Orlando Sentinel

Legoland Florida theme park opens ‘Xtreme’ stunt show

- By Dewayne Bevil Email me at dbevil@ orlandosen­tinel.com. Subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at orlandosen­tinel. com/newsletter­s.

WINTER HAVEN — Legoland Florida is heading into summer with leaps and bounds courtesy of “Go Xtreme,” a new stunt show that debuts at the theme park today.

The production features pairs of acrobatic acts using inline skates, scooters, skateboard­s and other equipment plus a not-quite-sky-high pogo artist. The action takes place in front of a colorful, half pipe-inspired stage in the Lego City area of the attraction.

There are three actors who play judges and a walk-around Lego character called Producer Tom.

“It is full of stunts. We’ve got BMX, rollerblad­es. Scooters, a really cool pogo stick,” Nick Miller, director of operations, said before a preview Thursday. “The pogo stick sounds a little different, but he’s a world-record holder, and he is extremely impressive. … And then, of course, Lego flair and humor.”

The plot involves the casting of a fictional TV show and a competitio­n to see who will picked to appear on it. In the running are the Speed Demons, the Really Bad Bandits and the Pepperoni Bros, who deliver by scooter. Later, the pogo guy, portraying Mike the jackhammer operator, joins in.

Judges include an influencer named LOL Leah, who “started her own line of cell phones for cats and has 2 billion followers online,” according to her introducti­on, as well as a former stunt performer “and the only one to attempt a double backflip with ants in his pants.” (Think Jack Black sort of dude.)

The 20-minute show works its way through sets of tricks, flips and near misses, building up to the pogo act, which gets serious air time and has complicate­d maneuvers as he heads back to the concrete floor of the amphitheat­er. Adults, don’t try this at home.

It all leads to a storyline conflict, resolved with a grand finale and morals to the story: It’s not about being the “most gnarly,” working together is good and “sometimes you don’t have to follow the instructio­ns,” a character notes. Rad.

“There is a lot of great Lego content in here, and that’s what makes it great for the whole family,” Miller said. “But this show is a little bit different. We are skewing slightly to our older piece of the demographi­c. But that’s what we hear from our guests sometimes is that they want something for the older kids.”

Legoland’s target audience typically is between 2 and 12 years old.

“Go Xtreme” will be at Legoland daily through Aug. 6 except on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

The park also is adding an in-park act called Rhythm Bricks for the summer. They will appear daily as a roaming percussion band, Miller said.

“Inside their roaming cart they have instrument­s for kids to be able to join in with them,” he said. “They’re going to take the lead from the kids.”

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