The Magician's Elephant (musical)

The Magician's Elephant
Production poster
Music	Marc Teitler
Lyrics	Nancy Harris Marc Teitler
Book	Nancy Harris
Basis	The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo
Premiere	18 October 2021: Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
Productions	2021 Stratford-upon-Avon 2024 Sandy, Utah

The Magician's Elephant is a musical with book and lyrics by Nancy Harris and music and lyrics by Marc Teitler, based on the 2009 children's novel of the same name by Kate DiCamillo.

Production history

Stratford-upon-Avon (2021)

The musical was announced to make its world premiere as part of the Royal Shakespeare Company's winter 2020 season, running in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. However, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the production was postponed to run over the 2021 winter season running from 18 October 2021 to 1 January 2022. ^[1]

The production is directed by Sarah Tipple, designed by Colin Richmond with lighting design by Oliver Fenwick. ^{[2] [3]}

On 9 July 2021, initial casting was announced and a recording of a song from the show "If This Is True" was released on YouTube, followed by another song "A Lot Like Me" released on 26 July 2021. ^{[4] [5]}

Sandy, Utah (2024)

The musical made its United States premiere at Hale Center Theatre in Sandy, Utah during their 2024 season, running from September 16 to October 19 2024. The production was directed by Dave Tinney with scenic design by Jenn Taylor and puppetry design, fabrication and direction by AchesonWalsh Studios, lighting design by Jaron Kent Hermansen. ^[6]

Cast and characters

Character	Stratford-upon-Avon	Sandy, Utah
	2021	2024
Narrator	Amy Booth-Steel	Mack Malia Morris
Peter Duchene	Jack Wolfe	Joshua Hyrum Smith Weston Wright
Vilna Lutz	Mark Meadows	Ric Starnes Mark Knowles
Adele	Miriam Nyarko	Hailey Burnham Paige Hochalter
Leo Matienne	Marc Antolin	Keith Evans
Gloria Matienne	Melissa James	Jordyn Aspyn Durfey Becky Jeanne Knowles
Countess Quintet	Summer Strallen	Korianne Johnson Michelle Blake
Count Quintet	Sam Harrison	Brett Myers Justin Bills
Madame LaVaughn	Renu Arora	DeLayne Dayton Sharon Lynn Kenison
The Magician	Alastair Parker	Josh Durfey Bryan Dayley
The Elephant	Zoe Halliday	Jordan Dahl Sam Cooper
	Wela Mbusi	Benjamin Tate Julia Wihongi
	Suzanne Nixon	Miranda Renee Smith Daniel Miskin
	—	Jessica Zöe Bird Sarah Neipp
Police Chief	Forbes Masson	Zac Zumbrunnen Jake Ben Suazo
Milliner / Dance Teacher / Police Officer	Sharif Afifi	Aitana Alapa Sara Schmidt
Baker / Police Officer	Alison Arnopp	Ren Cottam Ian Webb
Young Police Officer / Lamplighter	Chrystine Symone	Riley Groves Maxx Teuscher
Sister Marie	Mandi Symonds	Michelle Sundwall Brittany Andam
Lisette	Lauren Jones	Fay Pauline Drysdale Elisabeth Wilkins
Mrs Griswald	Wendy Somerville	Mak Milord Brooke Holladay
Fishmonger	Lucca Chadwick-Patel	Zachary Ballard Ammar Al Saffar
Doctor	Stephen John Davis	Jordon LeBaron Andrew Reeser
Peter's Mum / Swing	Hannah Brown	Jackie Marshall Brittany James
Peter's Dad / Swing	Michael Carolan	Riley Groves Maxx Teuscher
Swing	Rianna Ash	—
Swing	Matt Bateman	—

Musical Numbers

Act I

• "Welcome To the Town of Baltese" – Narrator
• "Discipline, Control, Routine" – Lutz
• "If This Is True" – Peter
• "What If Why No Could It Be" – Leo Matienne
• "No One Must Know" – Police Chief and Police
• "Your Mind Is Playing Tricks On You" – Police Chief and Police
• "Discipline, Control Routine" (reprise) – Lutz
• "I Intended Only Lilies" – Magician and Madame LaVaughn
• "Secrets" – Company
• "Follow The Elephant" – Company
• "Elephant Messiah" – Company
• "If This Is True" (reprise) – Peter

Act II

• "The Sight Of An Elephant" – Company
• "Adele The Brave" – Adele
• "A Lot Like Me" – Peter
• "Two Of a Kind" – Company
• "Don’t Spoil It Pt. 1" – Company
• "Don’t Spoil It Pt. 2" – Company
• "Real Magic" – Company
• "Count Who Doesn’t Count" – Count and Adele
• "What Good Are Dreams" – Company
• "If This Is True" – Peter
• "A Lot Like Me" – Peter
• "Anything Could Happen" – Company

Reception

The Stratford-upon-Avon production received positive reviews from the critics and audiences receiving mostly four star reviews. ^{[7] [8] [9]}

References

1. Sutherl, Gill (2 June 2020). "RSC confirms it is closed until at least October". Stratford Herald. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
2. McPhee, Ryan (4 February 2020). "Royal Shakespeare Company to Present The Magician's Elephant Musical and The Wars of the Roses". Playbill. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
3. Snow, Georgia (4 February 2020). "Royal Shakespeare Company to stage new family musical and The Wars of the Roses in 2020". The Stage. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
4. "RSC's The Magician's Elephant musical announces initial casting | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
5. If This Is True | The Magician's Elephant , retrieved 9 July 2021
6. "Hale Center Theatre The Magician's Elephant Show Program |HaleCenterTheatre". hct.org. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
7. Davis, Clive. "The Magician's Elephant review — a family spectacle filled with magic". ISSN   0140-0460 . Retrieved 9 November 2021.
8. Cavendish, Dominic (29 October 2021). "The Magician's Elephant, review: the RSC's back with a spectacular fantasy". The Telegraph. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 9 November 2021.
9. "The Magician's Elephant review – the RSC conjures up a musical spectacle | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 9 November 2021.