The Little Mermaid to close on 30 Aug

Disney's The Little Mermaid will play its final Broadway performance on 30 Aug 2009 after 50 previews and 685 performances at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre.

The Little Mermaid opened at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on 10 Jan 2008, following previews from 7 Nov. The musical was selling tickets through to 15 Nov 2009.

The production opened to mixed, but mostly poor reviews: "achieves the dubious miracle of translating an animated cartoon into something that feels like less than two dimensions" (NY Times); "The production is busy, not exciting; mechanical, not magical" (NY Daily News); "a tiny, tinny little musical struggling for its life" (NY Post); "ultimately less than the sum of its impressive parts" (USA Today); "tail intact - amiably swims along on good cheer and charm." (Associated Press).

The show currently features Chelsea Morgan Stock (Ariel), Faith Prince (Ursula), Drew Seeley (Prince Eric), Norm Lewis (King Triton), Rogelio Douglas, Jr (Sebastian), Eddie Korbich (Scuttle), Jonathan Freeman (Grimsby), Derrick Baskin (Jetsam), Tyler Maynard (Flotsam) and, Trevor Braun and Brian D'Addario (alternating as Flounder).

The Little Mermaid is loosely based upon the story by Hans Christian Andersen. Ariel, youngest daughter of King Triton, is dissatisfied with life in the sea. She longs to be with the humans above the surface, and is often caught in arguments with her father over those 'barbaric fish-eaters'. She goes to meet Ursula, the Sea Witch, to strike a deal, but Ursula has bigger plans for this mermaid and her father.

The Little Mermaid is directed by Francesca Zambello and features choreography by Stephen Mear. The creative team includes set design by George Tsypin, costumes by Tatiana Noginova and lighting by Natasha Katz and sound by John Shivers.

The score features the songs 'Part of Your World,' 'Kiss the Girl' and the Academy Award -winning Best Original Song, 'Under the Sea,' composed by eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken and his frequent collaborator, the legendary Howard Ashman. There are 11 new songs by Mr. Menken and lyricist Glenn Slater. The book for the new musical is by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning playwright Doug Wright.