Nemo … that ’ s a nice name . PHOTO BY LAURIE SAPP
BY DANNY SHUSTER
Finding Nemo — the Musical first delighted fans when it took up residency in the Theater in the Wild at Disney ’ s Animal Kingdom in 2007 . For 15 years , the show brought the story of Nemo , Marlin , Dory , and the rest of the tank gang to the stage with larger-than-life puppetry , rich and vibrant costumes , and infectious tunes . After a brief hiatus , the show returned in June 2022 with refreshed visuals , a tighter run time , and a new name .
PHOTO BY DANNY SHUSTER
We spoke with Katrina Mena Rick , Creative Producer at Disney Live Entertainment , about the changes to ( renamed ) Finding Nemo : The Big Blue … And Beyond ! According to Mena Rick , the biggest update is the stage itself , with a brand-new LED wall — a technology that didn ’ t exist when Disney designed the original show . For the updated version , show designers had more than 64 million pixels to play with and could add enhanced light and projections all around the stage and proscenium .
“ As a mom , I can tell you that I feel Marlin ’ s anxiety of losing his son a lot more because of the faster pace … there ’ s more energy there ,” Mena Rick told us .
Big production numbers such as “ In the Big Blue World , and “ Go With the Flow ” still anchor the show . And at 25 minutes , the new run time is easier to fit into your plans .
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The show may have new special effects , but the triedand-true puppetry ( and other favorites ) remain . PHOTO BY LAURIE SAPP
“ It all ties into a brand-new aesthetic that is a paper sculpt with watercolor texture . We worked really closely — video , art , and scenic — to create pieces that were all cohesive … pieces that extend the physical set in a digital way .”
The heart of the story is the same , but the creative team trimmed a bit out of the overall run time .