Dates: June – September 2009
Initially seeming like a spoof press release, this show soon burst into life. The show replaced Fear Factor Live in the Castle Theatre, and was timed to catch the publicity surrounding the anticipated remake of the 1954 classic Universal horror. However, the remake has been in development since 2005, and although Breck Eisner was attached at one point, the production has currently stalled.
The show closed on September 7th 2009 for the season, and never reopened.
Official Blurb
‘A Raging Rockin” New Show!
Rock out at Universal Studios Hollywood’s Creature from the Black Lagoon, a raging, rockin’ new show! Travel deep into the remote Amazon and follow the Creature as he tries to win the heart of the beautiful, but reluctant, Kay.
You’ll fall in love and die laughing at this hysterically-twisted, live spectacular!
Due to content, this show is not recommended for guests under 13 years old.
Facts
Running Time: 25 minutes
Seating Capacity: 1700 seats
Opening Date: 1 July 2009
Closing Date: 7 September 2009
Songs
There are four new songs that have been composed for the show:
- ‘Black Lagoon’ – the opening number which introduces the cast and sets the story in motion.
- ‘Slay Me’ – Kay’s solo performance during her choreographed swimming sequence with Gill.
- ‘Prime Evil’ – the ensemble piece that tells the story of Kay’s kidnapping by Gill.
- ‘Strange New Hunger’ – a romantic duet between Kay and Gill.
Characters
- Kay: a beautiful and brilliant scientist.
- David: Kay’s emotionally detached scientist-fiancé
- Mark: an obnoxious rich kid obsessed with capturing the creature
- Captaina Miranda: An exotic voodoo queen who is also the ships captain.
- Ensemble: two dancer/actors who portray several characters/victims of the Creature.
- Gill: The Creature
Creative Team
- Original Director: Gerard Alessandrini (best known for creating, writing and directing all editions of Forbidden Broadway and Forbidden Hollywood)
- Producer: Marc Routh (Broadway credits include, Little Shop of Horrors, Gypsy, Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein and The Producers)
- Book by: Jonathan Tolins, from the motion picture ‘Creature from the Black Lagoon’
- Music by: Fred Barton
- Additional Music by: Peter Fish
- Lyrics by: Barton, Fish, Ross Osterman, Gerard Alessandrini
- Choreographer / Director: Lynne Taylor-Corbett (credits include Footloose, starring Kevin Bacon and Bewitched, starring Nicole Kidman)
- Scenic Designer: James Youmans (credits include Broadway’s West Side Story and Gypsy, starring Patti LuPone as well as Barry Manilow’s Showstoppers International Tour)
- Creature and Puppet Designer: Michael Curry (one of the world’s leading production designers and whose credits boast The Lion King the 1996 and 2002 Olympic opening and closing ceremonies and Cirque du Solei).
- Fly Sequence Designer: Paul Rubin (accomplishments include elaborate aerial stunts for Wicked, Peter Pan, and the Tony Awards)
- Costumes: Fabio Toblini
- Lighting: Tom Ruzika
- Sound: Phillip G. Allen
- Projections: Michael Carone
- Musical Director: Michael Kevin Farrell
TV Commercial
The house / street featured in this commercial is Elm Street just down the hill from Colonial Street on the Universal backlot.
Video of full show
From our friends at Inside Universal
Press Release – 2 June 2008
Drawn from Universal’s crypt of classic monsters and updated with spectacular Broadway production values and special effects, “Creature from the Black Lagoon – The Musical,” will rise, live, on stage at Universal Studios Hollywood beginning spring, 2009.
With state-of-the-art stagecraft, acrobatic choreography and hilarious, toe-tapping music, the Creature will be brought to life in a story based on the original screenplay, updated to emphasize the element of romance and just a bit of comic relief. Original new music and dazzling production numbers will keep the attraction contemporary and lively.
Audiences will be immersed in the ominous environment of the deepest Amazon, enveloped by the exotic sounds and scents of the jungle. And from the production’s first moments, they’ll be thrust into an unexpectedly outraegeous, strangely romantic, frequently melodic and often hilarious adventure as a monster classic is re-imagined for the 21st Century.
Creature from the Black Lagoon – The Musical, will be staged as an attraction within the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park. Admission will be included in the price of theme park tickets and annual passes.
Press Release – early 2009
Universal Studios Hollywood, The Entertainment Capital Of L.A., Presents Creature From The Black Lagoon Raging Rockin’ Show, A Hip, Musical Adaptation Of Universal’s Horror Classic.
Universal Studios Hollywood introduces Creature from The Black Lagoon Raging Rockin’ Show, featuring an all-original score and dazzling Broadway-level production values in a hip, musical stage adaptation of the Universal horror classic, opening exclusively at The Entertainment Capital of L.A. on July 1.
The new musical attraction has an approximate 25 minute running time and a storyline that has been updated from the original screenplay to infuse romance and comic relief with extravagant stagecraft, acrobatic choreography and a hilarious and contemporary musical score certain to keep the production moving at a sizzling pace.
Audiences will be immersed within a menacing Amazon environment, completely enveloped by the exotic sounds of the jungle as they watch the twisted love story between beauty and beast unfold. From the production’s first moments, guests will be thrust into an unexpectedly outrageous, bizarrely romantic, melodic and often outlandishly comic adventure as this monster classic is re-imagined for the 21st Century.
Creature from the Black Lagoon Raging Rockin’ Show is being realized for the stage by Universal Creative and an award-winning theatrical production team drawing from the best of Broadway that includes Director Gerard Alessandrini, best known for creating, writing and directing all editions of Forbidden Broadway and Forbidden Hollywood; Tony Award nominated Choreographer Lynne Taylor-Corbett, whose credits include Footloose, starring Kevin Bacon and Bewitched, starring Nicole Kidman; Scenic Designer James Youmans, whose credits include Broadway’s West Side Story and Gypsy, starring Patti LuPone as well as Barry Manilow’s Showstoppers International Tour; Creature & Puppet Designer Michael Curry, one of the world’s leading production designers and whose credits boast The Lion King the 1996 and 2002 Olympic opening and closing ceremonies and Cirque du Soleil, Fly Sequence Designer Paul Rubin, whose accomplishments include elaborate aerial stunts for Wicked, Peter Pan, and the Tony Awards and Producer Marc Routh, whose Broadway credits include, Little Shop of Horrors, Gypsy, Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein and The Producers.