Daniel Flannery conceived and directed Once Upon a River, a large-scale nighttime spectacle created for YooTown Resort in China. A procession of elaborately designed floating stages transformed the resort’s river into a living storybook, carrying audiences through a continuous, cinematic journey inspired by beloved fairytales.
Presented on an epic scale, the production brought together theatrical staging, original music, lighting, costumes, puppetry, illusion, fountains, fire, projections, and live performance. Rather than unfolding on a conventional stage, the spectacle traveled across the water, surrounding the island of Yutian with an ever-changing panorama of characters, imagery, and theatrical transformations.
Flannery assembled an internationally distinguished creative team that included composer Mark Chait; A.D. Alain Gauthier; set designer Claudio Mazzoli; lighting designer David Finn, costume designer Emma Kingsbury, puppet designer Nicholas Mahon, and illusion designer Jarrett Parker. Together, they created an ambitious destination attraction designed to appeal to audiences of all ages and to establish a new standard for nighttime entertainment in China.
The production’s exceptional scale and technical sophistication ultimately exceeded the local operator’s ability to present the attraction consistently as originally conceived. Nevertheless, Once Upon a River stands as a bold demonstration of Flannery’s continuing exploration of water as a theatrical medium—and his ability to unite storytelling, performance, design, and advanced show technology within a singular immersive destination entertainment experience.
Presented on an epic scale, the production brought together theatrical staging, original music, lighting, costumes, puppetry, illusion, fountains, fire, projections, and live performance. Rather than unfolding on a conventional stage, the spectacle traveled across the water, surrounding the island of Yutian with an ever-changing panorama of characters, imagery, and theatrical transformations.
Flannery assembled an internationally distinguished creative team that included composer Mark Chait; A.D. Alain Gauthier; set designer Claudio Mazzoli; lighting designer David Finn, costume designer Emma Kingsbury, puppet designer Nicholas Mahon, and illusion designer Jarrett Parker. Together, they created an ambitious destination attraction designed to appeal to audiences of all ages and to establish a new standard for nighttime entertainment in China.
The production’s exceptional scale and technical sophistication ultimately exceeded the local operator’s ability to present the attraction consistently as originally conceived. Nevertheless, Once Upon a River stands as a bold demonstration of Flannery’s continuing exploration of water as a theatrical medium—and his ability to unite storytelling, performance, design, and advanced show technology within a singular immersive destination entertainment experience.
