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12:51 p.m. Wednesday, September 23, 2009

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Dinosaurs invade Gwinnett Arena, Puppetry Center

Large Jurassic puppets make encore appearances

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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Guaranteed dinosaur control,” pitches an ad, presumably tongue in cheek, from a Forest Park pest control company, Atlanta Southwest Exterminating. “If you’ve got ’em, we’ll get ’em.”

Enlarge photo

In 'Walking With Dinosaurs,' a paleontologist named Huxley guides visitors through 200 years of dino domination by introducing life-like animatronic replicas.

Joan Marcus, Walking With Dinosaurs In 'Walking With Dinosaurs,' a paleontologist named Huxley guides visitors through 200 years of dino domination by introducing life-like animatronic replicas.

Enlarge photo

Jurassic predator Allosaurus roars in 'Walking With Dinosaurs.' The largest dinosaur in that show is the brachiosaurus, at 56 feet long.

Joan Marcus, Walking With Dinosaurs Jurassic predator Allosaurus roars in 'Walking With Dinosaurs.' The largest dinosaur in that show is the brachiosaurus, at 56 feet long.

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Well, it is true that for animals that have been extinct for eons, dinos have made more comebacks in recent years than Brett Favre.

Witness the two tyrann-iffic shows now making encores in the metro area: “Walking With Dinosaurs,” which slayed during a Philips Arena run in September ’07, has seven more shows at the Arena at Gwinnett Center through Sunday. Not on the same scale by any means but big among small fry who experienced it in early ’07, Jon Ludwig’s “Dinosaurs” charges back into the Center for Puppetry Arts for a two-month run starting next Tuesday.

Here’s how they measure up:

The pitch

“Walking”: “After 65 million years ... they’re back!”

Puppetry Center: “A DINO-myte educational adventure!”

Walking tall

“Walking”: Biggest beast, brachiosaurus, is 36 feet tall and 56 feet long.

Puppetry Center: Everyone looks up to the 12-foot-tall T-rex.

Supporting cast

“Walking”: 14 other life size dinosaurs, including nine large ones that each weigh about as much as the family car (1.6 tons).

Puppetry Center: Erupting volcanoes and more than 50 shadow puppets.

The story

“Walking”: Paleontologist Huxley guides visitors through 200 years of dino domination, providing details on each prehistoric animal.

Puppetry Center: Songbird Francine and her great grand-auntie Archaeopteryx travel back in time to explore dino lives. “Snappy tunes” help them on their way.

High tech

“Walking”: Master puppeteers operate each dinosaur, which move through the power of microprocessors and hydraulic rams and motors. Live and recorded video, dramatic lighting and symphonic sound helps bring the chomping, roaring ever-moving stars to life.

Puppetry Center: Five puppeteers, counting Julie Dansby Scarborough, who dons that 12-foot T-rex costume, work puppets repaired and rebuilt by resident puppet builder Jason von Hinezmeyer and his team. The dinos have been thoroughly modernized with space-age materials — a carbon fiber composite for skeleton parts and aircraft-grade hardware for some body parts.

Show times, tickets

“Walking”: 7 tonight and Friday night; 11 a.m., 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday; 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday. $24.50-$64.50. Arena at Gwinnett Center, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth. 404-249-6400, www.ticketmaster.com .

Puppetry Center: Opens Tuesday, with shows through Nov. 15 at 10 and 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. Saturdays, 1 and 3 p.m. Sundays. Times change for shows Nov. 17-25 and Nov. 27-29. $16 ages 2 through adults includes performance, Create-A-Puppet Workshop and exhibits. 404-873-3391, www.puppet.org .