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An second Rugrats stage show, Rugrats Magic Adventure!, opened 6/9/2000 at Universal Studios Hollywood. The catch, though, is that it won't be touring -- you'll have to go to Los Angeles to see it. For details, click here.
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(Banner from Nick UK; ©1999 Viacom.) Nick and PACE Entertainment (now Clear Channel Entertainment, or
something), an entertainment company that handled a wide range of
entertainment from Broadway shows to tractor pulls, brought Rugrats
-- A Live Adventure coast-to-coast, and to Mexico, Britain, Ireland
and Australia from 1998 to 2000. LEFT: Logo taken from Nick UK; ©1998 Viacom. RIGHT: Tommy, Chuckie & Angelica in a scene from the Live Adventure. From a review in the April 1998 Animation World. Photo by Joan Marcus and © 1998 Viacom. |
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Sponsorship Note:
In the US, the live show was sponsored by M&M's Minis (through December 1998), Playstation (Fall 1998 to Summer 1999) and L'Oreal.
What's It All About?
This show is about Angelica's constant attempts to scare Chuckie. To help Chuckie combat his wide range of fears, Tommy "invents" a magic wand called the "People-ator" to make Chuckie brave. Angelica, however, wants Chuckie to stay scared, so she steals Tommy's wand. In addition, also look for bees, aliens, and a live crib mobile in the show, as well. And they'll be singing -- lots of singing. The show has 2 40-minute acts, with a 20-minute intermission (or, rather, "commercial break") in between. The only way to see any of the action is to see the show in person; ads on Nick and local stations only show clips from the original 65 episodes of the series; nothing from the live show itself.
For the complete rundown, click here.
Read The Ads
To see the various ads used to promote the show, click here.
Don't Forget The Doggie Bag
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There are 2 known covers; the other (the first printing)
has all |
Look for the soundtrack to the show (on Interscope Records), which
features songs and selected scenes; you can relive the "Live
Experience", wherever you go. The soundtrack, originally available only
at the show, is now available where fine music is sold. If your local record
store doesn't have it, you can special order it. Just
give the following information to the clerk:
Catalog #: 90190
(Above information is for the cassette version; if you want the CD, you
may want to ask the clerk for info.) What's On The Soundtrack The following numbers can be found on the soundtrack (timing in parentheses); songs listed are not in the same order as in the show itself.:
The Mover's Rap (3:28) ("I've Been A Very Bad Girl" & "Princess Angelica Says" are not included on the soundtrack.)
The entire soundtrack (excluding the excluded numbers) is 31:52
in length. If you're on a budget, try getting the soundtrack at a retail
outlet (remember, cassettes are still cheaper than CDs), or through
an online dealer (like CD
Universe); at that length, you won't be getting more music for your
buck. (Source: CD Universe) |
Stock Up On The Souvenirs -- But Bring Plenty Of Dough
While at the show, you can pick up various Rugrats merchandise, but
be prepared to pay much more than at stores. And they don't take American
Express. Or Visa. Or Master Card. Here's what's available:
(Note: There are 2 prices listed: one for the Radio City
stop in New York City, the other for the Ice Palace stop in
Tampa. Prices may vary from venue-to-venue.)
| Item: | New York Price: | Tampa Price: | Notes: |
| T-Shirts |
Adult Sizes: $25 Kids Sizes: $18 |
Adult Sizes: $20 Kids Sizes: $15 |
Normally available for $8-$12 at retail outlets; shirts for the "Live Adventure" are show-exclusive, though standard Rugrats shirts are also sold. |
| Signs of Tommy, Chuckie, Angelica & Susie | $7 each | $5 each | Show exclusive |
| Pennants | $7 | $5 | Show exclusive |
| Plush Dolls of Tommy, Chuckie & Angelica | $35 each | $30 each | Special edition; show exclusive |
| Programs | $12 | $10 | Show exclusive |
| Soundtrack |
Cassette: $18 CD: $25 |
Cassette: $15 CD: $20 |
SRP of $11 for cassette & $18 for CD, though some places sell the cassette for as low as $8 |
| Baseball Caps | ??? | $20 | Show exclusive |
| Beanbag Dolls of Tommy, Chuckie & Angelica | ??? | $8 each | Similar to "Beanie Babies" |
| Figurines of Tommy, Chuckie & Angelica | ??? | $5 each | |
| Keychains | ??? | $5 | |
| Sport Bottle | ??? | $5 | |
| Expando-Light | ??? | $7 | Generic; does not carry any "Rugrats" markings of any kind |
(special thanks to "Quentin R.")
For the credits of the people involved in the show, click here.
The Effects On Other Events:
When the Rugrats come to town, they may also appear at other events, which may help boost the attendance at that event. According to "Quentin R.":
"I read an article (Dead Tree-Not Online) in USA Today about the Rugrats appearing at the Core States Center in Philly. This sunday (3/29/1998), during the 76ers game, Tommy, Chuckie and Angelica will be appering in the crowds as well as the court. (Half-time?) This is a part of a Nick promotion in which they have all these interactive things and what not throughout the game. The game-obioviously is close to being sold out. This is quite funny because the Center never really sells out for 76 games. But they had their ways of getting folks in the seats. Back a few months ago, they gave out free Beanie Babies-they sold the house out. I guess it's Tommy's turn..."
Note: Please keep in mind that their appearance at the Sixers game takes place weeks after their appearance at the Entertainment Center in Camden, NJ, where all their "Live Adventure" shows sold out.
(special thanks to "Quentin R.")
What Does The Press Think About The Show?
Before the New York city stop, the prognosis is usually blow-average to average. But, as with every other live show, it needs time to improve. As the tour went on, some portions of the show were cut, whille new portions were added, all to keep the show interesting. By the New York stop, and with most other stops afterward, many critics praised the show, declaring it a "must see" to their readers.
However, despite the positive reviews, there were some that thought negatively on the show. In the 6/7/1998 Chicago Tribune, Chris Jones gave his review of the show, putting it on the same level as McDonald's, rather than The Phantom Of The Opera. In his review, entitled "'Rugrats Live' A Lesson In Marketing", Jones mentioned that "...a thinking adult might start worring about the future of both American culture and the American Child", that the show "withholds the appearance of the Rugrats until the theater is in a frenzy", and that the characters are so recognizable, "they'll probably demand to see and claim they love Rugrats", with the style of the cartoon all but ignored and the young audience treated "as passive consumers, not thinking individuals." I guess you can't win all the people over.
For more interesting tidbits on the "Live Adventure", click here.
For First Tour schedule (through 12/13/1998), click here.
For Second Tour schedule (through 12/20/1998), click here.
For the tour schedule after 12/20/1998, click here.
For the international tour schedule (10/28/1999 to 5/14/2000), click here.
How Could've I Gotten Tickets?
As with any other public event, most fans bought their tickets either at the venue's box office, or through a third-party agent such as Ticketmaster. Some lucky fans received a special letter from Nickelodeon, which informed them that they could purchase their tickets before anyone else does. This advance sale was only for the dates and times specified in the letter, and is only available by calling Ticketmaster (or the ticket agency specified in the letter) or by visiting the venue's box office. However, they could only buy the pre-sale tickets only by phone or at the box office, and only a limited amount of tickets were set aside for pre-sale. (Letter is from the Tampa show.)
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-- A Live
Adventure
