The critically acclaimed bestselling novel WATER FOR ELEPHANTS comes to vivid life on Broadway in a unique, spectacle-filled new musical.
After losing what matters most, a young man jumps a moving train unsure of where the road will take him and finds a new home with the remarkable crew of a traveling circus, and a life—and love—beyond his wildest dreams. Seen through the eyes of his older self, his adventure becomes a poignant reminder that if you choose the ride, life can begin again at any age.
Directed by Tony Award®️ nominee Jessica Stone (Kimberly Akimbo), with a book by three-time Tony nominee Rick Elice (Jersey Boys, Peter and the Starcatcher) adapted from Sara Gruen’s novel, and a soaring score by the acclaimed PigPen Theatre Co., WATER FOR ELEPHANTS unites innovative stagecraft with the very best of Broadway talent in an authentic and deeply moving new musical that invites us all to give ourselves to the unknown.
Circus sagas so easily lend themselves to bathos: “Ridi, pagliaccio” and all that. Director Jessica Stone’s stage rendition of Water for Elephants – adapted by book writer Rick Elice from the best-selling novel (2006) and film (2011) – captures all the drama, but it’s clean-cut and concise, propulsive with passion and action. Unlike some other literary adaptations in the works or already on the boards, this production stands on its own merits as theatre. You could walk in with no prior knowledge, no expectations, and be transported.
The circus setting is the excuse for what’s most awe-inspiring about this musical adaptation of Sara Gruen’s 2006 bestselling novel, which opened tonight at Broadway’s Imperial Theater. It’s the Big Top-like entertainment, especially the heart-stopping acrobatics, which are not just athletically spectacular but often visually beautiful and emotionally expressive, enhancing the dancing and even advancing the story. Much else in “Water for Elephants” has its pleasures – the score, the singing, the puppetry, the acting, even the love story — but nothing else matches the circus artistry for its originality, variety and consistency.
Rush Tickets:
Price: $49
Where: Imperial Theatre box office (249 West 45th Street) box office. The box office is open 10AM-8:30PM Monday through Saturday and 12-6PM on Sunday.
Limit: Two per customer.
Restrictions: Locations and number of tickets based on availability; seats may be partial view.
Lottery Tickets:
Price: $40
Where: The Imperial Theatre box office (249 West 45th Street).
When: Entry begins two hours prior to the curtain with the drawing 90 minutes prior to curtain.
Limit: Two per customer.
Restrictions: Locations and number of tickets based on availability; seats may be partial view.
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