Broadway’s latest sensation, Water for Elephants, takes heart degree now not just for its superb performances but additionally for its outstanding portrayals of animals via the usage of realistic puppets and fascinating particular results. Because the curtains upward thrust in this cutting edge musical, PETA is proud to provide its prestigious Pony Award—the group’s play at the Tony Awards—honoring essentially the most animal-friendly theater productions.
That includes Rosie the elephant, a canine, a camel, a peacock, llamas, and large cats, the display comes alive with surprising visuals that captivate audiences with out exploiting a unmarried are living animal. The manufacturing additionally accommodates tough messaging about how animals undergo in circuses—together with a showman’s admission that “Humane doesn’t promote seats!”—and showcases dazzling human performances, akin to acrobatics, aerial dancing, and ropedancing.
“The Water for Elephants manufacturing crew’s imaginative and prescient and artistry take heart degree with gorgeous animal renderings that spare inclined sentient beings exploitation. PETA encourages everybody within the leisure trade to practice its instance via bringing animals to the degree and display screen via creativity, now not cruelty.”
—PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange
Animals used within the leisure trade are taken from their moms as young children and crushed as a way to drive them to discover ways to obey out of concern of punishment. The 2011 movie model of Water for Elephants featured an elephant named Tai, who, as this video displays, used to be crushed and electroshocked after being kidnapped from her house in nature and bought to infamous Hollywood exhibitors Kari and Gary Johnson. Handlers in most cases use bullhooks—heavy fireside poker–like guns with a pointy steel hook on one finish—to “damage,” beat, and terrorize elephants, prompting the musical’s protagonist to proclaim that they must be unlawful.
Because the curtain rises on Water for Elephants, let’s applaud now not most effective its creative brilliance but additionally its dedication to compassion. In an international through which leisure incessantly comes on the expense of animals, Water for Elephants stands as a shining instance of what will also be completed via creativity, empathy, and innovation.
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In the event you witness animal abuse or forget all through the making of a movie, a tv display, or a Broadway manufacturing or at an animal-training facility, please touch us instantly right here.
Observe: “Tony” and “Tony Awards” are registered logos of American Theatre Wing Inc., which isn’t affiliated or related to PETA, nor does it endorse, sponsor, or another way approve of PETA or PETA’s Pony Awards.