From the mid-19th century to the early 20th century, the circus was one of the most popular forms of entertainment in America. The exotic animals, freak shows and death-defying stunts drew people from all walks of life to witness something extraordinary. This is the life Jacob Jankowski (Ryan Vasquez) runs to in the world premiere musical Water for Elephants, onstage at the Alliance Theatre through July 9.
Directed by Jessica Stone, the musical is set up as older Jacob, Mr. Jankowski (Harry Groener), reminisces on the adventures of his younger self, a conceit that is executed with varying levels of success. After younger Jacob’s parents are killed in a car accident, he hops a train hoping to outrun his grief. He finds himself in the caboose with the Benzini Brothers Circus as they make their way across the country, and, when the ringmaster, August (Bryan Fenkart), finds out he’s a veterinarian, he becomes an essential part of the company. However, when Jacob falls for Marlena (Isabelle McCalla), August’s wife, the sideshow becomes the main act.
Water for Elephants is a triumph from a technical perspective. Lighting designer Bradley King, projections designer David Bengali and set designer Takeshi Kata are a dream team in the execution of this production. Through the use of rolling platforms, moving projections that depict the American landscape and rhythmic lighting, they create the effect of a moving train onstage.
The way they show the passage of time through the pale blue at dawn to the vivid pink sunsets is subtle but completely effective. The formation of the circus tent using white silks piped with lights and anchored by an aerial hoop is absolutely brilliant. They deserve to take a bow during curtain call with the cast.
This is an ambitious show with Broadway on the brain, and Stone, whose Tony Award-winning production of Kimberly Akimbo is currently on Broadway, creates some lovely moments onstage. The train-jumping scene and the final circus scene truly dazzle. Shana Carroll’s circus design and Camille LaBarre’s puppetry design for the animals captures the way that lions, leopards, orangutans and even an elephant, Rosie, move in a way that feels lifelike.
LaBarre’s puppets meet Jesse Robb’s and Carroll’s fearless choreography to offer spectacle times 1,000. As a founding member of the Montreal-based company The 7 Fingers, Carroll is no stranger to circus choreography, and their signature style is certainly evident in this production. They use every bit of the Coca-Cola Stage, even if at times I held my breath hoping someone did not come crashing down from the ceiling.
It helps that this gifted creative team is working with a cast of performers, many of whom have physical theater and circus experience. When Jacob hops the train, he meets a gaggle of aerialists, singers, jugglers and clowns who frankly steal the show. Joe De Paul is hilarious as Walter, the circus clown. Kudos go to Gabriel Olivera de Paula Costa, who is flipping and jumping from start to finish. Also, Isabella Luisa Diaz and Carolina Kane are triple threats in this production.
Still, with all the spectacle, the book by Rick Elice (Jersey Boys and Peter and the Starcatcher) and music and lyrics by PigPen Theatre Co. leave a lot to be desired. Water for Elephants is based on the 2006 bestselling novel of the same title written by Sara Gruen. The book was adapted into a film in 2011, starring Rob Pattinson as young Jacob and Reese Witherspoon as Marlena. The gaps in the libretto may be reflective of holes in the novel, in which case it may be time to make something up.
In the musical, the opening number is a bit too long and doesn’t offer much information about the characters. By the end of the show, it’s never revealed how or why most of the cast joined the circus. At one point, Marlena sings an ode to her horse, but the relationship between herself and the animal hasn’t been established firmly enough for the audience to understand what’s happening. McCalla is charming and does what she can, but the sentiment falls flat without anything underneath it.
Songs such as “The Lion Has Got No Teeth,” “Just Our Luck” and “Squeaky Wheel” stand out with Matt Hinkley’s musical direction, but they don’t exactly move the plot forward. The lack of information makes the show drag and lag from the end of the first act to the middle of the second act.
The team also tries to sneak in commentary about animal cruelty in the circus industry, such as extracting lion teeth, feeding them rancid meat and overworking the defiant, 56-year-old elephant named Rosie. However, that commentary is quickly glossed over in favor of flips, kicks and high-flying stunts.
Though McCalla and Vasquez have great chemistry, it’s unclear what Jacob and Marlena like about each other that goes beyond his physical attraction to her.
At one point in the musical, August says that all you need for a successful circus is a bit of luck and illusion. The creative team behind Water for Elephants certainly succeeds at the illusion and fantasy part. It’s an up-tempo, family-friendly show that attempts to blend Cirque du Soleil, Barnum & Bailey and musical theater. With any luck, this musical will find its footing and make it under the big top — or perhaps on Broadway.
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Kelundra Smith, an ArtsATL editor-at-Llarge, is a critic and arts journalist whose mission is to connect people to cultural experiences and to each other. Her work appears in The New York Times, ESPN’s Andscape, American Theatre and elsewhere. She is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and the Society of Professional Journalists.
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June 21, 2023 at 10:00PM
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Review: Alliance’s “Water for Elephants” brings more circus to stage than story - ARTS ATL
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