Water For Elephants on Broadway Tickets

By: Rick Elice, based on the novel by Sara Gruen
Songs by: PigPen Theatre Co.
Director: Jessica Stone
Choreography: Jesse Robb and Shana Carroll
Circus design: Shana Carroll
Cast list: Grant Gustin (as Jacob), Isabelle McCalla (as Marlena), Gregg Edelman (as Mr. Jankowski), Paul Alexander Nolan (as August), Stan Brown (as Camel), Joe De Paul (as Walter), Sara Gettelfinger (as Barbara), Wade McCollum (as Wade)
Design: Takeshi Kata
Costumes: David Israel Reynoso
Lighting: Bradley King
Sound: Walter Trarbach
Other info: Projections by David Bengali; hair and makeup design by Campbell Young Associates; puppetry design by Ray Wetmore, JR Goodman, Camille Labarre; music supervision and arrangements by Mary-Mitchell Campbell and Benedict Braxton-Smith; orchestrations by Daryl Waters, Braxton-Smith, August Eriksmoen

After a sold-out run at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta during the summer of 2023, WATER FOR ELEPHANTS has its Broadway debut at the Imperial Theatre in spring 2024.

The musical tells the story of a Great Depression-era young man, Jacob, who hops on a train and ends up joining the traveling circus while trying to escape personal tragedy. He fits right into his new life, home, and family, but as he trains a new elephant, he gets more than he bargained for, falling in love with the woman helping him: the wife of the temperamental ringmaster.

The highly anticipated musical is based on the 2006 bestselling novel WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, written by Sara Gruen, and the subsequent 2011 award-winning film of the same name. The film, starring Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, and Christoph Waltz, won the 2012 People's Choice Award for Favorite Drama Movie.

What to watch for

• Amid the high-flying acts, WATER FOR ELEPHANTS comments subtly on the cruelties of the circus industry, such as extracting a lion's teeth or feeding animals rotten meat.
• The lighting, set, and stage design are truly next-level. The rolling platforms, projections, and lighting all work together to make it seem like the actors are on a train, and lighting signifies the passing of time.
• Circuses are known for their animals, and while this performance doesn't have live animals, you'll have the opportunity to witness masterful puppetry in action instead. Ray Wetmore, JR Goodman, and Camille Labarre are behind the animal puppetry design. Labarre's work has appeared in Shrek, Into the Woods, and Sesame Street. Wetmore and Goodman's work is in spring 2024 shows like The Notebook, Hell's Kitchen, and Cabaret.
• The WATER FOR ELEPHANTS book won numerous awards, including Book Sense No. 1 pick for June 2006 and the 2007 BookBrowse award for Most Popular Book. The novel was on the New York Times Best Seller list for 12 weeks and was number one on July 8, 2007.
• Lighting designer Bradley King won Tony Awards for his work on Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812 and Hadestown, and he earned a nomination for Flying Over Sunset.

Important information

Children under 4 are not permitted in the theatre.

No weapons permitted on the premises. No outside food or beverages, electric scooters, e-bikes, or battery-powered transportation devices, except when medically necessary.

All items are subject to inspection. Anything brought into the theatre must fit on your lap or completely under your seat without blocking any aisles.

The use of cameras, cell phones, and other recording devices during the show is strictly prohibited by law, except when used for accessibility services.