In Pictures: Madagascar the Musical

Pictures from “Madagascar the Musical”, a stage adaptation of the popular animated film “Madagascar”.

“Madagascar the Musical” is a stage adaptation of the popular animated film “Madagascar,’ produced by DreamWorks Animation.

The musical follows the same storyline as the movie, where a group of zoo animals from the Central Park Zoo in New York City accidentally end up in the wilds of Madagascar. The main characters include Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe, Gloria the Hippo, and a group of mischievous penguins.

The musical features original songs as well as some popular tunes from the movie, and it incorporates colourful costumes, lively choreography, and puppetry to bring the beloved characters to life on stage. Since its premiere, “Madagascar the Musical” has been performed in theatres around the world, entertaining audiences of all ages with its humour, adventure, and catchy songs.

Alex the Lion is the king of the urban jungle, the main attraction at New York’s Central Park Zoo. He and his best friends – Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe and Gloria the hippo – have spent their whole lives in blissful captivity before an admiring public and with regular meals provided for them.

They live comfortably in captivity, but Marty begins to feel restless and longs to experience life outside the zoo. Not content to leave well enough alone, Marty lets his curiosity get the better of him and makes plans to escape – with the help of some prodigious penguins – to explore the world.

One night, Marty escapes from the zoo and heads for Grand Central Station, followed by his friends, who try to bring him back. However, they all end up captured by animal control and are ultimately shipped off to a wildlife reserve in Kenya.

During the journey, the crates containing the animals fall off the ship and wash ashore on the island of Madagascar. There, they encounter lemurs led by King Julien XIII, who welcomes them to the island with open arms. At first, Alex, Marty, Melman, and Gloria are thrilled by the freedom of the wild, but they soon realize that surviving in the jungle is not as easy as they thought.

Meanwhile, Alex begins to struggle with his instinctual predatory nature as a lion, especially when hunger sets in. He starts to see his friends as potential meals, causing tension within the group. Marty, feeling guilty for causing their predicament, tries to make things right by finding a way for them to return to New York.

As the story progresses, the animals encounter various challenges and adventures on the island, including run-ins with scheming penguins and encounters with dangerous predators. Through it all, they learn the value of friendship, loyalty, and embracing one’s true nature.

In the end, the animals decide to make Madagascar their new home, embracing the freedom and adventure of life in the wild. The musical concludes with a celebration as they dance and sing together, united as a family in their newfound paradise.