Review: Arts in Motion's Production of Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID
46 Kids Do Extraordinary Work!
Ever since watching the 1989 animated film, The LIttle Mermaid, I have always had a problem with the character of Ariel. To me, she is the weakest of all Disney princesses. In Beauty and the Beast, Belle is book smart and strong-willed, denying the advances of the good-looking Gaston. Jasmine from Aladdin stands up to her father and wants more women in power for their kingdom. But Ariel? She not only wants to shed her fins and walk like a person, but she only desires to do it in order to snag her catch, a handsome young prince. And not only does she give up her voice and potentially her soul for a man, but he doesn’t really give up anything in return to her.
If you go back to the original Hans Christian Anderson story, Ariel actually turns to foam and dies in the end, a sacrifice to save Eric’s life. But since that’s not in the Disney version, where happy endings are a must, then Ariel comes across selfish and unthinkingly headstrong. She may save Eric, a person she doesn’t know, but she eventually throws her life and her family away to be with him. She’s like Sandy from Grease, only she does more than just change her personality and dress like a bad girl to get the guy…she actually gives away her voice and her poor unfortunate soul, spotlighting a lack of integrity.
My students debate me on this point. “But Mr. Nason,” they say, “she always wanted to be a human. That’s why she always goes to the surface and saves all of those knickknacks.”
“But,” I tell them, “she doesn’t make the choice to become human and sacrifice all that matters in her life until she falls for Eric. She gives up everything for the man.”
It’s right there in the lyrics of “Part of Your World (Reprise),” where Ariel sings to Eric: “What would I give to live where you are? What would I pay to stay here beside you? What would I do to see you smiling at me? Where would we walk, where would we run, if we could stay all day in the sun? Just you and me, and I could be part of your world.” Notice she wants to be part of his world, but it’s never even a question for him to actually join her in hers. It’s a one-way relationship, and even though it all winds up happily ever after in the musical, Ariel makes the wrong choice with Ursula. Nothing is worth giving up your voice (the power of free speech) and soul (your individuality), not even the prince of your dreams.
I write all of this about my contempt for Ariel’s choices because, having just seen Arts in Motion’s strong production of The Little Mermaid that closed Saturday night, May 17, their Ariel—the incredibly talented Hailey Garcia—made me question my anti-Ariel bias. She’s so good that you forgive her for these decisions. Ms. Garcia is terrific at playing the wide-eyed wonder of the character, bringing out the immaturity and youthful stubbornness of the part. And you believe her every step—or swim—of the way. Her voice is top form and she deserved the sustained applause after every number.
“Part of Your World” is one of the Menken and Ashman’s great dreaming-for-a-better-place songs, up there with “Home” from Beauty and the Beast, “These Palace Walls” from Aladdin, and “Somewhere That’s Green” from Little Shop of Horrors.” With the Arts in Motion production, Ms. Garcia sings the heck out of the song, where we really believe Ariel’s struggle. It’s fantastic work all around and proves that the future is certainly bright for this high school student.
Another qualm with the show (not the production) is not only that Ariel gives up her beautiful voice for Eric, but in Act 2, when she’s supposed to be mute, she just openly sings away in the song “Beyond My Wildest Dreams.” I know we’re supposed to suspend disbelief and understanding that Ariel is singing her inner thoughts, but it hurts the entire theatricality of story, the drama; we don’t believe for an instant that Ariel has really lost her voice because there she is freely singing away. That said, my favorite song of the show, and of the AIM production, is “If Only (Quartet),” where Ariel, her father, Prince Eric and Sebastian the crab harmonize their thoughts and quandaries gloriously. We forgive hearing Ariel sing when she’s supposed to be mute because this particular song is so darn good.
In his last show with AIM, Reagan Ricardo as Prince Eric was sensational, strong but torn, full of passion and vigor. His version of “Her Voice” was chill-inducing. I have seen Mr. Ricardo in various AIM shows, and he saves the best for last.
Maggie Moore slithered perfectly as the fiendish Ursula, looking quite like Deborah Harry of Blondie fame. Even though there were mic problems in her first song, “Daddy’s Little Angel,” you could still hear her perfectly. She was ably aided by those two electric eels, Flotsam and Jetsam, marvelously played by Orrin Schaeffer and Kenzie Pavone. Appropriately, their costumes actually lit up, thanks to the supreme costume designers, Kristina Cosson and Chelsea Cameron.
Ruby Ricardo made an absolutely adorable Flounder, and Arikson Drullard brought the house down as Sebastian in “Under the Sea.” Violet Ruck and Bridgette Wagner made the most of their parts, Windward and Leeward. Rio Ricardo stood out as a truly animated Scuttle. Gavin Hinton showed strength and power as Ariel’s dad, King Triton. Rhys Ricardo got to steal the show as the fish murderer, Chef Louis.
Kolten Quillian is quite good as Grimsby, but he sometimes needs to slow down in his line delivery (a note, by the way, that other cast members should get as well). Harley Cameron as the Pilot leads the sailors at the opening, including Juleah Miller, Eden Drovandi, Aleeyah Guynn, Aubrey Ford, Rhys Ricardo, Lenci DiCarlo, Emma Kohan, Kennedy Carr, Kinsley Howard, Bridgette Wagner, Leila Jenkins, Julia Williams, Violet Ruck, Jaiden Delgado, and Kamden Deighton.
The Mersisters were always in character and loads of fun to watch, including Anni Norland as Aquata (she also played a rather memorable and slippery princess near the end), Layla Ford as Arista, Abygail Harlow as Atina, Sarah Hoerbert as Adella, and Lennon Schaffer as Allana.
One of the standouts in the entire cast was Larkin Mainwaring as a Princess. Tall and slender, almost regal looking, she sang for her brief moment in the audition scene of who will be Prince Eric’s next bride, and I wrote in my notebook that she stood out as one of the best of the entire cast. I then found out that she also played Ariel on different nights, which makes sense because even in this brief moment onstage, you could tell that she’s incredible. Another major talent to keep your eye on in the future.
Arts in Motion’s production featured 46 young people from all around the area, the cream of the crop, from kindergarten to twelfth grade. Each of their cast, whether ensemble or leads, has been taught to always be in character onstage, to learn theatre etiquette and collaboration, and to gain confidence. They form a family of sorts, all of them going “all in” for this theatrical experience, and it is amazing to watch.
They also get the best of the best Production Team, with the legendary Connie LaMarca-Frankel directing it, Michelle Kadonsky-Grant as music director, and Michael Anthony D’Aquino as their choreographer. It all comes together in what turned out to be a very entertaining show.
It looks like no expense was spared by AIM to make it right, so as good as the costumes were, I wanted much more from the set. Yes, the story is the story, and if it is performed well it really doesn’t matter how grand the set looks. (Keith Eisenstadt’s creative lighting made up for a lot in this instance.) But the costumes were so incredible here and, to me, the set should match their splendor; as it stands, with their large, well-painted triangles (one that toppled over on the night I saw it), the set left much to be desired. “Less is more” definitely works in some shows, but in the big Disney princess musicals, it does not. The sets here turned out okay and certainly got the job done; I just wanted more.
The show closed last Saturday night, but I still remember it well, with so much talent on that stage, so many good things. And Arts in Morion continue to impress with their professionalism and joy. With all of those kids singing their hearts out, bringing the story to life, the future sure looks bright!
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