Step Right Up! WATER FOR ELEPHANTS Brings Circus Magic to Life at Dr. Phillips Center

The cast of WATER FOR ELEPHANTS Photo by Matt Murphy courtesy Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts

“Water For Elephants–The Broadway Musical” plunges into the chaotic, colorful world of a 1930s traveling circus, complete with massive animal puppets, dazzling acrobats, and aerialists. The score mixes old-time string music—think folk-style bluegrass—with the lively bounce of 1930s jazz. The reviews are overwhelmingly positive, praising the stunning circus-style acrobatics, innovative staging, and powerful performances.

The phrase “water for elephants” isn’t just a quirky title. It points to the absurd difficulty of finding enough water for an elephant each day—a nearly impossible job, really. In the book, film, and musical, it stands as a metaphor for the overwhelming burdens people sometimes shoulder. But the story insists that when people band together, even impossible tasks feel lighter.

“Water For Elephants – The Broadway Musical” draws its story from Sara Gruen’s 2006 historical romance novel. PigPen Theatre Co., a New York indie-folk band and theater company, wrote the music and lyrics, while Rick Elice handled the book. The show premiered at Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre in 2023 before making its way to Broadway the following year. There, it racked up seven Tony nominations, including Best Musical. The national tour kicked off in Baltimore, bringing the spectacle on the road. The novel also inspired a 2011 film starring Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, and Hal Holbrook.

Director Ryan Emmons and choreographers Jesse Robb and Shana Carroll keep the action moving at a rapid pace. The strong cast feels like a true circus troupe. Circus acrobats and aerialists are woven right into the choreography to the delight of the audience.

Zachary Keller, Helen Krushinski, and Ella Huestis, Photo by Matt Murphy courtsey Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts

Puppeteers bring the animal world to life, working with puppets designed by Ray Wetmore, JR Goodman, and Camille LaBarre, all under Cha Ramos’s direction. Rosie the Elephant gets a slow reveal: first, you see those flapping ears, then the trunk, then legs, and finally, all five puppeteers unite to bring out the full puppet.

Other animals come alive through clever puppet work too. Yves Artieres, playing Silver Star, morphs his body with wild contortion and aerial work to portray a struggling horse, then stuns in a later scene with his aerial hoop and head-hanging skills. Nancy Luna swings as Agnes the orangutan, her costume and aerial moves winning over the opening night crowd at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Walt Disney Theater.

The creative team beautifully captures the rough-and-tumble spirit of a Depression-era circus. Shana Carroll’s circus design, David Bengali’s projections, and Takeshi Kata’s set pieces give the production its sense of movement and struggle.

Helen Krushinski and Zachary Keller, Photo by Matt Murphy courtsey Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts

The audience experiences the realities of circus life, as performers travel by train, pitch the big top, then dive into singing, dancing, and circus feats. David Reynoso’s vivid costumes, with Luc Verschueren’s wigs, hair, and makeup lend an authentic flavor. Lighting designer Bradley King's work is instrumental in providing a lush visual and emotional impact. Thanks to Walter Trarbach’s sound design, every line and lyric rings clear. Music director Sarah Wilhelm leads the orchestra, delivering punchy rhythms and accompaniment, and even jumps in with keyboard and harmonica.

The story isn’t just spectacle at the big top. “Water For Elephants” dives into the grit of Depression-era America—adventure gives way to darkness: murder, betrayal, abuse, even adultery surface in the shadows.

This powerful cast meets it all head-on. Robert Tully, once a real-life Ringling Bros. ringmaster, plays Mr. Jankowski, an elderly nursing home resident, a man drifting through his past life at the circus. He meets Charlie and June (Jon Hamm look-alike Connor Sullivan and a luminous Helen Krushinski), the married owners of O’Brien’s One Ring Circus, and shares the story of why he once leapt onto a circus train as a young man.

The show flashes back to his youth, with a terrific Zachary Keller as young Jacob Jankowski. Connor Sullivan and Helen Krushinski double as both the present-day owners and the past’s August and Marlena. Sullivan commands the ring, his voice and presence holding the circus together. Ruby Gibbs brings Barbara to life with a powerful voice and steady resolve, keeping peace backstage. Tyler West plays Walter, the wisecracking circus clown and ringmaster’s foil, slipping comic relief and vaudeville gags into tense moments.

This musical doesn’t shy away from the brutality and heartbreak of early 20th-century circus life, but it also clings to the hope and belonging that a community can provide. The characters endure and adapt, drawing strength from each other as they face impossible odds—just as the metaphor of “water for elephants” suggests. In the end, it’s about resilience and the strange comfort of not facing life’s burdens alone.

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS plays November 4 through 9, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m. Walt Disney Theater at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets available online or at the box office. Photography provided by Matthew Murphy. Used with permission by Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.