A new behind-the-scenes video from The Little Mermaid Live! reveals how the television spectacle plans to bring the animated characters to life during the live performance segments. Using Loriel Hennington鈥檚 aerialist (Ariel-ist?) choreography, performers will dance and twirl through the air in the studio鈥攂ut on TV, they鈥檒l be swimming like mermaids under the sea.
鈥淚鈥檓 so excited and so nervous鈥擨鈥檓 going to be flying!鈥� says Auli鈥檌 Cravalho, who will play Ariel. Queen Latifah, set to play Ursula, says she鈥檚 never been part of anything like this before鈥攅ven though she is a veteran of live musical broadcasts after NBC's The Wiz.
The Little Mermaid Live! will also star Shaggy as Sebastian, John Stamos as Chef Louis, and Graham Phillips as Prince Eric.
Richard Kraft serves as executive producer for the TV event, having devised a similar presentation at the Hollywood Bowl in 2016. Meanwhile, of The Little Mermaid is also in the works, with Lin-Manuel Miranda collaborating with Oscar winner Alan Menken on new songs (Menken won two Oscars for his work on the 1989 movie, including one with the late Howard Ashman for 鈥淯nder the Sea鈥�).
The Little Mermaid Live! airs November 5 on ABC at 8 PM; check local listings.
