Set in the 1,200-seat Moroccan Palace Theater, this 35-minute musical show debuted in 2004 and follows a day in the lives of aspiring storytellers, called Griots, as they strive to become masters of their craft. To accomplish this rite of passage, the performers evoke traditional African stories to entertain the audience.
I have to fess up that Katonga is one of the few nominees in this year's tournament that I have not experienced in person. So I'll turn it over to TPI reader Russell Meyer, who wrote: "I wasn't sure what to expect from Katonga, but I came out realizing that I had just watched the best theme park show I've ever seen. Many people will probably want to draw comparisons to Animal Kingdom's Festival of the Lion King, but I think Katonga's imaginative story and original score elevate it even higher than any of Disney's show offerings."
And here's Joe Lane: "As our story begins, we meet Karume, a master storyteller, who calls together the best storytellers of Africa, called griots, and challenges them to tell the best stories they possibly can. One tells the story of Whirly, a young monkey who learns about being confident (to the tune of Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry, Be Happy"). Next, we have the song of Kipopo, a caterpillar struggling to find her place in the world of insects, follows with a story about Rok Rok, a bullfrog who's taught a lesson in living with others in harmony (accompanied by the Leslie Bricusse song "Talk With The Animals"). The finale is a story from about an African crowned crane named Kilinda and a great flood that threatens to wash away two lovers. The song "Celebrate the Light" is perhaps the true highlight of the production, uplifting and inspiring--and it's original, written by Tampa native Desmond Boone who has been writing music for BGT for 25 years."
Busch Gardens visitors, what do you think about Katonga? If you haven't seen the show, here's a clip of "Celebrate the Light":
Tweet
KATONGA is filled with awesome choreography! There's a mix of African-inspired moves, breakdancing, trampoline artists, and more. The set is also wayyyyy more elaborate than what you see in the video.
YES! definitely see Katonga! The video clip doesn't do it justice. I always come out of that show forgetting that I'm in Tampa.
I will wait for that to make the list (I hope)
The music and imagery were beautiful, especially for a theme park, but something didn't quite come together with the show. It felt uneven, like four different directors had each created one piece, then assembled them incoherently. In many ways, it was like a small-scale Cirque du Soleil show, but Cirque, even with all its eccentricities, has a seemingly intuitive progression. Katonga - not so much.
I'm probably getting into it too deep - it's a theme park attraction, for cryin' out loud - but if you're gonna do Broadway-esque shows, I'm gonna judge it like one.
Still, better than most theme park shows and is a must-see at BG.
This article has been archived and is no longer accepting comments.
