Performer and Scenic Designer Andrew Wilson Dives into DISNEY’S THE LITTLE MERMAID for the Third Time

Andrew Wilson knew DISNEY’S THE LITTLE MERMAID by heart before he had even heard of Broadway or knew what it meant to be on the stage.

“When I was a kid, we watched THE LITTLE MERMAID all the time. There was this bonus feature on the DVD, and it showcased the Broadway show. I was just enamored,” Wilson recalled. “I didn’t even know what Broadway was at that point because I was a wee baby. That was my first discovery of theatre. I would perform little shows for my grandparents and dad with my Ariel dolls along with the soundtrack.”

Now, Wilson is performing the starring role of Prince Eric for a third time at Springfield Little Theatre.

“My first big deal, lead role was actually Prince Eric in THE LITTLE MERMAID JR. in 2017,” he explained. “That was the first time I did the show. That featured [Broadway performer and SLT alum] Aryn Bohannon [as Ariel]. That was really cool.”

That production was presented through the SLT Summer Institutes under director Andy Willadsen. Summer Institute shows are rehearsed and performed at a rapid pace.

“Obviously, the Summer Institutes are way different than the actual shows we do,” Wilson recognized. “We had two weeks to do it. It was a more mature role than I was used to. I was very nervous for it.”

His second time going under the sea was opposite Hayden Gish Collins two years later. It was during that production that he bonded with best friend, the late Hannah Curnutt. The SLT community was devastated last year when she passed away suddenly. Wilson holds tight to their memories.

“It was a very, very special experience. A lot of people from the JR. version in 2019 felt how special it was because of Hannah. Hannah made that show very special,” he shared. “Going into this one, I kind of brought her spirit with me. I think of singing ‘Her Voice’ to her every night. ‘Her Voice’ is my favorite part of the show because I get to dedicate it to her and sing to her. It’s just really, really special.”

Although the character is familiar territory, Wilson’s role in the full-length version is expanded from those productions. The rehearsal period was extended compared to a Summer Institute, but he had significantly more material to learn. The “JR.” version consolidates the plot and even cuts down on musical numbers. As Prince Eric, he looked forward to longer versions of songs with additional choreography.

“Eric has a lot more singing in the full version than the JR. version,” Wilson noted. “I had a snippet of one of my songs in the JR. version and that was about it. So going into this one, I’m really excited about doing all the songs I’ve loved since I was a kid. I was glad to do the full ‘One Step Closer’ dance break with Reghan [Skiles] as Ariel.”

The extended scenes and songs weren’t all that Wilson had to prepare. In addition to being the scenic designer at the SLT’s The Judy education building for more than three years, Wilson stepped up to design a mainstage Landers Theatre set for the first time. He jokingly admits to ‘dropping hints’ to director Lorianne Dunn about his interest in helping with the set. She eventually called on him to submit ideas, but he didn’t anticipate that he would end up as the show’s scenic designer.

“I came up with a concept. I thought that really was all I was doing,” he confessed. “I thought I would help paint the stuff, but I just wasn’t sure how involved I was going to be in all of this yet. Once I showed [Lorianne] the concept, we went into all the other designs for the show like Urusla’s throne, her lair, Ariel’s grotto. She kind of just gave me free rein. She trusted me.”

Immediately after designing and constructing the set for THE ARISTOCATS, KIDS at The Judy, Wilson jumped into creating the aquatic and seaside worlds of THE LITTLE MERMAID. He recalls being nervous about the set construction, expecting to shoulder the entire execution of his designs single handedly, as he often does at The Judy. The scope and scale of this project, however, was more than he had tackled before. Wilson was relieved to find there was a community effort that included technical directors Jamie Bower and Corbin Chaffin leading construction.

“I remember going into rehearsal, I saw these bubble sliders that I designed. The Ursula throne was cut out, Ariel’s grotto was cut out and built. I was like, ‘Whoa. This is so cool,’” he smiled. “I felt such relief to have Corbin and Jamie and all of our other volunteers already working on my designs. It made me feel so much better about how everything else was gonna go. It really set the stage for the rest of the construction and painting process. I’m very, ver,y very grateful to Corbin and Jamie and Cindy [Timson] and Trudie [Courtney] and Barb [Parker] and Melissa [Briggs] and all of our other volunteers who helped contribute with all of that.”

Wilson had assisted with Landers set construction before, including on another Disney title. That experience set the standard for the quality he wanted to design on THE LITTLE MERMAID.

“I know, since I have been here for so long and seen [former SLT Scenic Designer] Chuck [Rogers]’ work, the scale and quality that we need to produce at the Landers consistently. I knew it could not be wimpy. It needed to be pretty,” Wilson explained. “It needed to be the same level as BEAUTY AND THE BEAST that we did a few years ago. I was lucky to help on that. I got to do that big rose proscenium for that show. That was really cool. That was the first big thing that I worked on over at the Landers painting wise.”

In place of Belle’s roses, Wilson opted for a seashell and seahorse motif for Ariel. The majestic ocean life frames the stage in whimsical water tones. Wilson let his best design secret slip when discussing the magnificent set piece.

“I think what’s very important in set design is a great proscenium,” he advised. “I think as long as you have a great proscenium, you’re golden.”

Wilson credits his grandparents with introducing him to the arts. His late grandfather, Wes Wilson, was a famed poster designer for rock artists including Jefferson Airplane, Otis Redding, the Grateful Dead, and even The Beatles. He is also credited with creating the popular ‘psychedlic’ font. Wilson attributes his fine art skills to inheriting his grandfather’s talents.

Wilson’s grandmother, Eva Wilson, grew up dancing in Hollywood as daughter to an Oscar nominated screenwriter. She began taking Wilson to SLT performances as a young boy.

“My grandma was the one who really started taking me to shows,” he recalled. “We went and saw BIG RIVER and then I started to get an inkling that maybe I should be up there with everyone during that show.”

Wilson’s inclination was correct. Although he didn’t land a role with his first audition, Wilson’s mother recognized his interest and signed him up for an education series production. He was hooked, participating in summer programs, mainstage shows, Y.E.S. Troupe, and tech camps.

Wilson has since headlined as Danny Zuko in GREASE, Buddy the Elf in ELF: THE MUSICAL, and he shared the role of SpongeBob SquarePants with Eli DePriest in SLT’s first ever production of THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL.

Wilson’s first ever character role at SLT was Lennie in JUNIE B. JONES. Coincidentally, that show would become Wilson’s first directing credit at The Judy this season. Wilson has found his calling working professionally in the theatre, but his most difficult task is determining his path from here. As a performer, director, and designer, he anticipates having to narrow his interests.

“To be honest, I am very much on both sides at the moment – performing and designing. That is something I am honestly really trying to figure out,” he admitted. “Obviously, I would love to do both. I have much love for both in such different ways. I love performing because I get to be on stage and I get to sing, which I love to do. On the other hand, I love to design the world. [Directing] was a really fun experience because the two coincided with each other more than acting and scenic design did. Directing and designing go hand in hand much better. I didn’t have to go to anyone else. I just had to talk to myself and come up with everything. I would love to do more directing in the future.”

For now, Wilson says he’s open to all opportunities, soaking up each experience. He earnestly and often professes his gratitude to past and present mentors at SLT including Andy Willadsen, Chuck Rogers, Lorianne Dunn, Josh Inmon, and Zoe Zelonky who recognized different facets of his talents and gave him opportunities to explore his abilities. Wilson is constantly seeking out opportunities to learn, including from other artists like set painter Barb Parker.

“I remember growing up seeing a lot of her stuff – just being amazed by what she can do with paint,” Wilson marveled. “I still find myself referencing her work, like for FROZEN, JR. I had to replicate these icicles that she painted the last time we did it. That was like a whole paint study. I just got to do a study on her work. For her to come in to work on MERMAID was full circle. She made so many of my things come to life with her artistry for LITTLE MERMAID.”

Catch Andrew Wilson’s design and performance talents in DISNEY’S THE LITTLE MERMAID through May 11.