A Broadway-tested company will be joining Denver’s Sierra Boggess in the title role of Disney’s Broadway-bound “The Little Mermaid,” with big names including Sherie René Scott as Ursula.
Boggess, a graduate of Denver’s George Washington High School, was announced as Ariel last month, with Disney releasing the rest of the principal cast Tuesday.
The new names include Sean Palmer (Prince Eric), Norm Lewis (King Triton), Tituss Burgess (Sebastian), Eddie Korbich (Scuttle), Jonathan Freeman (Grimsby), Derrick Baskin (Jetsam), Tyler Maynard (Flotsam), Cody Hanford and J.J. Singleton (both as Flounder).
Scott was nominated for her work in “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” and appeared in Disney’s “Aida” as Amneris. Lewis played Javert in Broadway’s “Les Miserables.” Korbich originated the role of George in last year’s surprise Broadway hit, “The Drowsy Chaperone.” Burgess played Hal Miller in “Jersey Boys.” Palmer played Tony Manero in Broadway’s “Saturday Night Fever.” Baskin is currently playing Mitch Mahoney in “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” (complete bios follow).
“The Little Mermaid” will open in Denver’s Ellie Caulkins Opera House this summer from July 26-Sept. 9; the official opening night is scheduled for Thursday, August 23. Performances begin on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (205 West 46th Street) on Nov. 3, and officially opens Dec. 6.
The following information was provided to The Denver Post directly from a Disney press release:
“The Little Mermaid” is based on the Disney film and the classic fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, with a score featuring the classic songs “Part of Your World,” “Kiss the Girl” and the Oscar-winning best original song, “Under the Sea,” composed by eight-time Oscar winner Alan Menken and his frequent collaborator, the legendary Howard Ashman. There are 11 new songs by Menken and lyricist Glenn Slater. The director is Francesca Zambello, The book is by Pulitzer Prize and Tony-winning playwright Doug Wright.
The team also includes Olivier Award winner Stephen Mear (choreography), George Tsypin (scenic design), Tatiana Noginova (costume design), Tony-winner Natasha Katz (lighting design), John Shivers (sound design), Angelina Avallone (make-up design) 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. But first, she’ll have to defy her father, the king of the sea, escape the clutches of an evil sea witch and convince a prince that she’s the girl with the perfect voice.
ACTOR BIOGRAPHIES (ticket information follows):
SIERRA BOGGESS (Ariel). Currently starring as Christine in Phantom Las Vegas, where she originated the role under the direction of Hal Prince. Other credits: National Tour of Les Miserables, West Side Story (Maria), World Premiere “Princesses” (Binky) Goodspeed and 5th Avenue, Seattle. Soloist, Lincoln Centre’s “American Songbook Series: The Lyrics of David Zippel”. BFA Millikin University. Her first acting job was in a shark costume at Denver’s indoor aquarium. Sierra’s excited to be promoted to mermaid!
SHERIE RENE SCOTT (Ursula). Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Tony, Drama Desk, OCC noms, Drama League honor) Disney’s Aida,(Derwent Award, Drama League honor) Tommy (OBC), Rent, Landscape of the Body (Obie Award, Drama League honor), The Last Five Years, (Drama Desk nom., Drama League honor) Debbie Does Dallas, Faust, Over and Over (Helen Hayes nom.) With husband Kurt Deutsch co-founded Sh-K-Boom-Ghostlight Records (sh-k-boom.com), over 40 albums, five Grammy noms, and a 2006 Drama Desk Award for excellence in theatre.
SEAN PALMER (Prince Eric). Recent: Chip in On The Town directed by Jude Kelly (English National Opera) Bway: The Apple Tree, Saturday Night Fever (Tony Manero), Fosse, Dream. Off Bway; A Tree Grows In Brooklyn (Encores!),Page 3 of 1 Paula Vogel’s The Long Christmas Ride Home (Vineyard). Regional: Of Thee I Sing (Paper Mill), Kiss Me Kate (North Shore) and Tony in Julie Andrew’s The Boyfriend (Bay Street/Goodspeed) Film/TV; Chicago (Miramax), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), The Reagans (Showtime) and as Marcus in Sex and the City.
NORM LEWIS (King Triton). Broadway: Les Miserables (Javert), Chicago (Billy Flynn), Amour, Wild Party, Side Show (Jake), Miss Saigon (John), Tommy. Off-Broadway: Dessa Rose (Nathan), Drama Desk nom., AUDELCO Award; Two Gentlemen of Verona (Valentine), Drama League nom.; Captains Courageous (Doc); A New Brain (Roger). Concerts: Chess (Molokov); Dreamgirls (Curtis); Golden Boy (Eddie) for Encores!. Regional: Ragtime (Coalhouse), Dreamgirls (Curtis), The Fantasticks (El Gallo). Film/TV: Preaching to the Choir, Confidences, Mystery Woman, Cosby, Strong Medicine, All My Children, As the World Turns.
TITUSS BURGESS (Sebastian). Broadway: Jersey Boys, Good Vibrations. Regional: The Wiz (Cowardly Lion, La Jolla), Soloist, Prague Philharmonic’s tribute to American composers. Narrator, United Nations tribute to Ennio Morricone. Featured in Disney World’s Festival of the Lion King and soloist for Disney Conventions. Television: The View, The Today Show, Late Night with David Letterman. A native of Athens, Georgia, Tituss received a BA in Music from the University of Georgia. Solo CD: Here’s to You. Representation: Ann Steele.
EDDIE KORBICH (Scuttle). Broadway: The Drowsy Chaperone (Drama Desk nomination), After The Night and the Music, Wicked, Seussical, Carousel, Sweeney Todd, Singin’ in the Rain. Off-Broadway: Takin’ a Chance on Love (Obie Award); Assassins; Godspell; The Gifts of the Magi; Eating Raoul; Flora, the Red Menace; A Little Night Music. TV: Mary and Rhoda, Law & Order, New York Undercover, S.V.U., Wonderland, Out of the Box. Cartoon Voices: Doug and PB and J Otter. Film: Quiz Show, Jennifer 8.
JONATHAN FREEMAN (Grimsby). NYC: Beauty and the Beast, The Producers, 42nd Street, On the Town, How to Succeed , She Loves Me (Tony Nom.), Platinum, Sherlock Holmes (RSC), Finian’s Rainbow (Irish Rep.), Sail Away, (Carnegie Hall), Of Thee I Sing, Li’l Abner (Encores), A Class Act (MTC), An Empty Plate (Primary Stages). Film: Aladdin (voice of Jafar), The Hoax, The Ice Storm, The Associate, A Shock to the System, Forever Lulu. TV: Law & Order: CI, Remember WENN, Shining Time Station, American Dragon.
DERRICK BASKIN (Jetsam). Currently Mitch Mahoney in Spelling Bee (Drama Desk Award). Other credits include Aida (Mereb) and the world premiere of Memphis (Gator) at the North Shore Music Theatre. He played Adrian in Smokey Joe’s Cafe at Pioneer Playhouse, Matthew Henson in Ragtime at Weston Playhouse and Sundiata in Sundiata the Lion King of Mali. Derrick has a BA in Biology from Hampton University. A New York resident, Derrick calls Yokota AFB, Japan, his home.
TYLER MAYNARD (Flotsam). New York credits include Altar Boyz (Theater World Award, Drama Desk Nom, Lucille Lortel Nom), Mamma Mia, Mary Poppins (Valentine), Miracle Brothers (Vinyard), Bye Bye Birdie (Encores!), workshops of Xanadu, Good Vibrations, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Disney’s On the Record. Has worked regionally at KC Starlight, PCLO, NYSAF, and the St. Louis Muny. Film credits include Todd Solondz’s Palindromes, Red Doors. He can be heard on the recordings of On the Record and Altar Boyz.
CODY HANFORD (Flounder) Disney’s The Little Mermaid marks Cody’s Broadway debut. At age 12, Cody is a seasoned stage veteran. Regional theatre credits include: The Wizard of Oz, Evita, and Fiddler on the Roof. Cody starred opposite Dakota Fanning in the feature film Hounddog (Sundance Film Festival 2007), and portrayed Tommy Cash in the 20th Century Fox feature Walk the Line. Special thanks to my family, friends, and everyone at Abrams for helping make my dream come true!
J.J. SINGLETON (Flounder). Born in NYC, J.J. Singleton is excited to remain a part of the Disney family. He made his Broadway debut playing Young Simba in Disney’s The Lion King. J.J. has done benefits for Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS, and volunteers for NYBook Pals and Ronald McDonald House. He has been on the “Ice Hockey In Harlem” team for six years. J.J. wants to thank God and his family for their ongoing support.
AUTHORS & CREATIVES’ BIOGRAPHIES
ALAN MENKEN (Composer) is world renowned as both a stage and film composer. His stage scores include Little Shop of Horrors, Beauty and the Beast; currently in its 13th year on Broadway, the Madison Square Garden stage and NBC film productions of A Christmas Carol, God Bless You Mr. Rosewater, Real Life Funnies, The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, Weird Romance, Der Glöckner Von Notre Dame and King David. His upcoming stage projects include adaptations of Sister Act and Leap of Faith. His film work includes the songs and scores to Little Shop of Horrors, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Newsies, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules and Home On the Range. His latest film musical, Enchanted, will be released later this year. His songwriting collaborators have included Howard Ashman, Tim Rice, Stephen Schwartz, Lynn Ahrens, David Zippel, Jack Feldman, David Spencer and, of course, Glenn Slater. In addition to winning 8 Oscars, he has been nominated 14 times. He has also won 7 Golden Globes, 10 Grammys as well as the London Evening Standard, Olivier, New York Drama Critics and Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards. His other achievements include: Billboard’s # 1 album (Pocahontas) and # 1 single (A Whole New World).
HOWARD ASHMAN (Lyricist) wrote the lyrics for Disney animated films The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin (three songs). He was a Producer on The Little Mermaid and Executive Producer on Beauty and the Beast. With composer Alan Menken, he received two Oscars® and two Golden Globes® for Best Song (Beauty and the Beast and Under the Sea) and four Grammys®. He received an Oscar® nomination with Mr. Menken for Friend Like Me from Aladdin. As Author, Lyricist and Director for the record-breaking stage musical Little Shop of Horrors, Mr. Ashman received two Outer Critics’ Circle Awards, a New York Drama Critics Circle Award, a London Evening Standard Award and a Drama Desk Award. For the film version of Little Shop, he received Best Screenplay nomination from the Writers Guild and, with Mr. Menken, an Oscar® nomination for Best Song. He was Author, Lyricist and Director of Smile for which he received a Tony® nomination for Best Book. His other credits include God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater; The Confirmation; Artistic Director, WPA Theatre (1976-1982). Born in Baltimore, Mr. Ashman died at age 40 of complications due to AIDS.
GLENN SLATER (Lyrics) wrote the lyrics for Disney’s animated Western, Home On The Range, with composer Alan Menken. Glenn’s recent work also includes the Manhattan Theatre Club’s Obie-Award-winning revue newyorkers (Lucille Lortel, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle nominations). His songs have been recorded by Bonnie Raitt, kd Lang, and Tim McGraw, among others, and his words have given extra sparkle to the world-renowned Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus for much of the past decade. Upcoming Broadway projects with composer Menken include Sister Act, which premiered at the Pasadena Playhouse in 2006, as well as the musicals The Little Mermaid and Leap of Faith. With composer Stephen Weiner, his collaborator on newyorkers, he is penning both book and lyrics for the Broadway-bound adaptation of the Coen Brothers’ film The Hudsucker Proxy. Glenn is the recipient of the prestigious Kleban Award for Lyrics, the ASCAP/Richard Rogers New Horizons Award, and the Jonathan Larson Award. He is an alumnus of the BMI Musical Theatre Workshop, and a member of both ASCAP and the Dramatists’ Guild. He lives in New York City with his wife, composer/lyricist Wendy Leigh Wilf, and sons Benjamin and Daniel.
DOUG WRIGHT (Book) received a 2006 Drama Desk nomination for his book for the Broadway musical Grey Gardens. In 2004, he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, a Tony Award for Best Play, the Drama Desk Award, a GLAAD Media Award, an Outer Critics Circle Award, a Drama League Award, and a Lucille Lortel Award for his play I Am My Own Wife. Earlier in his career, Mr. Wright won an Obie Award for outstanding achievement in playwriting and the Kesselring Award for Best New American Play from the National Arts Club for his play Quills. He went on to write the screenplay adaptation, making his motion picture debut. The film was named Best Picture by the National Board of Review and nominated for three Academy Awards. His screenplay was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, and received the Paul Selvin Award from the Writer’s Guild of America. His stage work has been produced in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, London, Stockholm, Bucharest, Krakow, Dublin, Budapest, Brasov and Viterbo, among other cities. Titles include: The Stonewater Rapture, Interrogating The Nude, Watbanaland, Buzzsaw Berkeley and Unwrap Your Candy. For career achievement, Mr. Wright was recently cited with an award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the Tolerance Prize from the KulturForum Europa. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Writer’s Guild of America, East and the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers. Currently, he serves on the board of the New York Theater Workshop. He lives in New York with his partner, singer/songwriter David Clement.
FRANCESCA ZAMBELLO (Director) Francesca Zambello has staged productions at major theaters and opera houses around the world. She takes a special interest in producing theater and opera for wider audiences. Ms. Zambello has been awarded the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres and the Russian Federation’s medal for Service to Culture. Other honors for her work include Olivier Awards, Evening Standard Awards and French Grand Prix des Critiques, Japanese Golden Prize, and the Helpmann Award. Recent opera projects include the Ring for Washington National and San Francisco Operas, the world premiere of An American Tragedy, Cyrano du Bergerac with Placido Domingo, and The Trojans for the Metropolitan Opera, Carmen for the Royal Opera House and Salome for the Chicago Lyric Opera. Recent theater projects include Showboat in London, a new musical based on Rebecca for the Raimund Theater in Vienna, a BBC film of The Little Prince by Rachel Portman, West Side Story for the floating stage in Bregenz and Porgy and Bess for the Kennedy Center. She is developing musicals based on Little House on the Prairie and First Wives Club. A native New Yorker who grew up in Europe, she attended Moscow University and Colgate University. She makes her home in NYC and London.
STEPHEN MEAR (Choreographer). Broadway theatre credits include: Mary Poppins. London Theatre credits include: Mary Poppins (2005 Olivier Award for Best Choreography with Matthew Bourne), On The Town (Eno), Acorn Antiques, Tonight’s The Night, Anything Goes (What’s On Stage Award for Best Choreography, 2003 Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production), Singin’ In The Rain (What’s On Stage Award for Best Choreography, Olivier Award nomination), Soul Train (Olivier Award nomination), Witches Of Eastwick (Co-Choreographer with Bob Avian). Regional Theatre: Just So, How To Succeed , Putting It Together, Bouncers, Shakers, Honk, Snoopy, Half A Sixpence. Opera: Don Giovanni (Royal Opera House). Music Videos: Number One (Goldfrapp), The Importance Of Being Idle (Oasis).
GEORGE TSYPIN (Scenic Design) is a sculptor, architect and designer of opera, film and video. He won an International Competition of New and Spontaneous Ideas for the Theater for Future Generations some 20 years ago. Since then his opera designs have been seen all over the world, including Salzburg Festival, Opera de Bastille in Paris, Covent Garden in London, La Scala in Milan and Metropolitan Opera in New York. Mr. Tsypin has worked in all major theaters in America and in the ’90s, expanded his work to include design for film, television, concerts as well as exhibitions and installations. The first personal gallery show of his sculpture took place in 1991 at Twining Gallery in New York. He created the Planet Earth Gallery, one of the Millennium Projects in England: a major installation of moving architectural elements, videos and 200 sculptures. George exhibited his work at Venice Biennale in 2002. George studied architecture in Moscow and theater design in New York and won numerous awards. He has worked for many years with renowned directors such as Julie Taymor, Peter Sellars, Francesca Zambello, Jurgen Flimm and Andrey Konchalovsky. He has a special creative relationship with the conductor Valery Gergiev. His website is http://www.polyhymnion.org/tsypin/opus.html
TATIANA NOGINOVA (Costume Design) has designed costumes for War and Peace for Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, Covent Garden as well as Mariinsky Theatre where she designed costumes for such major opera and ballet productions as The Ring Cycle, Boris Godunov, Enchantress, Gambler, Lady Macbeth of Mtzensk, Snowmaiden, Mazepa, Golden Age, La Bayadere. She has designed for Moscow Bolshoi Theatre: La Turandot and Fiery Angel; Sidney Opera Australia: The Love for Three Oranges. Tatiana is a graduate of Saint Petersburg school of Theater and Film. She had been resident set and costume designer at Norilsk State Theater, and she has been working lately with such renowned directors as David Poutney, Andrey Konchalovsky and Francesca Zambello.
NATASHA KATZ (Lighting Design) Recent Broadway: Tarzan (Tony Award® nomination 2006), Aida (Tony Award® 2000), Beauty and the Beast, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Sweet Smell of Success, Twelfth Night, Flower Drum Song, Dance of Death, The Capeman, Barrymore. National Theatre, London: Buried Child. Opera/dance: Cyrano (Metropolitan Opera), Die Soldatan (NYC Opera), Carnival of the Animals (NYC Ballet), Tryst (Royal Ballet) and Don Quixote (ABT). Concert acts: Shirley MacLaine, Ann-Margret, Tommy Tune. Permanent lighting installations: Niketown NYC and London, the Big Bang (Museum of Natural History in NYC).
DANNY TROOB (Orchestrator). Bway: The Pajama Game (Tony Award® nomination 2006), Chita Rivera: The Dancer’s Life, Little Shop Of Horrors, Beauty and The Beast, Big River (Drama Desk Award 1985) and so many more, both hits and flops! Film: Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Pocahontas, Lion King, Hercules, Cousin Bette, 101 Dalmations. Recording: Barbara Cook Tribute, Mandy Patinkin Experiment and Blackwell sings Bernstein. Composed underscore for ABC television Annie, Cinderella, Once Upon A Mattress and Disney’s smash hit The Little Mermaid 2 (Annie Award nomination 2000). Recent credits: Radio City Christmas 2006, Metropolitan Opera Farewell to Joseph Volpe, and Jimmy Webb’s Centennial Suite. Troob’s January Sonata for viola and piano has been performed by the great virtuoso Paul Neubauer and an August Sonata for tenor trombone is in the works.
MICHAEL KOSARIN (Music Director/Vocal and Incidental Music Arranger) has worked steadily on Broadway for twenty-five years, starting as production pianist for the original Broadway production of Nine in 1982. His music direction and arranging work on Broadway includes the original productions of Secret Garden, Grand Hotel, King David, Mayor, A Chorus Line (First International Tour), Triumph of Love, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Berlin, Germany), Little Shop of Horrors, and Can-Can (Encores!). Kosarin was honored with an Emmy Award last season for his work as music director on the Menken/Ahrens musical teleplay of A Christmas Carol for Hallmark/NBC, starring Kelsey Grammer, for which he also wrote the adapted underscore. Other television projects have included the ABC-TV film of The Music Man starring Matthew Broderick and Kristin Chenoweth (another music direction Emmy nomination), and the ABC-TV production of Once Upon a Mattress, starring Tracey Ullman and Carol Burnett. He has also worked extensively in film, having music directed, conducted, and arranged vocals for many Walt Disney Feature Animation projects, including the films Pocahontas, Hercules and Home on the Range, as well as countless other live action films (most recently, the films Infamous and The Manchurian Candidate). Kosarin has also produced, conducted, arranged, and was pianist on many recordings — perhaps most notably with Carly Simon, with whom he collaborated on albums such as their gold album My Romance, and, most recently, with Barbara Cook. Their album Tribute was made following their highly successful appearance together at Café Carlyle last spring. His work as guest conductor for symphony orchestras includes appearances with Ms. Cook as well as with Kristin Chenoweth. Future projects include the Disney film Enchanted (to be released later this year), and the shows Sister Act and Leap of Faith, both by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater.
JOHN H. SHIVERS (Sound Design). Broadway Sound Design credits include: Tarzan, In My Life, Billy Crystal’s 700 Sundays, Julia Sweeney’s God said Ha. He is also credited as the Associate Sound Designer for Broadway and worldwide productions of Mary Poppins, The Lion King, The Producers, Hairspray, Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida, Titanic, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Big, The Who’s Tommy, Guys and Dolls, and The Buddy Holly Story. Other credits include work on various productions of Ace, Savion Glover, Dionne Warwick and Gregory Hines. John is married to singer/songwriter Catherine Porter with whom he has a daughter, Ruby.
ANGELINA AVALLONE (Make-up Design). Broadway: The Color Purple, Sweeney Todd, The Pajama Game, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Light in the Piazza, Grey Gardens, Lestat, The Odd Couple, All Shook Up, Lennon, Seascape, Sweet Charity, The Pillowman, Wonderful Town, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Gypsy, Little Shop of Horrors, Dance of the Vampires, Dracula the Musical and Julius Caesar.
DAVID BRIAN BROWN (Wig/Hair Design). Broadway: Legally Blonde, Butley, Tarzan, Wedding Singer, Chita The Dancers Life, The Odd Couple, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Fiddler on the Roof, Nine, Gypsy, Flower Drum Song, Sweet Smell of Success, The Invention Of Love, Aida, The Rainmaker, The Iceman Cometh, Annie Get Your Gun, Little Me, Chicago, Sideshow, 1776, Steel Pier, Big, Sunset Boulevard, World Premiere of Whistle Down The Wind. Film credits include: Angels In America (Emmy nominated ), Too Wong Foo
TICKET INFORMATION: Single tickets, ranging from $20 to $77 are now on sale. To charge by phone, call Denver Center Ticket Services at (303) 893-4100 or TicketsWest at (866) 464-2626. Outside Denver, call (800) 641-1222. TTY (for deaf and hard-of-hearing patrons): (303) 893-9582. Groups of 20 or more, please call (303) 446-4829. Tickets may also be purchased at the Denver Center Ticket Office, located at the Helen Bonfils Theatre Complex, or at the Guest Services Desk at Cherry Creek Shopping Center. TicketsWest outlets are located in all King Soopers stores. Buy and print online at www.denvercenter.org.
Tickets are also currently available as part of Denver Center Attractions’ 2007 season packages; subscriptions start at just $181. The Denver Center for the Performing Arts will host several special events featuring premium seats, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and dinner: The Little Mermaid Gala (August 24), which will include passes to a post-show party, and two VIP evenings (August 30 and 31). Tickets to these events are available now and range from $225 – $350. Call (303) 446-4815 to make a reservation.
Tickets to the Broadway production go on sale on June 10, 2007. Visit www.DisneyOnBroadway.com for more information.
