With a spectacular mélange of circus acrobats, seasoned musical theatre performers and visually stunning puppetry, the North American touring production of Water for Elephants opened with a bang at the Pantages Theatre on September 8, where it will play through September 27th.
Based on the New York Times Best-selling novel and subsequent motion picture, Water for Elephants was reimagined for the stage by writer Rick Elice with music and lyrics by PigPen Theatre Company, a seven-member collaborative of Carnegie Mellon Theatre graduates who’ve been creating imaginative live theatre since 2007. The show racked up 7 Tony nominations and 4 Drama Desk Awards after its Broadway debut in 2024. Over a decade in the making, Water for Elephants is a highly immersive, thrilling night of theatre with an emotionally evocative story at its center.
Set in the wake of the Great Depression, Water for Elephants is told from the point of view of Jacob Jankowski, a promising veterinary student whose life is upended by the sudden tragic death of his parents. Jankowski (double cast as an older man played by Robert Tully as well as his younger self by Zachary Keller) hops a train in search of a new beginning and finds himself in the company of a traveling circus troupe.
Jacob vies for a job among the crew, but when the charismatic Ringmaster “August” learns of Jacob’s experience in veterinary science, he offers him a job as the circus vet, unconcerned with the fact that Jacob was forced to drop out of college before completing his degree. The work puts Jacob in close contact with August’s beautiful wife Marlena whose equestrian act has been sidelined due to her horse Silver Star’s injury. Despite their efforts to nurse the horse back to health, Jacob explains the horse’s injuries are insurmountable and has to be put down.
In need of a replacement for Silver Star, August buys an elephant named Rosie (who had previously been part of a Polish circus troupe) and tasks Marlena with training her and creating an act within mere days of their next scheduled performance, a nearly impossible feat. But with Jacob’s help, Marlena manages to do the impossible.
It’s tough going in the early stages as August grows impatient with Rosie’s progress and threatens her with a bull-hook (a training device considered inhumane by current standards) which only further enrages the elephant. Jacob and Marlena experience a sudden breakthrough when Jacob (who is of Polish descent) speaks to Rosie in Polish and she understands the commands.
As the story progresses, we get a clearer picture of how August’s mercenary and tyrannical managerial tactics are creating a toxic work environment among the entire crew and driving a wedge between him and his wife, pushing her toward the kind and supportive Jacob. The conflict comes to a head as August sees that Marlena and Jacob have been seeing each other behind his back. August orders his henchman (Wade) to fire Jacob along with other members of the crew. Not only does he instruct Wade to red-line them, but he instructs Wade to shove them off a moving train which would certainly prove fatal.
But August’s cruelty eventually proves his own undoing as Wade turns on him and releases the animals (many of whom had been mistreated and abused by August) causing a stampede and resulting in August’s own death at the hands of an unexpected culprit—the very elephant he abused. The story comes full circle as the elder Jacob (Robert Tully) is invited to rejoin the new and more humane traveling circus troupe that took over after the demise of August and the Benzini Brothers.
Granted, it’s a complicated story, but the high drama, the talented cast and visually immersive storytelling go a long way toward overcoming a somewhat convoluted plot.
As far as talent, the principal leads are exceptional. Zachary Keller as young Jacob Jankowski brings a youthful innocence and raw intensity to the role paired with his soaring powerful vocals. Connor Sullivan as the charismatic ringmaster with an evil streak skillfully straddles the line between consummate showman and loathsome rogue. Making her debut in a National Tour, Helen Krushinski brings a dynamic and luminous quality to Marlena that makes her both captivating and sympathetic as a woman navigating a failing marriage and longing for a new beginning. Robert Tully brings a world-weary gravitas to the elder Jankowski who serves as de facto narrator. Last but certainly not least, Tyler West, who plays the circus’ sardonic funny man Walter, is a memorable standout of this production, particularly in a scene-stealing number where he and August are paired together for a classic bit of vaudeville-inspired shtick.
Shana Carroll and Jesse Robb share credit as co-choreographers, creating a bold, muscular authenticity guaranteed to keep the audience riveted and enthralled. The choreography evokes the rustic roustabout naturalistic dance style in keeping with the tone of this depression-era show made up of ordinary blue-collar working folk whose very survival depends on their ability to keep the audience entertained. The ensemble work was also quite extraordinary, with vivid character work down to their facial expressions, creating the impression of watching real people, not just actors in a musical.
Step right up and get your tickets fast before this circus troupe moves on to its next destination.
Water for Elephants. September 8–27. Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028. Tickets.