Review: WATER FOR ELEPHANTS at TPAC'S Jackson Hall

“You hear that, Star? A good review!”

It’s another night at TPAC for me, and I’m watching another musical based on a movie. Well, it’s actually based on a book by Sara Gruen, but it was adapted into a movie in 2011. I’ve yet to check out the book or movie, so I went into this as blind as possible. This means that I’m viewing this as a regular theatre audience member and will not be comparing it to its source material. With that being said, I was blown away by the show. It was one thing for me to admire the set pieces and choreography, but the acting and dramatic moments got audible reactions out of me. I was gasping and going “ooooooooh”. Running at TPAC’s Jackson Hall May 12-17, Water For Elephants is a dazzling and emotional spectacle. 

All I knew about Water For Elephants was that it is a romantic drama set in a traveling circus during the Great Depression. I expected a circus with a rich color palette, beautiful costumes, acrobatics, and an elephant. To say that my expectations were met is an understatement. Multiple directors were on board to bring this circus to life. Using the original direction made by Jessica Stone, Tour Director Ryan Emmons does an excellent job of containing all the movements, excitement, and emotions onstage. As for the design of the circus, former trapeze artist and Cirque du Soleil soloist Shana Carroll truly captures the essence of circus life. She collaborated with Jesse Robb for the choreography, and what we get is nothing short of magical. I marveled at the numerous set pieces that had multiple uses. For instance, one set piece could be a cage one minute and a train car the next. Takeshi Kata’s scenic design needs to be studied. The spectrum of 1930s fashion, from the work clothes to the stunning circus costumes, was captured brilliantly by David I. Reynoso. Luc Verschueren/Campbell Young Associates triumphed with the hair and makeup. Every curl was on point. Bradley King’s lighting design and David Bengali’s projection work expertly highlighted the actors and set, and Sound Designer Walter Trarbach really outdid himself near the end of the show. Of course, the one thing that people came to see was Rosie the Elephant. The marvelous creature and all the other animals were designed by Ray Wetmore, JR Goodman, and Camille Labarre. With direction from Joshua Holden, the audience is drawn to Rosie and falls in love with her. When we finally got to see her in her full form, she got the same reaction as that time I saw The Lion King on the same stage and everyone cheered when the animals came out during “Circle of Life”.

A circus needs a strong ensemble to keep the ball rolling, and this show is no exception. With several ensemble members filling in for multiple roles and numerous stunts to be performed, this team worked together so effortlessly. As usual, I’d like to point out which swings had to fill in for other actors the night I attended. Marina Mendoza filled in for ensemble member Serafina Walker, Kayden Woodridge filled in for Adam Fullick and played Rex the Lion, and Andrew Fullick filled in for ensemble member John Neurohr. Neurohr performed the role of Walter in place of Tyler West. Neurohr crushed it as the hilarious clown and knife thrower. The multiple ensemble members who had to depict animals impressed me. These include Gabriela Diaz as an orangutan named Agnes, Yves Artiéres as a horse named Silver Star, and the many people who brought Rosie to life. Other supporting roles that I need to highlight include Javier Garcia as the humorous Camel, Ruby Gibbs as the sassy Barbara, and Chris Marth as reluctant foreman Wade.

As usual, I need to dedicate a whole paragraph to the stars of the show. I feel like there’s a rule that every dramatic love story that’s set in the past needs a great villain. Connor Sullivan is deliciously revolting as August, the cruel ringmaster. Yes, he’s disgusting and makes you want to root for his downfall, but he’s also so charismatic and entertaining. Sullivan also plays Charlie, a man in the present day who listens as Mr. Jankowski tells his story. It’s amazing seeing him be a revolting villain one minute and a curious man the next. Speaking of Mr. Jankowski, he’s played by former ringmaster Robert Tully. I swear, every time I saw this man onstage, I just wanted to give him a hug. Whether he’s mirroring his younger self or just standing there, he gives off this warmth that fills ‌the entire room. Zachary Keller plays the younger version of Jacob Jankowski, and he is one burning ball of talent. From his vocal chops to his physicality to his chemistry with the leading lady, Keller is hard to ignore onstage. He’s the kind of protagonist that you want to root for. And now, we have the leading lady herself; Helen Krushinski as Marlena. Where do I begin to describe this woman? Vocal chops? Amazing. Dance skills? Incredible. Acting skills and chemistry with the male lead? Trivago. In all seriousness, I’m in awe of how she manages to capture the gentleness and fierceness of Marlena. Like Sullivan, Krushinski plays a main character in the past and another character in the present. As Mr. Jankowski tells his story, she plays a sweet woman named June. She balances well with everyone in the show, like a true circus star. 

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