The producers who filled arenas with BABY SHARK LIVE, BLIPPI THE MUSICAL and PEPPA PIG LIVE are turning to Scripture — and taking DANIEL IN THE LIONS’ DEN on the road this fall.
“Daniel and Esther were ordinary people who showed extraordinary courage. Their stories still resonate today, and this production is just the beginning of the many fabulous stories we’re looking forward to sharing,” said Dani Davis, the Emmy Award-winning writer, Tony-nominated Broadway producer and director of the new show, in the production’s announcement.
New live-entertainment company The Originals Live said DANIEL IN THE LIONS’ DEN will kick off its North American tour on Oct. 5 in Ringgold, Georgia. The evening opens with ESTHER: THE BRAVEST QUEEN, a companion piece.
The Originals Live is being built by the same team behind the live stage adaptations of SESAME STREET, PJ MASKS, PEPPA PIG, BABY SHARK and BLIPPI, per the company’s announcement. What’s different this time is the source material.
Faith audiences already know how well the Daniel and Esther stories translate to a large stage. Movieguide® has followed Sight & Sound Theatres’ DANIEL and QUEEN ESTHER productions for years — both have drawn packed houses to Lancaster, Pennsylvania and, later, to home streaming.
The new tour is different in shape. Instead of a permanent 300-foot Sight & Sound wraparound stage, The Originals Live is packing everything into trucks and rolling it into local theaters from Ringgold, Georgia to Lake Charles, Louisiana. Confirmed stops include Louisville, Roanoke, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Birmingham, Ft. Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Nashville, Columbus and Indianapolis, with additional dates still being announced.
Presales begin July 21, and tickets go on sale to the public July 24 in most markets. Full tour dates and ticket links are posted at TheOriginals.live.
If the company sticks with its stated plan, Daniel and Esther are only the beginning. The Originals Live is billing itself as “a new series dedicated to bringing some of the world’s most beloved biblical stories to the stage for generations to come” — a lane that has room for a lot more than two heroes.
Related: BLIPPI Takes His Show on the Road—Here’s What You Need to Know
“When you consider how long these stories have endured and how relevant they remain, Daniel and Esther felt like the perfect place to begin. With a seasoned creative team that were behind some of the biggest brands in family-friendly live events, audiences can expect a live theatrical experience that is entertaining, inspiring, and unforgettable,” said Josh Blackburn, producer at The Originals Live. That resume matters. BABY SHARK LIVE and PJ MASKS LIVE aren’t small church productions — they play performing-arts centers and mid-sized arenas nationwide. Applying that same touring infrastructure to a biblical story is a shift the family-live-entertainment industry hasn’t often tried. The show follows Daniel “as he remains faithful in the face of political intrigue, betrayal, and the threat of the lions’ den,” according to the production notes. ESTHER: THE BRAVEST QUEEN opens the night with the story of a young woman who “risks everything to protect her people. Through courage, faith and determination, Esther discovers that one voice can change the course of history.” Davis is not a light-touch pick to direct. Her Broadway producing credits include LITTLE WOMEN and THE LONESOME WEST — the latter earned four Tony nominations, including Best Play — and she picked up an Emmy for writing HANDEL’S MESSIAH ROCKS on PBS. She’s also led touring productions of BILLY ELLIOT, FLASHDANCE, THE WEDDING SINGER and SHREK THE MUSICAL.Read Next: Wonder Project Partners with Sight & Sound for Major Streaming Slate
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