Heidi Blickenstaff to Star as Ursula in The Little Mermaid

Heidi Blickenstaff, known for her performance in [title of show], will star as Ursula in The Little Mermaid on January 27. Originally cast as Carlotta and Ursula's standby, Blickenstaff left the musical when [title of show] was transferred to Broadway earlier this year. She’s now booked with the show through April 5, replacing Sherie Rene Scott, who originated the role of Ursula.

Blickenstaff made her Broadway debut in 2001 as a replacement in The Full Monty. Other credits include national tours of The Who’s Tommy, Steel Pier, Jekyll & Hyde and Dreamgirls. She played herself in [title of show], which premiered at the New York Musical Theatre Festival in 2004 before opening at off-Broadway's Vineyard Theatre and on Broadway. Her regional credits include Bat Boy: The Musical, The Girls in the Frame, Prairie and Meet John Doe, which earned her a Helen Hayes Award in 2007.

Based on Disney’s classic animated feature and the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, The Little Mermaid features by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman from the Disney movie "Part of Your World," "Under the Sea," "Kiss the Girl" and more as well as new songs by Menken and Glenn Slater. The book is by Doug Wright. Directed by Francesca Zambello, the musical opened at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on January 10, 2008.