Connor Russell News

Dig this: Asolo Rep will present the world premiere of BEATSVILLE: The Beatnik Musical, a co-production with Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre. BEATSVILLE has a book by Glenn Slater, a Grammy winner (Disney's Tangled), and Academy Award (Tangled), Emmy (ABC's Galavant), Golden Globe (Tangled) and three-time Tony Award nominee (School of Rock, Sister Act, The Little Mermaid), and the co-creator of Disney's worldwide smash hit Tangled. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast in costume below!

Dig this: Asolo Rep will proudly present the world premiere of BEATSVILLE: The Beatnik Musical, a co-production with Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre. BEATSVILLE has a book by Glenn Slater, a Grammy winner (Disney's Tangled), and Academy Award (Tangled), Emmy (ABC's Galavant), Golden Globe (Tangled) and three-time Tony Award nominee (School of Rock, Sister Act, The Little Mermaid), and the co-creator of Disney's worldwide smash hit Tangled.

The curtain set sail as the orchestra led an overture riddled with recognizable tunes. Two rows behind me, an adorable little girl clad in turquoise fins and a long red wig bounced up and down in her seat, eager for the show to begin. From behind a brilliantly dressed proscenium, Diana Huey popped out through playful bubbles, singing "This is where I belong!" to open the 5th Avenue Theatre's touring production of Disney's The Little Mermaid. Huey, who leads as Ariel, is absolutely accurate in her first lines. Masterfully assuming the role of the stubborn little mermaid with a show-stopping voice, Huey is joined by a stellar cast of theatrical strength.

Last night, Ariel and her underwater friends swam into the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts for a weeklong stay, appropriately at the Walt Disney Theatre. The limited engagement, which originated at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre in November 2016, is a silly dose of fun and nostalgia for theatregoers of all ages. Though there are performances and elements that seem less than fitting for the grand Dr. Phillips stage, the show as a whole ends up being more than the sum of its parts.

Down Where its Wetter

A spectacular new production of Disney's The Little Mermaid kicks off at The Broward Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday, February 22, 2017 for a limited two week run. Featuring the critically acclaimed work of Director Glenn Casale, this beloved tale of a young mermaid's coming-of-age adventure is told like never before. Previously announced casting includes Diana Huey as Ariel and Matthew Kacergis as Prince Eric, with Broadway's Jennifer Allen as Ursula and Steven Blanchard as King Triton. Melvin Abston, Connor Russell and Jamie Torcellini join the cast as Sebastian, Flounder and Scuttle. 

Glimmering coral reefs and a colorful cast of underwater creatures are brought to life in breathtaking detail in 'Disney's The Little Mermaid,' which opened in Columbus Tuesday night. Presented by Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre, 'The Little Mermaid' is a stage adaptation of the 1989 animated Disney movie that was, in turn, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's original fairy tale.

A spectacular new production of Disney's The Little Mermaid kicks off at The 5th Avenue Theatre this holiday season. Featuring the critically acclaimed work of Director Glenn Casale, this beloved tale of a young mermaid's coming-of-age adventure is told like never before.

A spectacular new production of Disney's The Little Mermaid kicks off at The 5th Avenue Theatre this holiday season. Featuring the critically acclaimed work of Director Glenn Casale, this beloved tale of a young mermaid's coming-of-age adventure is told like never before.

The original animated film of "Disney's The Little Mermaid" is arguably one of the best of the Disney canon. With songs written by the incredible Alan Menken and Howard Ashman it marked the rebirth of the Disney animated musicals. The original conversion of it into a Broadway musical was not so great. With bad staging and flow, achieving the illusion of swimming by putting the actors on Heelys (shoes with wheels in the heels) so they would glide across stage, and additional songs from Menken and Glenn Slater (owing to the passing of the great Howard Ashman) the show lost much of it's core cleverness and heart in favor of the cliche and gimmicky. Now there's a new version with a reworked book and score and much improved staging which is currently being offered at the 5th Avenue Theatre and while it still may not have that magical greatness of the original film it does manage a magic of its own largely due to some new stage magic and a stellar cast including an Ariel (Diana Huey) who is the most layered, honest, real and still adorable Disney Princess ever.

A spectacular new production of Disney's The Little Mermaid kicks off at The 5th Avenue Theatre this holiday season. Featuring the critically acclaimed work of Director Glenn Casale, this beloved tale of a young mermaid's coming-of-age adventure is told like never before.  BroadwayWorld brings you a sneak peek below!

A spectacular new production of Disney's The Little Mermaid kicks off at The 5th Avenue Theatre this holiday season. Featuring the critically acclaimed work of Director Glenn Casale, this beloved tale of a young mermaid's coming-of-age adventure is told like never before. Previously announced casting includes Seattle's own Diana Huey as Ariel and Matthew Kacergis as Prince Eric, with Broadway's Jennifer Allen as Ursula andSteven Blanchard as King Triton. Melvin Abston, Connor Russell and Jamie Torcellini join the cast as Sebastian, Flounder and Scuttle. The 5th Avenue's production will go on to play engagements in cities including Orlando, Cincinnati,Atlanta and Louisville, among others.

A spectacular new production of Disney's The Little Mermaid kicks off at The 5th Avenue Theatre this holiday season. Featuring the critically acclaimed work of Director Glenn Casale, this beloved tale of a young mermaid's coming-of-age adventure is told like never before. Previously announced casting includes Seattle's own Diana Huey as Ariel and Matthew Kacergis as Prince Eric, with Broadway's Jennifer Allen as Ursula andSteven Blanchard as King Triton. Melvin Abston, Connor Russell and Jamie Torcellini join the cast as Sebastian, Flounder and Scuttle. The 5th Avenue's production will go on to play engagements in cities including Orlando, Cincinnati,Atlanta and Louisville, among others.

The new musical OCTOBER SKY at The Old Globe is inspired by the Universal Pictures film and the book Rocket Boys by Homer H. Hickam, Jr. is running through Oct. 23, 2016 at The Old Globe

The Old Globe presents the West Coast premiere of OCTOBER SKY, which will blast off the Globe's 2016-2017 Season with a tale of boys, rockets, and big dreams. OCTOBER SKY will run now through October 23, 2016 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Opening night is Thursday, September 22. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

The Old Globe presents the West Coast premiere of OCTOBER SKY, which will blast off the Globe's 2016-2017 Season with a tale of boys, rockets, and big dreams. OCTOBER SKY will run now through October 23, 2016 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Opening night is Thursday, September 22. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

The Old Globe presents the West Coast premiere of OCTOBER SKY, which will blast off the Globe's 2016-2017 Season with a tale of boys, rockets, and big dreams. OCTOBER SKY will run tonight, September 10, through October 23, 2016 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run now through September 21. Opening night is Thursday, September 22. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the company below!

The Old Globe presents the West Coast premiere of OCTOBER SKY, which will blast off the Globe's 2016-2017 Season with a tale of boys, rockets, and big dreams. OCTOBER SKY will run September 10 - October 23, 2016 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Opening night is Thursday, September 22. Below, watch Kyle Selig and the cast of OCTOBER SKY perform the songs 'Look to the Stars' and 'Big Creek Missile Agency' in rehearsal at The Old Globe!

The Old Globe presents the West Coast premiere of OCTOBER SKY, which will blast off the Globe's 2016-2017 Season with a tale of boys, rockets, and big dreams. OCTOBER SKY will run September 10 - October 23, 2016 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run September 10 - September 21. Opening night is Thursday, September 22. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the company below!