Australia to Host World Premiere of How to Train Your Dragon Arena Spectacular

Lucy Graham joined the media pack at the Hisense Arena in Melbourne, Australia, this morning (March 7, 2012), in order to meet the stars, in advance of the world premiere of the How to Train Your Dragon Arena Spectacular.

After three months of rehearsals, Director Nigel Jamieson is "not getting too much sleep," saying that while the show is completely safe, there are so many interconnected computer cues that even the slightest glitch has the potential to bring the show undone. While the show is completely safe,

The Hisense Arena is a tremendously expansive and multi-dimensional stage. And it absolutely needs to be in order to make room for the show's celebrities. This morning, there were twenty-four dragons that were much larger than their human counterparts, who were vying for our attention.

One kilogram is carried by each of the five largest dragons. 6 tons, which is roughly equivalent to the weight of a typical family automobile, and each requires three operators: one driver and two voodoo puppeteers, with one manipulating head, tail, and gross motor movement, and the other manipulating minor movements such as eyes, mouth, and roars. Each of these voodoo puppets is also known as a voodoo doll.

RZO Dragon Productions, Global Creatures, the company responsible for the phenomenally successful Walking with Dinosaurs-The Arena Spectacular, and Dreamworks Theatricals have collaborated creatively to bring the How to Train Your Dragon – Arena Spectacular to the world for its World Premiere. Global Creatures was also responsible for the production of Walking with Dinosaurs-The Arena Spectacular.

Global Creatures CEO Carmen Pavlovic referred to the partnership as "fusing our own world-class technology with the vision and dedication of a company renowned for its cutting edge creativity and storytelling skill." ’ 

The story of How to Train Your Dragon is based on the 2010 animated film of the same name by DreamWorks, which grossed approximately $500 million worldwide. The film is set in a Viking village, where a young boy named Hiccup challenges his village's established attitude toward dragons, which views dragons as creatures to be feared and, as a result, slain by the heroic dragon-slayers.

Auditions for the roles of humans were held in 13 cities across the world, and ultimately, the roles were given to two young Australian actors. According to Jamieson, "We went all over the world and auditioned 2,000 people, and guess where we ended up." ’

Rarmian Newton, originally from the city of Geelong in Victoria, was cast in the role of Hiccup in the 2008 production of Billy Elliot the Musical. As part of his performance, he will be required to race around the arena on the back of a dragon, be caught in mid-air, and even hang from a dragon's fin. Riley Miner, a young actor from Hollywood, and Newton both appear in the role.

Sarah McCreanor, a Queensland native who is only nineteen years old, is the one who plays the part of Astrid. She was chosen for the role due to her "impressive speed and prowess as a physical performer." Gemma Nguyen, an American stunt performer who holds a third degree Black Belt and is a six-time world champion in Tae Kwon Do, and she share the role.

How to Train Your Dragon will have a cast and crew of 80 people, including circus and acrobatic performers, and an innumerable number of technicians. It will also make extensive use of projection, pyrotechnics, music, and fire, and it will need at least forty semi-trailers to take it on tour.

The Australian premiere of How to Train Your Dragon will take place in Melbourne until March 11 before moving on to Sydney (March 16-25), Brisbane (March 28-April 1), Auckland, and the United States.  

Check out this review written by Lucy Graham at this link: www.stagewhispers.com.au/reviews/world-premiere-how-train-your-dragon-arena-spectacular.

Our Earlier Coverage

Where Size, and Only Size, Really Does Matter Theatre

At the premiere of a mega-production that will tour the world and cost $20 million, Frank Hatherley "meets" two dragons and a Hollywood legend.

It all depends on how big it is. The authors of Stage Whispers have a keen awareness of unconventional performance spaces, intimate platforms, and low-budget creativity. It is not typical for us to work with budgets of $20 million, rehearsal spaces the size of football fields, or giant computer-assisted props.

However, my editor assures me that it is still theater, so off I trot to the public relations launch of How to Train Your Dragon Arena Spectacular, the even more expensive follow-up to Walking with Dinosaurs – The Arena Spectacular. I am to "meet the cast" as well as a "stunning never before seen dragon" because today is "the first day of rehearsals."

When I get to the Fox Studios in Sydney, I join the throng of camera crews and videographers that are waiting outside of Sound Stage 7. Instantaneous widespread publicity: convincing the neighborhood press to "please, please take notice of our show" is obviously not a challenge in this context. There is a struggle for position among the tall sound guys, all of whom have their earphones in.

The enormous 3,400 square meter rehearsal space known as Sound Stage 7 was built inside the structure that formerly housed the impressive Commemorative Pavilion at the Easter Show. This rehearsal space is soundproofed, air-conditioned, and features soaring arches. What would the daily rate be to rent something like this? At one end, a dozen young gymnasts and circus performers with flexibility beyond anyone's comprehension were spinning, flipping, and performing martial arts moves. One young lady was seen floating through the air while attached to a harness.

Dinosaurs were popular all over the world. It is a co-production between The RZO Companies of New York and the animatronics experts at Global Creatures, based in Melbourne, Australia, and it has just finished a five-year world tour. According to this passage, the production "played to 6 5 million people and has collected more than 350 million dollars at the gate. It's no wonder that they have such a large budget for the sequel.

Now, Dragon welcomes on board an exciting new partner in the form of DreamWorks Theatricals. This show is based on the hit movie that was released in 2010 by DreamWorks Animation, which had a worldwide gross of $500 million. Jeffrey Katzenberg, a legendary figure in Hollywood who was formerly the CEO of Disney and is now the CEO of DreamWorks, is present and active in Sound Stage 7. He is a dapper gentleman with a trim and bespectacled appearance, and he "just loves" traveling to Australia.

Nigel Jamieson is the director of the new show as well as the adaptor. After directing a portion of the Opening Ceremony for the Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000, he went on to create the opening and closing ceremonies for the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. He's also done some striking work with the proscenium arch. His performance of Gallipoli at the STC in 2008 was one to remember. Perhaps I should inquire as to whether or not he misses performing on conventional stages.

Now, Jamieson, who is wearing a t-shirt and is much more relaxed than Katzenberg, is in charge. He diverts the attention of the camera crews away from the gymnasts who are practicing in order to present Gronckle, the star dragon of the event. Jamieson says, "We've only had him for a day, so he doesn't yet have all his bells and whistles," which translates to "he doesn't yet have all his bells and whistles." " Down the lengthy space, with booming background music and amplified roaring, stomps the undeniably impressive giant puppet, animatronic, or robot.

Gronckle is being driven at floor level by an operator in what looks like a camouflaged go-kart, but he sure looks like he's walking on his four thick legs despite the fact that he is in a vehicle. He has wings, eyes that move in an evil way, and teeth that gleam as if they've just finished chewing on something revolting for breakfast. He exhales large volumes of smoke that are in time with the roars. It would appear that he will also exhale convincing fire when the time comes.

Following Gronckle is Nadder, a comedy dragon (as indicated by the tinkly soundtrack), who has teeny wings and a rather menacing discharge hole at the back of his body. I have noticed that when the background music is turned off, the movements of each dragon sound very much like the one made by my electric mower from Bunnings.

During the course of the action, I notice the elevated platform that is occupied by the technicians. These individuals are referred to as "Voodoo Puppeteers." Their deft hand movements, which are controlled by wireless and remote-controlled joysticks, are responsible for every facet of a dragon's performance. Each dragon is equipped with a driver and two vice presidents. How many stagehands and technicians are required to keep the show running smoothly? According to the press materials, there will be a total of eighty people in the touring cast and crew.

I also make a mental note of the enormous ceiling grid, which consists of three rings that have been hung above the studio floor. Soon, dragons will take to the skies, most likely piloted by their human companions who have been trained for the circus. I later find out that the location hasn't been rented out for a day or a week: silly me, it's theirs for the next three months.

As the television crews move in for their close ups, I join the line to speak with the two young Australian leads (Rarmian Newton and Sarah McCreanor; seen here meeting the Egg Biter; photographer: Jim Lee), as well as the director Jamieson. I have made the decision not to bother Katzenberg, who I overheard expressing his "excitement" at this "spectacular version" of an "enduring story." I listened in on his conversation with Channels 7 and 9. I don't know what else he's going to say. It is highly unlikely that he will ever reveal the details surrounding his divorce from Disney to me.

The actors have similar reactions, such as being "thrilled," "blown away," etc. , I make the decision to spend my two minutes with Jamieson, who is juggling the PR madness with the keen professionalism of a blue-eyed hawk.

Yes, he is extremely enthusiastic about arena theater: "with all these wonderful toys to play with, we'll be pushing technologies to new limits." " And the projections; he's got sixty square meters of screens behind the action, and one thousand square meters of floor underneath it. " The world tour will begin in March in Melbourne, and he will see the show once every three months throughout the course of the next five years. It's time for my Stage Whispers question: does he forget about the proscenium arch? He casts a sardonic glance my way. "Not in the least." Now I can bring the magic of the theater to people who may never have the opportunity to visit the STC or some other theater. Recently, I attended the Dinosaur Show in Bangkok, which was held previously. In just one week, 100,000 people were exposed to it. ” But

He's gone There are more TV cameras to come.

I bid farewell to the great hall, where I spent many happy years watching the Easter Show. I have no doubt that this is going to be a significant performance. Big big big Really big However, is it a Theatre?

The How to Train Your Dragon Arena Spectacular will be performing at the Hisense Arena in Melbourne from March 2 through March 11, at the Acer Arena in Sydney from March 15 through March 25, and at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre from March 18 through April 1. After that, it will travel to Auckland before beginning its tour of the United States in June.

Tickets, which are now available, start at $19 each. 90 to 90

Originally released in the print edition of Stage Whispers for the months of January and February in 2012

More coverage from earlier on.

An exclusive television special titled "How to Train Your Dragon Comes to Life" was broadcast on the Seven Network the night before the world premiere of the How to Train Your Dragon Arena Spectacular.

This one-hour television special is an exclusive look behind the scenes of the making of the How to Train Your Dragon Arena Spectacular. This arena production is based on the critically acclaimed computer-animated feature film How to Train Your Dragon, which was produced by DreamWorks. In a live entertainment event that has never been done before, the promotion promises to bring to life dragons that can fly and breathe fire.

The one-hour television special, which will be broadcast across the country at six o'clock The cast and crew of the show will be seen preparing for the show's world premiere in Melbourne in March at 7:30 p.m. local time on Saturday, February 4th. Toothless, the dark-colored dragon who plays the lead role in the show and has piercing eyes and a friendly disposition, will be presented to the audience at some point.

The audience will also get a glimpse into what it takes to bring these legendary beasts to life through the use of animatronics and 'voodoo' puppetry, as well as how these enormous creatures are brought to life through theatrical magic and ground breaking engineering. In addition, the entire cast, as well as the audience's favorite dragons from the movie, will make an appearance.

Cast members Rarmian Newton, Riley Miner, Sarah McCreanor, and Gemma Nguyen look at various aspects of the production and how the engineers and creative team mount a spectacle of this size. The cast members examine everything from the enormous wall-to-floor projections to the incredible flying rig to the dragons themselves.  

Dreamworks Animation Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Katzenberg, award-winning theater director Nigel Jamieson, and Creature designer Sonny Tilders also take viewers behind the scenes for a rare look at how theatrical magic can transform an arena stage into a mythical world filled with dragons, vikings, and other images that will leave audiences in awe.

In March of 2012, the How to Train Your Dragon Arena Spectacular will make its debut in Melbourne, marking the beginning of its world tour.

Pictured: Sarah McCreanor and Rarmian Newton interacting with the Deadly Nadder Jim Lee is the photographer.

Our Primary Insurance Coverage

GLOBAL CREATURES AND DREAMWORKS BRING HIGH-FLYING FIRE-BREATHING DRAGONS TO LIFE IN HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON THE ARENA SPECTACULAR

AUSTRALIA WILL HOST THE WORLD TOUR PREMIERES IN MARCH 2012

DreamWorks Theatricals and Global Creatures, the creators of the phenomenon Walking with Dinosaurs – The Arena Spectacular, are collaborating to bring high-flying dragons that breathe fire to life as part of an unprecedented live entertainment event that will be performed for audiences all over the world. The film How to Train Your Dragon, which was nominated for an Academy Award and was produced by DreamWorks Animation, served as the inspiration for the epic arena adventure How to Train Your Dragon Arena Spectacular.

Hisense Arena in Melbourne will host performances from March 2 until March 11, Acer Arena in Sydney will host performances from March 15 until March 25, and the Brisbane Entertainment Centre will host performances from March 28 until April 1. After that, the show will travel to Auckland, New Zealand, before beginning its season in the United States in June of 2012.

"In our film, audiences around the world were transported to the mythical world of Vikings and Dragons... and now, we are excited to immerse them in a one-of-a-kind live event in How To Train Your Dragon Arena Spectacular," said Jeffrey Katzenberg, Chief Executive Officer of DreamWorks Animation. "In our film, audiences around the world were transported to the mythical world of Vikings and Dragons," said Jeffrey Katzenberg, Chief Executive Officer of DreamWorks Animation.

"This story will take audiences to unforgettable new heights thanks to the innovative team at Global Creatures and the creative storytellers at DreamWorks Animation, who have done an inspired job in every imaginable way to present this story on an unprecedented scale." ”

The Chief Executive Officer of Global Creatures, Carmen Pavlovic, provided the following explanation: "Working with DreamWorks has brought us into a relationship with one of the world's leading entertainment companies." Through this partnership, we are able to combine our own world-class technology with the vision and dedication of a company that is well-known for its innovative creativity and adept storytelling ability. We are ecstatic to break new ground in terms of what people have come to expect from entertainment by producing a show that not only thrills and mystifies audiences, but also connects with them on an emotional level. This show will feature performers of the highest caliber from around the world and incredible staging. ”

The live production is based on the phenomenally successful film How to Train Your Dragon, which was released by DreamWorks Animation in 2010 and grossed approximately $500 million all over the world at the box office. It was also one of the movies released in 2010 that received the best reviews. The How to Train Your Dragon Arena Spectacular will provide audiences from all over the world with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the world of How to Train Your Dragon in a one-of-a-kind, live theatrical event that promises to break every rule of traditional arena entertainment. This event will take place in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Arena. The audience will be transported into a magical and mythical world of Vikings and Dragons when they watch this cutting-edge production, which features dragons that breathe fire and soar through the air. The astounding cast of characters includes 24 Dragons, some of which have wingspans of up to 14 meters, Viking warriors and villagers, and world-class circus and acrobatic performers. Some of the dragons have wingspans of up to 14 meters. Unparalleled production values, projections, flying, stunts, circus performers, fire, and pyrotechnics will be featured in the arena spectacular. The How to Train Your Dragon Arena Spectacular will be one of the largest theatrical arena productions ever to go on tour, and in order to move the production around Australia, an unprecedented 40 semi-trailers will be required.

The How to Train Your Dragon Arena Spectacular is an original story that is set in the mythical world of burly Vikings and wild dragons, and it is based on the book written by Cressida Cowell. The story features fire-breathing action, epic adventure, and laughs, and it is presented in an arena setting. The story revolves around Hiccup, a teenage Viking who doesn't quite fit in with the long-standing tradition of brave dragon slayers held by his tribe. When Hiccup comes face to face with a dragon, his entire world is turned upside down because the dragon challenges him and his fellow Vikings to look at the world from an entirely new perspective.

Sonny Tilders and his team at The Creature Technology Company are responsible for the creation of the dragons that appear in the How to Train Your Dragon Arena Spectacular. Sonny Tilders's previous work brought to life the breathtaking and lifelike dinosaurs that appeared in the Walking With Dinosaurs – the Arena Spectacular. Reincarnations of all of the fans' favorite characters from the DreamWorks Animation film are featured in the cast of 24 Dragons. These characters include Nadder, Gronckle, Nightmare, Toothless the Nightfury, and Red Death, who is the single largest animatronic creature that The Creature Technology Company has ever produced.  

"How to Train Your Dragon Arena Spectacular will incorporate everything we learned from Walking with Dinosaurs while taking the technology to a brand new level," said Creature Designer Tilders. "How To Train Your Dragon Arena Spectacular" is scheduled to premiere in 2019. By employing cutting-edge computer software, we are able to coax these creatures into performing in ways that, in the past, we would have considered to be impossible. We have created a show that not only takes place on the arena floor below you, but also in the air above you, thanks to the use of computer-controlled flying systems. ”

Nigel Jamieson, a leading theatre director and writer, as well as Peter England, an Australian production designer who has won multiple awards, and Dan Potra, a leading theatre, film, and opera designer, are among the members of the creative team.

Compositions on the score were written by Icelandic singer-songwriter Jonsi of Sigur Ros and Oscar-nominated British film composer John Powell, who was responsible for creating the original score for the feature film How to Train Your Dragon, which was also nominated for an Academy Award.

(Taken from the official press release) )

On Friday, August 19, tickets for the How to Train Your Dragon Arena Spectacular will be available for purchase at Ticketek.com.au or by calling 132 849.  

Prices for tickets start at $49 each. 90 to 90

Dates of the National Tour:

MELBOURNE between the dates of March 2 and March 11

From March 15 through March 25, we will be in Sydney.

BRISBANE Between the 28th of March and the 1st of April

www.dreamworksdragonslive.com

The most recent updates on casting