Life of Pi at the Keller Auditorium
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I went into Life of Pi completely blind—and left utterly gutted in the best possible way. This production is a breathtaking fusion of theater and visual poetry, where storytelling and spectacle come together with devastating beauty. This is also one of the first Broadway productions I have seen that was not a musical, and I was so pleasantly surprised with the performance!
From the moment the lights dimmed, the entire audience was locked in. You could feel the tension ripple through the room, the way only great theater can command—collective laughter, gasps, and even quiet realizations as the story unfolded and the truth was finally revealed.
The puppetry was absolutely stunning. I knew it was highly regarded, but seeing it in person? It’s something else entirely. The tiger (and the full cast of creatures) were brought to life so vividly, you stop thinking of them as puppets altogether. The visuals and lighting elevated every moment, and the backstage and tech crew deserve their own round of applause.
As for Pi himself, played by Taha mandviwala—what a performance! He held the stage with such quiet command and emotional clarity that you couldn’t help but be drawn completely into his world and story. It was one of those performances that stays with you long after the final bow.
The entire cast brought so much energy and visual storytelling to light during the entire performance. And you could hardly even tell what a small cast it truly was, or even that some of the cast members played multiple prominent characters! The way they worked with Pi turn his story from upbeat and exciting to daunting at the tip of a hat was downright magical- I have not seen such perfected turning of the mood in many shows before.
If you’re wondering if this is an appropriate show for children, I brought my son with me (young elementary school age), and he was fully engaged throughout. While a few of the deeper themes took some explaining afterward, the show was completely appropriate for him—and the puppetry especially left a lasting impression.
If you get the chance to see Life of Pi—absolutely go! It’s thought-provoking, emotionally charged, and visually stunning. I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking for a meaningful, beautifully executed theater experience.
Ticket and Show Info:
Tickets can be purchased HERE
Tuesday, April 8th @ 7:30 pm
Wednesday, April 9th @ 7:30 pm
Thursday, April 10th @ 7:30 pm – American Sign Language Interpreted
Friday, April 11th @ 7:30 pm – Audio Description
Saturday, April 12th @ 2 pm and 7:30 pm
Sunday, April 13th @ 1 pm and 6:30 pm – Open Caption
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CRITIC’S PICK! “Spectacular! LIFE OF PI delivers magic. That roaring you hear at the show’s end? It’s the sound of a standing ovation.” – The New York Times
★★★★★ “An extraordinary journey. Unmissable” – The Guardian
“SPECTACULAR AND SPELLBINDING!” -Wall Street Journal
“LIFE OF PI creates moment after moment of theatrical magic and thrills us with sheer emotion and awe.” -New York Post
“A FEAST FOR THE EYES!” -Washington Post
“The single greatest innovation in puppetry ever to hit the global stage.” -NY Daily News
“GLORIOUS! A DAZZLING MARVEL OF STAGECRAFT. THIS POWERFUL PRODUCTION SPARKS TO STUNNING LIFE.” – Entertainment Weekly
[PORTLAND, OR) – Broadway in Portland is pleased to announce that LIFE OF PI, the hit Broadway and West End sensation is coming to Portland’s Keller Auditorium from April 8 – 13, 2025.
Tickets are available at www.BroadwayinPortland.com.
Tickets are available for groups of 10 or more by calling Group Sales at 503-295-3509 or by email at GroupSales@PortlandOpera.org.
Lolita Chakrabarti’s dazzling Olivier and Tony Award®-winning stage adaption of LIFE OF PI embarks on another exciting adventure when it launches its North American Tour in Baltimore, Maryland in December 2024 at the Hippodrome Theatre. City is one of 22 cities on the tour where theatregoers can experience this extraordinary show.
Based on one of the best-loved works of fiction and the best-selling and Man Booker Prize-winning book (more than 15 million copies sold) by author Yann Martel, LIFE OF PI is captivating audiences across the world.
LIFE OF PI is an unforgettable, epic tale and a breath-taking journey of endurance, hope and perseverance that speaks to every generation and “gives new life to Broadway” (The Today Show). Theglobal phenomenon was lauded as “an exhilarating evening of theater” (The Wall Street Journal) and “a wonder to behold” (Entertainment Weekly).
After a cargo ship sinks in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean, a sixteen-year-old boy name Pi is stranded on a lifeboat with four other survivors – a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger. Time is against them, nature is harsh, who will survive?
Told with jaw-dropping visuals, world class puppetry and exquisite stagecraft, the Broadway and West End sensation, LIFE OF PI creates a visually breathtaking journey that will leave you filled with awe and joy.
Martel’s extraordinary story of family, resilience and survival and the natural world was made into an Oscar-winning film in 2012. This breath-taking theatrical adaptation is a natural evolution for the source, as it utilizes the communal power of live storytelling and imagination, two of the other central themes of the original novel.
LIFE OF PI, first opened to great critical acclaim with its cutting-edge visual effect at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield in 2019. LIFE OF PI played Wyndham’s Theatre in London’s West End where it won five Olivier Awards in 2022, including Best New Play, Best Scenic Design and Best Lighting Design. In a historic first for the Olivier Awards, the seven performers who play Royal Bengal tiger “Richard Parker” were collectively awarded “Best Actor in a Supporting Role.”
LIFE OF PImade its Broadway premiere at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on March 9, 2023 to celebratory reviews.won three Tony Awards for Best Scenic Design of a Play Best Lighting Design of a Play, and Best Sound Design of a Play, four Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Direction of a Play, Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play, Outstanding Projection and Video Design and Outstanding Puppetry and two Outer Critics Circle Awards for Outstanding Lighting Design of a Play or Musical and Outstanding Video or Projection Design of a Play or Musical.
Prior to its Broadway premiere, LIFE OF PI made its North American Premiere at the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University. Most recently, LIFE OF PI launched a UK & Ireland tour in the summer of 2023.
Broadway in Portland is a partnership between Portland Opera and Broadway Across America.
The performance schedule for the Portland engagement of LIFE OF PI is:
Wednesday, April 9 7:30 pm
Thursday, April 10 7:30 pm – American Sign Language Interpreted
Friday, April 11 7:30 pm – Audio Description
Saturday, April 12 2 pm and 7:30 pm
Sunday, April 13 1 pm and 6:30 pm – Open Caption
