Spotlight: It's splashdown time for 'The Little Mermaid' at Orpheum

Opens Thursday: Poor Ariel. Despite the glitz and glamour of her submarine world, this mermaid princess feels trapped. She wants to be human for a change, and to experience love and all those good things. Especially with Prince Eric, whom she saved from drowning. But to get to live above the waves, possibly ever after, she must negotiate issues dealing with her father, King Triton, and Ursula the sea witch, who wants to overthrow the king. Based on the Disney animated film, which itself was based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, this musical was composed by Alan Menken with lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater and a book by Tony- and Pulitzer-winning playwright Doug Wright. (7:30 p.m. Thu., 8 p.m. Fri., 2 & 8 p.m. Sat., 1 & 6:30 p.m. next Sun. $39-$134. Ends Oct. 18. Orpheum Theatre, 910 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls. 1-800-982-2787, hennepintheatretrust.org.)