For many, myself included, the vibrant colors of Disney’s 1989 film version of The Little Mermaid were electrifying. In Drury Lane Theatre’s production of the story of Ariel (Sarah Kay), who gives up her voice to find her true love Eric (Patrick Johnson), that vibrancy is just as alive and well. This enchanting production (directed by Scott Weinstein) will have you hooked—with one performance in particular.
The Little Mermaid
Through 1/12/25: Wed 1:30 PM, Thu 1:30 and 7 PM, Fri 7 PM, Sat 3 and 8 PM, Sun 2 and 6 PM; also Wed 11/27 7 PM, Thu 11/28 3 PM only, Mon 12/23 3 PM, Tue 12/31 8 PM, Wed 1/1 1 and 5:30 PM; no show Wed 12/25 or Thu 1/2 7 PM; Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace, 630-530-0111, drurylanetheatre.com, $65-$125
“Finally someone did Ursula some justice,” was all I could think the moment Sawyer Smith came to the stage as the beloved sea witch. Surrounded by actors as their giant tentacles, Smith was absolutely divine in this role they were clearly born to play. If you take away nothing else from this show, you’re certain never to forget Smith’s vocal power or their embodiment of the iconic Disney villain.
The other main star of this show is the high-fashion costume work by Ryan Park and Zhang Yu. Their impeccable designs elevate this show to a whole new level and take Ursula’s visage from costume to couture. When it comes to Broadway, few can do it better than Disney—though even the Mouse gets it wrong sometimes. Historically, The Little Mermaid was one of the company’s least successful Broadway endeavors with some less-than-magical additional songs. (The score was composed by Alan Menken, with lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater and book by Doug Wright.) But despite its structural flaws, it’s still a fin-tastic way to spend an evening. After all, when the human world is a mess, sometimes you need a little time under the sea.
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