The circus is packing up its tent. Water For Elephants plays its final performance at Broadway’s Imperial Theatre on December 8. At closing, Water For Elephants will have played 301 regular performances and 25 previews.
The new musical officially opened at the Imperial March 21 after beginning previews February 24. Read the reviews here. Based on Sara Gruen's acclaimed novel, the musical features a book by Rick Elice (Peter and the Starcatcher) and music and lyrics by PigPen Theatre Co. (The Tale of Despereaux). Tony nominee Jessica Stone (Kimberly Akimbo) directs. It was nominated for seven 2024 Tony Awards.
The work tells the story of a man who runs away from his life, only to find himself caught up in a traveling circus. This stage musical follows a 2011 film adaptation of the novel starring Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson, and Christoph Waltz.
The show previously announced its first national tour, which will begin in fall 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland, at the Hippodrome Theatre at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center.
The final Broadway company includes Kyle Selig (Mean Girls) as Jacob Jankowski, Isabelle McCalla (Shucked) as Marlena, Gregg Edelman (City of Angels) as Mr. Jankowski, Paul Alexander Nolan (Parade) as August, Stan Brown (Homicide: Life in the Streets) as Camel, Philippe Aymard as Walter, Sara Gettelfinger (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) as Barbara, and Wade McCollum (Wicked) as Wade.
The production features circus design by Shana Carroll, who co-choreographed the piece with Jesse Robb. The creative team is filled out by scenic designer Takeshi Kata, costume designer David Israel Reynoso, lighting designer Bradley King, sound designer Walter Trarbach, projection designer David Bengali, hair and makeup designer Luc Verschuren for Campbell Young Associates, music supervisors and arrangers Mary-Mitchell Campbell and Benedict Braxton-Smith, and orchestrators Daryl Waters, Benedict Braxton-Smith, and August Eriksmoen. Casting is by Tara Rubin Casting with production stage management by Timothy R. Semon.
Puppetry design is by Ray Wetmore (Spamalot), JR Goodman (Gutenberg!), and Camille Labarre (Into the Woods). Elizabeth Doran is music director, and Cha Ramos provides fight direction.
Water for Elephants made its world premiere in Atlanta on The Coca-Cola Stage at Alliance Theatre in 2023.
