid

• July 23-28 at 8 p.m. Buy Tickets online
• Starlight Theatre. Driving directions to Starlight Theatre and Parking Information for Starlight.

If you're a fan of the film, what will you think of the show? Here's the rundown:

The plot has changed a bit. For purists, some of the twists may be bothersome, but in my opinion most of the story changes worked well for stage and made sense where animation could not be applied. Only one plot change really disappointed me, and that was the first one. With that said, you'll notice the following changes - warning spoilers ahead in this section:

• Flounder has a crush on Ariel (this is the most unusual plot twist to me, I would have left him the timid bff). Flounder was adorably a favorite character in the film, and the alterations to his look and personality were my biggest disappointment in the show.
• Ursula does not masquerade as Vanessa.
• The Prince must wed by sunset (same timetable Ursula's magic wears off on Ariel) and goes through a Princess selection process trying to find the voice that is reminiscent of Prince Charming's search for a Princess to fit a show in Cinderella.
• Ursula is Triton's sister.
• Triton believes humans killed his wife - which explains his wanting Ariel to stay away from them.
• It is revealed that Ursula killed Triton's wife.

The sets and costumes honored the animation. Earlier stage productions made dramatic changes to Ursula's look and other characters as well. The audience was NOT pleased, so respecting that Paper Mill Playhouse created this show with fans of the animation in mind. Ursula is her traditional black and purple. Flotsam and Jetsam are bright green and electrically charged. Characters "swim" using roller blades, skateboards, and harasses to "fly/float" through the ocean.  The costuming throughout the show was fantastic - it is magical, colorful, family-friendly, and vibrant.

The Music. The cast is outstanding - each with beautiful singing voices and spot on vocal performances! The music was such a vital part of the film and the play honors the tradition with terrific musical performances throughout. "Part of Your World" is beautifully performed. Sebastian steals the show with a fantastic vocal performance with "Kiss the Girl." "Under the Sea" is magical and marvelous. Ursula's, "Poor Unfortunate Souls" is creepy and frightening - but not too frightening for little ones. The chefs song, "Les Poissons" was hysterical and they creatively staged his chase with Sebastian keeping the kids laughing! And the new songs fit the story well. 

The seaweed is always greenerIn somebody else's lakeYou dream about going up thereBut that is a big mistakeJust look at the world around youRight here on the ocean floorSuch wonderful things surround youWhat more is you lookin' for?

The bottom line: As a fan of Disney films and mother to four little girls who adore The Little Mermaid and live theater, this show was the highlight of our Kansas City summer! Fans of all ages were delighted with the show - we repeatedly heard audience members bursting out with, "Wow!" "That was so cool!" and "Wonderful!" An absolute favorite!

Don't Miss the Under the Sea Pre-Show Festival:

My girls always look forward to the Pre-Show events before Starlight's family shows each summer. This year, they enjoyed having their nails painted, taking photos, fun take home treasures, fishing, and bouncing. We did not arrive in time to try every festival activity - but there is a LOT to enjoy! The earlier you arrive, the more you'll enjoy. 

The "Under The Sea Festival" includes Ariel’s Treasure Hunt, caricaturists, costume contest, fishing booth, hands-on art projects, photo ops, goodies and more! The family event will be held nightly from 6 p.m to 7:45 p.m. at the top of the hill. Don’t worry about dinner - Plaza Catering will be serving a menu just for kids or grab your favorite concession stand fare.

Entry to the "Under The Sea Festival" is included in the cost of a ticket to Disney's The Little Mermaid. All events at the festival are FREE!

Activities (may vary from night to night):

• SeaLife
• Aquariums Etc.
• Bubbles
• Co-Ed Creation Salon - Finger Nail Painting Station
• Princess Corner with KC Ren Fest Princesses
• ARTrageous
• Ariel’s Treasure Hunt
• Caricatures
• Education/Starlight STARS of Tomorrow
• Bouncy house – Under the Sea Adventure
• Fishing booth
• Photo Opportunities
• Real Pirates - Union Station

Tips for Starlight Theatre:

• Keep Hydrated and cool: You may bring 1 sealed bottle of water per guest into the theater. Complimentary water stations are located at the North and East Guest Relations. Water misters are placed throughout the theater for guest convenience. And, Starlight has drinking fountains throughout the theater. You may also want to bring a fan too keep cool.
• Determining if your child should see the show: From Starlight,"Based on the classic Disney animated feature, The Little Mermaid is an old-fashioned romantic adventure. The show complements all the songs you remember from the movie with new ones written by Oscar-winning Disney tune smith Alan Menken. Those with edgier tastes may disapprove, but The Little Mermaid is top-notch family fare.This show is tailor-made for the kids! Even the young-young ones won’t be scared by that mean ol’ Miss Ursula, whose lair is accented with plenty of color and tricky stage effects. The last thing your kids will want to do is close their eyes. Adults may get fidgety toward the end, but kids won’t want to leave the theater."
• Booster seats: A limited supply of complimentary booster seats is available at the Ovation gift store. Please drop your booster seat off at any gate, Guest relations table or return it to the Ovation gift store after the show.
• Preshow Tours: Arrive early and get a free, behind-the-scenes look at Starlight and learn about Starlight’s rich history in Kansas City. Tours begin before each performance at three convenient times: 6:30 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Patrons interested in touring Starlight Theatre should report to the top of the theater behind Terrace Section 1 to begin their facility tours. 
• Interpreted Performances: Saturday performances at Starlight Theatre are described for the blind and visually impaired by Kansas Audio-Reader Network. Devices for this service are available at the Audio-Reader table behind Terrace Section 2. Sunday performances at Starlight Theatre are interpreted for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. Two interpreters are positioned on stage, house right. Patrons can view the interpreters from sections 4 and 6 of the Orchestra and Plaza sections. Deaf and hard-of-hearing patrons may purchase tickets by calling the Kansas Relay Center at 800.766.3777 or Relay Missouri at 800.735.2966. 
• Assisted listening devices: Assisted listening devices are available free of charge for every performance. Visit the Ovation gift store and leave your driver's license in exchange for one of the listening devices. Following the performance, please return the device to the store and pick up your ID.
• Courtesy shuttles: This summer six-passenger shuttles patrol the main parking areas, providing assistance for those who most need it.
• Wheelchair assistance: Wheelchair assistance is available from all gates to the guest's seating location and back to the gate point after the show.
• Emergencies: An EMT is on Starlight premises for all events and can be reached by radio through any of the contacts noted above. 
• Preshow Dining: A delicious dinner buffet is offered before the show. Learn more about preshow dining.