Life of Pi will make US debut as a play at Cambridge theater
CAMBRIDGE -- A beloved book and film is now an unforgettable theatrical experience that is about to make its U.S. debut at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge.
Life of Pi, which won five Olivier Awards in the United Kingdom, including Best Play, uses intricate puppets to tell the story.
"There's a whole load of impossible things to stage... but I think there's something exciting about trying to stage impossible things," said Director Max Webster.
A diverse cast of actors and puppeteers makes it all happen.
Scarlet Wilderink, the play's associate puppet and movement director said it's incredible to see the animals come to life right in front of you.
"The company here are just extraordinary. I'm really enjoying them bring it to life in their own way and having their version of the story," said Wilderink.
"It is such a phenomenal experience because I am in awe of the puppeteers every time O step into the rehearsal room with them," said Actor Adi Dixit.
Dixit plays Pi, a teenager stranded on a lifeboat with the animals after a shipwreck. He described the production as extremely detailed oriented.
"It's like a tango between me and the puppets because we kind of know the moves we have to do and set the baseline, but it's also like a living, breathing tango, that can change and has emotions and shifts," Dixit said.
Previews start at the Loeb Drama Center on December 4th and the play runs through January 29th before opening on Broadway in the spring.