Boggess, Palmer, Scott, Lewis, et al. Signed for The Little Mermaid

Disney Theatrical Productions has announced casting for The Little Mermaid, its new stage musical based on the Disney animated film of the same title and the classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. Heading the company are Sierra Boggess as Ariel, Sean Palmer as Prince Eric, Norm Lewis as King Triton, Tituss Burgess as Sebastian, Eddie Korbich as Scuttle, Jonathan Freeman as Grimsby, Derrick Baskin as Jetsam, Tyler Maynard as Flotsam, Cody Hanford and J.J. Singleton as Flounder, and Sherie René Scott as Ursula.

The show will play the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in Denver from July 26 through September 9 (click here for futher information). Broadway performances are scheduled to begin at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on November 3, and the official opening is set for December 6.

The production will be directed by Francesca Zambello and choreographed by Stephen Mear. The design team is headed by George Tsypin (scenic design) Tatiana Noginova (costumes), Natasha Katz (lighting), John Shivers (sound), Angelina Avallone (make-up) and David Brian Brown (hair design).

The Little Mermaid takes place in a magical kingdom beneath the sea, where a beautiful young mermaid named Ariel longs to leave her ocean home to live in the world above and marry a handsome prince. The score includes songs written for the film by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, as well as 11 new songs by Menken and lyricist Glenn Slater. The book for the musical is by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winner Doug Wright.

Boggess is now starring as Christine in the Las Vegas production of The Phantom of the Opera; her other stage credits include Les Misérables, West Side Story, and Princesses. Palmer, who recently played Chip in On the Town at the English National Opera, has been seen on Broadway in The Apple Tree, Saturday Night Fever, Fosse, and Dream. Scott has appeared on Broadway in such shows as Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Disney’s Aida, Tommy, and Rent, and Off-Broadway in Landscape of the Body, The Last Five Years, and Debbie Does Dallas.

Lewis continues in his role of Javert in the Broadway revival of Les Misérables; his other Broadway credits include Chicago, Amour, The Wild Party, and Side Show. Burgess has been seen on Broadway in Jersey Boys and Good Vibrations, and he played the Cowardly Lion in The Wiz at La Jolla Playhouse. Korbich, most recently seen in The Drowsy Chaperone, has also appeared in such Broadway shows as Wicked, Seussical, Carousel, and Sweeney Todd. Freeman is probably best known as the voice of Jafar in Disney’s animated film Aladdin; he has been seen on Broadway in Beauty and the Beast, The Producers, 42nd Street, and several other shows.

Baskin plays Mitch Mahoney in the Broadway production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee; his other credits include the world premiere production of Memphis at the North Shore Music Theatre. Maynard won a Theatre World Award for his performance as Mark in Altar Boyz and has appeared on Broadway in Mamma Mia! and Mary Poppins. Hanford will make his Broadway debut in The Little Mermaid; Singleton played
Young Simba in the Broadway production of Disney’s The Lion King.