The Little Mermaid: full cast announced

The ensemble has been announced for Disney's The Little Mermaid, a new musical based on the Disney animated movie.

As previously announced the principle cast features Sierra Boggess who is to star as 'Ariel', the musical's title role. Joining her are 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 Ren� Scott as �Ursula.�

The emsemble will feature Adrian Bailey, Cathryn Basile, Heidi Blickenstaff, James Brown III, Robert Creighton, Cicily Daniels, John Treacy Egan, Tim Federle, Merwin Foard, Bahiyah Sayyed Gaines, Ben Hartley, Meredith Inglesby, Michelle Lookadoo, Joanne Manning, Alan Mingo Jr., Zakiya Young Mizen, Betsy Morgan, Arbender J. Robinson, Bret Shuford, Jason Snow, Chelsea Morgan Stock, Kay Trinidad, Price Waldman and Daniel J. Watts.

The Little Mermaid is to begin a seven week pre-Broadway engagement at Denver's Ellie Caulkins Opera House from 26 July 2007, before opening on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on the 6 Dec 2007, following previews from the 3 Nov 2007.

The musical will replace Walt Disney's Beauty and the Beast, which will end its 13 year Broadway run when it closes at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on 29 Jul 2007.

Alan Menken, Tony Award nominee composer (Beauty and the Beast), in collaboration with his late musical partner Howard Ashman, wrote the music for the Disney film. The Little Mermaid, which will feature songs from the movie: Part of Your World, Kiss the Girl and the Academy Award - winning Best Original Song, Under the Sea; will feature nine new songs by Alan Menken and lyricist Glenn Slater.

Playwright Doug Wright has written the book for the musical, which is based upon the story by Hans Christian Andersen.

The show is to be directed by Francesca Zambello and feature choreography by Stephen Mear, with set design by George Tsypin, costumes by Tatiana Noginova and lighting design by Natasha Katz.

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.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on 10 Jun 2007.