Chris Winters, a Journal Reporter for the King County Journal in the Seattle area, wrote a brief article about Cirque du Soleil’s run of Varekai. The article is a fascinating read; if you’re interested, visit the King County Journal:
Some highlights include:
o) The show was such a success that Cirque du Soleil will return in 2008 with a new show, a year ahead of schedule.
o) Varekai was scheduled to run for four weeks, but Cirque added Thursday matinees and extended the run two weeks to meet demand.
o) Cirque normally plays 30 shows at any given location; Varekai ran for 54 at Marymoor Park, selling 130,000 tickets.
o) Cirque targets to fill at 80% capacity rate; Varekai in Seattle was averaging 98% on weekends and over 90% on weekdays.
o) “It’s the most profitable show, the best ticket sales they had in the region ever,” Tom Teigen said, the manager for King County Parks and Recreation’s enterprise programs.
o) The total economic benefit to a city that has hosted Cirque: approximately $3 Million.
{ Source — The King County Journal: Jun.29.2006 }
