'Creature From the Black Lagoon: The Musical' coming to Universal Studios Hollywood in '09 - Seriously!

Somebody at Universal Studios Hollywood certainly has a hilarious sense of humor — or a grave misunderstanding of popular entertainment.

In spring 2009, the movie and television theme park will debut a romantic-comedy stage show with “dazzling production numbers” and special effects (including Amazon jungle odors) called “Creature From the Black Lagoon: The Musical.”

Yes, I’m serious. And no, you haven’t stumbled onto The Onion.

Replacing the “Fear Factor” stage show, the “Creature From the Black Lagoon” Broadway-style spectacular will feature “state-of-the-art stagecraft, acrobatic choreography and hilarious, toe-tapping music.” This is not a joke.

The storyline describes “an unexpectedly outrageous, strangely romantic, frequently melodic and often hilarious adventure” that will leave audiences “immersed in the ominous environment of the deepest Amazon” and “enveloped by the exotic sounds and scents of the jungle.” You can’t make this stuff up.

Universal officials confirmed every last element of the show detailed above. Yet I continue to check the calendar to make sure it’s not April Fool’s Day.

“Either this is going to be very funny,” said Screamscape’s Lance Hart, “or it’s going to be the worst thing since “Spider-Man Rocks.”

Said Jon Primrose, who runs The Studio Tour, a Universal Studios Hollywood fan site that broke the original story: “Disney can do incredible stage shows — why not Universal?”

We’ll have to wait and see. I’m encouraged by the comic book-style marquee poster, which proclaims, “Gill meets girl!” and “Was it love or was it lunch?”

I’ll withhold judgment until I see the “Creature” in person. Here’s hoping the show is something akin to “Rocky Horror Picture Show” and not just a rocky horror.

Find the latest amusement and theme park news at the
Los Angeles Times Funland blog: www.latimes.com/funland

— Brady MacDonald, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

[Image: Universal Studios Hollywood]

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 4, 2008 at 12:51 pm by Brady MacDonald and is filed under Family & Kids, Los Angeles, Theme Parks, Universal Studios Hollywood. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a comment. Pinging is currently not allowed.