‘Wild Kratts Live’ brings Chris and Martin Kratt to Spokane’s INB stage

If you’ve had young children in your life in the past 15 years, especially young children who dig animals and watch television, chances are excellent you’re familiar with the Kratt brothers.

Chris and Martin Kratt are the scientific and creative forces behind the wildly popular Emmy-nominated PBS series “Wild Kratts.” And the Kratt brothers themselves are bringing the show to the INB Performing Arts Center in Spokane for two shows presented by KSPS. (The first show sold out quickly, so a second show was added. Tickets are still available for the 4:30 p.m. session).

Now in its fifth season, “Wild Kratts” features cartoon versions of the Kratt brothers venturing out in their science vessel the Tortuga to rescue animals all over the world. With the help of their the team Aviva (voiced by Athena Karkanis), Koki (Heather Bambrick) and Jimmy (Jonathan Malen), the Kratts use their creature powers to help species in trouble.

Sometimes the trouble comes from damage to habitat. Other times, the trouble comes in the form of three bad guys: Gaston Gourmand, who thrills at eating endangered species, trendsetting fashionista Donita Donata, who has no qualms about making clothing, perfumes and other fashion items from creatures, and Zach Varmitech, who dreams of building hotels and skyscrapers in the places animals call home.

Each episode teaches viewers about a science concept important to the featured animals, such as how a bat uses echolocation to locate its prey, or how a peregrine falcon uses gravity to fly fast. This summer, they filmed live episodes in Alaska centered on the salmon run, and showcased how the fish are part of larger ecosystem of animals that rely on them such as bears, eagles, wolves.

In each episode, the Kratts are able to harness animals’ “creature powers” to help save the day.

Before they put on their creature power suits and cartoonized themselves, the Kratts helped make ring-tailed lemurs super popular with the preschool set with the PBS series “Zobomafoo.” There have been other shows as well: “Kratts’ Creatures” and “Be the Creature.”

But “Wild Kratts” is where it’s currently at for the brothers Kratt. And on stage at the INB on Sunday, fans young and old can expect to learn something about animals, enjoy audience participation and have fun. Just don’t expect to see the real-life creatures who inspired Stinkflicker the ring-tailed lemur, Schnozzle the proboscis monkey or Hero Jr. the sockeye salmon. As the Kratts say on their website, “we’ve decided to leave our animal friends living free and in the wild.”