Find additional photos of Friday’s performance here.
Despite becoming extinct 65 million years ago, dinosaurs roared onto the Bowlus Fine Arts Center stage Friday evening, delighting show-goers of all ages for the “Dinosaur World Live” interactive show.
The show is led by perky guide Miranda (played by the talented Selin Balcioglu) as she introduces the audience to a host of dinosaurs. Setting the scene, Miranda noted that back in the “ancient times” — the 1990s — her parents met at a natural history museum, where they studied dinosaurs. Having heard of an island just off the coast of Argentina where enormous creatures “could swallow ships whole,” her family and a team of paleontologists set sail.
Treacherous conditions wrecked the ship and the crew washed ashore the island. After taking 25 days to repair their ship, the family returned with some of the dinosaurs they discovered there.
Among Miranda’s new friends were Juliet, a towering segnosaurus. Miranda explained the segnosaurus (meaning “slow lizard”) is an herbivore.
Talented puppeteers helped steer the otherwise gangly dinosaurs across the stage.
Audience participation was an integral part of the show, beginning with one audience member being selected to feed leaves to a hesitant Juliet. After a few nibbles, Juliet warmed up to the audience member and even allowed him to pet her.
One particularly endearing moment of the show was when a young audience member named Atlas took to the stage to pet a baby triceratops. As he reached for the sleeping baby dinosaur, the triceratops let out a little growl, and Atlas jerked his hand back. This displayed just how magical and believable the show was for the young audience.
After introducing the baby version of a triceratops, Miranda brought out the impressive adult version. Bellowing out a low grumble, Brutus got the young show-goers up on their feet in excitement. Giggles filled the auditorium as Miranda demonstrated how Brutus liked to be tickled behind his frill — the backside of his neck.
Next up, Miranda introduced a baby tyrannosaurus rex. The rambunctious little dinosaur chased Miranda around the stage, resulting in her selecting an audience member to take it for a walk on a leash. Miranda followed up the adult version of tyrannousaurus rex. The formidable Titus thundered onto the stage, letting out a huge roar that sent shrieks of excitement from kids and adults alike.
The show’s high energy level kept the audience engaged and eager to see more. The puppeteers should also not go without mention. When a cast can make the scene so believable, that the young audience forgets there is even a puppeteer behind the dinosaurs’ every move, it is something truly magical.
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