American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University will present the North American premiere of the stage adaptation of Life of Pi as part of its 2022–23 season. The Olivier-winning production, with a script by Lolita Chakrabarti, will open at the Cambridge, Massachusetts theatre in December.
The London creative team will helm the A.R.T. production, including direction by Max Webster, scenic and costume design by Tony Award winner Tim Hartley, and puppetry and movement direction by Finn Caldwell, who designed the puppets along with Nick Barnes.
Based on the novel by Yann Martel, Life of Pi begins after a cargo ship sinks in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. There are five survivors stranded on a single lifeboat—a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, a 16-year-old boy, and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger.
The West End production recently won five Olivier Awards, including Best Play and Best Supporting Actor, awarded collectively to the team of puppet performers who play the tiger.
“I’m thrilled for A.R.T. to collaborate with this incredible team of artists in creating the North American premiere of Life of Pi and to introduce this deeply imaginative theatrical adaptation to our audiences,” says A.R.T. Artistic Director Diane Paulus. “Creative ingenuity and extraordinary puppetry bring this powerful story to life. I look forward to welcoming families back to the Loeb Drama Center this holiday season to experience this breathtaking theatrical event.”
The creative team also includes lighting design by Tim Lutkin, video design by Andrzej Goulding, sound design by Carolyn Downing, original composition by Andrew T. Mackay, and dramaturgy by Jack Bradley.
Original cast members Habib Nasib Nader, Tom Larkin, and Scarlet Wilderink in Life of Pi
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