Last-minute mechanical problems with his private jet grounded Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte in Thailand, and as a result he missed Friday night’s fourth-annual “One Night for One Drop” benefit performance. But it went on as planned for the first time off Strip at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts and raised $6.5 million for the global water-conservation campaign. That puts the four one-night fundraisers here just shy of $25 million to assist in the fight for fresh running water worldwide.
Cirque’s new San Francisco investment banker owners from equity firm TPG Growth — they also own Caesars Entertainment in Las Vegas — attended. They were so impressed with the Smith Center spectacular that they’ve given the go ahead for the annual charitable project to continue, and plans for next year’s production already have a green light. “It will probably be under a special ‘big top’ circus tent right on the Strip. We’re seriously looking to do it at either Las Vegas Festival Grounds opposite SLS Las Vegas or Las Vegas Resorts Village opposite the Luxor.”
Genius director Hassan El Hajjami, who performed more than 1,400 shows as the walrus in “The Beatles Love” at the Mirage, won raves and praise for his masterful production. The dazzling, one-night-only experience reflected his story of the importance of water after walking 2 miles daily with his grandmother in their Moroccan desert village to retrieve it.
But he told me that he couldn’t handle another “One Drop” under similar circumstances a second year.
“I lost 15 pounds and didn’t sleep the last month,” he explained. “This has been six months working with 200 volunteers. It turned out to be so amazing and magical, I cried throughout the show, as I couldn’t believe we had such a success. I am going to sleep now right through the weekend!
“It was the biggest challenge of my life putting on a show in a non-Cirque theater, and for Cirque to do it with only two days of load-in and rehearsal at the Smith Center. I couldn’t do that again — too dangerous for my heart. It’s like going inside a black box you’ve never been in before.
“We had no time to rehearse in the place we performed. It’s a beautiful building, but we needed more time, which was impossible to have in between their other shows. There were incredible challenges. It was a breathtaking, nerve-wracking, down-to-the-wire adventure.
“I’d do it again — why not? — just not with those limitations. But I think they already have a new director for next year, so I wait a while.”
Hassan masterminded an impressive, all-volunteer cast and crew: More than 100 performers, 11 orchestra musicians, five pre-recorded musicians, eight onstage musicians, 70 on the creation team backstage and more than 100 technicians.
Las Vegas magician Nathan Burton’s sister Emily was general stage manager calling the show’s flow, and Celine Dion’s brilliant lighting director Yves Aucoin volunteered to handle lighting and video-control design. Cirque’s Russ Petroni served as producer for the mind-blowing spectacle, which we previewed Friday. The video effects were staggering and cutting edge, never-before-seen in Las Vegas.
Big names in entertainment turned out to support “One Drop,” which was filmed and will be shown worldwide in theaters this year. Singer-songwriter Leona Lewis and TV star Miles “Baby Boogaloo” Brown headlined the star-studded benefit, with proceeds supporting global water-access and conservation programs.
The night began with an auction where guests battled up to $400,000 to purchase a prototype McLaren automobile and $80,000 for a Richard Mille watch. Two people fought, then shelled out $175,000 a piece to travel on Guy’s luxury yacht through South Asian seas after Cirque’s senior VP Jerry Nadal said he’d persuade the boss to donate the vacation twice. Cirque officials even said that Hassan’s production was so great, “We’ll have to find a way to incorporate segments into our shows. This is some of the best work Cirque performers have ever done.”
Kudos to “Wheel of Life” stars Alyssa and David Gray, who performed without safeguards 30 feet in the air skipping on the outside of a revolving cylinder; 8-year-old twins Valerya and Veronika Tomanmova, who performed on aerial straps in an “underwater” sequence; and Fremont Street contortionist Drew Arce.
Guests enjoyed taste treats from restaurateur chefs Elizabeth Blau and Kim Canteenwalla and the restaurants Wolfgang Puck, Milos, STK, PBR Rock Bar, Border Grill, Ethel M, Hexx, Spin Spun, Espresso Amore and more.
For the after-party theme of Alice in Wonderland’s Through the Looking Glass, Cirque set up a tent in the parking lot with dozens of magical characters. Natasha, Zowie Bowie with Lydia and a surprise knockout performance by Hazel Payne of A Taste of Honey provided more entertainment. “Fantasy” dancers dressed as Alice performed a routine.
Catherine Bachand, CEO of the One Drop Foundation, summed up: “So much has happened since Guy and I first sat down with the Cirque du Soleil team here in Las Vegas in the summer of 2012 to see how they could best contribute to fighting the global water crisis. Ever since, ‘One Night for One Drop’ has inspired change on an unprecedented global level now raising $24 million in support of water for all.
“While we are all here enjoying the show, the One Drop team is working around and against the clock to save lives in more than 10 countries on three continents. We feel grateful that the Las Vegas community has embraced us in such a meaningful way, and even more so that they have made local and global water access a cause for which they, too, dedicate countless hours year after years.
“As Guy constantly reminds, by 2030 two-thirds of the world’s population will face water scarcity. Since we all drink from the same well, this is a critical issue for all of us to tackle.”
{ SOURCE: Robin Leach, Las Vegas Sun | http://goo.gl/I3UEpX }
