the mommy avenger

There are some shows you enjoy, and then there are shows that completely sweep you up. Water for Elephants is the second kind.

The National Broadway Tour just rolled into Denver for a limited engagement at the Buell Theatre, and we were lucky enough to catch it while it was in town. I walked in expecting a traditional Broadway musical. I walked out feeling like I had just witnessed something far more immersive, physical, and honestly, unforgettable.

This isn’t just a show you watch. It’s a show you experience.

If you’re familiar with the bestselling novel, you already know the bones of the story. Jacob Jankowski is a young man whose life is turned upside down during the Great Depression. After a devastating loss, he jumps onto a moving circus train with nowhere else to go. That impulsive decision pulls him into the world of the Benzini Brothers circus, where he becomes the veterinarian for the animals and quickly finds himself entangled in a complicated love story with Marlena, the circus’s star performer.

There’s heartbreak. There’s tension. There’s beauty. And there’s Rosie, the elephant who becomes a quiet but powerful force in Jacob’s journey.

But here’s what surprised me most. While the story anchors the evening, this production is just as much about the physical performance as it is about the narrative itself.

From the moment the curtain rose, it was clear this wasn’t going to be a typical Broadway experience. The acrobatics alone had the audience leaning forward in their seats. Performers climbed, flipped, balanced, and soared in ways that looked almost effortless. There were moments where the entire theatre went completely still because no one wanted to miss a second of what was happening on stage.

The choreography blended dance and circus artistry so seamlessly that it felt organic to the world of the show. Nothing felt gimmicky. Every physical feat served the emotion of the scene. You could feel the grit of circus life, the danger, the adrenaline, and the fragile beauty of it all.

It’s rare to sit in a theatre and feel that kind of collective energy. Gasps rippled through the crowd. Applause broke out mid-scene more than once. By the end of the night, the audience wasn’t just entertained. They were fully captivated.

There’s something powerful about watching performers push their physical limits live, right in front of you. No camera tricks. No edits. Just raw talent and timing.

The staging is creative and imaginative, especially in the way the animals are portrayed. It requires you to lean in and use your imagination, which somehow makes it even more magical. It feels theatrical in the truest sense.

Walking out of the Buell, you could hear it in the conversations around us. People were buzzing. Talking about their favorite moments. Trying to process how some of those aerial moves were even possible. That kind of shared wonder is special.

If you love Broadway, this is one to see because it pushes the boundaries of what a musical can look like. If you love dance or acrobatics, you’ll be amazed. If you just want a night out that feels different from the usual dinner-and-a-show routine, this delivers.

It’s also one of those productions that feels perfect for a date night, a girls’ night, or even a memory-making experience with older kids who can appreciate the artistry.

Since this is a limited engagement, tickets won’t be around forever. You can purchase them directly through the Denver Center for the Performing Arts website. I would not wait on this one. Shows like this tend to fill seats quickly once word gets out. It will be in Denver now until February 22, 2026.

Water for Elephants is dazzling, yes. But it’s also emotional, creative, and unexpectedly moving. It reminded me why live theatre matters. There is something about sitting in a darkened theatre and watching human beings do extraordinary things in real time that simply can’t be replicated.

Denver was lucky to host this stop on the tour. And if you get the chance to see it before it leaves town, take it.

Some experiences are worth running away to the circus for.

^{*we were invited to facilitate a feature, all opinions are our own*}