Virgin Voyages Launches First-Of-Its-Kind Sea To Land Production Company

Virgin Voyages just announced the launch of “Screw It, Let’s Do It Productions,” a new company that brings over 20 original shows and signature “Happenings” (spontaneous cast-led performances and celebrations) from the open ocean to dry land.

The award-winning, adult-only cruise line founded by Sir Richard Branson made the announcement aboard the Scarlet Lady in Miami. “This new initiative, named after Branson’s favorite one-liner, is the next chapter of our story,” said Richard Kilman, Vice President of Entertainment.

The news was delivered during the media debut of its newest original production, Booked.

Created by No Ceilings Entertainment, Booked invites audiences into the eccentric world of Lola’s Library. Lola, the ship’s librarian, is an aspiring cabaret singer wishing to perform in her own show. When a cursed book transports her far from the library, she must journey through a spellbinding series of stories to find her way back home.

This new musical stage production marries hip-hop, aerial acrobatics, tongue-in-cheek comedy, manga, and cabaret storytelling.

No Ceilings Entertainment consists of Kim Willecke, Phil Shaw and Dennis Jauch — the same creators behind Virgin Voyages’ newest shows Out of Time and Murder in the Manor. United by their early days on the dance floors and behind the scenes of reality TV shows, these artists envisioned a company where innovation knows no bounds.

Willecke and Jauch describe the process of working with Virgin Voyages as safe, with plenty of opportunities to take artistic risks.

“[At] our first creative meetings, we threw everything at the wall. [Virgin Voyages] said yes to our craziest ideas,” said Willecke. “They didn’t just say yes to the 45-minute musical theater knockoff show, they said yes to our 3-hour nightlife experience that nobody ever could imagine.”

“Screw It, Let’s Do It Productions” was inspired by the success of Virgin Voyages’ acrobatic spectacle Duel Reality. Created by The 7 Fingers circus troupe from Montreal, Duel Reality became the first cruise ship production to make its way to land — performing 282 shows across Europe and the U.S. with additional performances scheduled for Hong Kong in 2026. This is antithetical to the traditional model of cruise lines licensing established Broadway shows — such as Beetlejuice on Norwegian and Back to the Future: The Musical on Royal Caribbean.

Some of Virgin Voyage’s other original shows were created in collaboration with Tony Award-winning director Sam Pinkleton (Oh, Mary!), PigPen Theatre Co. (Water for Elephants) and Randy Weiner (Queen of the Night, The Donkey Show, Sleep No More).

To properly launch the new brand, Virgin assembled an Advisory Board of acclaimed entertainment leaders including Jenny Gersten, Tony Award-winning producer and Artistic Director of New York City Center and Eva Price, three-time Tony Award and two-time Olivier Award-winning producer.

“When we started Virgin Voyages, our goal was to create entertainment so original and unforgettable that people would want to experience it anywhere,” said Kilman.

Audiences can enjoy shows in two different performance venues. The Red Room is the first transformational multi-form theater at sea. It can be arranged as a traditional proscenium stage, an alley stage used in fashion shows, and a dance flat-floor configuration. The Manor, which hosts several immersive productions like Lola's Library and Murder in the Manor, is the ship’s signature nightclub that traces back to Branson’s first Virgin music studio.

As “Screw It, Let’s Do It Productions” evolves, Kilman envisions the brand as a proving ground for theater makers to develop their ideas for a captive audience with minimal interference. A project may begin its life as a 45-minute show with limited deck space at sea, often using the Red Room’s seven LED screens as part of the scenic design. But as development continues, the same show can evolve into a full-length piece for a first-class production on land.

Behind the curtain, productions will be supported by Virgin Voyages' new 30,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art rehearsal space in Orlando. The facility features 10 studios total including full-scale replicas of its onboard theaters, allowing performers and creative teams to rehearse in true-to-life environments.

In a press release, Virgin Voyages’ Public Relations Manager Fabianna Alvarez writes “In a world increasingly defined by isolation and anxiety, ‘Screw It, Let's Do It Productions’ is a reminder that live performance, shared laughter and genuine connection remain irreplaceable.”

As algorithms and AI drive even our most basic decisions, Virgin Voyages and “Screw It, Let’s Do It Productions” can remind audiences that innovation with a human touch can bring people together, be it aboard a luxury cruise line on open water or at a theater close to home.

For more information about Virgin Voyages’ entertainment, visit www.VirginVoyages.com.