Today May 25th, 2023 is the premiere in Colombia of the long-awaited live-action movie and adaptation of the Disney classic “The Little Mermaid”, fortunately, we had a very special invitation from Manuela Polo, along with the company “ON Comunicación Estratégica y Relaciones Públicas” and we were among the first Colombians to see it last May 23rd, 2023, so today we are going to talk a little about the collaboration and the role that Lin Manuel Miranda had in this Disney adaptation and why not talk a little more about his life in case you don’t know him and want to do it and for sure from now on you will recognize him wherever you listen to his compositions.
The Little Mermaid has been one of the stories, as well as one of the musicals that have accompanied many of us since our childhood. A Disney classic, a franchise that together with its characters and music, has become the favorite and most awaited story since the Live Action was announced. The date has finally arrived and I am sure that your inner child is going to scream with happiness and maybe even shed a tear of joy and nostalgia. A film full of details and with some changes that are directed to create awareness about the care of our planet Earth. How was this story born? This was a tale written and born by the Danish Hans Christian Andersen in the year 1837, a story of an outsider par excellence, a story that joined Disney and managed to captivate and touch the hearts of all of us. This long awaited flesh and blood adaptation is directed by Rob Marshall who teamed up and worked with David Magee who wrote the screenplay. The music for the songs is by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman and features a very well-known character in the world and the music guild, who is also respected and was in charge of creating new lyrics, Lin -Manuel Miranda. The Executive Producer of this film is Jeffrey Silver, with production assistance from Lin-Manuel Miranda. Jon DeLuca and director, Rob Marshall.

I think it is now worth doing a brief summary of who the director of this film is before we move on to this new adaptation and of course why we are here, the music and Lin- Manuel Miranda. Rob Marshall is a renowned director known for his contributions to the world of film and theater. Born on October 17, 1960, in Madison, Wisconsin, Marshall has established himself as a versatile and highly skilled filmmaker with a distinctive style. He began his career in theater, earning critical acclaim for his work as a choreographer and director in numerous Broadway productions. Marshall’s transition to film was equally successful, as he went on to direct several highly acclaimed movies, blending his expertise in dance and music with compelling storytelling. In the realm of theater, Rob Marshall gained recognition for his choreography in the Tony Award-winning production of “Kiss of the Spider Woman” in 1993. He further solidified his reputation by directing and choreographing the critically acclaimed revival of “Cabaret” in 1998, which earned him his first Tony Award as Best Choreographer. His Broadway success continued with productions such as “Little Me” and “Damn Yankees.” Marshall’s extensive background in choreography and staging translated seamlessly into his film career, where he incorporated his expertise into the cinematic medium.

Rob Marshall’s directorial achievements in film have been remarkable. He made his feature film directorial debut with the critically acclaimed musical “Chicago” in 2002, which received six Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The film showcased Marshall’s unique ability to bring the energy and vibrancy of stage performances to the screen, earning him an Academy Award nomination for Best Director. He further demonstrated his prowess in directing musicals with films like “Memoirs of a Geisha” (2005) and “Nine” (2009), both of which received numerous accolades. Marshall’s ability to balance intricate dance sequences, powerful storytelling, and captivating visuals has made him one of the most respected and sought-after directors in the industry. Rob Marshall is a highly accomplished director with a background in theater and an impressive filmography. His expertise as a choreographer and director in the realm of Broadway productions has greatly influenced his distinctive style of filmmaking. Known for his ability to seamlessly blend music, dance, and storytelling, Marshall has achieved critical acclaim and commercial success with films like “Chicago,” “Memoirs of a Geisha,” and “Nine.” With his remarkable talent for capturing the essence of live performances on screen, Rob Marshall continues to leave a lasting impact on both theater and film audiences worldwide.

Returning to the story of the little mermaid the film is set in the 1830s, in the Caribbean and clearly under the sea. Personally when watching the film you can identify that the music forms an important and fundamental part of this story, full of detail the sounds help to complement the great work of the cast (which is worth noting, it is fresh, talented, and diverse) Who makes up this film? And I do think it’s worth talking briefly about who is playing each of these characters since it’s a musical and each one brings their own personal stamp and essence to the story. The stellar cast is headed by Halle Bailey as Ariel, Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Awkwafina as Scuttle, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, Javier Bardem as King Triton, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian and of course Melissa McCarthy as the great villain of this film, Ursula.
These characters are very important because they have something mythical, they are full of fantasies and clearly they must have known about music because this is the same universe in which the film and the story is immersed, today the sound in every part. It’s very curious, but at the exclusive press screening we had, we were told that since 2012 when the film The Return of Mary Poppins was in post-production a live action adaptation of The Little Mermaid was already in mind. And as Marc Platt said in an interview today, “Rob Marshall was the one, he has a very special ability to combine music with narrative and get it across the screen. A lush work that you can tell took a lot of time and dedication.

I must admit, one of the things that scared me the most about watching this live-action, this new adaptation, were the songs, was I going to hear the classics that I was waiting for so long? Would they be modified? These important songs such as the famous “Part of your world” or the song that made us and still makes us dance “Under the Sea” appeared in the film. It seems to me very valuable to respect the respect to keep this classic but give it a new look or perspective without damaging what was already there and that has moved so many hearts and souls. The Little Mermaid film, as we mentioned at the beginning, was scored by Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken, who composed the music for other Disney classics such as Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast, and the lyrics by Howard Asham, who also wrote the lyrics for several well-known films and won several awards. This film and the Little Mermaid songs won the award for Best Original Score at the Oscars with song Under the Sea.
And now let’s get into the combination that has given a special touch to this new adaptation, and a subject that we should talk about in The Music Post, clearly, we are talking about the participation of, Lin- Manuel Miranda. Miranda, is now a producer and lyricist and as we have seen from previous years, a great eminence and character within the music business, as well as experience, talent, and love for musical storytelling, which makes him an expert if we look at his previous work. In this film, Alan Menken worked and united all his experience and wisdom together with Lin- Manuel Miranda and managed to create 3 new songs for this film, creating a completely new soundtrack with the touch of these two great artists. You may wonder why Howard Asham’s name does not appear in this part, as he sadly passed away on March 14th, 1991, but that did not mean that the respect for the original soundtrack and of course Howard’s talent was ever forgotten. The Little Mermaid is considered a jewel and the same characters behind the music in this new version as well as Menken, hello who was in the first version for Disney support it. An extraordinary soundtrack, that accommodates all times, that manages to make the past talk to the present and also to future generations, a soundtrack that we could listen to for a long time today and also as Miranda mentioned in Disney’s official press release: “I am very proud of what we did, first of all because our director, Rob Marshall, our producer John Deluca, and our scriptwriter David Maggee had a great instinct to detect moments that could go with new music and new songs.

This team managed to organically include the new songs without detracting from the classics or vice versa, the new songs are “For the first time”, “Wild Uncharted Waters” and “The Scuttlebutt”. In the last song, we can see Miranda’s stamp and essence, as well as the innovation of a song for Prince Eric within the film and a sonorous perception narrated through the music of how Ariel perceived the new change of reaching the surface and having lost all her benefits as a mermaid since she could no longer speak, and this song manages to add to the story.

Now let’s talk a little bit about who Lin-Manuel Miranda is.

Lin-Manuel Miranda is a multi-talented artist known for his extraordinary contributions to the world of theater, music, and film. Born on January 16, 1980, in New York City, Miranda’s passion for storytelling and performance began at an early age. He rose to prominence with his groundbreaking Broadway musical, “Hamilton,” which garnered widespread acclaim and revolutionized the world of musical theater. Miranda’s journey in the theater world started with his Tony Award-winning musical, “In the Heights” (2008), which he wrote and starred in. The show explored the vibrant culture of the Washington Heights neighborhood in New York City and became a major hit, earning critical acclaim and multiple Tony Awards. However, it was “Hamilton” (2015) that catapulted Miranda to international fame and cemented his status as a visionary. Combining hip-hop, R&B, and traditional show tunes, “Hamilton” reimagined the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton, becoming a cultural phenomenon and earning Miranda numerous accolades, including the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Beyond the stage, Lin-Manuel Miranda has made significant contributions to film and music. He composed music for Disney’s animated film “Moana” (2016) and co-wrote the song “How Far I’ll Go,” which received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. Miranda also starred in the musical film adaptation of “In the Heights” (2021), showcasing his versatility as an actor and musician. Additionally, he has collaborated with various artists, including composing music for the film “Encanto” (2021) and contributing to the soundtrack of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (2015). He is a visionary artist who has left an indelible mark on theater, music, and film. His groundbreaking works, such as “In the Heights” and “Hamilton,” have redefined the boundaries of musical theater, blending diverse musical genres and captivating storytelling. Miranda’s talent for writing compelling lyrics and his ability to tell stories that resonate with audiences of all backgrounds have earned him widespread acclaim and numerous awards.

A film where not only the characters have strength with their voice, but also the sound details as we mentioned, and the strength of the orchestra of 100 musicians from the London Philharmonic Orchestra, today what produced strength and helped to remember the nostalgia that could be compared with the strength that has a Disney classic like The Little Mermaid, the childhood for all of us who have grown up with this film and what it is to see it again on the big screen. The Little Mermaid and Lin-Manuel have a seal that is recognizable from a distance, definitely the soundtrack in this film is a conjugation and a continuous mix between the classic and the new and how this gets great results.