The Little Mermaid Live

 (Source: Wikipedia)

I had such high hopes for this production, since I knew if it was successful, it could have lead to similar shows based on Disney's other stage adaptations. Matter of fact, I am not the biggest fan of Disney's The Little Mermaid, and even I found it nothing short of disappointing. I expected a production similar to other networks' broadcasts of stage musicals, such as A Christmas Story Live, where they would essentially broadcast the stage adaptation in its entirety (based on the marketing of this "event"). Unfortunately, that is not what I saw being played out; instead, I was treated to a mere broadcast of the 1989 film intermixed with "live action" segments whenever it was time for a musical number.
The constant switch between the animated and live action segments broke the immersion, and made the production seem inconsistent overall. If they wanted to broadcast the original film, then they should have done so, and the same could be said if they wanted to show the stage musical. It did not need to be this poorly-executed hybrid of both; consequently, it was difficult to understand what was going on in some segments due to the constant switch between the two. Adding insult to injury, the production was wrought with technical issues, such as inconsistencies with volume. Even by the end, it seemed like they simply gave up on the live action segments, because they did not even perform a live version of the finale.
In regard to the new versions of the iconic songs, these were arguably the weakest part of the production. However, I will say I enjoyed the new versions of Fathoms Below and Poor Unfortunate Souls, purely because of the re-integration of some of Howard Ashman's cut lyrics (I have a bit of a fascination for deleted Disney lyrics).
The musical numbers lacked the energy of their animated counterparts, with the "live action" performers seeming like they were doing it for the big paycheck from Disney. This also ruined the emotional impact of certain songs such as Her Voice and If Only (the only two songs that carried over from the stage counterparts, and major moments for Ariel and Eric). The costumes also looked cheap and inconsistent, looking like they were bought from Wal-Mart's clearance aisle. Sebastian's took the biggest hit, being simply a red leather jacket (I wonder which Michael Jackson impersonator they took that from) without any claws, while the ensemble's crab costumes looked more like the character than he did.
In regard to the performers, I feel there were a few miscasts, such as Ariel herself and Chef Louis during the Les Poissons number. I enjoyed Cravalho's role as Moana, but I felt like her Ariel was underwhelming; during Part of Your World and its respective reprise, it seemed like she had trouble hitting those high notes, such as during the closing lyrics of the latter.  I think at one point during the production, her voice may have given out; because part of a song sounded like it was being overdubbed by Jodi Benson (Ariel's original voice actress) herself. Her singing was a poor fit for Ariel, and felt lifeless and off-key, making it difficult to invest in her performance. The only performer that I felt was making any effort was Queen Latifah as Ursula, since it seemed like she was having at least some fun in the role. Her take on Poor Unfortunate Souls had a bit of energy to it, and was at least tolerable.
Overall, I would not call this production "bad" (even though it was painful to watch), but "poorly-executed". It seemed like Disney did not know what they wanted to do beforehand, whether it was to re-broadcast the animated film or perform the stage adaptation; they should have either done one or the other, but not both. While it may work in a theatrical setting, the hybrid/live concert concept translates poorly to television, since it breaks the viewer's immersion and confuses them. If I could give some advice for future productions of this nature, please stick to one medium, and give the viewers what you advertised (and Disney, if you do Aladdin, include Proud of Your Boy). For fans of The Little Mermaid, stick with the original film, the stage musical, or the upcoming live-action remake; this is one production that is not really worth seeing unless you are curious.
What did you think of this "experiment"? Feel free to discuss in the comments below, and also be sure to like and follow for more Reviews and Retrospectives updates!

Top 5 Disney Songs from the Stage Musicals

For a bit of context, whenever Disney makes a stage musical based on one of their films, they will usually include all or at least two of the following:

• All or most of the songs from the source material
• Songs written for the original film but cut (such as Human Again in Beauty and the Beast, and Proud of Your Boy in Aladdin)
• Songs written exclusively for the stage production

I have covered the first two in previous reviews, so it is fitting that I should cover some of the songs written exclusively for the stage versions. I will be discussing when this song takes place in the show (so there will definitely be spoilers), the impact it has on the overall story, and my overall thoughts on the number. As was the case with the previous two reviews of this nature, I will only be doing one song per production, so each show gets their chance in the spotlight (pun intended). I will also be including links to the songs for you to listen to, so you can develop your opinions on which ones you like as well. 

#5: I Need to Know, Tarzan

(Source: TLMBroadway193)

Plotwise, this song takes place during the scene where the young Tarzan is trying to determine who (or what) he is, after a fallout with the gorilla tribe's leader, Kerchak. This song could serve as the customary "I want" number in a musical, something the original 1999 film lacked. Tarzan is trying to determine where he belongs and his place in the world, unaware of his humanity at this point in the story. He is later comforted by his adoptive gorilla mother, Kala, whom essentially informs him that even though they look different, they are indeed one in the same. I like how this song is used to develop Tarzan as a character, and sets up his development for the rest of the production (considering it directly precedes the iconic Son of Man from the original movie).

#4: Esmeralda, The Hunchback of Notre Dame

(Source: Adam Ostrowski)

At this point in the production, we have learned of the desires of both Quasimodo and his adoptive father, Archdeacon Frollo. Essentially, they have the same desire, "the gypsy known as Esmeralda". Matter of fact, Frollo's desire for Esmeralda is so insane, he decides to burn down a majority of Paris simply to locate her; it essentially sounds like a stalker horror gone completely wrong. It serves as a turning point for the majority of the main characters; Phoebus turns on Frollo, Esmeralda decides to stand up for herself and the gypsies, we begin to see Quasimodo rebelling against his master, and Frollo (of course) goes insane. The song serves as a powerful finale for the show's first act, leaving the production on a powerful (and somewhat bleak) cliffhanger. Like the song preceding it (Hellfire) and The Lion King's Be Prepared (coincidentally, Frollo's actor played Scar in The Lion King), this is definitely one song that will send massive chills down your spine. 

#3: He Lives in You, The Lion King

(Source: TheSonicMaster123)

After reuniting with Nala and being persuaded to return to the Pride Lands to reclaim his throne, Simba is left confused on what he should do. He still believes he is the one who killed Mufasa, which makes him reluctant to return home. Essentially, this song takes place during the scene where Simba sees his father's ghost (one of my favorite Disney moments), and gives a powerful message; even though some are gone physically, they still live on in all of us. The message and Swahili vocals alone make this song one of my favorites, in addition to it taking place during my favorite part of The Lion King. Matter of fact, this song is so good, it serves as the opening for The Lion King II as an analogue to Circle of Life. It is one that reinvigorates and is a powerful showstopper before the final confrontation with Scar.

#2: A Million Miles Away, Aladdin

(Source: DisneyMusicVEVO)

After Aladdin and Jasmine meet, the audience learns of their desire to escape their current situations; Al wants to break away from being a street rat, and Jasmine does not want to be in an arranged marriage she has no consent to. They both decide to run away from Agrabah and start life anew, having only each other's company. A Million Miles Away discusses their plan and what they hope to expect from it, while also being a beautiful romantic ballad for the two. Matter of fact, this song also sets up their later meeting and A Whole New World, as hinted by Aladdin's short reprise at the beginning of the aforementioned song. I wish this song (or some equivalent to it) was used in the 2019 remake of Aladdin, as it would have further built their relationship. I love the song because it furthers the characters' development, it has a beautiful melody, and it hints at their relationship later in the show. Not having a duet like this in the remake was definitely a missed opportunity for the production staff.

#1: If I Can't Love Her, Beauty and the Beast

(Source: disneysoundtrack89)

Of course, my number one pick on this list is from my favorite stage musical, Beauty and the Beast; specifically, the finale of the show's first act. Taking place after Beast scares Belle out of the castle, the former begins to lament on possibly losing his only chance to break his curse. If he does not change his ways soon, "he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time". The song serves as the beginning of Beast's character development, along with being somewhat of an apology to those he's affected. It makes you want to cheer for the success of this character, and see him through his wish to regain his lost humanity. Like A Million Miles Away in Aladdin, If I Can't Love Her should have also been in its respective live action remake. Having this song and Evermore would have made perfect bookends to Beast's character development. (On a side note, I am glad that production I saw at Shawnee Mission Theater in the Park thought similarly. Instead of performing  If I Can't Love Her's reprise like usual, they performed Evermore instead. While I understand they were paying tribute to the recently released remake by doing so, it was definitely a smart move and gave Beast another well-deserved ballad.)

What are some of your favorite songs from Disney's stage musicals? What are some of your favorite musical numbers in general? Feel free to leave a comment below and discuss! Additionally, feel free to give me a follow for future updates on the blog. 

Disney's Aladdin (2019): Diamond in the Rough?

 (Source: IMDb.com)

Initially, I had mixed feelings when this remake was announced but was nonetheless excited (since this is adapting my favorite animated movie). However, this film was an example of one I should have viewed with no expectations whatsoever; I was one who hoped for deleted songs such as Proud of Your Boy, and essentially an adaptation of the stage musical using Howard Ashman's deleted lyrics. I will say if you are one who had those expectations like me, you are going to be slightly disappointed; as a minor spoiler, the only instance of deleted lyrics in the film are at the end of Arabian Nights and the new reprise of One Jump Ahead (which was surprisingly written for the original film but cut later in production, similar to the aforementioned Proud of Your Boy). Despite all this, this remake is one of Disney's best in their current trend of live-action adaptations. Admittedly, while this film is by no means perfect (nor does it hold a candle to the original and its stage musical), it still does a solid job adapting the source material while giving us something new in the process. 

Also, I am currently eating my words in regard to Will Smith's Genie and the rest of the cast (aside from Marwan Kenzari's Jafar). 

I loved the portrayals by Mena Massoud (Aladdin), Naomi Scott (Jasmine), Frank Welker (Abu, Raja, Cave of Wonders), and of course Will Smith. They did a phenomenal job portraying their respective characters in addition to fleshing them out; their renditions of the iconic songs were also beautifully done.... except for Will Smith's Prince Ali. 

While I know he was making a solid effort in that scene, the sequence as a whole lacked the energy of its animated and stage counterparts; it is disappointing because Prince Ali is my favorite song that was in the original film. I did like the part of the song where Genie was waiting for Sultan's approval to enter the palace, even though it messed up the song's flow. Harkening back to my earlier statement on deleted Ashman lyrics, I felt this song could have benefited most from using them; Genie could have used the lost intro as a means of transitioning into the main number (since the scene started rather abruptly), and the lost lyrics littered throughout the song could have been used to embellish "Prince Ali's" exploits (similar to the stage musical). Utilizing these deleted lyrics was one of main missed opportunities in this film, the other being everyone's favorite Scarlet McCaw, Iago. 

I was disappointed that Iago's role was drastically reduced from the original and stage versions, where in this version he is simply a regular parrot; he is still capable of speech, but now it is small phrases. Alan Tudyk did a great job in the role, but I wish we would have seen more from him. Aside from Abu (who remained mostly the same from the original, if not having a more expanded role), the animal characters were essentially pushed aside. 

While I am not the biggest fan of Abu, I actually enjoyed him much more in this version. He was given a more dynamic personality and was a catalyst for some events in the plot, making this little monkey one of the most enjoyable characters in the film. Additionally, he is given more time as a monkey than as an elephant, which is another bonus for the character. 

Regarding the film's events and pacing; while the story was very solid, there seemed to be somewhat of a lack of cohesion in the second and third acts, as it simply jumped from one event to another. There were plenty of moments I enjoyed (such as the scenes of Aladdin and Jasmine in the marketplace), but there were also times where it seemed like Guy Ritchie was going off a checklist, trying to hit certain points. There were moments he nailed perfectly under his direction, and there were some that could have used some work (such as the infamous "jams" running gag). 

I respect the efforts of director Guy Ritchie and the beautiful score by Alan Menken, they did a very solid job in making this film. The cast made the roles their own and did a great job, especially the main trio. Aside from Prince Ali, the entirety of Menken's score was also beautiful, and Jasmine's new song blew me away. I also loved the callbacks to the source material and the stage musical, such as making Prince Ali "of Ababwa" and the little snippet of Proud of Your Boy used at one point in the film (a moment which made me shed a few tears of joy since that is my favorite Disney song). If you go into this film with ZERO expectations, then you will have an enjoyable experience and come out satisfied. It is not exactly a "Diamond in the Rough" like one would think, but it makes a great effort in trying to be one. Aladdin is certainly worth a watch (or two or three), and I loved how it took the material of its predecessors and ran with them. However, Jafar seriously needed some work... he certainly does not hold a candle to Jonathan Freeman, not by a long shot.