Park Collaborates with Broadway Masterminds to Create Innovative "Blue Horizons"

SeaWorld Orlando introduces a new breed of animal show -- the likes of which have never before been seen – with the opening of "Blue Horizons." Now showing, this breakthrough theatrical spectacular unites sea and sky with visions of Broadway as it showcases majestic animals, spirited performers and exotic birds.

To create this dynamic show, SeaWorld collaborated with the entertainment mecca's most inventive and artistic experts, marrying great theatrical extravagance -- seen in the larger-than-life set, dramatic costuming and intriguing show development -- with the awe-inspiring feats of SeaWorld's renowned animals and trainers.

A young girl's vivid imagination sets the stage for an extravaganza of graceful dolphins, ominous false killer whales and a rainbow of exotic birds including blue and gold macaws, blue-throated macaws, a flock of sun conures and an Andean condor.  In a show filled with action both above, and below, the water, a cast of Olympic-caliber divers and aerialists – dressed in elaborate costumes and symbolizing sea and sky – plunge off the elaborate set with amazing aerial artistry.

""Blue Horizons" is truly unique as it seamlessly blends the amazing power and grace of SeaWorld's dolphins and false killer whales with the lavish splendor of Broadway," said Stanley Meyer, "Blue Horizons" set designer and show consultant.   Meyer is best known for his work designing the critically acclaimed Broadway musical, "Beauty and the Beast."

"Only SeaWorld could create such a revolutionary concept -- a type of show that can be seen nowhere else in the world," said Meyer. "It creates a completely new benchmark of awe-inspiring entertainment."

Meyer was responsible for creating the theatrical set design for "Blue Horizons." Using elements of the sea and sky -- and a young girl's vivid imagination --- as his inspiration. Meyer designed the whimsical, yet dramatic, atmosphere with an immense rising sun and hundreds of iridescent bubbles. An elaborate, 40-foot-high framework envelops the pool and balances divers and aerialists as they plunge from bungees and soar on "cloud swings."
Relying on the brilliant colors of the macaws and sun conures, renowned costume designer Tracy Christensen developed an elaborate wardrobe to transform the aerialists and divers into bird-like characters with breathtaking plumage.  Christensen has an extensive Broadway background, with well-known credits to her name such "Fiddler on the Roof" and "Beauty and the Beast." He drew on those experiences to incorporate a variety of textures and fabrics never before seen in a SeaWorld show.

While these characters sway from "cloud swings" and dive off the elaborate set, the true stars of the show grace the waters below.  SeaWorld's dolphins and false killer whales leap their way into this dreamy adventure with no apparent direction from trainers.  Colorful macaws, a flock of sun conures and an Andean condor will soar over the audience as they ascend toward the horizon. 

"Blue Horizons" is timed to a stirring, original musical score performed by members of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra.

Poetry in Motion

Colors of the Horizon

SeaWorld's center lake is stage to the grand nighttime culmination featuring larger-than-life marine creatures on 60-foot mist screens, 100-foot fountains, flames on water and dazzling fireworks. From the shores of The Waterfront seaport village, "Mistify" soars against a backdrop of stars as it conveys the incredible power and beauty of an underwater wonderland as seen through the imagination of a young child.

SeaWorld Orlando is the world's premier marine adventure park with 200 acres of world-class shows, thrilling rides and unforgettable animal encounters. Millions of visitors have explored the mysteries of the sea with up-close animal interactions and exhilarating experiences. State-of-the-art rides give guests unprecedented thrills, while amazing animal encounters include killer whales, dolphins, sea lions, sharks and more.

Storyline: The vivid imagination of a young girl sets the stage for an emotional journey to experience the power of the sea and the elegance of flight. Guided by human characters – representing spirits of the sea and sky – and accompanied by dolphins, false killer whales and brightly-colored birds, she embarks on an unforgettable adventure with an awe-inspiring cast of daring bungee performers, powerful divers and graceful aerialists.

The Animals: The cast of dolphins and birds truly symbolize the sea and sky as they leap among the waves and fly over the audience.

Under the Waves

• Seven Atlantic bottlenose dolphins – Jumping as high as 16 feet out of the water and weighing up to 500 pounds, these Atlantic bottlenose dolphins demonstrate amazing power and agility as they perform behaviors such as bows, breaches and underwater corkscrews.
• Two false killer whales – Sleeker, darker members of the dolphin family, false killer whales can grow up 19 feet in length and weigh up to 4,800 pounds. These ominous-looking mammals perform in the "tempest scene" of "Blue Horizons" along with the Andean condor and bungee divers who symbolize birds of prey.

In the Clouds

• One Andean condor – The largest flighted bird in the world, the Andean condor soars over the audience with a wing-span of up to 11 feet.
• Seven brilliantly-colored macaws – Three varieties of vivid-hued macaws decorate the sky during the show, including three extremely rare blue-throated macaws, three blue and gold macaws, and one green-winged macaw.
• Ten sun conures – Native to the northeastern coast of South America, these smaller birds soar as a multi-colored flock over the audience, boasting bright, iridescent feathers with shades of orange, blue, yellow and green.

Performers: The cast also showcases world-class athletic performers from numerous countries around the world, dressed in elaborate costumes featuring brilliant plumage and headdresses.

• Three aerialists – Symbolizing birds in flight and swinging 20 to 40 feet above the water, these acrobats execute breathtaking spins, flips and whimsical ballet-like movements.
• Two bungee performers – Signifying birds of prey, these performers demonstrate sheer strength and speed as they plunge into, and propel out of, the deep blue water from the 40-foot-high framework.
• Six Olympic-caliber divers – Daring divers with precision accuracy and amazing speed leap from seven-meter-high platforms -- designed as giant tail flukes – and perform a variety of magnificent maneuvers including forward and reverse spinning somersaults.

The Set: Designed by award-winning Broadway set designer Stanley Meyer, the dramatic "Blue Horizons" set unites the sea and sky into one fluid world with an immense rising sun, towering wave forms, hundreds of iridescent bubbles and an extensive framework that expands across the 550,000 gallon pool.

The framework is a state-of-the-art outdoor truss system specifically developed for "Blue Horizons." This truss system boasts 10,000 feet of cable and 10 powerful motors to fully support the large cast of aerialists and bungee performers. It features two bungee chords, two cloud swings, two diver lifts and one performer lift.

The Costumes: Designed by critically-acclaimed Broadway costume designer Tracy Christensen the elaborate costumes reflect the lavish splendor of Broadway as they drape performers both in and above the water. The color hues and movements of the animals inspired the use of bold strokes, intense colors and sleek design cuts as well as the brilliant plumage and elaborate headdresses.

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