Become a Friend of Broadway Cafe Society™.com and sign up for
our free monthly e-newsletter. Membership is absolutely free and you can unsubscribe
at any time. TELL ME MORE...
From his
Tony Award nominated role in AVENUE Q and playing Pinocchio in SHREK THE
MUSICAL to playing host to magical woodland creatures in the Playhouse
Disney TV series JOHNNY AND THE SPRITES, JOHN TARTAGLIA has built his
career indulging in flights of fantasy. His latest venture, the family
underwater adventure JOHN TARTAGLIA'S IMAGINOCEAN, is currently playing at
New World Stages in NYC.
For those who haven't seen the
show or checked out the website, what is the tale of IMAGINOCEAN?
IMAGINOCEAN tells the tale of three fish friends, Dorsel,
Tank and Bubbles, who find a treasure map which leads them on an exciting
undersea adventure to find three medals. Along the way they encounter some
challenges, make new friends, learn a lot about themselves, and discover that
friendship is the greatest treasure of all.
John surrounded by IMAGINOCEAN's
Bubbles, Tank & Dorsal
Photo By Aaron Epstein
The show was originally
conceived for the cruise ship OASIS OF THE SEAS. Did you have to rethink any
aspects of show for the New World Stages production?
For the New World Stages production, we wanted to make a
longer, fuller theatrical experience so we expanded the 22 minute version to 50
minutes for this production. We added a few more characters and some new songs
and took into account what worked before and what didn’t. Since we have a new
home at New World Stages, we made it work specifically for that space, by making
everything bigger and brighter. There are more bubbles, larger effects, just
more of everything.
Which IMAGINOCEAN character do
you most identify with?
I probably identify most with Dorsel because I am also a
“paranoid”, but not scared of germs like he is. I also identify with Leonard
because I love being with my friends.
IMAGINOCEAN is such a natural
for a Disney Channel broadcast. Any plans to take it to the small (or big)
screen?
Definitely. We have always seen these characters as having
a life beyond the stage. We are exploring the opportunities and looking for
ways to continue their adventures.
You're no stranger to working
with both human and puppet actors. So who are the bigger divas -- the humans or
the puppets?
The Puppets for sure! They require their own everything,
separate dressing rooms, costumes and they always want someone to be handling
them.
Three scenes from IMAGINOCEAN
Tickets and more information on IMAGINOCEAN available at the show's official
website,
imaginoceanthemusical.com
