The Little Mermaid Soundtrack

January 2008 marks the opening of the Broadway Musical, The Little Mermaid with music by Disney veteran Alan Menken. The stage version of Mermaid follows the trend of turning movie musicals into live events. Disney had so much success with Beauty And The Beast, that it's no surprise they'd have another go at the formula. It's equally unsurprising that, with the original composer on board, this one's even better. Menken has written ten new numbers, and they join the songs that made the film such a musical classic to round out a brilliant original cast recording. The MD is Michael Kosarin of Beast fame, and the recording is clear, complete and beautifully performed and recorded. From the opening sea chanty, "Fathoms Below" it rollicks and rolls through to the touching closing.

"Original Cast" is all about the cast, and Sierra Boggess is perfect as Ariel, the Little Mermaid herself. Her voice will remind you of Jodi Benson's (the film Mermaid), but her performance style is more dramatic and suited to the stage venue. She also gets some new material, including the touching "If Only" and a new opening solo, "The World Above." Evil villainess and part-time sea witch, Ursula struck fear into the hearts of children as an animated monster. Sherie Rene Scott reimagines her as a Cruella De Vil sophisticate with a dark heart. Menken's new song for her character, "I Want The Good Times Back," provides a bit of back-story (she's really Trident's sister) and allows Scott to own the role, and camp it up a bit. It's a classic Broadway number, and it adapts and updates the show without detracting from everything you loved about the movie.

Menken recently garnered several Oscar nominations for his work on Enchanted, continuing the critical acclaim that has marked his career. While the stage show The Little Mermaid got mixed reviews, the music deserves four stars. Menken consistently pays homage to his earlier work, while enjoying the chance to expand and develop it even more. Lyricist Glenn Slater writes in a manner respectful to the late Howard Ashman's original text. While the stars are stellar, the writing shines in the ensemble numbers like "She's In Love." Flounder and the Mermaid Sisters visit the world of early sixties pop with a tune that Ellie Greenwich or Leiber and Stoller would love.

In the style of classic Broadway, Scuttle and the cast show off their vocal talents, and Menken his lightheartedness, with "Positoovity." This is a real Broadway score: make no mistake. The creative team behind this could have succeeded by resting on the laurels of the original property, but their experience and collective talents make it much more. Finally, Oscar winning "Under The Sea" is rendered by Tituss Burgess perfectly. The rousing calypso reminds us that, even in 2008, "the fluke is (still) the Duke of Soul." The best tune in the score remains Menken's homage to "Jamaica Farewell," "Kiss The Girl." The Little Mermaid original cast recording will certainly be played in homes across the country often enough to drive lots of parents crazy, but Jimmy Buffett's parrot-heads will love it too.

By Dave Morgan