Video: Sierra Boggess Performs THE LITTLE MERMAID Anthem for Original 'Ariel' Jodi Benson
Two Ariels shared a full-circle moment at the Disney on Broadway celebration at EPCOT’s 2026 Festival of the Arts.
By: A.A. Cristi Jan. 22, 2026
A newly released video from a recent Disney on Broadway celebration at EPCOT’s 2026 Festival of the Arts shows Disney icon and original Ariel, Jodi Benson looking on tearfully as Broadway star Sierra Boggess performed “Part of Your World” during a special event celebrating Disney on Broadway’s stage legacy.
Benson famously voiced Ariel in Disney’s 1989 animated film The Little Mermaid, while Boggess originated the role on Broadway, making the moment a meeting of two defining interpretations of the character.
Disney on Broadway had previously announced its concert lineup for EPCOT’s 2026 Festival of the Arts. Also returning for the festival was the Once Upon A Stage: The Magic of Disney on Broadway exhibit, located inside CommuniCore Hall at EPCOT, featuring props and costumes from productions including Aladdin, Frozen, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and more.
Boggess, James Monroe Iglehart, Anastacia McCleskey, Susan Egan, and Isabelle McCalla took part in the festival for the first time. Returning performers included Adam Jacobs, Michael James Scott, Josh Strickland, Mandy Gonzalez, Kissy Simmons, and Ashley Brown.
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