Our three young daughters enjoyed Literally Alive’s production of The Little Mermaid the Musical - yet, it was not what we had anticipated. This off-Broadway musical theater engages a young audience with a fun underwater tale while it goes beyond the comfort zone of some children’s productions to confront sacrifice and mortality, without a typical fairytale ending.
The story starts out familiar, with a teenage mermaid named Coral who longs to explore the human world and is willing to sacrifice her voice for legs and a prince. But, spoiler alert, this version follows the original Hans Christian Andersen story rather than the well-known Disney adaptation. The prince does not choose Coral to marry. In fact, Coral contemplates killing him, in a tense scene where she dances with a sharp dagger. And, the story’s resolution is not the expected happy one.
There were several highlights in the production that kept our younger children (ages 5 and 8) wide-eyed. The glowing sea-creature puppets swimming around the stage were a very cool visual. An over-the-top evil Fish Witch character belted out memorable songs, making her more campy than scary. Ensemble song and dance numbers - particularly the Sailor’s jig on the deck of the prince’s ship - were lively and fun. Live percussion music, in full view below the stage, was a delightful accompaniment. The interactions among the three mermaid sisters, at once sassy and supportive, were familiar to us. More mature audiences would have a greater appreciation for several of the longer and more serious ballads.
As I watched, I was concerned about how my daughters were processing the more complex ideas of this production. I also wished I had somewhat prepared my children for this storyline beforehand - particularly because they were so familiar with the Disney version.
Although my daughters were confused by the ending, they didn’t dwell on it. Rather, they came away with many positive feelings, and in fact, they hoped to return to see it again.
For twenty years, Literally Alive has been transforming classic children’s literature into original musical theater. The productions include an hourlong pre-show workshop where the audience meets members of the creative team as well as an actor from the production who relate how they turn a book into a musical onstage. As part of the workshop for The Little Mermaid, the children are invited to craft a sea creature that they can bring home. The show itself runs about 70 minutes with no intermission. At the end of the performance, all the cast members greet the children and pose for photographs.
Performance: The Little Mermaid the Musical
Place: Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street
Tickets: $32 - $52 (price includes the pre-show arts workshop)
*We received complimentary tickets to the performance for the purpose of this review. I was not compensated in any other manner, and all opinions expressed in this article are my own.
Gianna Abruzzo is a Brooklyn-born mom of three daughters living in Lower Manhattan. You can find her family downtown and around town, exploring new playgrounds [@ourplaypatches], treat spots, and NYC’s diverse arts and culture.
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