LIFE OF PI Will Make North American Premiere at A.R.T. in December

American Repertory Theater will produce in its 2022/23 Season the North American premiere of Life of Pi, the acclaimed theatrical adaptation by Lolita Chakrabarti of the best-selling novel by Yann Martel. Max Webster will direct, with Tony Award winner Tim Hatley providing scenic and costume design and Finn Caldwell providing puppetry and movement direction.

Life of Pi is currently playing in London's West End, where last month it won five Olivier Awards, including Best New Play.

In Life of Pi, sixteen-year-old Pi and his family set off to emigrate from India, but after their ship sinks in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Pi is left stranded on a lifeboat with just four other survivors-a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a Royal Bengal tiger. Time is against them, nature is harsh, who will survive? Called "extraordinary and unmissable" by The Guardian for its inventive puppetry, this highly imaginative theatrical adaptation brings one of the most beloved works of fiction to the stage to tell its epic story of endurance and hope.

"I'm thrilled for A.R.T. to collaborate with this incredible team of artists in creating the North American premiere of Life of Pi and to introduce this deeply imaginative theatrical adaptation to our audiences," says A.R.T. Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director Diane Paulus. "Creative ingenuity and extraordinary puppetry bring this powerful story to life. I look forward to welcoming families back to the Loeb Drama Center this holiday season to experience this breathtaking theatrical event."

The stage premiere of Life of Pi followed more than five years of creative development. In recognition of the production's ground-breaking puppetry, the Olivier for Best Supporting Actor was awarded collectively to the seven skilled performers who bring the tiger to life every night. The production's cutting-edge visual effects have also drawn huge acclaim, with the Time Out London lead critic calling it "one of the most visually stunning shows I've ever seen."

"Life of Pi tells a story that constantly takes people's breath away," says Life of Pi director Max Webster. "It's exciting to be able to do something that's so ensemble-based, so rich, and so full of life. It's really, really nourishing, and I can't wait to share it with American audiences."

Life of Pi will run December 2022 through January 2023 at the A.R.T.'s home in Harvard Square, the Loeb Drama Center, located at 64 Brattle Street in Cambridge. The production's cast will be announced at a future date.

Life of Pi Creative Team

• Lolita Chakrabarti (she/her), Playwright
• Max Webster (he/him), Director
• Tim Hatley (he/him), Scenic and Costume Design
• Finn Caldwell (he/him), Puppetry and Movement Director
• Nick Barnes (he/him) & Finn Caldwell (he/him), Puppetry Design
• Tim Lutkin (he/him), Lighting Design
• Andrzej Goulding (he/him), Video Design
• Carolyn Downing (she/her), Sound Design
• Andrew T. Mackay (he/him), Original Composition
• Jack Bradley (he/him), Dramaturgy

Additional productions in A.R.T.'s 2022/23 Season and programming, including education, engagement, and virtual offerings, will be announced in the coming weeks.

The first production to be announced in the A.R.T.'s 2022/23 line-up, Life of Pi will first be available for purchase as part of an A.R.T. subscription, which will be available in June. Single tickets to individual productions will be available on a rolling basis at later dates. More information can be found at AmericanRepertoryTheater.org/Subscribe.

A.R.T.'s 2022/23 Season support is provided by Harvard University, The Barr Foundation, The Bob and Alison Murchison New Work Development Fund, The Shubert Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Bank of America, Barton & Guestier, Meyer Sound, and JetBlue.