The musical experience is showing through July 27th at the Academy of Music.
Until July 27th, Life of Pi is showing at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia. The show features the story of a shipwreck in the middle of the Pacific Ocean where a sixteen-year-old boy named Pi survives on a lifeboat.
A hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a Bengal tiger survive on the lifeboat with Pi.
The Tony-award winning production is full of impressive costumes, vibrant colors, beautiful music, and light-filled projections.
Andrew T. Mackay’s Indian-style instrumental compositions accompany the production on the stage.
The show is based on a 2001 novel by Yann Martel that has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide.
Director Max Webster worked on the production, which includes unforgettable puppetry to tell the story of Pi and his companions on the raft.
The tale takes place in the 1970s in India. Pi’s family decides to pack up their zoo and move to Canada amidst political unrest. They seek passage on a cargo ship.
During a storm, Pi is separated from his family and ends up on a lifeboat with the four animals.
Life of Pi tells the story of how Pi lived for 227 days on the raft with the tiger, Richard Parker. His adventure, told with the assistance of world-class lighting and sound, sets the stage for a magic experience for the audience.
The puppets in the production help illustrate Pi’s relationships with the animals he encounters during his journey. Three puppeteers handle each of the larger animals on the set.
“They created these amazing life-sized puppets. It’s really just visually stunning,” said Frances Egler, Vice President of Theatrical Programming and Presentations for Ensemble Arts Philly in a recent interview.
Pi’s struggles to survive while stranded on the ocean tell a tale of faith, hope, and resolve that comes to life onstage at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia through July 27th.
