I was acutely aware of the noises coming from the audience during opening night of Water for Elephants, the Broadway musical presented at The Buell Theatre. There were guffaws, ooo’s and awww’s, gasps, groans and cheers. Why such a range? Because the show drags you through comedy, outrage, horror, amazement and compassion.
Some In Good Taste Denver readers may already be familiar with the Water for Elephants storyline, from the book by Sara Gruen, or the movie starring Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson and Christoph Waltz. So, you may already know that Water for Elephants is no delightful trip to see the circus.
It does lift you to heights with the absolutely amazing feats of the acrobats on stage. They literally take up the ample vertical stage space, doing things you just can’t believe are doable for the human body like spinning horizontally, by one hand, while on a rope that is being spun by people on the ground. Or hanging by the back of the neck from silky straps while swinging gracefully back and forth. Or being tossed in the air, doing flips, landing perfectly on the steady platform of hands of a fellow acrobat. By far, the fun and amazement of seeing these acrobatic performers is the most positive thing about Water for Elephants. Yes, there are some humorous moments, primarily provided by actor Tyler West. And the singing throughout is fantastic. But the rest of the time, dang, the show is just so hard to watch!
As with any book, movie, TV show or theater production, if the performances are good enough, the audience slips into the emotion and situations, trying it all on and taking it all in, albeit temporarily. You find yourself identifying with certain characters, feeling the emotions they are feeling. That certainly happens with Water for Elephants, which is why it’s so difficult.
There’s the abusive marriage of the Ring Master, August, portrayed perfectly by Connor Sullivan, and his wife Marlena, the star of the show, portrayed by Helen Krushinski. August is just a bastard who revels in watching his wife bond with Jacob Jankowski, played by Zachary Keller, just so he can use that ammunition to attack them both.
The anger and resentment of Wade, played by Grant Huneycutt, August’s “security guard/thug” of sorts, is palpable. His personal failures make him August’s personal puppet, forcing him to do things he knows are horrible.
Zachary Keller, as young Jacob Jankowski, is top-notch. He is high-energy, with a beautiful and powerful voice and a believable, wide range of emotions. Robert Tully’s performance is strong and heartbreaking as Jacob Jankowski’s elder self who is recalling his time with the circus throughout the show while battling his own failing mind. He and Keller frequently share the stage. Coincidentally, we just saw this older and younger self concept not long ago on this very stage during The Notebook. It’s a technique that merges time, space and reality, taking advantage of our natural inclinations to look back at our lives.
My discomfort swimming in the negativity of the storyline of Water for Elephants was only countered by some of the clever techniques (and, of course, the amazing acrobatics). The circus moves from city to city by train so, repeatedly, scaffolding and platforms “suggest” train cars and the communal, subtle movements of the actors convey the movement of the train through slight bouncing and coordinated movement from side to side. Running to grab the ladder and hop on the moving train is done believably. Rosie, the elephant’s body is totally believable despite being a puppet run by visible humans and a patchwork fabric body. A scene of a fatal car crash, with slow-mo movement of the car’s occupants and car parts is stunning and a gut-punch. But perhaps the loveliest is the movement of a white horse that asks us to completely suspend all reality in favor of creative and ethereal beauty.
I found myself saying, “I’m not sure how I feel about this” repeatedly while watching the show. Although I felt plenty of amazement over the acrobatic feats, I left feeling more anger and sadness than anything else. Did I need that in this day and age? No. Am I still recommending In Good Taste Denver readers go see it? Yes, because getting spun about emotionally with this show is still worth your time.
Water for Elephants plays the Buell Theatre Feb. 11-22, 2026. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the website. Per the website, know that denvercenter.org is the official ticket provider for these productions in Denver. Lottery tickets are occasionally available through luckyseat.com. Tickets purchased from any other source will not be displayed here and may be lost, stolen, fake, or otherwise violate their terms or policies.
-By Courtney Drake-McDonough, Publisher & Managing Editor of In Good Taste Denver
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