Watch The Wonderful World of Disney Presents The Little Mermaid Live! Full HD — ABC TV Premiere Tonight

Dale Donaldson
Nov 2 · 4 min read

The Wonderful World of Disney Presents The Little Mermaid Live!, or simply The Little Mermaid Live! is an upcoming musical television special created for ABC, based on the 1989 film The Little Mermaid. … The Little Mermaid Live! is set to air on ABC on November 5, 2019

Watch in HD : The Little Mermaid Live

Auliʻi Cravalho stars as Princess Ariel, alongside Queen Latifah, Shaggy, John Stamos, and Graham Phillips. The hybrid format special will be performed in front of a live audience on the Disney lot, where the film will be projected on a giant projection surface and interwoven with live musical performances of songs from the film and the Broadway stage version. The Little Mermaid Live! is set to air on ABC on November 5, 2019, as part of The Wonderful World of Disney brand.

This special tribute to the original animated classic and its timeless music will take viewers on a magical adventure under the sea as live musical performances by a star-studded cast will be interwoven into the broadcast of the original feature film. This never-before-seen hybrid format will feature beautifully intricate sets and costumes, with music from the original animated film and the Tony Award®-winning Broadway stage version, originally composed by eight-time Oscar®-winning composer, Alan Menken. Howard Ashman’s iconic film lyrics will also be showcased, while lyricist for the Broadway adaptation, Glenn Slater, will contribute to the star-studded spectacular.

Following her breakout role as the voice of Moana in the Walt Disney Pictures film “Moana,” Auli’i Cravalho will make a splash as Ariel in the live studio production of “The Wonderful World of Disney presents The Little Mermaid Live!” Oscar®-nominated, and GRAMMY®, Golden Globe® and Emmy® Award-winning R&B artist, actor and producer Queen Latifah is set to play Ursula. Renowned reggae musician, singer, DJ, actor and GRAMMY-winning artist Shaggy will voice the beloved crustacean, Sebastian, in this musical reinterpretation. Following his performance as Chef Louis in the Hollywood Bowl production of The Little Mermaid, John Stamos will reprise his role as the eccentric French cook. Also, Graham Phillips, known for his work on The Good Wife, will return to his live theater roots in the role of Prince Eric.

“The Wonderful World of Disney presents The Little Mermaid Live!” is produced by Done+Dusted. Executive producers include Done+Dusted’s Hamish Hamilton, who will also direct, Katy Mullan, David Jammy, Raj Kapoor and Ian Stewart. Also executive producing is Richard Kraft, producer and director of the acclaimed Hollywood Bowl productions of “The Little Mermaid” and “Beauty and the Beast.”

The latest live TV musical event arrives Tuesday, just ahead of the Disney movie’s 30th anniversary — The Little Mermaid debuted Nov. 13, 1989 — so what better way to celebrate than with a new interpretation of the classic tale? Starring Disney royalty Auli’i Cravalho (Moana) as Ariel, Graham Phillips (The Good Wife) as Prince Eric, Queen Latifah as Ursula, John Stamos as Chef Louis, and Shaggy as Sebastian, The Little Mermaid Live! isn’t going to be a shot-for-shot retelling of the beloved animated feature. In fact, director and executive producer Hamish Hamilton tells EW that this live TV musical production “is very, very different to any of the musicals that have been done before because essentially it’s 50 percent the original feature and 50 percent live musical performance.”

While Fox and NBC have previously dominated the live TV musical events, ABC is dipping its fins into the water and making a splash with a unique structure for its first foray into the genre. “Obviously all the previous live musicals have all been fully live and the dialogue has been done live with the live cast. We are not doing that,” Hamilton says. “That is the fundamental difference. And obviously we’re underwater and they’re above. Being underwater is kind of difficult! We’re trying to bring something to life underwater and that’s tough. But it’s been marvelous.”

Because The Little Mermaid is such a beloved property, Hamilton — who has directed the Super Bowl halftime show annually since 2010 as well as major awards shows like the Oscars, Olympics opening and closing ceremonies, and more — reveals that everyone from the cast, to the crew, and beyond has been more passionate about bringing this production to life than any other project he’s worked on. And that’s saying something considering how extensive his resume is!

“Everybody on the team has a love for the movie so everybody has worked extra hard on this,” he says. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime project. It’s something that’s very special in the hearts of many and there’s a huge weight of responsibility that comes with that, as the person directing the live adaptation of it. We’re very conscious of that as we build this.”

Below, Hamilton breaks down everything you can expect from ABC’s The Little Mermaid Live!

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    Dale Donaldson

    Written by

    Dale Donaldson, 25, of Alder Street, Huddersfield. The four men subject to interim injunctions are: David Ngwenya, 23, of Ruskin Grove

    Kanopy Stream

    Watch over 30000 Documentaries, Classic and Indie Films. On Desktop, Mobile and Roku for Students, Professors & Library Patrons.

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