Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin The cast of Water for Elephants, now playing at the Imperial Theatre. Sophy Holland In many ways Jessica Stone, director of the new Broadway musical, Water For Elephants, operates like a ringmaster. The ringmaster holds a key role in the circus. They are a conduit between audience and acts. They take spectators by the proverbial hand and shine a light upon what to see. They direct the action and build imaginations while keeping the crowd engaged. It’s a very fitting resemblance, especially since the new musical, based on Sara Gruen’s bestselling novel revolves around the Benzini Brothers circus. Now playing at the Imperial Theatre, Water For Elephants was nominated for seven Tony awards, including Best Musical. The show shifts between a young Jacob Jankowski, a veterinarian at the end of his rope, who gets enlisted to join the circus, and his older self who looks back at his choices. The story, with a book by Rick Elice and score by PigPen Theatre Co., mostly takes place during the height of the depression. The traveling troupe of hungry performers, staff and assorted wild animals traverse the country offering a big top spectacle and the chance to be dazzled — transported from the harshness of everyday life. And then there’s all that’s happening backstage. As the song goes, “the Road Don’t Make You Young.” Stone, as ringmaster, also orchestrates the vast mosaic of talent, which in this show, includes the seamless blending of dance, circus artistry, a variety of music styles and puppetry. “There are many different storytellers on this project and ensuring that we all were telling the same story with the same priorities took some drum banging,” says Stone who was also nominated for a Best Director Tony. Paul Alexander Nolan and the cast of Water For Elephants Matthew Murphy MORE FOR YOU Apple iPhone 16 Pro To Boast Record-Breaking Design, Leak Claims Samsung Issues Critical Update For Millions Of Galaxy Users Today s NYT Connections Hints And Answers For Thursday June 6 “Over time, it became a rolling research and development process that began with writing sessions, moved into circus sessions and over to puppet sessions and into choreography sessions and then onto design sessions but back again in to circus and then over to writing. Aaaand repeat,” says Stone. “It was both unwieldy and impeccably plotted out.” Stone had circus designer Shana Carroll, artistic director of the circus company the 7 Fingers, co-choreograph with Jesse Robb. Dance and circus are harmoniously intertwined. “Because it’s a memory play I didn’t want to just have people arbitrarily peeling off doing back handsprings and doing cartwheels for no reason,” says Stone who was also nominated for a Tony last year for Kimberly Akimbo, which won Best Musical. “We use circus language to illuminate some of Jacob Jankowski’s most important memories and chapters in his life and pivotal moments,” adds Stone. “An element of circus is all about fragility and human connection. That turned out to be a beautiful metaphor, lens and tool for the physical language of the piece.” What’s also thrilling is how Stone reveals the all-important elephant, Rosie. The title character is, in many ways, the soul of the musical. “If you are doing a movie or television show about an elephant, you better damn well have an elephant. But in the theater, you don’t want the elephant,” says Rick Elice. “You want the audience to play along. It’s that interactivity between what is happening on stage and what the audience is imagining.” Isabelle McCalla and Antoine Boissereau Matthew Murphy Elice credits Stone for knowing the optimal moment to introduce Rosie. “Our field marshal here, who has conducted this battleship into this port called the Imperial Theater, figured out exactly the right time to reveal her,” says Elice. “When you are waiting for the elephant, leaning forward, can’t stand the suspense anymore and then it’s finally delivered, it’s a thrill. That is theater.” Jessica Stone Courtesy Water For Elephants Jeryl Brunner: What went through your mind when you learned about the show’s seven Tony nominations? Jessica Stone: I feel the most proud of Best Musical. It takes a huge group of dedicated, talented artists to mount a musical. That particular nomination belongs to all of us. The other categories are wonderful flattering nods to each department but the Best Musical nod gets closest to the truth of what it takes to get to this moment. When I heard about our nominations, I was alone on my couch early in the morning! My kids were asleep because they were still on spring break and my husband was out of town. It’s sort of funny to work with hundreds of people over many years to develop a show and then be all alone to process the news. It was kind of perfect. Isabelle McCalla and Grant Gustin in a scene from Water For Elephants Matthew Murphy Brunner: How does directing nurture you, especially directing an epic show like Water for Elephants? Stone: Directing offers me more opportunities to explore a story. I’m not looking at this slice of human experience through only one lens. I’m able to craft it alongside a designer who sees the story through its physical container, through light, through clothing, through sound. I’m able to solve mysteries through language and music alongside our writers. Finally I’m able to swim in social and emotional waters alongside each actor who is the gatekeeper for each character. It’s very gratifying to examine a story so deeply and thoroughly. At the end of the day it tests and pushes my boundaries and expands my ability to empathize. Brunner: When you get a script like this, with so many parts and pieces, what goes through your mind to get the script to the stage? Stone: There were many moments of head scratching. And just when Takeshi Kata, our set designer, and I would hit a speed bump around a particular location, Shana Carrol and Jesse Robb and I would figure out a solve for a different moment which would then inform the challenge that Tak and I had been dealing with. It is an incredible team of artists. And we laughed a lot. I remember at one point in rehearsals in the theater coming up against road block with regard to our introduction of Rosie the elephant — an idea, that I believed in, wasn’t working. Within moments I was surrounded by 20 people — choreographers, designers, composers and writers — all in the trenches with me, with ideas and energy and belief. It’s my favorite moment in the process because I realized that the love and commitment and talent that surrounded me was like a forcefield. And we figured it out. Brunner: In a parallel world, if you could run away and join the circus, what would be your fantasy job? Stone: Well, circus clown feels like low hanging fruit for someone like me so I’m breaking out of that box. Earlier in the process I used to think I might want to be an aerialist and swing around in hoops and trapezes and silks in the air. Now I think I might want to be a porter. The idea of supporting people standing on my shoulders or catching someone flying in the air is super sexy. The cast, from left: Paul Alexander Nolan, Joe De Paul, Wade McCollum, Isabelle McCalla, Grant … [+] Gustin, Gregg Edelman, Sara Gettelfinger and Stan Brown Photos by Jenny Anderson and Natalie Powers for Jenny Anderson Photo Follow me on Twitter. Jeryl Brunner Following Editorial Standards Print Reprints & Permissions
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