Ariel, Belle, or both

[DizBelle]

We were at MGM last week and saw The Voyage of the Little Mermaid. Later in the day we saw the Beauty and the Beast show. I would swear that the same girl played both Ariel and Belle. Could this be? Do performers play the leads in multiple shows?

 

[jellydisney]

It's certainly possible. Voyage of the Little Mermaid is a different kind of show than Beauty and the Beast. I imagine Voyage has several different Ariels throughout the day, so if she DID play Beauty, the number of people who would recognize her as the same actress is insignificant enough for Disney to not mind having performers do double duty.

It's also possible she is an understudy and happened to be filling in for a regular Beauty performer (or a Beauty performer filling in for Ariel)

Just my conjectures. I really don't know, since I know nothing about Disney's hiring practices.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Originally posted by lfontaine
Do performers play the leads in multiple shows?

I have a friend here on the DIS who's daughter is "GREAT FRIENDS" with Belle & Snow White!

 

[WDSearcher]

Originally posted by Tiggerlover91
I have a friend here on the DIS who's daughter is "GREAT FRIENDS" with Belle & Snow White!

Yes, but the daughter you know is friends with the "real" Belle and Snow White, and not with the Belle who performs on stage.

The "real" characters are out in the parks ... the performers are the ones portraying the characters on stage. The two groups are not the same.

 

[chipnwendy]

When we were there in May, the performer at Beauty & the Beast on Monday night was Ariel on Tuesday morning, so it's very possible that you saw the same person.

Also, Belle at the Princess Storybook Breakfast on Wednesday morning was Cinderella at Cinderella's Royal Table on Thursday morning.

My guess is this keeps the performers from getting into a character rut.

 

[Samirella]

Originally posted by lfontaine
We were at MGM last week and saw The Voyage of the Little Mermaid. Later in the day we saw the Beauty and the Beast show. I would swear that the same girl played both Ariel and Belle. Could this be? Do performers play the leads in multiple shows?

Not on the same day.

 

[leighmidd]

My sister was the 2003 Mrs. Arkansas America and she became very close with the 2003 Mrs. Florida America who played Belle on the Beauty and the Beast stageshow (as well as a dancing cupcake at some shows) and other days Mrs. Florida would be Pocahontas. So yes, it could have been the same girl.

 

[Dreamin' Disney]

We noticed that Peter Pan at the Magical Fireworks Voyage one night was also the Mad Hatter at Magic Kingdom the next day.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Originally posted by WDSearcher
Yes, but the daughter you know is friends with the "real" Belle and Snow White, and not with the Belle who performs on stage.

The "real" characters are out in the parks ... the performers are the ones portraying the characters on stage. The two groups are not the same.

Ah yes! You are so right! Thank you for the correction.

 

[DizBelle]

The Voyage of the Little Mermaid show was a 2pm show and the Beauty and the Beast Show was a 5:30pm show.

You know, one thing that I don't like about the Little Mermaid show is how after Ariel's voice is taken by Ursula, the rest of the story is told at lightening speed in about 20 seconds. I understand that they can't re-enact the whole movie but a little more beef in the second half would be nice.

I'm guessing it is designed for littler ones that just want to see the "Under the Sea" performance and see Ariel for a little bit. It's not really to tell the story.