WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, March 31 - April 5, 2026, Benedum Center | Pressroom

Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Contacts:
Diana Roth | Senior Communications Manager | Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
roth@trustarts.org | 412-471-8717

Derek Scalzott | Senior Director Strategic Communications & Special Advisor to President| Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
scalzott@trustarts.org | 412-471-8715

Media Assets: HERE.

https://trustarts.canto.com/b/HIOS3

Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh

Announces

“STUNNING AND EMOTIONAL.” – The New York Times, Critic’s Pick

“SPELLBINDING ENTERTAINMENT.” – Variety

"★★★★ DAZZLING AND THRILLING.” – Time Out New York

“THE BEST NEW MUSICAL ON BROADWAY!” – Theatermania

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS

A New Musical

IS COMING TO

Pittsburgh’s Benedum Center
Tuesday, March 31 to Sunday, April 5, 2026

BOOK BY FOUR-TIME TONY AWARD® NOMINEE RICK ELICE

MUSIC AND LYRICS BY PIGPEN THEATRE CO.

BASED ON THE NOVEL BY SARA GRUEN

ORIGINAL DIRECTION BY TONY AWARD NOMINEE JESSICA STONE

“Many wonders await audiences in this gorgeously imaginative Broadway musical.” - The New York Times

Pittsburgh, PA (February 26, 2026)– The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, part of the 2025-2026 PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh Series, is pleased to announce the North American tour of the critically acclaimed bestselling novel WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, hailed as a Critic’s Pick by The New York Times,is coming to the Benedum Center, 237 7^th Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 from Tuesday, March 31 through Sunday, April 5, 2026. Tickets are on sale now!

Tickets and information are available at these Pittsburgh Cultural Trust official ticket sources: online at TrustArts.org; in person at Theater Square Box Office, 655 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222; or by calling PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh ticketing information at 412-456-4800. Orders for groups of 10+ tickets or more may be placed by calling 412-471-6930, email groupsales@trustarts.org, or submit a group ticket reservation online at TrustArts.org/groupsales.

After losing what matters most, a young man jumps a moving train unsure of where the road will take him and finds a new home with the remarkable crew of a traveling circus, and a life—and love—beyond his wildest dreams. Seen through the eyes of his older self, his adventure becomes a poignant reminder that if you choose the ride, life can begin again at any age.

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS is based on the critically acclaimed and New York Times Bestselling novel by Sara Gruen. The Broadway musical has a book by four-time Tony Award® nominee Rick Elice (Jersey Boys, Peter and the Starcatcher), a soaring score by the acclaimed PigPen Theatre Co. (The Tale of Despereaux), with tour direction by Ryan Emmons, recreating the original direction by Tony Award nominee Jessica Stone (Kimberly Akimbo).

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS features circus design by Tony Award nominee Shana Carroll (The 7 Fingers), choreography by Tony Award nominees Jesse Robb (Miss Saigon) and Shana Carroll, scenic design by Drama Desk Award winner Takeshi Kata (Clyde’s), costume design by David I. Reynoso (Sleep No More), lighting design by two-time Tony Award winner Bradley King (Hadestown), sound design by Tony Award nominee Walter Trarbach (Spongebob Squarepants), projections by two-time Tony Award nominee David Bengali (Good Night, and Good Luck), hair & makeup design by Luc Verschueren/Campbell Young Associates (A Beautiful Noise), puppet design by Ray Wetmore & JR Goodman, Camille Labarre (Into the Woods), puppet direction by Joshua Holden, music supervision and arrangements by Drama Desk Award winner Mary-Mitchell Campbell (Some Like It Hot) and Benedict Braxton-Smith (Kristin Chenoweth: For the Girls), orchestrations by Tony Award winner Daryl Waters (New York, New York), Benedict Braxton-Smith and August Eriksmoen, fight direction by Cha Ramos (Jagged Little Pill), associate circus designer by Antoine Boissereau, associate choreography by Paige Parkhill, and casting by The TRC Company, Claire Burke, CSA & Frankie Ramirez, CSA.

TheWATER FOR ELEPHANTS tour stage management team is led by production stage manager Kathleen Carragee and is supported by Stage Manager Maris Keller and Circus Stage Manager Stan Barile. The company management team is led by company manager Heather Moss with associate company manager Taylor Parris. The tour music director/conductor is Sarah Wilhelm Pool. Mimi Intagliata serves as the Executive Producer for the production.

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS won Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Direction of a Musical (Jessica Stone), Outstanding Sound Design of a Musical (Walter Trarbach), Outstanding Fight Choreography (Cha Ramos) and Outstanding Puppetry (Ray Wetmore, JR Goodman, & Camille Labarre), the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical (Jessica Stone), and the Chita Rivera Award for Outstanding Choreography (Jesse Robb & Shana Carroll).

GHOSTLIGHT RECORDS released the WATER FOR ELEPHANTS: Original Broadway Cast Recording, which preserves the show’s soaring score by the acclaimed PigPen Theatre Co., which is available on CD and all streaming and digital formats. The CD’s full-color booklet features production photography, complete lyrics, synopsis, and liner notes by book writer Rick Elice. The album is produced by Mary-Mitchell Campbell and Ian Kagey.

Broadway Licensing Global has secured worldwide licensing right to the critically acclaimed Broadway musical WATER FOR ELEPHANTS. The flagship musical publisher for the world’s fastest growing theatrical licensing company, Broadway Licensing Global, includes Dramatists Play Service and Playscripts.

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS had its world premiere in Atlanta on The Coca-Cola Stage at Alliance Theatre, running from June 7, 2023, through July 9, 2023. The critically acclaimed production had The Atlanta Journal-Constitution raving, “WATER FOR ELEPHANTS is a triumph! Truly dazzles.” WATER FOR ELEPHANTS premiered on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre, running from March 20, 2024, through December 8, 2024. The production was a New York Times Critic’s Pick, with chief NYT theater critic Jesse Green describing the show as “Huge”, “Heart-filling”, and “Emotionally vivid.”

The Benedum Center, Theater Square Complex and Cultural District are projects of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. For more information: PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh: TrustArts.org/Broadway; Pittsburgh Cultural Trust venue entry requirements: TrustArts.org/welcome; accessibility services, call guest services at 412-456-6666 or visit TrustArts.org/TheaterAccessibility. For more information about Pittsburgh’s Cultural District, visit TrustArts.org/visit and CulturalDistrict.org.

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For more information please visit: www.waterforelephantsthemusical.com

#W4EMusical #ChooseTheRide #WaterForElephantsMusical

Broadway Across America (BAA) is part of the John Gore Organization family of companies, which includes Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com, Group Sales Box Office, and Broadway Brands. Led by 25-time Tony Award winner John Gore (Owner & CEO), Broadway Across America pioneered the Broadway subscription touring model and is a leading presenter of the first-class productions across more than 45 North American markets. Since inception, Broadway Across America has produced and/or invested in hundreds of Broadway, touring Broadway, and international productions that have won countless Tony awards and introduced millions of fans to the power of live theater.

The John Gore Organization is a leading presenter, distributor, and marketer of Broadway theater worldwide. Under the leadership of 25-time Tony-winner and owner John Gore, its family of companies includes Broadway Across America, Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com, Group Sales Box Office and Broadway Brands. The company presents shows in over 45 cities across North America as well as on Broadway, Off-Broadway, London’s West End, Japan, and China. It has won Tony Awards in every producing category as well as numerous other Drama League, Drama Desk, and Olivier Awards. The John Gore Organization is committed to supporting theater access and education programs that introduce Broadway to the next generation of audiences and theater professionals.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is one of the nation’s premier arts presenters and a major catalytic influence in Pittsburgh, having overseen one of the city’s most historic transformations: turning a seedy red-light district into a magnet destination for arts-lovers, residents, visitors, and business owners. Founded in 1984, the Cultural Trust presents an array of quality performing and visual arts, provides comprehensive educational experiences, and stewards Pittsburgh’s Cultural District as a national model of economic revitalization through the arts. Lauded as “the single greatest creative force in Pittsburgh,” the Cultural Trust has worked to make Pittsburgh a place where the arts can flourish. The 14-block Cultural District, a project of the Cultural Trust, has become a vibrant center for culture, art, food, and community in downtown Pittsburgh, providing a home for a broad range of performance groups and resident companies. More than one million people visit the Cultural District each year, generating more than $300M in economic impact for the region.
TrustArts.org | @CulturalTrust on Facebook · Instagram · TikTok

PNC joins the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust in bringing the best of Broadway to entertain, enlighten, and complement the rich experiences that add to the region’s exceptional quality of life. The eight season presentations and three season options in the 2025-2026 PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh Series contribute to the city’s reputation as a major destination for the arts, culture, and world-class entertainment.