Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) Shows & Experiences is ushering in an exciting new era of entertainment, with a fresh creative vision and an expanding line-up of original productions. With several new vessels joining its fleet, NCLH is evolving its entertainment offering, moving away from traditional Broadway musicals and toward innovative shows created specifically with its audiences in mind. New productions include Elton: A Celebration of Elton John, Burn the Floor, Our World, Flashback: A Tribute to the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, and more.
And the search for talent is truly global. Fresh from a recent visit to London, where the NCLH casting team held auditions, the company is continuing its worldwide search for exceptional performers, with upcoming auditions across the U.S. this fall, as well as in Australia and Japan this October. NCLH casts talent for productions across its family of cruise brands, including Norwegian Cruise Line, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Oceania Cruises, creating a wide range of opportunities for dancers and performers at sea.
Here, Dance Informa speaks with Franklyn Warfield, Senior Manager of Theatrical Casting, about NCLH’s exciting creative evolution, the opportunities ahead and what the casting team is looking for in dancers ready to take their talents around the world.
You have developed new shows being performed across the fleet of Aqua, Luna, and Aura ships. These shows differ from what you were previously presenting. Can you share what changed in terms of creative direction?
“Historically, a new NCL vessel meant that we would be bringing another Broadway or West End musical to the fleet. However, much has changed since the pandemic pause in 2020 and return to sail in 2021/2022. Guest demographics are shifting younger, and audience attention spans are shorter. People are no longer simply content to sit back and watch for 90-100 minutes – they want to be involved. There is no direct ticket price paid for the majority of our entertainment offerings, so if audience members aren’t engaged, they have no obligation to stay until the end. We needed to adapt our product to capture this new audience.”
How did you decide to revamp the shows? How much audience or client feedback played into the process?
“Our audience is our guests. You have to give the people what they want, so to speak. We asked valued guests in an extensive survey process what they wanted to see most onstage. The results told a clear story. They want to see and hear recognizable hits, visual spectacle, and easy-to-follow narratives. Those survey takeaways made it difficult to see where the Broadway product aligns.
We also asked them what musical artists they most wanted to hear, generating a strong list of artists and bands to guide where we were going next. Following the success of Revolution: A Celebration of Prince on the Norwegian Aqua in 2025, our guest feedback led us to Elton: A Celebration of Elton John for the Norwegian Luna that opened earlier this year. This same roster of artists gave us our third production in this series, which will debut on the Norwegian Aura in 2027. These artists are celebrated through an interactive concert presentation that feels very similar to if they had a Las Vegas residency. No one is ever ‘impersonating’ them, but all are embodying their spirit and musical legacy.
This survey didn’t just inform what we would be bringing to stages for new vessels, but it guided how we retrofit our show lineups aboard NCL Legacy vessels as well as Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas.”
Can you discuss the creative teams and a bit about their riches of experience they bring to the team?
“It matters deeply to us to not only create productions that our guests will enjoy but ones that our talent will find artistically fulfilling over a lengthy contract at sea. We want the choreography and the production value to feel fresh and impactful, so we have several high-level creative and choreographic collaborators who have joined us on various projects in this endeavor. Nappytabs, Katy Tate, and Whitney Bezant brought their playful creativity, high-energy choreography, and keen understanding of audiences to Elton. Britt Stewart and Ezra Sosa of Dancing with the Stars fame have collaborated on many beautiful shows drawing upon their vast expertise in ballroom styles. Chase Benz has brought us an updated version of the NCL country-western classic, Blazin’ Boots, and James Alonzo White contributed his hip hop lens to Bring Back the ’90s. Patti Wilcox, a long-time creative partner of NCLH, was at the helm of both Revolution and a refresh of the long-standing hit, Elements: The World Expanded, both on the Norwegian Aqua. Coming up, we have partnered with Kevin and Marcel Wilson for an exciting new production on the Norwegian Aura, celebrating an artist that we can’t quite reveal just yet.”
What’s the creative process like before the show ever sees an at sea performance?
“So much happens before the first rehearsal begins and a show opens. Our shows are years in the making before audiences even get to see them. Concepts are generated based upon the data from our guest feedback that are then fleshed out creatively and logistically. Buy-in is received from NCLH senior leadership, brand presidents and marketing teams. Partnership is sealed with an artists’ team or estate. Creative teams are vetted and assembled. Scenic and costume bids are awarded. Mood boards, designs and set lists are presented. Workshops are conducted, and many revisions are executed. Auditions are held and talent contracted. Stage managers and technicians arrive to the Creative Studios in Tampa, FL, with the cast and creatives to begin rehearsals where the shows are further developed and adapted in a series of executive reviews. Shows are then teched and installed onboard in an environment that is equal parts theatre and construction zone. Countless hours are devoted to perfecting all aspects of performance and technical operations on a vessel that has never run a show before. When opening night finally comes, it is a push to the end but typically rewarded as a thrilled audience springs to their feet at the finale!”
The change in direction from the previous show roster means new dancers, new styles, and more auditions. What are some qualities you’re seeking from dancers as you bring these new shows to life?
“Honestly, if anything, we are doubling down on the same qualities we have always required: outstanding proficiency in style, detail, technique, musicality, and athleticism, as well as acting ability. NCLH treats dancers like professionals, and this is where professional dancers come to thrive onstage at sea. Our dancers are not step-touching in the back – they are featured. The rehearsal process can be intense for dancers new to the industry, so those who own their process, are effective communicators and collaborators, can maintain focus, and prioritize physical readiness are most successful in rehearsal and onboard.
Because of the demand on dancers in these new productions, we have uplifted contract conditions that allow greater focus on performing with no extra cruise staff duties, higher pay rates, and uniquely, single occupancy cabins for privacy and recovery.”
How have your stylistic requirements changed from the previous shows?
“Much of our previous product was reliant on musical theatre and classic jazz styles. Now, as evidenced by our list of creative partners, we have really leaned into what we call ‘West Coast Commercial’ style in the States. This requires versatility from our dancers to be proficient in commercial jazz and hip hop and have a solid technical foundation in ballet, contemporary, and concert dance. Certain shows are centered around ballroom and partnering choreography that require the strength and stamina to execute lifts and the ability to pick up those styles quickly.
Several of our productions employ various aerial components such as straps, bungee, Spanish Web, Chinese pole, silks, Lyra, and more. We train our dancers on these apparatuses as a part of the rehearsal period in Tampa.”
If I’m a dancer looking for employment, why consider cruise ships?
“Speaking for NCLH, our ships are the best place for dancers to perform in high-quality, challenging productions while collecting a robust paycheck and experiencing the world. With low overhead costs while on contract, many performers have been able to pay off debt and/or start a robust savings account. Some have been able to return after a contract able to afford a down payment on a house or at least be able to postpone the inevitable survival job for a bit while focusing completely on class and auditioning. It is also one of the only environments that gives you a taste of what it is like to be in a long-running show and what it takes to maintain your body and mind. As opposed to performing one choreographer’s work over many months, there is variety in style from show to show to constantly keep things fresh. So much quality content can be filmed to add to a dance performance reel. The chance to meet and work alongside folks from all over the world is something quite unique a cruise ship. For those playing the long game, cruise work can turn into a meaningful and lucrative career (not just a contract) with the opportunity to eventually grow and transition into other positions within NCLH onboard and shoreside.”
For audition dates and information, visit nclhcreativestudios.com/auditions.html.
By Emily Sarkissian of Dance Informa.
