The epic modern myth comes alive on Broadway through an innovative mix of animatronics, puppetry, music and stagecraft! It's 1931, the world is in the grip of the Great Depression, and New York City is a place of pressure, of desperation, but also of hope. Enter Ann Darrow, a fearless young actress with a will of steel and dreams that reach as high as the just-completed Empire State Building. After a brutal struggle just to stay on her feet, Ann finds her big break in the form of Carl Denham, a fast-talking filmmaker who promises to make her the star of his next big adventure movie. Throwing caution to the winds, she joins Carl on a voyage to the mysterious Skull Island. There, they encounter a wonder more astonishing than they could have possibly imagined: a 20-foot-tall, 2,000-pound ape known only as Kong.
To her surprise, Ann finds an unexpected kindred spirit in this magnificent, untameable creature. But when Carl hatches a plan to capture Kong and display him to the New York masses, she's faced with a terrible choice. Will Ann follow the call of her own ambition? Or can she find the strength to stand up for what's right? Roaring with heart-pounding action, KING KONG is a gripping and spectacular story of unlikely friendship, unshakable courage, and breaking free from the cages others put us in.
Directed and choreographed by Olivier winner Drew McOnie, KING KONG features an electrifying new score by Marius de Vries (La La Land) and Eddie Perfect (Beetlejuice The Musical), and a book by Jack Thorne, the Tony and Olivier Award-winning writer of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Don't miss this exhilarating, emotional encounter with a legend that's always been too big to contain.
"You've never seen anything like King Kong on stage. Ever." (Entertainment Weekly).
Just how horrifying is the new show? It has turned a self-respecting drama critic into a screaming Fay Wray. No, I'm not really afraid of being mauled to death by a giant ape in midtown Manhattan. But I am terrified of the monstrous concoction that has been cooked up in the international laboratory of mercenary producers eager to remake Broadway in the image of Barnum & Bailey.
Acting is basically beside the point, but, as guided, both leads give shrill, one-note performances. The creators are so intent on making Ann the opposite of Fay Wray's portrayal of a damsel in distress that she lacks the vulnerability that made the Ann-and-Kong love story click. Early on, as the ship departs New York Harbor, the scenery, stagecraft and video projections merge so beautifully, you think this show may lead to someplace special. Nope. 'King Kong' is less fun than a barrel of monkeys.
2018 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2019 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Projection Design | Peter England |
2019 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Puppet Design | Sonny Tilders |
2019 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical | King Kong |
2019 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Lighting Design | Peter Mumford |
2019 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Projection Design | Peter England |
2019 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Sound Design | Peter Hylenski |
2019 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Special Achievement Awards | Sonny Tilders |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Lighting Design of a Musical | Peter Mumford |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Scenic Design of a Musical | Peter England |
2019 | Tony Awards | Best Sound Design of a Musical | Peter Hylenski |
2019 | Tony Awards | Special Tony Awards | Sonny Tilders |
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