
The Glitz, Glam, and Grit of Entertainment on a Cruise Ship
The enormous size of the show reflects the way onboard entertainment has scaled in tandem with the growth of cruise ships themselves. The shows have also become ubiquitous; on megaships like Norwegian Aqua or Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas, they take place not only on designated stages but also on the pool deck, in the atrium, and any other public place where passengers might be getting bored. The style of the shows has also shifted. Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is doing less Broadway theater and more simple flash. 'Our guests want three things,' says Bryan White, the company's vice president of entertainment production, 'music they know, visual spectacle, and narratives that are easy to follow.'
Dancers such as Maya Vitug (pictured above) spent 6 weeks at the NCL studio in Tampa learning choreography and aerial acts.
NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
'Easy to follow' does not mean 'easy to mount.' Even a big ship like Norwegian Aqua still has just over 40 performers on board, who are expected to perform for three to four hours a day. In Revolution, there are 98 distinct costumes composed of 384 total pieces—and 48 quick changes, 5 of which happen onstage—all of which have to be laundered afterward in a backstage facility. There are set pieces that attach to the front of the stage and move three times during the show. The 10 dancers, 6 vocalists, and 2 aerialists (not to mention the live band) pull double duty in another show, the Cirque du Soleil–style Elements: The World Expanded, on the same stage, which features a magician and incorporates aerial acts as well. Most of the dancers had no prior training with ropes and harnesses and spent part of their six-week stay at the company's Shows and Experiences Creative Studios learning the skill plus choreography for both shows. 'We're dancers,' cast member Nyla Walker tells me after demonstrating her prowess at such moves as the whip back. 'We like to stay on the ground.'
I see the training in action six weeks earlier while visiting the studio, which sits in an office park outside Tampa. While Walker and company rehearse on soundstages, activity churns in every other corner of the 112,000-square-foot facility where the fleet's 70,000 costumes are sewn, fitted, and stored and 7,000 pairs of Capezio dance shoes are inventoried. Materials for set pieces are also sent here to be constructed and sent out to shipyards for installation. 'This is where we grow new work,' says Patricia Wilcox, Revolution's director-choreographer, who helped lobby Prince's estate for music rights.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Body of passenger who died on flight from Istanbul to San Francisco goes missing
A passenger who died on a Turkish Airlines flight en route from Istanbul to San Francisco was offloaded during an emergency stop in Chicago, but their body is now reportedly unaccounted for, SFGATE reports. Turkish Airlines Flight 79 departed Istanbul on July 13, and while flying over Greenland, a passenger suffered a severe medical emergency. Although the crew initially planned to divert to Iceland, the passenger's condition worsened, and they died before the plane diverted to Chicago. 'Consequently, the decision was made to continue toward North America rather than divert outside US airspace,' Aviation A2Z told SFGATE. 'Upon entering the airspace over the United States, the crew opted to land at Chicago O'Hare, a major international hub capable of handling emergency landings with adequate medical support and facilities.' Although the passenger's body should fall under the jurisdiction of the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office, a spokesperson told SFGATE there is no record of the deceased or any matching case. Today, its unclear where the remains are. The Turkish Airlines station manager in San Francisco confirmed that remaining passengers were rerouted to their destination, but the whereabouts of the deceased passenger's remains are unknown. The airline has neither confirmed the passenger's identity nor disclosed the cause of death, beyond noting it stemmed from a medical emergency. The Independent has contacted representatives for Turkish Airlines, Chicago O'Hare International Airport, and the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office for comment. A 2021 study found that the mortality rate on a plane is about .21 per million passengers, according to The most common causes of death include pulmonary embolisms, cardiac arrests and respiratory issues.
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
CBS News names '60 Minutes' veteran Tanya Simon as broadcast's new top producer
CBS News said Thursday it has selected Tanya Simon as the top producer at '60 Minutes,' elevating a respected insider in a closely-watched appointment given the turmoil that enveloped the newsmagazine with the settlement of President Donald Trump's lawsuit. Simon, daughter of the late '60 Minutes' correspondent Bob Simon, becomes only the fourth executive producer of the influential newsmagazine since it was invented by Don Hewitt in the late 1960s. She's been executive editor of the broadcast, and running it on an interim basis since her predecessor Bill Owens quit in April, saying he questioned whether he'd be allowed to lead the program as he saw fit. Owens had opposed settling Trump's lawsuit over the editing of last fall's interview with Kamala Harris. CBS News parent company Paramount Global agreed earlier this month to pay Trump $16 million to end their dispute. Simon has worked at '60 Minutes' for 25 years, and was strongly supported by many at the famously insular broadcast to take over for Owens. 'Tanya Simon understands what makes '60 Minutes' tick,' said Tom Cibrowski, president and executive editor of CBS News. 'She is an innovative leader, an exceptional producer, and someone who knows how to inspire people.' In May, seven '60 Minutes' correspondents signed a letter to Paramount Global management urging that Simon be appointed. 'As much as we will miss Bill Owens, we believe — no, we know — that his long-term successor must come from within,' the correspondents wrote. Crucially, Simon's appointment came before the Trump administration's approval of Paramount Global's proposed merger with Skydance Media, a takeover that is expected to result in changes at CBS News. ___ David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at and


Gizmodo
18 minutes ago
- Gizmodo
If You Need a Brilliant Soundbar, Amazon Is Liquidating Its Stock at a New Record Low Price
Amazon offers a large range of products with an excellent value-for-money price: Based on its wide marketplace information and experience with other brands, Amazon can offer good quality products at affordable prices, and this is applicable to a large extent with the Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus. As we move beyond Prime Day and head into the early Back to School season, this soundbar can be had for a new all-time low price of $179, a savings from the $249 list price. This limited time offer is one you don't want to miss in order to upgrade your home sound. See at Amazon This Fire TV soundbar is the latest model that can elevate your audio experience to new levels with its built-in 3.1 channel system and subwoofer. The soundbar delivers a huge upgrade from the low quality of TV speakers with its powerful sound and booming bass which makes movies and music more enjoyable. It also comes with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support for 3D sound that seems to move around you. Installation is simple and painless, especially for those who want to get more out of their sound without the frustration of technical nonsense: Simply connect the included HDMI cable into your TV's HDMI eARC or ARC port. Once connected, the sound stays in perfect sync with your picture and avoids any frustrating delay in action and sound. The soundbar is Fire TV compatible, i.e., you can operate the TV and the soundbar with a single remote. Aside from acting as a newer speaker for your television, this soundbar also functions as a Bluetooth speaker for everyday use in your living room. This convenience makes it easy to transition from watching programming to listening to music, with improved sound quality compared to standard Bluetooth speakers. The built-in subwoofer provides depth to bass-heavy music that smaller speakers usually lack. The sleek and slender design rests well in any home entertainment system without taking up too much space or cluttering your room. Its performance and style balance earns it a great place in every home, especially for those who desire straightforward audio improvement with no ugly systems or additional components. Make sure you don't miss this opportunity to buy it at a record low price. See at Amazon