Picture courtesy of King Kong on Broadway
Behind the King’s Curtain
The theater show follows that of the original 1932 novel line that everyone knows and loves. The story follows a young actress, Ann Darrow, and a maverick filmmaker, Carl Denham, as they voyage from the depression-ridden streets of 1930s New York City through uncharted waters – ultimately landing on an island to capture the world’s greatest wonder. It’s the ultimate take on the classic Beauty and the Beast – with a beast that is so big in size he almost takes up the stage.
Ten of the talented puppeteers take a bow after the show with the KingKing of the Stage
The awe-inspiring creature was brought to life by an incredible team that fused state-of-the-art animatronic and robotic technology with a massive marionette puppet. The movements of his face are robotic – and controlled by stage hands with a joystick. The king’s body, arms and legs are controlled by puppeteers – but not just a couple of puppeteers dangling strings – King Kong’s movements were manipulated by MORE THAN A DOZEN (!) of these ninja-like puppeteers who were jumping all around the stage. These amazingly talented puppet magicians were pulling the wires and performing seriously advanced gymnastics to bring King Kong to life. King Kong seemed so alive it was uncanny. His eyes and eyebrows were expressive, the movements – perfection, and when he reared up onto his legs and let out a loud roar——the theater actually trembled. You feel as if you were right next to the real King Kong on Skull Island, sitting beside him in the jungle,
King Kong on Broadway brought the world of animatronics and puppetry to a degree never seen on stage before – and the theater world noticed. Tilders, the creature designer who developed King Kong for the show, was honored with the Helpmann Award, Australia’s highest theatrical honor, for Outstanding Theatrical Achievement.
We LOVED the show, and found ourselves absolutely mesmerized by King Kong himself. The realistic movements and emotion were incredible – and we couldn’t stop watching his every step. An entertaining and amazing experience we will never forget – this King is not to be missed.
Know Before you Go
- Recommended for 8 +. Children under the age of 4 are not permitted in the theatre.
- Booster seats are available for children. Inquire with the attendant upon entering the theater.
- The show runs 2 hours and 20 minutes, including one intermission.
- Coat room is available – however strollers are not allowed.
- There are drinks and very light snacks available at the theater (chips and candy only – no popcorn or other foods).
- Audience Experience seats are available for a premium cost. These seats are in the center first rows of the theater and offer a close-up encounter with the king himself.
King Kong on Broadway Tickets
King Kong on Broadway plays at the Broadway Theater – located at 1681 Broadway, between west 52nd street and 53rd streets. Tickets to King Kong are on sale through Telecharge.com, and start at $49. Save up to $50 per ticket for select day/performances by using the following link . Enter code KKPVM129 at checkout! Offer valid through performances through September 1st.
King Kong also offers a digital lottery which is open for all Monday through Friday performances. A limited number of tickets are available for $49 each and are sold the day of the performance. To enter, visit KingKongLottery.com. An in-person rush is also available at the Broadway Theatre for all performances, including weekends. Seats may be partial view and are subject to availability.
This post is made possible by support from King Kong Broadway. As always, all opinions are my own.
