Dinosaurs take over Resch Center in Green Bay

Thursday, August 12, 2010



A long-extinct allosaurus dinosaur flashed a toothy grin as it stomped across the floor of the Resch Center on Tuesday.

The remote-controlled replica of the Jurassic-era beast walked back and forth in the arena as a robotics crew tested it to ensure it was working properly before its featured role in the "Walking with Dinosaurs — The Arena Spectacular" show.

"They're incredibly lifelike," said Kari Klein, one of the workers who operates the robotic dinosaurs in the show, which started a two-day run Tuesday at the Resch.

Two more of the shows teaching about dinosaurs will take place at 3 and 7 p.m. today.

The shows feature 17 dinosaurs representing 10 species, including a remote-controlled tyrannosaurus rex and a 36-foot-tall long-necked brachiosaurus. Performers wear some of the smaller dinosaurs suits.

"These dinosaurs absolutely look real, to their skin, to their blinking eyes — they're able to look at audience members in the eyes. It's an amazing thing," said Terry Charles, spokesman for Green Bay-based PMI Entertainment Group, which hosts the shows in the Green Bay area.

The documentary highlights dinosaurs' evolution and incorporates a narrator who talks about the animals to the audience as the creatures interact with and fight each other.

"Walking with Dinosaurs" shows tour the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia, and are produced by Australia-based Global Creatures, a company specializing in producing robotic-animal shows.

The series is revisiting the Resch Center this week after last being there in 2007.

"It still ranks as our highest-grossing family show ever at the Resch Center," Charles said, noting 23,000 people attended the shows in 2007.

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