The Little Mermaid with Music

This playful take on the classic tale by Hans Christian Anderson follows Madison, a young mermaid who longs for a life out of the sea. On her travels to the land above, she saves a boy and falls in love. She gets a little more than she bargains for when she trades her voice to a mean and nasty sea witch so she can become a person. This delightful version features songs from the public domain and audience participation.

About the Playwright:

Bob Johnson is a former member of The Recording Academy, co-producer of the Parents’ Choice Gold Award-winning recording, Princess Revolution! by Moey’s Music Party and associate producer of the off-Broadway hit Cougar the Musical. Honors and awards include winning the Jim Henson Award for Projects Related to Puppetry, an artistic achievement citation from the Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival and New York Press’s “Best Straight-Faced Cover Story Interview with Joan Rivers.” You can learn more about Bob by visiting his website: http://bittenbyazebra.com/

Excerpt from the play…

CHARACTERS:
MADISON – a mermaid with a beautiful voice

MARCIA – Madison’s older mermaid sister

GRAM – Marcia & Madison’s grandmother

HAGELLA – a mean, nasty sea witch

LUG – a sea slug, Hagella’s henchperson

ROY– a cute but not-so-bright boy

HOPE – a cute but not-so-bright girl

SCENE 1

There is commotion in the back of the auditorium. The sea hag is taunting GRAM. GRAM is clutching her “wacky magic noodle.”

HAGELLA
Oof. You take that, you old flibberdy-gibbet! (She waves her magic noodle.) WHAM!

GRAM
I’m warning you… You stay away from Mermaid Land, or I’ll see to it that you lose your powers. Now, you try this one on for size: ZAP! (She zaps the hag with her noodle.)

HAGELLA
Ow!

GRAM
And this one: POW! (She zaps her again, chasing her up on stage.)

HAGELLA
Yikes!

GRAM
And this one: BAM! (Zaps again.)

HAGELLA
Argh! Curses!

GRAM
You get back to your lair and stay there!

HAGELLA
(grumbles.)

GRAM (cont’d)
I’m not going to warn you again…

HAGELLA
(mumbles her way back to her lair.)

GRAM (cont’d)
Good. (noticing audience) Oh. Good morning/afternoon. Let’s try it again. Good morning. Ahhhh. That’s better. Now, that was HAGELLA the sea hag. I’m sorry you had to see that. She’s nothing but trouble.

(HAGELLA laughs an evil laugh. GRAM gives her “the finger”-the pointer finger)

GRAM (cont’d)
You’re pushin’ it. (Back to audience) I’m GRAM and yer here to see a story aren’t ya? (YUP) Which one? (LITTLE MERMAID). That’s right. You’re a bright bunch of young whippersnappers. But before we begin, I’ve gotta warm ya’ up. So, where does the Little Mermaid live? (OCEAN) You’re doin’ good. That’s three for three so far. If a boat’s on the ocean, and the boat is rocking back and forth, what makes the boat rock? (WAVES) Waves. Good. So what we’re gonna do is get you to do the wave. This section over here (ETC…) Ah, good. Now every time someone say’s “ocean”, I want you to do the wave. Ya’ got that? Good. Ocean. You’re so good. You’re so good. Now we’re ready to begin. So how do all stories begin? (ONCE UPON A TIME) That’s right. Once upon a time… In an ocean… There lived a mermaid grandmother. That’s me. And her two mermaid granddaughters. And guess what? (WHAT?) I think I hear them coming now. Hit it, Percilla…

“TWO MERMAIDS”
(to the tune of “Three Little Maids from School” by Gilbert & Sullivan)

MARCIA AND MADISON
TWO MERMAIDS FROM THE SEA ARE WE
PERT AS MERMAIDS WELL CAN BE
FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH MERMAID GLEE
TWO MERMAIDS FROM THE SEA!

MARCIA
LIVING HERE IS A LOT OF FUN! (giggle)

MADISON
A MERMAID’S LIFE IS NEVER DONE! (giggle)

MARCIA
LIFE IS A JOKE THAT’S JUST BEGUN! (giggle)

MARCIA AND MADISON
TWO MERMAIDS FROM THE SEA!
TWO LITTLE MERMAIDS BOTH UNWARY
COME FROM THE OCEAN, (PAUSE FOR “WAVE”) DARK AND SCARY

(On the word “ocean”, GRAM should cue the kids. MERMAIDS react to the “turbulent sea”.)

MARCIA AND MADISON
FREED FROM ITS GENIUS TUTELARY
TWO MERMAIDS FROM THE SEA
TWO MERMAIDS FROM THE SEA!