SeaWorld Orlando's beloved sea lions got to perform for a live stadium audience for the first time in seven months, and News 13 was the only local TV crew to get it on camera.
Saturday, SeaWorld put on a "teaser" presentation of its revamped show called "Clyde and Seamore's Sea Lion High." The Sea Lion & Otter Stadium has been closed since August to build a new set. That's when "Clyde and Seamore Take Pirate Island" closed, which was SeaWorld's longest-running show.
We don't have an exact date on when the show will open, but we're expecting an announcement early this week.
The new storyline has been "several years" in the making. Here's the deal: Clyde has become a high school math whiz, and Seamore is a jock. They both get scholarships to attend the university. But it's high school graduation day, and the duo learns — gasp! — that they've not completed all of their classes!
They have just one day to do it.
So, as you can imagine, all kinds of shenanigans ensue, including booty-shaking sea lions (and a walrus!), and an otter throwing a pompous athlete's "trash" — an aluminum soda can — into a recycling bin.
"(It's) almost slapstick humor sometimes," smiled a snow-birding Carlton Milbrandt, from Detroit. "I like it."
Milbrandt was in the audience, as SeaWorld Pass Members were also invited to this preview presentation.
"If you want to come and laugh and laugh and laugh," said Jack Meadows, from Cocoa, "this is the place to be."
"It's nice and colorful," added his friend, Jenny Rhoads. "So the sea lions really pop when they're up there on stage."
We'll keep you posted as soon as we learn of the grand opening date. Meanwhile, tune in TUESDAY for on-air coverage starting at 5 p.m.