Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea is the stage adaptation of the classic Jules Verne Sci-Fi adventure, exploring the power of nature and the nature of power. Plunge into a multisensory experience with unforgettable characters, eye-popping projections and interactive audience technology. This family-friendly show encourages us to connect for the future. After a world premiere at the 2015 PanAm Games, the show was a hit Off-Broadway at The New Victory Theater on 42nd Street in NYC. “MAGICAL! A frisky adaptation of the Jules Verne sci-fi saga… The acting is never less than zesty and the use of projections is sometimes jaw dropping!” (NY Times). “The special effects are so compelling... you can't take your eyes off the stage!” (Toronto Star)
Join us aboard the Nautilus, on an unforgettable ride to the depths of the sea… and the edge of your seat.
Gallery images include workshop performances. PRESENTERS: For press Materials and hi-res photos or if you are interested in booking this show, please contact us.
Characters
A modern-day doctoral student who reenacts his favorite science fiction tale, Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, as part of his thesis. When he is transported into the pages of the story, taking on the role of the narrator, Jules, along with Professor Aronnax and Ned Land, is taken prisoner aboard the Nautilus. He idolizes Captain Nemo, the story’s antihero, and finds delight in controlling the outcome of the characters’ journey.
Claire Wells, Jules’s thesis advisor, is an expert in environmental research. Wells warns, “If the oceans die, we die.” In Jules’s reenactment, Wells becomes Professor Claire Arronax, an ichthyologist in search of an explanation for a series of incidents in which ships have been sunk by something undersea. Aronnax forms a bond with Captain Nemo, telling him that he could reemerge as “the savior that rescues all humankind from itself.”
A master harpoonist from Canada who joins the expedition to hunt down the “sea creature”. Ned cherishes freedom above all else, and believes that "a man’s not alive if he’s not free". When faced with a life aboard the Nautilus, Ned is particularly reluctant, and questions Nemo’s motives. Ned's drive to escape confinement plays a big role in the fate of his fellow passengers/prisoners.
The architect and builder of his electric-powered submarine, the Nautilus, Nemo is controlled and confident. He is intent on travelling to great lengths to create his own Utopian world, and to discover the mysteries that lie at the darkest depths of the ocean. Living in self-imposed exile from land and from modern civilization, and refusing to recognize law or governance, Nemo is driven to protect his vision and secrets at any cost.
We would like to thank and acknowledge funding support from the following:
