NEED TO KNOW
- Jodi Benson recently surprised the cast and crew of the new “The Little Mermaid — A Musical Adventure” show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- The actress provided the voice for Ariel in the popular animated film and its follow-up projects
- “I’m overwhelmed. That was incredible,” Benson said through tears after watching the show for the first time
Jodi Benson is grateful to Walt Disney World for always making The Little Mermaid a part of their world.
The actress, 63 — who provided the voice for Ariel in the popular animated film — recently surprised the cast and crew of the new “The Little Mermaid — A Musical Adventure” show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
In a behind-the-scenes video, Benson can be seen walking out from backstage to greet those working hard on the new show, which is scheduled to begin performances on May 27, at the Orlando, Fla., theme park.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Olga Thompson/The Walt Disney Company
“On behalf of me and Ariel and everybody from our original film, thank you for telling our story,” Benson said, before clips of her learning more about how the show came to be played.
Towards the end of the video, Benson’s reaction to seeing the stage show for the first time is shown. Speaking through tears, the star exclaimed, “I’m overwhelmed. That was incredible. … It was a once-in-a-lifetime situation for us, and this is very special and very emotional to be here with all of you.”
The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!
Benson voiced Ariel in 1989’s The Little Mermaid and other related projects, including a 2000 sequel, The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea, and a direct-to-video prequel, 2008’s The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning, plus a prequel animated series.
She also made a cameo in the live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid, which was released in 2023 and saw Halle Bailey take on the role of Ariel, who dreams of becoming human and falls in love with a prince.
The PEOPLE App is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more!
Olga Thompson/The Walt Disney Company
The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure will recount Ariel’s tale and — of course — feature some of the most popular songs from the beloved film, including “Part of Your World,” “Under the Sea,” “Poor Unfortunate Souls” and “Kiss the Girl.”
Disney adds that the “fin-tastic tale is enhanced with stunning set pieces and cutting-edge effects that capture Ariel’s imagination and emotions.”
The show venue is located in the Animation Courtyard at the theme park. It previously housed the “Voyage of The Little Mermaid” show, which opened in 1992.
