Cirque du Soleil director Hassan El Hajjami, formerly of “The Beatles Love” at the Mirage, is running on all cylinders, pots of coffee and likely zero sleep as he plans curtain up on Friday’s “One Night for One Drop” benefit performance at Reynolds Hall in the Smith Center.
Hassan’s guest stars, British singer-songwriter Leona Lewis and adorable Miles “Baby Boogaloo” Brown of ABC’s hit comedy “Black-ish,” have arrived here and join 100 other performers. The entire cast and crew of volunteers today received their first look moving into the Smith Center stage for the show directed by Hassan.
Their schedule is so tight that Thursday’s onstage rehearsal for friends and family will be done in street clothes. Friday will be the only chance for a full dress rehearsal of the running order just hours before the actual performance.
The story for this year’s show is based on Hassan’s experience of going with his grandmother for daily 2-mile walks to bring home water for her Moroccan village home. Miles plays Hassan as a youngster who falls into a water hole and meets different characters.
Hassan said: “There is overwhelming pressure and stress. It’s the biggest challenge of my life and very complicated.” A Cirque executive added: “It couldn’t be any tighter if they tried. They will literally be wrapping their one and only rehearsal just as celebrity guests are arriving for the blue carpet festivities.
“But they are all true Cirque professionals, so it will all go well. If there are any hiccups, nobody will ever see them.” Preparations and run-throughs have been rehearsed in recent weeks at Cirque’s “Zarkana” theater in Aria.
As is now tradition, Cirque founder Guy Laliberte will not see anything in advance — only when he’s in the audience at the theater. When VIP guests arrive for the pre-show reception at this fourth edition of “One Night,” they will have an opportunity to bid on items and once-in-a-lifetime experiences valued at $1,000 to $400,000 in a live and silent auction.
Items include:
• A McLaren 675LT Coupe customized for One Drop by presenting sponsor McLaren Automotive valued at $400,000. Th 675LT Coupe was created in conjunction with Formula One world champion Jenson Button and features an autograph by Jenson on the carbon fiber sill panel.
• A weeklong aquatic adventure in Southeast Asia onboard the 175-foot luxury yacht Tiara.
• A stunning prototype titanium timepiece from Richard Mille of Switzerland ahead of its fall release.
• Contemporary artist Takashi Murakami’s original Arhat artwork valued at $400,000.
• Rio headliner magician Penn Jillette will officiate a wedding.
• Celebrity chef Jet Tila will host a dinner party in your home.
• Country star Trace Adkins will invite you to spend a day on tour with him.
• A walk-on role in “Fifty Shades Darker” filming in May.
• Jennifer Lopez and Lionel Richie have donated meet-and-greet VIP ticket packages at their upcoming Planet Hollywood shows.
• Prime seat tickets to the 2016 Victoria’s Secret Fashion show and VIP after-party.
• One-week backstage tour experience to every Cirque show on the Strip.
The full list and bidding is at CharityBuzz.com/support/onedrop. All proceeds benefit One Drop Foundation’s global initiatives along with educational programming in Nevada through a partnership with our Springs Preserve.
{ SOURCE: Robin Leach, Las Vegas Sun | http://goo.gl/p9omey }
