Welcome...To Jurassic United Center

By Jacy Wojcik in Arts & Entertainment on Aug 7, 2008 9:00PM

If there's one upcoming event we here at Chicagoist unanimously want to nerd-out to, it's Walking With The Dinosaurs: The Live Experience, which opens tonight at the United Center. Based on a BBC Television show, this live 90-minute theatrical show with a $20 million dollar budget features life-sized dinosaurs (the tallest, a Brachiosaurus, being 36 feet tall and 56 feet long) in a simulated natural habitat. Realistic roars of dinosaurs, earthquakes, volcanoes, and comet crashes add to the spectacle, along with both live and recorded video.

You can't actually walk with the dinosaurs; it's more like sit and stare at them. But Carmen Pavlovic, CEO of The Creature Production Company, assures it's still an amazing experience. "This is the closest you'll ever get to experiencing what it was like when they walked and ruled the earth. This is a show that could only fit in arenas - as the creatures are so absolutely immense in size, " says Pavlovic.

The show was conceived in Australia where it was huge success and has been playing to sold-out arenas in North America since the early spring. "Walking With Dinosaurs: The Live Experience" premieres tonight at 7pm and runs through August 17th. Tickets range from $25-$75 dollars and can be purchased through Ticketmaster or United Center Box Office. We're still debating on whether to splurge for the expensive seats or sit way up and save our money for an awesome Dino souvenir. Because can you really attend a spectacle such as this and not walk out holding a T-Rex with colored lights shooting out of its brain?