(PRINCETON, NJ) -- McCarter Theatre invites audiences to journey 170 million years into the past with The Making of Life on Our Planet: Dinosaurs, on Sunday, March 29, 2026 at 3:00pm. This is a live talk and Q&A from the Emmy Award–winning team behind Netflix's Life on Our Planet. This immersive event brings the age of dinosaurs to life on the big screen, combining cutting-edge science, cinematic spectacle, and behind-the-scenes insight from the filmmakers themselves.
From the rise of the first dinosaurs to their ultimate extinction, the program explores how these creatures evolved, why they mattered, and the groundbreaking techniques used to recreate them and their environments. Featuring stunning visuals from Industrial Light & Magic—the studio behind Star Wars—the event highlights the fusion of science and artistry that makes Life on Our Planet an unforgettable experience.
Part of the Making of Our Planet live speaker series, the event showcases the creative process behind some of the most ambitious natural history filmmaking ever attempted. Produced by Silverback Films and Producer esk in association with Netflix, the series blends stories from explorers, scientists, and filmmakers to reveal the natural world in new and inspiring ways, with a focus on climate fragility and the forces shaping life on Earth today.
Tickets are available for purchase online. Use code FOSSIL26 when booking tickets for 50% off. McCarter Theatre Center is located at 91 University Place in Princeton, New Jersey.
Note: All guests must have their own ticket and children ages 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Babies under one year sitting on laps are free, but must reserve a ticket. Please contact them at [email protected] and they will be happy to assist you.
With more than 25 years in wildlife filmmaking, Adam Chapman brings a rare perspective that bridges traditional natural history and cutting-edge visual effects. His career includes landmark BBC productions such as Life, Big Cat Diaries, and Springwatch, as well as Disneynature’s Bears and Netflix’s Our Planet. As director of Life on Our Planet, executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, Chapman helped pioneer techniques that bring extinct species and environments to life, including the series’ iconic hunting Tyrannosaurus rex sequence.
McCarter is one of the country’s flagship theaters and a vibrant center for community and the performing arts. Located on the campus of Princeton University, the company is an independent nonprofit, serving as a nationally renowned, multi-disciplinary creative hub for arts and ideas, offering theatre, music, dance, spoken word, and educational programs for all ages.
A two-time Tony Award winner, McCarter’s legacy of artistic excellence dates back to its first performances in 1930. Our Town, You Can’t Take It with You, and Bus Stop all premiered at McCarter, paving the way for a long history of launching remarkable works that have gone on to tens of thousands of performances worldwide.
The company is equally revered for presenting global artists on its stages, including Yo-Yo Ma, Samara Joy, Hasan Minhaj, Jon Stewart, Caetano Veloso, Rhiannon Giddens, Patti Smith, Esperanza Spalding, Lake Street Dive, and Herbie Hancock. Of the 100,000 community members who engage with McCarter each year, more than 5,000 are students participating in educational programs in Princeton, Trenton, and schools across the region. McCarter leads with values of justice, joy, and beauty in belonging—creating a space where artists and audiences can come together to celebrate the power of live performance.
