Rose Van Dyne on Bringing Labyrinth In Concert to the Cerritos Center

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The Jim Henson classic plays in DTLA before heading to the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts this month

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Nearly 40 years after Labyrinth first introduced audiences to Jim Henson ’s fantastical world (and David Bowie ’s unforgettable Goblin King), the cult classic is finding a whole new way to cast its spell on fans.

Jim Henson ’s Labyrinth: In Concert— playing October 24 at The United Theater on Broadway in Downtown LA and October 27 at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts in Cerritos—brings the beloved 1986 film to the big screen while a live band performs the iconic songs on stage.

But this isn’t just a movie screening with live music: audiences are encouraged to sing, cheer, dress up, and fully embrace their love for all things Labyrinth .

BroadwayWorld spoke with music director Rose Van Dyne about taking the show on the road, introducing Labyrinth to a new generation, and why some movies might just be better left beautifully “stuck in time.”

What's your relationship with Labyrinth ? Did you grow up loving the movie?

That's such a great question because so many people grew up loving this movie and it being a part of their childhood. I unfortunately didn't have access to this movie when I was younger. So it was a later love in life. Once I was able to appreciate it as an adult, it was cool that this job aligned with it.

What makes Labyrinth such a perfect movie to experience with live music?

I think it's a cult classic in and of itself, and doing it live in this fashion lends itself to being a Rocky Horror -type experience where the audience is able to feel really involved in what's going on. We love to have live interactions where the audience members are screaming at their favorite character entrances and seeing us engaging in the music. We have a few standout solo moments that they love to see. I think it heightens what everybody already loves about the movie to be able to see it in this form.

What do you mean by standout solo moments?

There's an iconic guitar solo that everybody always knows as the credits are starting. Or there's a big saxophone solo right before "As the World Falls Down." Musical moments that are so iconic that it's really exciting for the audience to engage with live.

Where is the band during the movie? Are you onstage? Or more in the background?

We're onstage with the movie. Usually the screen is right behind us, but we are fully onstage, lit along with the movie. There's a full light show that has been created by an amazing designer to help amplify the exciting moments in the score and in the movie itself. So we're fully visible to the audience the whole time.

What makes Labyrinth in Concert different from simply going to a screening of the movie?

Several of us come out at the beginning of the movie before we start to give context for how this is completely different than a normal film screening. We also sometimes have a costume contest. A lot of people like to come dressed up as their favorite characters, and we love to appreciate that. We engage the audience, asking who their favorite characters are and what their favorite lines of the movie are. We verbally encourage all of this type of engagement before the movie even starts.

The band is onstage, there are lights happening, there's an intermission. So it really is a full-length theatrical production as opposed to just a film screening.

Do you see a lot of people bringing their kids, or is it mostly adults who grew up with the movie?

We definitely see lots of families that come out. In fact, one of the questions that I love to ask is, of course, “Who grew up with this movie and loves it?” and then, “Who was brought here by one of those people who loves the movie but has never seen it before?”

A lot of those hands go up too. I like to think that old fans and new fans are really appreciating a way to come to this movie together.

What do those first-time viewers think? Does the movie still work for a new generation?

At first, they seem confused. Then later, enthused! I love especially when we start listing out the character names—we're like, "How many of you love The Worm? Or the Trash Lady? Or Hoggle? Or, in the Bog of Eternal Stench,” or “What's your favorite fart noise?’”

You can tell on the faces of the audience members who have no idea what this movie is about: "What am I in for?" And I'm like, "You don't even know."

What do you think makes Labyrinth such an enduring classic? Is it David Bowie ? The puppets? The creatures?

It's the confluence of all those things, and exactly its time. This is the 40th anniversary tour, so 1986 is when this movie came out.

I think anything having to do with Jim Henson is automatically something that inspires nostalgia because it brings out something in all of us—which is a childlike wonder and fascination. But also, watching it with an adult eye, you're so impressed with the amount of work that went into all of this puppetry.

And then David Bowie , of course, is a timeless, androgynous god. No matter what it is that drew you to him, there's still his nebulous rock nature. These two worlds that seem like they wouldn't collide at all suddenly come together in a very humorous way.

For someone who has seen Labyrinth a hundred times, what might they notice or experience differently by watching it this way?

I think you really see the music in a completely different way. There might be an iconic song like "Magic Dance" or "As the World Falls Down," things like that. But there is also a plethora of music underscoring the scenes that are happening.

I think it's really interesting seeing the music isolated in that way. A longtime viewer of the movie might actually be able to pick out musical moments that inform each other. You can see more clearly how the music plays a huge piece in the storytelling, as much as the visual components.

Is there anything about the movie that surprised you after working so closely with it?

Every single time I see the movie, I see something completely new that I hadn't seen before. There are several fan-favorite Easter eggs in the movie. For example, there are many different iterations where they've secretly placed David Bowie 's face in the rock formations.

Those are fun to see, but even more so, one of my favorite characters is the Trash Lady, and I didn't see until recently that there are actually several trash people in that scene. She's just the only one speaking to Sarah. So there are new details every time I watch.

How does it feel to be playing the music that’s backing David Bowie ?

Oh my gosh. Iconic!

What's the vibe been like on tour? Are you finding Labyrinth fans everywhere you go?

We're lucky in that it's surprising how much of a fan favorite it is all across the country and in Canada. We started our tour this time in Canada as well.

We're going to all of these pockets of places where we wonder to ourselves, "Could there truly be Labyrinth fans here?" And then they come out in droves because so many people are secretly Labyrinth fans. It's a place where they can let it shine.

Our favorite types of performances are ones in which people are super engaged. They're yelling, they're having fun, they're getting up and dancing. We encourage people to dance and sing along the whole time. It's more fun for everybody.

What do you recommend people wear to the show?

If you want to be a winner of the costume contest, I certainly suggest you dress up as your favorite character! We also see a lot of Helping Hands or Fireys or worms. Some people are very creative.

We've also seen some amazing old T-shirts that people have. Someone had a Knockers T-shirt, which I thought was hilarious. Additionally, we sell merchandise at the show if you want to get a collectible, something to take home and wear with you.

We in the band dress '80s-esque as well. We've got jean jackets and a little glitter.

Do you consider this a concert or a movie?

I like to say "movie live in concert." I think it's both, but it's especially a concert where we're all coming together to pay homage to this wonderful movie.

If David Bowie could walk into the theater and see this production, what do you think he'd think?

He would be astounded at how many people loved this film. I think it was often known that he wasn't ever going to release these songs as his number-one pop record or whatever. I think he would be surprised to see how many people really, really love it.

Do you think Labyrinth could—or should—ever be remade with a new pop star in the David Bowie role?

I feel like part of the charm of the movie is the nostalgia of when it was made. So many of the puppets and so much of the technology that they had was limited. The owl that comes up at the beginning during the credits, before the movie actually starts, that was the first animated owl like that that was ever made in the '80s. The Firey background was the first green-screen situation that they used.

There are firsts that make it beautifully stuck in time, and I think that it would lose its charm if it was redone with all the bells and whistles.

Jim Henson ’s Labyrinth: In Concert will play October 24 at The United Theater on Broadway in Los Angeles and October 27 at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are available at Labyrinthinconcert.com .

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Episode

_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/los-angeles/article/Interview-Rose-Van-Dyne-of-LABYRINTH-IN-CONCERT-at-Cerritos-Center-For-The-Performing-Arts-20261004)._