Fans of Disney’s original 1989 animated version of “The Little Mermaid” got the surprise of a lifetime on Broadway May 17.
Jody Benson, who voiced Ariel in the 1989 animated classic took the stage at New York City’s New Amsterdam Theatre. That’s where “Aladdin on Broadway” is currently playing.
“Aladdin” was celebrating its milestone 4,000th performance. But that wasn’t the only thing special about the night.
It was also the 75th birthday of the late Howard Ashman, who, alongside composer Alan Menken, wrote the scores for many of Disney’s most iconic hits, including both “Aladdin” and “The Little Mermaid.”
Jody Benson Welcomes Opportunity to Return to Iconic Role
To mark both occasions, the Disney Theatrical Group staged a post-show one-night-only tribute to Ashman, and Jody Benson was thrilled to be a part of it.
Introduced to the audience as “the voice that started it all,” Benson took the stage in a sparkling green (very mermaidish) dress and belted out “Part of Your World” from “The Little Mermaid.”
The 63-year-old received a standing ovation for her performance.
In a post on her Instagram account, Jody Benson talked about Howard Ashman, saying, “My greatest memory is of Howard standing to my left in the recording studio, for the entire time that I recorded my song ‘Part of Your World.’ So every breath, every nuance, every feeling, came from Howard. Anything that we love about Ariel came from Howard. And I’m so grateful to him to help me create this character. With his love and his support, I’ve had the honor of singing ‘Part of Your World’ for nearly 39 years.”
Sadly, Ashman died in 1991 at the age of 40 due to complications from HIV/AIDS. He never got to see his work in “Aladdin” or “Beauty and the Beast” make it to the big screen. But his impact in films that have become Disney classics has carried on, ushering in a new era of animated musicals for Disney that just keeps going.
Jody Benson Explains What She Loves About Ariel
In another Instagram post, the actress and singer explained what she loves so much about her iconic alter ego Ariel.
She says, “I love that she’s courageous. I love that she’s tenacious. I love her sense of curiosity and imagination. One of the greatest qualities about her is that she loves unconditionally. Everyone and everything. Whether it’s on land or under the sea, she’s inclusive. And that’s really, really beautiful and I’m so glad that I’ve learned that from her through all these years.”
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