Features
‘Jim Henson’s Labyrinth: In Concert’ North America Fall Tour To Hit 30 Cities
The cult classic, David Bowie-starring “Labyrinth” is going on tour, with a live band bringing the movie to life at 30 theaters across North America this fall.
The tour, produced by Black Ink Presents, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, takes place in popular concert venues where a live band will bring the music of Bowie and composer Trevor Jones to life, leaving Bowie’s vocals intact as the movie plays on screen during the performance.
“On stage we have a large a large HD screen and a seven-piece synth and rock band doing all of Trevor Jones’ synth score and all of David’s musical parts live,” says Black Ink Presents CEO John Kinser. “It’s like an ‘80s rock band, which is really awesome.”
Kinser has experience with high-profile intellectual property and brands, including producing events and tours for film composer Danny Elfman, Disney and more. Discussions with the Jim Henson Estate and Sony began in 2018 but were derailed by the pandemic, Kinser said, but the appeal of “Labyrinth” has endured for nearly 40 years and continues to be an under-served fanbase.
“’Labyrinth’ is the intersection of George Lucas, Jim Henson, David Bowie and Trevor Jones — it’s a rare gem of these mega stars with music that is in and of itself a great seller,” Kinser added. “We had the idea that people would really enjoy seeing this movie in almost a ‘Rocky Horror’ kind of way, with a live band and showing up in costume. And getting the opportunity to enjoy David’s vocals with a live band, we thought fans would really jump at the opportunity to experience that.”
Tickets go on sale Friday.
Helping provide some gauge of demand for the tour is a yearly limited theatrical release of the original movie, which Kinser says is very successful. “We did have some analytical insight that there’s probably an underserviced fan base here,” he said.
Putting the tour routing together was Paladin Artists’ Craig Newman.
“He did an amazing job,” said Jonathan Shank, CEO of Terrapin Station Entertainment, which acquired a majority stake in Black Ink Presents last year. “The tour is a unique opportunity. There’s very few opportunities out there in the cultural ecosphere that have that potent combo of artistry. It’s also a great opportunity to showcase the Black Ink brand, which has been producing amazing services for so many titles over the years.”
There are already hopes to do additional tour legs of the “Labyrinth” production, as this initial leg is mostly on the East Coast and Midwest. Care was taken to make the production financially viable and keep tickets affordable, with one bus and one trailer on the road along with the crew, Kinser said.
Although finding themselves at sometimes the eighth hold or further down the list to confirm dates during the booking process, venues and their talent buyers were eager for the dates once they were ready to confirm, he said.
“We cleared every single hold at every single room because the buyers were so rabid and so excited about this title,” Kinser said. “We bumped hundreds of shows to get all of these nights.”
“Jim Henson’s Labyrinth: In Concert” tour schedule
| DATE | CITY | VENUE |
| September 24 | Morgantown, WV | Metropolitan Theatre |
| September 25 | Reading, PA | Santander PAC |
| September 26 | Glenside, PA | Keswick Theatre |
| September 27 | York, PA | Pullo Center |
| September 28 | Concord, NH | Capitol Center for the Arts |
| September 29 | Mississauga, ON, Canada | Living Arts Centre |
| October 1 | Rutland, VT | Paramount Theatre |
| October 2 | Medford, MA | Chevalier Theatre |
| October 3 | Patchogue, NY | Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts |
| October 5 | Munhall, PA | Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead |
| October 7 | Cleveland, OH | Agora Theatre |
| October 8 | Louisville, KY | Louisville Palace |
| October 9 | Columbus, OH | KEMBA Live |
| October 10 | Lexington, KY | Lexington Opera House |
| October 11 | Indianapolis, IN | Murat Theatre |
| October 12 | Detroit, MI | Masonic Cathedral Theatre |
| October 13 | Milwaukee, WI | Pabst Theater |
| October 14 | Cincinnati, OH | Taft Theatre |
| October 16 | Saint Paul, MN | Fitzgerald Theater |
| October 17 | Waukegan, IL | Genesee Theatre |
| October 18 | Kansas City, MO | Uptown Theater |
| October 19 | Omaha, NE | Holland Center |
| October 21 | Dallas, TX | Majestic Theater |
| October 22 | New Orleans, LA | Orpheum Theater |
| October 23 | Atlanta, GA | The Eastern |
| October 24 | Jacksonville, FL | Florida Theatre |
| October 25 | Orlando, FL | Plaza Live |
| October 26 | Clearwater, FL | Ruth Eckerd Hall |
| October 27 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | The Parker |