A fearless young actor finds her big break thanks to a fast talking filmmaker who promises to make her the star of his next big adventure movie. The two set sail to the mysterious Skull Island where they encounter a 20-foot-tall, 2,000 pound ape known only as King. She fins an unexpected kindred spirit in this untameable creature while her director haches a plan to capture Kong and display him to the New York masses.
The giant creatures are works of art in themselves, designed with both detail and just-enough-abstraction by Sonny Tilders and manipulated by a dozen athletic onstage puppeteers plus a quartet of animatronic operators, including one live growler. Peter Mumford designed the lighting and Peter Hylenski the soundscape for these worlds of mystery on sea, land and air — and the Empire State Building, too. Kong’s furious dash to 34th street with Ann riding on his back — who’s on top now? — is one of the highlights of the show.
