Water for Elephants, Starring Grant Gustin and Isabelle McCalla, Begins Performances

Water for Elephants, the new Broadway musical, begins performances at the Imperial Theatre on February 24, with an official opening set for March 21.

Based on Sara Gruen's 2006 novel—which also inspired a 2011 movie starring Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon—Water for Elephants follows Jacob Jankowski (Grant Gustin), who finds a new home with a traveling circus during the Great Depression. Seen through the eyes of his older self, his adventure becomes a poignant reminder that if you choose the ride, life can begin again at any age.

Gustin, in his Broadway debut, performs alongside 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 and Wade McCollum as Wade. 

The musical is directed by Jessica Stone with a book by three-time Tony nominee Rick Elice and music by PigPen Theatre Co. The show features set design by Takeshi Kata, costume design by David Israel Reynoso, lighting design by Bradley King, sound design by Walter Trarbach, projections by David Bengali, puppetry design by Camille Labarre and circus design by Shana Carroll, artistic director of Montreal-based circus collective The 7 Fingers. Jesse Robb choreographs with Carroll.