The Broadway musical The Little Mermaid is one of the most successful shows based on Disney movies in history. The show was inspired by the 1989 film of the same name, featuring the same show-stopping songs and beautiful plot. It opened at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in January of 2008 and closed a year and a half later. During its run, it starred iconic Broadway legend Sierra Boggess as the princess Ariel. Although kids of all ages enjoyed the timeless tale, there were also many jokes and songs that appealed more to the adult crowd. The designers of the playbill kept this in mind, as they wished to relate to a wider audience than the kids that usually watch Disney movies. Some aspects that demonstrate this mindset include the different shades of blue, the rising sun in the background, and Ariel as the lone character. Ariel was the only character to be featured on the playbill so as not to make it seem cluttered. This is opposed to the movie cover, which included the faces of Flounder, Scuttle, Sebastian, King Triton, and Ursula as well. In general, lots of flashy colors and characters appeal to a younger audience. However, the lone mermaid on the rocks is much more sophisticated. Additionally, multiple shades of blue are used to give the impression of a moving ocean. Usually, it is the adults that notice the more interesting special effects, and the different shades allude to these effects. Finally, there is a rising sun in the background which represents the overall mood of the musical. The mood is very happy and optimistic, and this is what suns generally represent. Ultimately, the design of the playbill was extremely successful, seeing as the Broadway musical ran for over one year. The use of rhetorical devices meant to appeal to more than just kids allowed much critical acclaim.
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