The Madagascar Live show does not only put big smiles on children’s faces, but also amuses them with a story of friendship and finding one’s true identity.

Children paid attention to the show while mimicking some of the characters’ manner of speaking or following the dances they performed on stage while parents laughed at the silly jokes during Madagascar Live at MasterCard Theaters in Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, last Saturday.

The dance and musical show, based on the Madagascar 1 animated movie produced by DreamWorks, has been on tour for the last three years, entertaining families in the US, Europe and the Middle East.

This year, it has come to Asia, with Singapore the first destination followed by Indonesia at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) in BSD, South Tangerang, from May 5 to 7.

Executive producer Michel Boersma said he had been eyeing bringing the show to Jakarta for a long time.

“A lot of colleagues are starting to bring shows to Jakarta. It’s one of the emerging markets. It’s always been on my list for the show to go. For the last six years, I’ve been trying to get a show to Jakarta,” he said, adding he was eager to see enthusiasm from the audience.

The play depicts a journey of four best friends who inhabit the Central Park Zoo in New York: Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo, as they get involved in Marty’s dream of discovering his true place of origin: the wild and free land.

Marty is bored with routines at the zoo and unsettled by his desire to return to where he belongs and find his true self.

“I’m 10 years old and my life is caged […] I don’t even know if I’m white with black stripes or black with white stripes. I wish I could go to the wild and live where I was meant to be and find the wild in me,” he tells Alex, who quickly replies that Marty is having a mid-life crisis and should try to enjoy his comfortable zoo life.

Calling Morgan Freeman: The penguins, Kowalski, Private and Rico, are obsessed with the idea of escaping their enclosure at the New York Zoo and going back to Antarctica where they belong.

Marty then wanders out of the zoo, tailed by his three friends who intend on saving him but end up being stranded on Madagascar Island, off the southeast coast of Africa, where lemurs are endemic.

Along with three penguins: Kowalski, Private and Rico, who also long to return home and escape the zoo, the gang meets King Julien XIII the ring-tailed lemur, the self-proclaimed king of the Madagascar lemurs, who popularized the song and dance “I like to move it”.

Marty could not be happier living in the wild, but on the contrary, Alex, Melman and Gloria want to flee the island and return to the zoo, where they were well fed and checked regularly by doctors.

The story goes on to show how the gang members cope with each other’s different perspectives and how their friendship is tested.

With animated and lively moves and dances, choreographed by Jennifer Rapp, the show engages children and their parents who are amused by the funny conversations and entertaining music.

“It was fantastic. The kids love the music and the dancing and there were lots to learn about being good friends and looking after one another,” said audience member Catherine Sidney Smith.

The 30-person cast, including 12 dancers who play multiple characters, said they faced many challenges but enjoyed the entire process of putting on the show.  

“The most challenging part is to dance in the costumes and how they need to change costumes fast,” said executive producer Michel.

Nevertheless, the crew, who come from different backgrounds, enjoy their trips together.

“Traveling around with 30 people with different nationalities is sometimes a challenge but it’s a little village. We’re a group. We love each other. We sometimes fight, we make up. We swim in the pool together. We miss planes together. Lots of challenges but good challenges,” Michel added.

Marty the zebra (left) poses with best friend Alex the lion (right).

The musical uses props that are shipped to every location, a digital screen as a backdrop and recorded music and conversations, except for some parts where the cast members interact with the audience directly.

The team aims to sell all 15,000 tickets available for eight shows over three days in Indonesia.

— Photos Courtesy of Sorak Gemilang Entertainment