ABC postpones 'Little Mermaid Live' special

Aug. 4 (UPI) -- ABC says it has postponed the Little Mermaid Live program it was planning to air in October.

"We are postponing the Little Mermaid Live special. We love the idea of doing a live musical and want to make it wonderful. The project is so unique that we are making best efforts to do it next year and want to give it all the attention it deserves," an ABC representative said Thursday in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.

USA Today said budget constraints are to blame for the delay. Rehearsals reportedly were to begin soon and sets were already in the process of being built.

The show was to feature various celebrities performing songs Alan Menken and Howard Ashman wrote for the 1989, animated movie, The Little Mermaid. No cast had been announced yet.