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Tarzan Rocks Photo Tour

Photos by Brian Bennett (unless otherwise credited)

These are photos from my recent visit to Tarzan Rocks. MousePlanet staff Pat Edaburn also contributed a few pictures.

The original show presented in the Theater in the Wild was a Jungle Book musical, but it opened to some pretty mediocre reviews back when the park opened in 1998. Tarzan Rocks opened after the Jungle Book show had limped along for a couple of years, and has been entertaining audiences ever since.

The show's marquee is visible on the stage curtain before the show begins.

Still photos and dry prose cannot do justice to the show. Instead, let me try to share a little about what makes this a fun show to see, and give those who have already seen it both a little trip down memory lane.

Performers work the ropes.

In my opinion, the seats just above the middle aisle that runs left and right are the best ones in the house, as some of the skaters roll right by. On a recent visit, they gave high-fives to Allan as they passed.

Trapeze artists dance in costume, while off-camera, the in-line skaters perform and skate through the theater aisles.

Of course, the "Rocks" in Tarzan Rocks is there for a reason. A group of talented young performers present some high-decibel versions of several of Phil Collins' songs from the animated feature.

The singers performing one of the film's songs.

Tarzan makes his appearance.

Of course, a highlight of the show is the love story of Jane and Tarzan.

Tarzan investigates the "Strangers Like Me." As Jane sings in the center of the stage, Tarzan lurks in the groundground.

As the group performs "Strangers Like Me" and other songs, Tarzan and Jane meet, and perform some amazing aerial work. During the course of the show, Jane sheds some of that Victorian garb to get a little more comfortable.

Tarzan and Jane learning the ropes, as one of the performers sings in the foreground. Photo by Pat Edaburn.

The two main acrobatic performers who portray Tarzan and Jane do some spectacular work 30 or 40 feet off the ground. It is clear that a lot of practice, effort, and concentration are required to pull of this portion of the show.

Tarzan and Jane performing incredible aerial feats that wow the audience. Photo by Pat Edaburn.

Not to be outdone, Terk makes a brief appearance towards the end of the show just to wind things down.

Terk makes her appearance.

Tarzan Rocks ends up being a really fun show, with spectacular trapeze work, in-line skating, and music. I like to catch it right around lunch time, either just before or after eating. The theater is large, so getting in to see any specific performance is generally not a problem except during the busiest of times. It's also nice to sit in some shade during the hottest part of the day.

In fact, one of my family's little traditions is to go to the theater just before the show, and buy some frozen lemonade. Just for the record, they cost a $3.00 a piece! However, even at that steep price, these are tasty, refreshing snacks that perfectly fit the bill for us as we wait for the show to begin.

A snack from the theater's frozen lemonade stand provides a good treat before the show.

One little warning: Tarzan Rocks is a very loud show with some pretty intense rock music. Although it is not unusual for shows to be loud at Disney's parks, this is one of the loudest. Families with young children who are very sensitive to loud noises should carefully consider whether this show is appropriate for them to see.

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