A Delightful Adventure Under the Sea (Derby Dinner Playhouse)

Pictured: Jayce Dykstra as Ariel

Disney's The Little Mermaid

Music by Alan Menken Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater Book by Doug Wright Directed by Sally Scott

Review by Lan Nguyen-Colgate

Entire contents are copyright © 2026 Lan Nguyen-Colgate. All rights reserved

Derby Dinner Playhouse and Director, Sally Scott, take audiences on a journey under

the sea with their production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Based on the Disney film,

the musical follows the story of Ariel, a mermaid who longs for adventure and life above

the sea. Rather than a one-to-one adaptation of the film, the musical expands the story

with extended character development and new music written by Alan Menken and new

lyrics written by Glenn Slater. Not to worry though, favorite songs from the original film

are still included.

The set is minimal and works nicely for an in-the-round space. It easily switches

between the deep ocean to land above. The show opens with the song, “Fathoms

Below” and the set swiftly transforms into a ship cutting across the sea. A dashing

Prince Eric climbs and swings from the ship’s rigging. With this rousing tune, the sailors

bring a feeling of excitement that sets the tone for the show.

The shift to under the sea is marked by light changes and appearance of shimmering

sea creatures. The use of blue and white fan veils creates the illusion of swirling water.

Ariel appears with her signature red hair, green tail, and purple seashell top. A long

flowing skirt, with a glittery panel of fabric attached to the wrist gives the illusion of a tail,

especially when the character moves. Flounder “swims” in via scooter, sporting a

sequined shirt and short combo. Scuttle meets them wearing an aviator outfit and

feathered pants. Sebastian—wearing a bright red tailcoat and top hat—evokes both a

composer and Mardi Gras parade leader. Designer, Margo Birdwhistell, deserves high

praise for all the costume designs, especially the sea creatures—which are delightfully

whimsical and convey the image without being literal.

As mentioned earlier, the musical includes new songs and an expanded script. The

dialogue is very straight-forward and family friendly. New songs are a mix –some fit with

the film’s music and others feel borrowed from other musical styles. Choreography is as

varied as the music including tap and Latin dance moves.

Jayce Dykstra is a dream Ariel with a voice as pure as any Disney princess. Her

rendition of “Part of Your World” is charming and wistful. Lars Hafell gives a solid

performance as Prince Eric. His voice perfectly harmonizes with Dykstra’s. Zamar Malik

Griffin delivers as Sebastian bringing high energy and fun to “Under the Sea.” Elizabeth

Loos with her full, boisterous voice is excellent in “Poor Unfortunate Souls.” Special

mention needed for Robert Sharkey as Chef Louis for a hilarious, pitch perfect “Les

Poissons.” Truly though, the entire cast delivers a fantastic performance.

Scott’s, creative vision for the show knocks it out of the park. The show truly appeals to

all ages. It feels like a warm hug bringing nostalgia and something new. With its perfectly romantic ending now “you do know why, you should be dying to try, you don’t

wanna…miss the show…”

Disney's The Little Mermaid Derby Dinner Playhouse July 1-August 9, 2026

525 Marriott Drive

Clarksville, IN 47129

812-288-8281

www.derbydinner.com