Tampa Bay Times from St. Petersburg, Florida • 106

KaTonga from 26W 1 ftA): k. Photo by Joan Marcus. Butch Garden Tampa Bay Kipopo the caterpillar's journey of self-discovery leads her through encounters with grasshoppers and other insects. show ranged from a shortened ver-, sion. of the musical Doctor to a treatment of Noah's Ark.

He acknowledged the potential pitMs of wnk finally got the go-ahead. "We wanted to make a show that resonates and makes a statement about what Busch Gardens is," Frantz said. "So we got to animals and Africa and then we all said, you know, "How's this not going to be Lion King?" Curry probably has the most to lose from a prestige standpoint if that question hasn't been answered successfully. He is responsibie for a wide range of innovative design including a Cirque du Soleil show soon to open in Las Vegas, Taymor's upcoming production of The Magic Flute at the Metropolitan Opera and Mike Myers' hats in the movie The Cat in the Hat. But his big breakthrough came with The Lion King.

"You can understand my sensi- tivity to this subject" Curry said. "I know people wfll say, 'Oh, they're just ripping off The Lion King! No, we'renot And ifll be evident I feel gooaabout the outcome." Since 1993, Curry has been a consultant for puppetry at Disney theme parks, advising on parades and shows, including lion King-reiated attractions. sTve been very careful to keep a distinction between that show (The Lion King) and this show," Curry said of KaTonga. Tm doing what is "appropriate to tell these stories. At the same time, I've guarded the exclusivity of The Lion King and designed work that I feel supports this story but in any way isn't banking on the success or the tech- niqt-of The Lion King.

Tm self-monitoring myself." KaTonga's narrative style, which Frantz said was inspired by a visit to the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, helps to differentiate it from The Lion King. The Lion King was based on one linear story; this has this wonderful -potpourri of stories that are inter- twined," Curry said. "It's a variety of things as opposed to one consistent concept I think that's much more akin to the storytelling traditions of Africa. So in one sense, mis is a mors. African story.

It hasn't been made European hasn't been Dis-neyized." The Moroccan Palace is a key asset "As far as a theme park theater, mere's no other the-ater Eke this on the East Coast" said Frantz, who compared it with venerable Broadway theaters such as the Musk Box or the Ambassador, but with a larger stage and more wing space. The Moroccan Palace was extensively renovated, with a new stage and automated system for fights, sound and scenery, accounting for a sizabte chunk of the production's estimated cost of more than Boa lfs comparable to a medium-priced Broadway show in cost" College said. Frantz, who produced and directed shows at Disney World in the early 1990s, said it was a gen- -'7 7 something they know." Even with the familiar music of Bricusse and McFerrin, whose Ushers licensed the songs to the show, Frantz thinks the "killer number" is Celebrate the Light by Desmond Boone, the Busch Gardens music director who wrote the bulk of the score. this song doesn't get local air play, 11 be shocked," Frantz said. "If kids aren't competing to it in ice skating rinks, fH be surprised.

If just that good." Busch Gardens is also banking on the appeal of Curry's puppetry to children. Its trademark is what he calls the "duality" of seeing an actor manipulate an animal figure. "Kids really get this exposed puppetry thing," Curry said. They have the ability to just see the puppet or just see the actor. I've always been intrigued by that If like two performances going on at once." Stifl, is it possible that all this could be too sophisticated for families hot off the roller coasters on a summer day? Tm not sure, because this is the first time that we have done this," College said.

"I would think that parents would love the opportunity to introduce their kids to this." Ultimately, she sees KaTonga as an educational effort "I mink if important for children to be able to see this," College said. The percentage of people going to a rxTforming arts center is a small percentage of the general population. Here you have an opportunity to bring a Broadway-style show tome masses." John HtminQ on reached At (727) 893-8716 or flerrHnosptimexorri. erous budget "Busch has taken an outof-meiox risk to put up a show, and they put significant resources behind it," he said. The KaTonga company, which includes acrobats from China, is young.

The nonunion wages are $15 an hour for principals, $1L25 an hour for supporting players, with at least six-month contracts. They'll perform seven days a week, from three to seven shows a day. Theme park shows can be a grind, but College, a onetime dancer and 30-year veteran at Busch Gardens, defends them as an impor- -tant rung on the theatrical career ladder. "People look at the fact that we do so many shows a day as a negative," she said "I point out that it's a great field to hone your skills in. People who have been here have gone on to Broadway: The Lion King, Rent, Les Mz.

And some have made careers here." For all the "money and talent behind it KaTonga must appeal to theme park visitors who usually are drawn more for the rides and animals than for the To enhance the show's accessibility, two numbers are based on bit songs: Talk to the Animals, written by Leslie Bricusse for Doctor Doolittle, and Bobby McFerrin's Donl Worry, Be Happy. "People in a theme park audience, many of whom will be introduced to this level of theatrics for the first time, are used to hearing songs they know," Frantz said. "It became kind of a nice creative choice to deliver to them some tunes they would recognize, hi two locations, they get grounded with 'ft Storyteller Shade, played by Ramona Dunlap, sings an original song telling the story of Kilinda, an African crowned crane. 30 THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 2004 TIMES.