One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Universal Studios Unveils The Creature
Last week Universal Studios unveiled its newest attraction, The Creature from the Black Lagoon: A Raging Rocking Show". The show is a "Broadway-level contemporary musical adaptation" of the original Universal horror film. It features an original score and will be featured exclusively at the Hollywood Universal Studios.
LAist was there at the press event along with Julie Adams, the original "Kay" in the 1954 film to witness the arrival of The Creature. But as the giant aquarium was wheeled out, and the cage was pulled out by a giant crane, the bars of the cage turned out to be bent and the cage was empty! Members of the press jumped as The Creature lept out at them and ran wild before being contained.
The musical attraction runs about 25 minutes and adds romance and humor to the original movie's storyline, but is otherwise pretty faithful to the original. The most impressive update is the underwater effect achieved by the use of hidden wires. The monster is styled differently, with Predator-style dredlocks. The one way the story may stretch a little too far from the original from the original movie is when The Creature mysteriously grows into a giant and eventually swallows the character of Kay.
The show was created by Director and Choreographer Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Scenic Designer James Youmans, Creature & Puppet Designer Michael Curry, Fly Sequence Designer Paul Rubin, and Producer Marc Routh,
Ron Gough contributed to this post
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
