The national touring production of Water for Elephants has arrived at Cleveland’s prized Playhouse Square’s Connor Palace, bringing with it the ambitious scale and visual wonder that defined its Tony-nominated Broadway run.
While the production is ostensibly a musical adaptation of the beloved novel by Sara Gruen, it is the breathtaking fusion of high-flying acrobatics and masterful puppetry that truly commands the stage. These technical elements do more than supplement the drama; they frequently steal the show, transforming the theater into a living, breathing circus ring where the laws of gravity appear non-applicable.
However, the production is not without its hurdles. At times, the narrative transitions can feel somewhat disjointed, leading to a storyline that occasionally lacks clarity for those unfamiliar with the source material. (In fairness, it all ties together by the show’s conclusion, even if it falters in places throughout the show.)
The show begins with Mr. Jankowski (Robert Tully), an elderly man on day-pass from a nursing home, finding himself pacing the scene of a traveling circus as it is being torn down; and performers and staff politely indulge his post-show wandering. He recalls a time in his life when he accidentally became part of “Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth.” Tully, a former ringmaster in the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, is a literal natural fit for the role.
The story is a flashback to protagonist Jacob Jankowski (Zachary Keller), an ivy league veterinary school dropout and newly-orphaned young adult, and begins with him hopping aboard a locomotive to find new meaning in life in the first musical number, “Anywhere / Another Train.” Jacob meets his soon-to-be circus coworkers, who check all of the stereotype boxes of traveling carneys.
Jacob quickly is promoted from animal-waste-shoveler to traveling veterinarian and paid $3 per week for his services. He meets and immediately falls for Marlena, the “shining star” of Benzini Brothers, who specializes in equestrian acts. Played by the beautiful-voiced Helen Krushinski, who is making her National Tour debut, she won over the most die-hard Ohio football fans, despite being a Pittsburgh native and University of Michigan alum, both of which make fans of the Browns and Buckeyes feel a playful disdain.
The classic young-lovers-who-can’t-be-together story, in this case, because Marlena is married to the show’s villain, Ringmaster, August (portrayed masterfully by Connor Sullivan), is a bit overcooked in theatreland. But hey, it works!
Krushinski’s tender performance of “Easy,” which depicts the end of life of her horse, Silver Star (Yves Artières) ascending to the pastures of heaven, is heartfelt theater at its finest.
In “Ode to an Elephants,” the audience is introduced to Rosie, Benzini Brothers’ new show-stopper, via awe-inspiring puppetry that rivals Disney’s The Lion King.
Costume designer, David I. Reynoso, satisfied the challenge of recreating 1930s circus wear. (Although, what do I know? I was born in ‘83!) Scenic designer Takeshi Kata gave the set an authentic circus feel that solidified the entire theater experience.
“Just Our Luck,” an upbeat jazzy number nearing the end of Act One, is one of (if not the only) song from the show stuck in patrons’ heads the next day, is followed by Keller’s shining moment in his lone solo number, “Silver Stars,” but it is the Act One’s finale, “The Grand Spec,” which features juggling, ball balancing, and edge-of-your-seat human tossing that is every bit of a grand spectacle that the song’s title implies. It elicited one of multiple well-warranted mid-number applause and ‘woos” for the acrobatics and choreography.
The theatrical athleticism and dangerous, breathtaking acrobatics were thrilling on a level seldom seen inside theater walls. At one point, a performer was standing on another performer’s shoulders, made even more impressive that the performer whose shoulders were being used as a platform, was also standing on someone’s shoulders! In the circus realm, this architectural feat of human scaffolding is called a three-high. In theater, it is described by three letters: OMG!
The second act wasn’t as thrilling as the first. Sometimes the plot lagged; other times it grazed over important elements.
An Act Two highlight, the lively full-cast number, “Zostań” (A Polish word for “stay,” which required a post-show Google search) brought toe-tapping joy throughout the theater. It mentally transported theater-goers from Playhouse Square to a 1930’s Big Top.
“You’ve Got Nothing,” showcased Connor Sullivan’s villain chops. “Wild,” a duet between Krushinski and Keller about the restrictive circus life, and a reprise of Act One’s “The Road Don’t Make You Young,” (led by the talented Grant Honeycutt as Wade) all gave way to the show’s climax—a thunderous animal stampede—that is a masterclass in stagecraft. Rather than relying on literal representations, the production utilizes a swirling, visceral kaleidoscope of skeletal puppets and acrobatic bodies. It is a moment of controlled mayhem, where the ensemble’s sheer physicality creates an illusion of scale and danger that feels more ‘real’ than any digital effect could achieve.
While the score doesn’t exactly hold water to long-running iconic Broadway classics, music director & conductor Sarah Pool Wilhelm led the eight-piece orchestra that brought the sounds of the circus and 1930s-style tunes by Pigpen Theatre Co. to life in grand fashion.
It is only mildly surprising that this show lasted less than a year on Broadway. The sheer technical brilliance of the ensemble’s choreography, stunts, and puppetry, and the evocative artistry of the staging ensure that Water for Elephants is a compelling experience. There is a rumor that “an elephant never forgets.” The reality is that audiences do forget, and despite seeing the show last night, this reviewer had to pull up Spotify and YouTube to remember the musical numbers. That aside, for the visual spectacle and ingenuity of its presentation alone, this production is well worth the price of admission.
© 2025 CleveRock Music Portal. A PROUD SHAPE CLEVELAND PRODUCTION