KeyBank Broadway Series ‘Water For Elephants’ brings the glorious big top on stage

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AND BOYS AND GIRLS WELCOME TO THE GREATEST SPECTACLE ON EARTH! Virtually every circus show in the world has been introduced to audiences around the world with this resounding phrase. As can be expected the resulting shows waver between barely passable all the way to extraordinary. It is a huge challenge to recreate the behind the stage feel as well as the three ring presence of the “Greatest Show On Earth” for a touring Broadway spectacle.

The touring production of “Water For Elephants” does all that and more. Each member of the cast is a quadruple threat (singing, dancing, acting and circus performing). There are some actual death defying feats done on stage right in front of your eyes. The show also features a telling story of what life was like during the Great Depression. On top of that there is romance, intrigue, a lot of heart and some really cool animal puppets that are flawlessly manipulated.

I can truly relate to this show. As a young teen I was hired by a traveling circus as a bonified “pop corn butcher” who roamed the tent during the show with a huge tray filled with boxes of fresh hot pop corn joy that I would sell to the hungry throngs of “towners”. Since the show was there for three weeks I was allowed behind the scenes and became friends with many of the rousts and kinkers and was even invited to eat with them when it was “flag up”. I remember my parents jokingly encouraging me to run away with the circus. I declined although it was tempting.

The show begins with the elder Polish-American Mr. Jankowski (Robert Tully who in real life was an actual Ring Master for the Barnum and Bailey Circus) running away from his assisted living home. He has come to visit O’Brien’s One-Ring Circus that is preparing to leave town. Standing in the center ring he begins to reminiscence about how as a young man he had run off and joined the Benzini Brothers Circus. He meets Charlie (Connor Sullivan) and June (Helen Krushinski) who are well versed in circus history and who run the O’Brien show.

Young Jacob Jankowski (Zachary Lacey) appears and we find that his parents had been killed in a car accident. With nothing to hold him back he hops on the first night train traveling through town. It turns out to be the “Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth” circus train. A roust (worker) named Camel (Javier Garcia) and Wade (Grant Huneycutt) the foreman attempt to force Jacob off the train but he stands his ground. The two men relent and Jacob is hired for “one day’s work” but must leave after their next stop.

As the big top is going up Jacob handles various low level tasks associated with circus animals. He first meets Agnes, an orangutan (Nancy Luna) before meeting Marlena (Helen Krushinski) who with Silver Star the performing horse (Tves Artiéres) is the circus's top attraction. Marlena is married to August (Connor Sullivan) who runs the circus (having bought it for a song from the floundering Benzini Brothers).

When August learns that Jacob had studied veterinary medicine at Cornell University he hires him on the spot to be in charge of all of the performing animal’s health care. As Jacob is introduced to the menagerie he is attacked by a toothless lion (Adam Fullick) as a joke which frightens him but does no harm. August reveals that nothing at his circus is real and that people only flock to see the spectacular illusions in order to escape thinking about the Depression.

One of Jacob’s first decisions is to euthanize Silver Star due to injuries. At the next stop August plans on replacing Silver Star by buying a horse from the now defunct Fox Brothers Train. They are too late and the only remaining animal is an older female elephant named Rosie (Ella Huestis, Bradley Parrish, John Neurohr, Carl Robinett and Grant Huneycutt). Rosie’s caretaker reveals that this is the dumbest animal he has ever worked with. Jacob and Marlena struggle with Rosie and August steps in and begins to abuse Rosie with a bullhook. Marlena tells Jacob that August is prone to anger due to his impatience.

The troupe sets up in Chicago with everyone on short rations until the new star act, Rosie, can be trained. August forces Jacob and Marlena to premier the pachyderm that night. Rosie, however, refuses to budge and August prepares to beat her forcing Rosie to defend herself. She is about to kill August when Jacob yells “zostań” which is Polish for “stop” which the animal does. Jacob realizes that Rosie was trained to understand Polish and is now able to control her using his native language.

The cast of this touring enterprise is absolutely superb. Sprinkled throughout the nearly two and a half hours (with 20 minute intermission) are some truly fantastic circus acts that are in fact death defying. On top of that, the animal puppets take on a life of their own, especially the crew that brings Rosie to life. Robert Tully is superb as the elder Jankowski with his counter part Zachary Keller as young Jacob truly up to task in his role as actor and singer. Helen Krushinski as Marlena/June is wonderful. Her singing voice is nothing short of magnificent. Connor Sullivan as August/Charlie is every bit the consummate Ring Master commanding our attention. Javier Garcia as Camel is totally believable as a circus roust. Grant Huneycutt as Wade the manager takes a tough roll and fills it well. Lastly is Tyler West as Walter who steals the show every time he is on stage.

The scenic design by Tekeshi Kata seamlessly transforms from train cars to big top with minimalist charm. David I. Reynoso’s costume design clothes everyone in the two worlds of roustabout and kinkers (workers and performers). Bradley King’s lighting design sets the mood from intimacy to bright circus performance mode in the blink of an eye. Walter Trarbach’s sound design tames the wild depths of the Connor Palace Theatre. Hair, wig and make-up by Luc Verschueren and Campbell Young Associates is superb. The puppets designed by Ray Wetmore, J.R. Goodman and Camille LaBarre are astonishing and are masterly directed by Joshua Holden. The eight piece orchestra under the direction of Sarah Pool Hilhelm does a fabulous job as well with the variety of musical genres.

What can be more fun than going to the circus (except for those who suffer from coulrophobia). This show has it all. Great acting, great singing, great dancing, great puppet work and great “tricks” combine to thoroughly entertain. Be sure to grab plenty of sweets from the “candy butchers” (concession stand personnel) at the “joint” (concession stand) to put you in the circus mood. This show truly is FUN FOR ALL!

The KeyBank Broadway Series touring production of “Water For Elephants” will be on stage in the Connor Palace Theatre at Playhouse Square in Cleveland, Ohio through March 29, 2026. For more information and tickets go to https://www.playhousesquare.org/ or call (216) 241-6000.