Daniel Flannery created, produced and directed ‘E’ Elements Show, an original theatrical spectacular presented nightly at the Huaxia Cultural Performing Arts Centre in Shenzhen, China.
The production emerged from an unusually difficult development process. Overseas Chinese Town Limited (OCT) had previously engaged several producers in an effort to create a permanent Western-style show for the venue, but none had succeeded in bringing the project to fruition. Flannery was ultimately commissioned to take over the undertaking under challenging circumstances and deliver the international production OCT envisioned—one conceived through a distinctly Western theatrical vocabulary and performed predominantly by Western artists.
Rather than attempt to salvage the earlier concepts, Flannery developed an entirely new production inspired by the elemental forces of nature. Actors, dancers, acrobats, singers and musicians were integrated with magic, puppetry and specialty performance to create a large-scale visual narrative capable of communicating across languages. Music, movement, scenic transformation and theatrical imagery became the production’s shared vocabulary, allowing Elements to connect with Chinese audiences without depending upon conventional dialogue.
Flannery assembled and led an international creative and production team while overseeing the show’s development, staging and integration within the existing Huaxia theatre. His responsibilities extended across the production—from its central concept and dramatic structure to casting, visual design, technical coordination and final direction. The result was not simply a collection of specialty acts, but a unified theatrical work in which performers, music, spectacle and stage technology served a coherent artistic vision.
Elements premiered in Shenzhen as “A Daniel Flannery Production” and was presented by OCT as a nightly resident attraction. Its five-year run represented a decisive reversal for a project that had repeatedly resisted completion. BroadwayWorld describes the production as featuring “dancers, acrobats, synchronized swimmers, singers, musicians, magicians, and puppets,” and confirms that it remained at the Huaxia Art Centre for five years. A surviving production presentation identifies the show as having premiered in 2007 for what was initially described as an “unlimited run.” BroadwayWorld, Elements Show production excerpts
The venue itself was one of Shenzhen’s established cultural institutions. Owned by OCT Group, the Huaxia Art Centre contained a 1,000-seat theatre and was founded to encourage international cultural exchange. Its history includes more than 1,000 visiting productions and approximately one million spectators, making it a significant platform for Flannery’s first major original production in China. Huaxia Art Centre profile, Shenzhen Government theatre listing
The success of ‘E’ Elements Show established Flannery as an American producer and director capable of creating ambitious permanent entertainment within China’s rapidly expanding cultural and themed-entertainment industry. It also began an important chapter in his international career, leading to subsequent Chinese productions in which he continued to combine Western showmaking, advanced visual technology and large international casts. Most importantly, Elements demonstrated his ability to enter a troubled project, establish a clear creative direction and transform it into a sustainable production that played nightly for five years.
