Paw Patrol Live! The Great Pirate Adventure, debuts in October.
The worldwide popularity of Paw Patrol Live! Race to the Rescue, produced by VStar Corp., has led to a second production based on pirate puppies.
The success of Nickelodeon’s “Paw Patrol” shows combined with youngsters’ fascination with pirates should be a winning formula for Paw Patrol Live: The Great Pirate Adventure, said VStar’s Kevin Kulas. The original Paw Patrol Live has been playing theaters since October of last year. There are also five international units of Paw Patrol, which opened or will open March 31 in Australia, April 7 in Mexico City, Aug 4 in London, July 3 in Uruguay and October in Portugal.
Paw Patrol Live: The Great Pirate Adventure will play 1,500-5,000 seat venues, among them four arenas so far, said Julia Schmidt, new CMO of VStar, who joined the firm in February. Bookings are a combination of promotes and co-promotes, Kulas said.
Ticket prices start at $19 and go up to $110 for the VIP package, comparable to the first run.
Setup for this new Paw Patrol, which is a slightly bigger production, will be eight hours; tear-down, four hours. It involves four or five semis, one tour bus and a cast and crew of 30. Costumes are produced in-house, one of VStar’s core competencies. VStar is using a “Bunraku”style of theatrical costuming, which leaves the actor’s face exposed.
Kulas pegged the cost of production at in excess of $2.5 million. The show makes use of video walls and Nickelodeon animation. It is also interactive. The first Paw Patrol used white pompom giveaways, which the children were encouraged to wave. Pirates will have a similar interactive giveaway item.
The target market is preschoolers, but skews to age 10, Schmidt said. “It’s a fun show; everybody likes puppies.” In some markets, they tie in with nonprofit canine companies and let them set up in the lobby, most often with support dogs.
The number one selling merchandise item is LED spin lights.
Sponsorships for the first Paw Patrol Live include Pedigree and State Farm. Kulas said they have not yet contracted the second tour sponsorships.
The strength of the first tour helps with the marketing effort, Schmidt said. “There is pent-up demand.” Paw Patrol two will repeat some markets.
Kulas said the first tour of Paw Patrol Live has played 50 dates and 203 performances through June 8. It has sold over 500,000 paid tickets to date in the U.S.
The social media engagement is huge.
VStar currently has five active touring units besides Paw Patrol — three Discover the Dinosaurs and two units of Sesame Street Live, the last performance of which will be July 23 in Maui, Hawaii. Feld Entertainment will produce future Sesame Street Lives.
VStar also has three holiday shows and one non-holiday productions of Cirque Dreams.
Paw Patrol Live! The Great Pirate Adventure begins Oct. 14-15 at Five Flags Center, Dubuque, Iowa. New arenas on the tour include UNO Lakefront Arena, New Orleans, Nov. 4-5.
The route so far:
Oct. 14-15, Five Flags Center Arena, Dubuque, IA
Oct. 21-22 , U.S. Cellular Coliseum, Bloomington, Ill.
Oct. 28-29, Old National Centre, Evansville, Ind.
Nov. 4-5, UNO Lakefront Arena, New Orleans,
Nov. 8, Cajundome, Lafayette, LA
Nov. 11-12, CenturyLink Center, Bossier City, La
Nov. 15, Ford Park Arena, Beaumont, Texas
Nov. 18-19, PAC at River Center, Baton Rouge, La.
Nov. 21-22, Cannon Center, Memphis, Tenn.
Nov. 29, Convocation Center, Jonesboro, Ark
Dec. 2-3, Allen County Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Dec. 6, Civic Center, Canton, Ohio
Dec. 9-10, Toyota Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford, Conn.
Dec. 13, Bryce Jordan Center, State College, Pa.
Dec. 15-17, Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Dec. 26-27, Paramount Theatre, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Dec. 30-31, Old National Centre, Indianapolis