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Monday, October 05, 2026
Young actors living best lives on Broadway tour for first time in ‘Water for Elephants’
Oregon ArtsWatch: To be a young 20-something actor and traveling and working on your first Broadway tour is quite an exciting time, said lead actor Zachary Keller of Water for Elephants.
I agree with the fascination and majesty of theatre being able to “look in the audience and see kids getting excited or people acting like kids, like it’s the circus.” The magic that theatre creates, pulling you in for a few hours, is unforgettable and truly magical. Water for Elephants seems like a musical that is both happy and sad, exploring the possibilities of life after losing a home. It’s also great to hear that many Broadway shows now give young actors breaks, as they are given the chance to focus on shaping one character while also being exposed to opportunities to take on other roles and strengthen their skill sets and experience. I’d love to check out this musical, as it embarks on a journey of exploration and loss, which I hope I can resonate with as I experience similar feelings while moving into college.
It is deeply exciting to see the joy and gratitude actor Zachary Keller holds for his role in the current Broadway National Tour of Water for Elephants. This article made me think about the whole sense of “big breaks” in the theater industry. It feels incredibly poignant and relevant as a first-year design student, and it speaks to the hope and dream alike of being able to “make it big.” Moreover, this article resonated even more deeply because the musical Water for Elephants is derived from Pig Pen Theatre Co., a company that was founded during their time here at the School of Drama. From what I understand, Pig Pen had some of their innovative moments during Playground. Funny enough, Playground approvals came out this morning. So in the end, this article gave room for reflection and admiration. I personally hope to be able to see Water for Elephants in the near future, and it will be neat to view it with this depth of knowledge behind its creation.
2 comments:
I agree with the fascination and majesty of theatre being able to “look in the audience and see kids getting excited or people acting like kids, like it’s the circus.” The magic that theatre creates, pulling you in for a few hours, is unforgettable and truly magical. Water for Elephants seems like a musical that is both happy and sad, exploring the possibilities of life after losing a home. It’s also great to hear that many Broadway shows now give young actors breaks, as they are given the chance to focus on shaping one character while also being exposed to opportunities to take on other roles and strengthen their skill sets and experience. I’d love to check out this musical, as it embarks on a journey of exploration and loss, which I hope I can resonate with as I experience similar feelings while moving into college.
It is deeply exciting to see the joy and gratitude actor Zachary Keller holds for his role in the current Broadway National Tour of Water for Elephants. This article made me think about the whole sense of “big breaks” in the theater industry. It feels incredibly poignant and relevant as a first-year design student, and it speaks to the hope and dream alike of being able to “make it big.” Moreover, this article resonated even more deeply because the musical Water for Elephants is derived from Pig Pen Theatre Co., a company that was founded during their time here at the School of Drama. From what I understand, Pig Pen had some of their innovative moments during Playground. Funny enough, Playground approvals came out this morning. So in the end, this article gave room for reflection and admiration. I personally hope to be able to see Water for Elephants in the near future, and it will be neat to view it with this depth of knowledge behind its creation.
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