Orlando's Ariel goes dark this weekend: Jodi Benson, the Disney voice legend behind The Little Mermaid's mermaid princess, is taking on the Witch in Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Into the Woods at Steinmetz Hall.
The limited engagement runs Friday through Sunday, with performances at 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, according to the Dr. Phillips Center's show listing. It is being presented by the center itself rather than arriving as another touring production.
From Mermaid To Witch
There are no fins or fish friends in this one. Benson plays the Witch, while Orlando performers fill out a locally built production that BroadwayWorld's production preview describes as the Dr. Phillips Center's first professional show self-produced in Steinmetz Hall.
The musical folds Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel into a story about wishes, consequences, and what happens after happily ever after. The center's official description emphasizes the Orlando creative team and performers, giving the weekend a hometown angle beyond the celebrity casting.
A Familiar Voice With Broadway Credentials
Most audiences know Benson as the voice of Ariel in Disney's The Little Mermaid. D23's Disney Legends profile notes that she was inducted as a Disney Legend in 2011 and earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical for Crazy for You.
She is bringing more than a cartoon-era calling card to the role: Benson previously played Dolly Levi in a sold-out Hello, Dolly! run at the Dr. Phillips Center in 2024, according to Playbill. This weekend's casting therefore feels less like a celebrity cameo and more like a return to a stage where Orlando audiences already know what she can do.
In an interview with FOX 35 Orlando, Benson discussed the new role, her career, and what it means to bring the musical to local audiences. The run is short enough to make the scheduling feel like part of the drama: four performances, then this particular fairy-tale forest disappears.
