The rise of new theme-park stage shows continues with “Hydro Surge,” now performed daily at
SeaWorld Orlando . The production has a kitchen-sink approach with live singers, dancers, gymnasts (aerial and grounded), puppeteers, a drummer and a variety of special effects. There’s a watery theme in song selection, costuming and the images on the enormous backdrop screen in the park’s Nautilus Theater. Audience members may experience a mix of soothing and unnerving sensations during “Hydro Surge.” Here are five ways my mind drifted during a recent performance.
Crowded house
It’s a big stage, but there’s a bunch of people on it. The dancers keep things moving, especially in transitions from one segment to another. But there are moments when there’s a lot of competition for attention. Should I look at the dancers, at the woman dangling from a ribbon or the gymnastics pass across the stage? Oh, look, a drummer. At times, it made me forget that there were two live singers up there to appreciate. (They keep moving, too). And that’s not including the backdrop, which switches between underwater scenes, moonscapes, cloudy skies, floating bubbles and others.
Tumbling down
High-flying maneuvers of gymnasts and acrobats impress yet also stress me out. “Hydro Surge” features aerial ribbon and hoop stunts where, although I’m certain everyone involved is well-trained, it feels like danger looms. Shoot, I even worry that the performer standing within the hoop on the ground might roll into the audience. But that’s just me. Gotta get thrills and chills in there somewhere. The show includes a four-person stunt I had not seen before. They stand on a big half-circle platform that rocks side to side and the flat part is all but perpendicular to the stage before rocking back to the other side. It’s a solid footing nightmare. As the song picked up momentum, the foursome would work in a trick using one of the poles on the corner of the platform. It’s crazy rocker monkey bars pole dancing, now on stage. Creators resisted the song
“Rock the Boat” for this segment. Then, the whole contraption is lifted straight up off the ground and the performers, one at a time, launch off it sometimes head-first (they land on a large cushion, but still, yikes). It’s also well timed with a big lightning strike on screen. I’m glad everyone knows what they’re doing and where those landing cushions are supposed to be.
In the stream of things
“Rock the Boat” joke aside, I appreciate that the show’s musical selections feature a water through-line without being too obvious. There are lyrical references to swimming and being taken to the river. There’s a presentation of
Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams,” which you could be forgiven if you thought the title was “Thunder Only Happens When It’s Raining.” The style could be considered rockin’ pop. The vibe reminded me of some of SeaWorld’s Howl-O-Scream shows, just a bit less dark. SeaWorld’s website lists it as “an electrifying cirque spectacular where the power of the ocean meets industrial grit.” Some of the water connections are elusive, like “I’m on Top of the World” by
Imagine Dragons , but it fit the feel of the show, otherwise, and was nice and bouncy for tumbling displays. The all-hands-on-deck finale includes “Dive” (“If you dive, I will follow”) and the curtain drops.
A nod to Nautilus
“Hydro Surge” is presented in the park’s Nautilus Theater, and it does make one appreciate air conditioning. The seats are comfortable enough for the length of the show — about 20 minutes. They keep it dark in there — nice and moody. The seating arrangement allows for the poled puppets to move easily through the audience, and folks in the back can see all the action on stage. (Far left and right are not the best angles, though.) The sound level was just right: Not blaring and with lyrics that could be understood. Worth noting: Nautilus will also be home to
SeaWorld’s concerts held during
Bands, Brew & BBQ , which begins July 5.
We got the beat
The first person seen on stage in “Hydro Surge” is the drummer. I believe that’s also the case in
“The Untrainable Dragon,” the stage show at
Epic Universe . Universal Studios has a standing percussion show called
“Beat Builders” with performers on scaffolding. Disney’s Animal Kingdom features the
Tam Tam Drummers of Harambe daily. The debut of “Hydro Surge” marks the fifth show unveiled in Orlando parks this year, following Epic’s “Dragon” and
“Le Cirque Arcanus” plus two recent editions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios:
“Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After” and “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure.” “Hydro Surge” is part of
SeaWorld’s Summer Spectacular offerings, which run daily through Aug. 3 then switch to a Friday-Sunday schedule for Aug. 8-Sept. 1.
Email me at . BlueSky: @themeparksdb. Threads account: @dbevil. X account: @themeparks . Subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters .