Monday, June 4, 2012
Towel Animal Theatre (or TAT for short) is the newest addition to the Carnival fleet. Created and directed by Tony Award winner John Tartaglia, this production brings to life some of the towel animal creations that cruise ships have made so popular.
The premise of the show is very simple… what the towel animals do when you leave your cabin. In this magical world not only do your favorite towel creations talk but they also sing and dance. Once again, John’s brilliant writing has been able to instill the value of friendship and hard work through good-natured fun and witty humor.
In this production I have been lucky enough to play the role of Toots. This sassy elephant may be the resident diva of the group but she has a heart of gold and keeps the children and adults laughing throughout the show.
Without a doubt this has been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences in my time with Carnival. With my musical theatre roots, there should be no surprise that I was ecstatic to work on one of John’s creations. The passion that he displays for his craft is so evident that it’s impossible to not be excited about learning puppetry. Another aspect of TAT that I was immediately drawn to was the opportunity to perform in a different avenue, one more catered toward children. However, I never realized how much physical stamina and dedication puppetry required of a performer. I can only hope that in my future ventures I will be able to continue to utilize this new skill and pass on my newfound love for it.