Monday, October 08, 2007

First Look

Entertainment Weekly has a first photo from the new production of "The Little Mermaid" on Broadway. My question: could this be the first big Disney musical in recent years that tanks? I doubt it (too much built in audience) but it's going to take a lot of magic to translate all of that undersea adventure of the beloved movie to the stage.

If you are interested in Shakespearean theater and/or experimental theater, you might be want to pick up the latest New Yorker, which has a good (if a bit long) article on Elizabeth LeCompte of the Wooster Group who, after some 40 some odd years directing (often directing her former 'life-partner' Willem Dafoe), has taken on her first Shakespearean play with "Hamlet." The magazine's web site only has a brief summary -- you'll actually have to pick up the hard copy if you want the whole thing (or email me and maybe we could work something out...wink wink, nudge nudge). For particular interest to Andrew, Scott, and other baseball fans: the article begins at a New York Yankees games where LeCompte talks about Joe Torre and his particular directing skill. Hmmmm....

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Please no talk about the Yankees right now...I'm still in deep mourning for the Mets...and eating large amounts of Chocolate doesn't seem to be helping.

Thespis' Little Helper said...

I want to run screaming from Disney on Broadway, but must admit to a great love of AIDA. And also must admit that I might find myself in a seat watching THE LITTLE MERMAID, if for the sole reason of Sherie Rene Scott's portrayal of Ursula, which I would be very sad to miss.

So conflicted! :)

Dave T said...

Sorry, Jacquie, but I have to talk about the Yankees, particularly when long-suffering Indians fans (like yours truly) have so much to celebrate! I did my happy dance Monday night -- though it was an awfully tired little dance being as it was at 11:30.

I've made it through two Disney-fied theater experiences, suffering through a traveling production of Lion King in Norfolk that left me going "what was all the fuss?" and a half-way decent "Beauty and the Beast" in DC. It was fine but I ended up liking the Theatre IV version better. "Little Mermaid" is one of my fave Disney movies; I don't know if I can risk tarnishing the memory by attending a potentially mediocre stage version...