Fathoms Below

I'm not gonna lie, I just went to the Little Mermaid Sing-a-long at the Castro Theatre. It's going to easily be a front runner on the top ten things everyone should do before they die list. Out of all the Disney musicals, this is the perfect one for a sing-a-long. Who doesn't know Part of Your World, Under the Sea, and Kiss the Girl? Even the (arguably) B-sides are well known, such as Poor Unfortunate Souls, Les Poissons, and the opening number, Daughters of Triton.

I expected at best a large movie theater filled with a few adults, lots of kids, and some rowdy yet controlled singing. Instead what we got was a giant stage more suited to a musical, at least a thousand die-hard adults, and non-stop singing at the top of your lungs for an hour and a half. Tragically, we arrived a tad bit late and didn't get the gift bag with the princess crown, glow sticks, clappers, and a dinglehopper so our participation was a bit stunted. We considered stealing a bag from some little kids but there were none to be found.

Even without the free paraphernalia we had the time of our lives. Right off the bat, as the boat and the fireworks started, the crowd went bonkers. They didn't stop until the end credits and even though there were a few slow moments, it was pretty much hit after hit.

The best way to describe the experience is to say that it was like going to a concert. But the fact that this was the Little Mermaid meant the experience felt ultra rare and special. When was the last time you watched the Little Mermaid on the big screen -- if ever?

I had the fortunate experience of sitting next to Man of the Universe (a friend's nickname) during the show and that boy knows his Little Mermaid. Like every line. Everyone knows the lyrics, you can anticipate a few lines here and there, but MOU nailed everything. He was like the Professor X of the movie. It was an amazing performance, simply awe inspiring.

And to keep it real, I question the masculinity of any male who would dismiss a Little Mermaid sing-a-long as "too girly." Are you so insecure about your manhood that you can't enjoy one of the potentially greatest entertainment moments of your life? C'mon, it's the Little Mermaid!

Next up: Sound of Music sing-a-long. "Brown paper packages tied up with string."