Theater Thursday - Water for Elephants

We were given complimentary tickets to Water for Elephants for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

What: Water for Elephants

Where: Imperial Theatre 

             249 W. 45th St.

             New York, New York

Who: Recommended for Ages 8 and Up

Me - Water for Elephants was a good show. I really enjoyed the puppets, especially the elephant puppet. The acrobatics were really cool too.  The acting was good and so were the songs. The songs were fun to listen to and I'd like to hear them again.  Based on what I had heard before about the story, I wasn't sure if I would like the show, however, I was pleasantly surprised. The are some sad parts, but there are many happy parts too, and overall, it's a fun show.

Mom - Water for Elephants is part thrilling circus extravaganza part tender love story. It is based on Sara Gruen's 2006 book of the same name, which was also the basis for the 2011 film starring Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon. It has been engagingly reimagined for the stage full of a delightful mix of circus tricks and puppetry. There are so many exciting things happening in this show that at times it's hard to take it all in.

This show is not all spectacle, however. There is a heart to it as well. At it's center is Jacob and Marlena respectively played by Grant Gustin and Isabelle McCalla. Gustin is quite charming and likable in his Broadway debut. McCalla gives Marlena a bit more of an edge than Witherspoon does in the film. Even though the show is set in the past, she is more of heroine for our time who can take care of herself when she needs to. The pair have a nice chemistry as well. 

Paul Alexander Nolan who often plays a much more heroic role is the villain of  the piece, August, here. His portrayal is chilling because he can seem so friendly and warm one minute and the next minute he's seething with anger. Other standout performers in a cast full of them include Stan Brown, Sarah Gettlefinger,  and Wade McCollum. 

The folk-tinged score was created by Pig Pen Theatre Company, a combination indie band and theater company. They are newcomers to Broadway but not to theater. Their toe-tapping upbeat numbers are catchy, and there's a nice ballad or two as well. 

Although there is violence in the show, it is not as prominent as in the movie and most of it takes place off stage. It does, however, make the show inappropriate for very young children although older children would probably enjoy it. All in all, the show is an extremely captivating highly emotion-stirring ride. 

And that's our view. For more about Water for Elephants or to purchase tickets, visit www.waterforelephantsthemusical.com

Tune in Saturday for Still More Theater Saturday.

Photo credits:

All Water for Elephants production photos by Matthew Murphy

Images used in this post have been sent to us from publicists, artists, and/or  PR firms and are used by permission. If there is a problem with the rights to any image, please contact us here, and we will look into the matter.