====================================================================== ______ _ __ _ __ / ____/___ ___________(_)___ ____ _/ /_(_)___ ____ / / / /_ / __ `/ ___/ ___/ / __ \/ __ `/ __/ / __ \/ __ \/ / / __/ / /_/ (__ ) /__ / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /_/ / / / /_/ /_/ \__,_/____/\___/_/_/ /_/\__,_/\__/_/\____/_/ /_(_) T h e U n o f f i c i a l C i r q u e d u S o l e i l N e w s l e t t e r ------------------------------------------------------------ E X P A N D E D I S S U E ------------------------------------------------------------ ======================================================================= VOLUME 10, NUMBER 2 FEBRUARY 2010 ISSUE #73e ======================================================================= Bonjour et bienvenue! Whew... the last few weeks have been quite busy behind the scenes here at Fascination. Not only am I working on putting together the issue from month to month, but also leading the charge for this years' CirqueCon adventure in New York City and Montréal. There's little time to rest! With that being said, there's a great issue ahead here. Keith Johnson takes a look at a few interesting podcasts containing interviews with Cirque cast and crew professionals. check it out! And also in our OUTREACH section, we have a number of goodies to explore as a clip of interesting and intriguing articles, pictures and videos were shared with the fan-base through Cirque du Soleil's various social widgets. In turn we have collected those to share with you! Interested in joining like-minded passionates of Cirque du Soleil on a group trip? If so, join us at CirqueCon 2010 in New York City and Montréal from April 27th through May 2nd for Cirque du Soleil's OVO, Banana Shpeel, and Tour 2010! Check out the latest updates regarding CirqueCOn 2010 in the gatherings column in our OUTREACH section. And as always join them at their website: http://www.cirquecon.com Well, that about wraps up this intro. Now, onto the issue! Join us on the web at: < www.cirquefascination.com > Realy Simple Syndication (RSS) Feed (News Only): < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?feed=rss2 > - Ricky "Richasi" Russo =========== CONTENTS =========== o) Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings o) Itinéraire -- Tour/Show Information * Touring Shows -- Productions under the Big Top * Resident Shows -- Performed en Le Théâtre * Venue Shows -- Arena & Seasonal Productions o) Outreach -- Updates from Cirque's Social Widgets * Club Cirque -- This Month at CirqueClub * Networking -- Cirque on Facebook, YouTube & Flickr * Gatherings -- CirqueCon & More! .) NOTE: Special CirqueCon 2010 Event Updates! o) Compartments -- A Peek Behind the Curtain * Didyaknow? -- Facts About Cirque * Historia -- Cirque du Soleil's History o) Fascination! Features *) “Cirque in Your Ear (Part 1 of 2)” By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA) {Issue Exclusive} *) "Factory de Cirque" [EXPANDED] By: Steve Friess - Las Vegas, Nevada (USA) {Special Reprint from Las Vegas Weekly} o) Subscription Information o) Copyright & Disclaimer ======================================================================= CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS ======================================================================= What will 2010 Bring? [EXPANDED] {Jan.04.2010} ----------------------------------------------- Cirque du Soleil’s two newest shows – Banana Shpeel and VIVA Elvis – have seen their fair share of negative press. So, over the weekend, the Globe and Mail asked the following question: will 2010 shape up to be the world’s most famous circus’s annus horribilis? Laliberté’s team does have a long and storied history of saving the day, so don’t call either show a flop just yet. Then again, Cirque du Soleil has never had to fight such a two-front war before. And in an era when bloggers and social-networking sites such as Twitter don’t wait for official opening nights to pass judgment, the early negative perceptions could have long-lasting effects. The cliché has never been truer: You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. # # # Will 2010 shape up to be the world's most famous circus's annus horribilis? Last year, Cirque du Soleil's founder, Guy Laliberté, was flying high - literally - making headlines around the world for his trip into space. But as the calendar flips over, the stilt- walking entertainment executive is coming back down to earth, and hard. His Montreal-based company has two big new shows in preview performances right now - and both have been marked by production setbacks and bad buzz. Banana Shpeel, an ambitious New York-bound attempt to reinvent vaudeville for the 21st century, was massacred in the reviews of its out-of-town tryout in Chicago last month. This week, its upcoming reopening at the Beacon Theatre in Manhattan was pushed back three weeks, to Feb. 24. Meanwhile, in Las Vegas, Viva Elvis, a new musical "abstract biography" of the king of rock 'n' roll, began preview performances just before Christmas. But its official opening, originally planned for what would have been Elvis's 75th birthday on Jan. 8, was recently delayed (for a second time) to Feb. 19. Advance word on Viva Elvis is not particularly positive - even from those directly involved with it. "The show is not complete, and it's not what we wish," creative executive Gilles Ste-Croix told the Las Vegas Review-Journal last month as Cirque began to sell tickets. The Globe and Mail began requesting interviews with Cirque du Soleil creatives and executives on the subject of Banana Shpeel and Viva Elvis in October, but has yet to be granted one. The executive team had sounded cheery last summer as the company celebrated its 25th anniversary and Laliberté trained in Russia for his trip to the International Space Station. In August, president and CEO Daniel Lamarre said he was particularly excited about Cirque's then-unnamed vaudeville experiment, which he hoped might be the beginning of a whole new stream of live entertainment - one that Cirque could easily tour to traditional proscenium theatres, thus bypassing the need to lug along its own big top. "Vaudeville doesn't exist anymore, but, as you know, it was huge," Lamarre said of the eclectic variety shows that were once the most popular form of entertainment in North American - before film, the Great Depression and television killed them off. "This format has giant potential if a creative team can bring it to today's world." The creatives eventually lined up to do just that for Banana Shpeel - a co-production with Madison Square Garden Entertainment. Celebrated American clown David Shiner was hired as director and writer. Best known for Fool Moon , a much-loved, wordless two-hander that had three Broadway runs, he seemed like the right man to lead Cirque to set up a permanent shop around the Great White Way. Rialto actors Annaleigh Ashford and Michael Longoria were enlisted to star, while composer Laurence O'Keefe (Legally Blonde, Bat Boy) was brought on board to write the songs. A couple of weeks before Banana Shpeel saw its first audience in Chicago, however, it become clear that Cirque's attempt to compete with Broadway-style entertainment was not going according to plan. First, Ashford and Longoria were fired, and their parts eliminated. That happened even though the two triple threats had already been featured front and centre in a "sneak peek" of the show that aired on the season finale of America's Got Talent . O'Keefe was soon gone, too, and his score excised from the show, which was said to be headed back to vaudeville basics. When Chicago critics were finally invited to Banana Shpeel in December, they seemed to be competing in their condemnations of the clown-filled show. The script was "limp, lame and tired" wrote the Chicago Sun-Times, while the Chicago Tribune called the whole thing "cold, chaotic, clipped and cacophonous." Echoing a character in the show, Variety asked of Cirque: "What happened to the magic?" Banana Shpeel's remaining creative team is now scrambling to rework the show for its Feb. 24 New York premiere. On Jan. 3, Viva Elvis is also shutting down for a couple of weeks of intensive rehearsals and retooling by director Vince Paterson (a choreographer known for his work with Michael Jackson and Madonna). That show, too, has been a departure for Cirque, with narration and "acting moments," rather than just feats of acrobatics, to tell the story of Presley's life. There's a little more than usual riding on the Viva Elvis show for Cirque, because, after a string of critical and financial successes, the company has begun to lose momentum in Las Vegas. The recession has been hard on Sin City. The new $8.5-billion (U.S.) CityCenter complex - home to Viva Elvis - teetered on the brink of bankruptcy during construction, while at least two other casino projects have been abandoned mid-construction. Tourism levels are down, and the remaining visitors to the city are spending less cash on gambling and entertainment. Over the past year, Cirque's six shows on the Strip have seen attendance shrink from about 90 per cent capacity to 80 per cent. Box-office profits are not public information, but discount ticket offers have proliferated. It doesn't help that the company's last extravaganza there was its first major critical flop. A magic show starring Criss Angel, Believe , which opened in October, 2008, is still undergoing revisions, and fills only about 75 per cent of its seats (with cut-rate tickets readily available). Like Banana Shpeel and Viva Elvis , Believe was an attempt by Cirque to step away from straight circus. So, given the shaky economic times, why has Cirque decided to try something new, instead of sticking with the tried and true? In the absence of immediate answers from Cirque, I turned to Mike Weatherford, a long-time Las Vegas observer who has followed the company's fortunes for the Review-Journal. He suggests that Cirque needs to conquer new areas of entertainment if it wants to continue to grow without cannibalizing it own audience. As well, he adds, the company's new projects need to move away from Cirque's colourful, gibberish-filled comfort zone. " Viva Elvis , much more than the Beatles's Love , will have to show that they can Americanize their production and aesthetic," says Weatherford. "An Elvis show can't look French-Canadian." Will Cirque du Soleil be able to turn around Banana Shpeel and Viva Elvis in the next two months, before their official openings finally take place? Laliberté's team does have a long and storied history of saving the day, so don't call either show a flop just yet. Then again, Cirque du Soleil has never had to fight such a two- front war before. And in an era when bloggers and social- networking sites such as Twitter don't wait for official opening nights to pass judgment, the early negative perceptions could have long-lasting effects. The cliché has never been truer: You don't get a second chance to make a first impression. {SOURCE: Globe and Mail} KOOZA Delivers! [EXPANDED] {Jan.09.2010} ----------------------------------------------- These days, we’re all a lot more careful about how we spend our disposable income. With money so tight, nobody wants to shell out for something that doesn’t deliver. Even Whole Foods, the la-de-da home of the $5 tomato, is talking bang for the buck in its latest ad campaign. With that in mind, your cost-conscious theater critic attended the latest Cirque du Soleil show, “Kooza,” Friday with an eye on the bottom line. Sure, the Quebec-based New Age circus company, long an O.C. favorite, knows how to dazzle, but some of its creations are better than others – and all of them come with steep ticket prices. My verdict: a gold star, with reservations. “Kooza” gets high marks for entertainment value. On the other hand, its new location, Irvine’s embryonic and ironically named Great Park … well, more on that later. Written and directed by veteran clown star David Shiner, “Kooza” reflects his in-your-face sensibilities and his fondness for messing with the audience. That approach isn’t new – other Cirque shows have featured clowns and comedians wading gamely into the crowd – but Shiner bumps it up a notch or two. Audience members not only get onstage to participate in the antics; some of them disappear. On Friday, a shocked patron discovered her seat suddenly had a much better view of the stage during one crazy routine. (Are these victims actually plants? You decide.) And just in case you’re not feeling the, um, love, an army of menacing-looking sprites wheel a large cannon onstage, aim it at the audience, and fire. Until the first burst, we have no clue what’s going to come out the end. A midget? A mud pie? “Kooza” is wild enough to give you the feeling that you might be the next target, and you’re uncertain what the ammo will be. That’s something you couldn’t say of most entertainment these days. I’ve always had a “take it or leave it” attitude toward the humorous parts of Cirque’s shows, and I’ve found others feel the same way. The comedians that populate “Kooza,” though, are much better than many I’ve seen in the past. Ron Campbell plays a disheveled and magical King whose dubious powers are concentrated in a flashing remote control that can make strange things happen – a device that clearly mystifies him. His two court jesters, played by Jimmy Slonina and Sean Kempton, are slaves to their baser urges (some of their antics make the show inappropriate for younger children). Virtuoso pickpocket Lee Thompson demonstrated his mastery at Friday’s performance on a retired teacher, who surrendered his watch, cell phone, pen, necktie and other personal possessions without knowing it. But enough about the clowns. People come to a Cirque show to see the exciting, athletic stuff – and “Kooza” excels in that department. There are several highlights. Most Cirque shows feature contortionists. “Kooza’s” trio, Julie Bergez, Natasha Patterson and Dasha Sovik, are more dancelike than most. Their act is full of jaw-dropping poses and impossible moves, but it’s done with taste and choreographed thoughtfully. You find yourself fascinated by the shapes they’re making rather than awed by their inhuman contortions. The same goes for flame-haired trapeze artist Darya Vintilova and the amazing unicycle duo of Yuri Shavro and Diana Aleshchenko. They’re all consummate professionals, but their acts combine artistry with “holy cow!” moments. If derring-do is what you’re after, “Kooza” has plenty of that, too. The double highwire team features a quartet of men who attempt tricky feats we’d find difficult to do on the ground while they’re 50 feet in the air; some of their craziness is performed without a net. The teeterboard group specializes in catapulting people high into the air. If you think that’s yawn-inducing, imagine a man on eight-foot stilts doing a few somersaults and reaching the stratosphere of Cirque’s big top before landing without a stumble. The undisputed stars of this show are the two daredevils who man the Wheel of Death. Essentially a huge, spinning barbell with a man-sized hamster wheel at each end, the Wheel of Death gets more hair-raising with every spin on its axis. The performers begin by performing rolls and reverses – amazing enough – then unexpectedly scramble onto the outside of their cages with a deft move (the inverted hamster?) that drew a roar of approval from Friday’s crowd. Then they whip out skipping ropes. Safety net? That’s for sissies! If you’re into sweaty-palmed entertainment, these are your guys. All in all, “Kooza” captures the best Cirque du Soleil qualities without seeming unbalanced or over-conceptualized. Its story, about an innocent led by a trickster into a confusing wonder world, is a convenient frame for the action and doesn’t impose itself unnecessarily, as some Cirque narratives have done. It’s well conceived and expertly executed. { SOURCE: Orange County Register } Details on Expo 2010 Released! {Jan.12.2010} ----------------------------------------------- OTTAWA, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Jan. 12, 2010) – The Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, today unveiled the artists that will be part of Canada’s cultural program at Expo 2010, which will run from May 1 to October 31, 2010, in Shanghai, China. “Emerging and established artists from Canada will be front and centre in Shanghai,” said Minister Moore. “This outstanding group of more than 150 talented Canadian musicians, dancers, and theatre, visual, media, and literary artists will perform at the Canada Pavilion and at several different venues on the Expo 2010 site.” Performers include Gregory Charles, Kreesha Turner, Bedouin Soundclash, Daniel Lavoie, Shane Yellowbird, Tanya Tagaq, Alain Lefevre, and Hey Rosetta! There will also be a slam poetry / spoken word event that will see the work of poet Albert F. Moritz translated simultaneously by two translators (English to Mandarin and Mandarin to English) at a roundtable. “We are very proud of this unique, eclectic, and original program,” said Jacques Methe, Executive Producer at Cirque du Soleil. “This program is an opportunity to demonstrate the diversity of Canadian artistic forms in a whole new way.” As part of a collaborative agreement with the Government of Canada, Cirque du Soleil has the lead for planning, organizing, and managing the cultural program for Canada at Expo 2010. Cirque worked with the Canada Council for the Arts to establish evaluation criteria and contacted all provincial arts organizations as part of its consultations. {SOURCE: MarketWire.com} CrunchGear Goes Behind Curtain at OVO [EXPANDED] {Jan.13.2010} ------------------------------------------------ Daniel Brusilovsky on CrunchGear’s blogs recently caught up with Gerald Edwards-Webb, the Technical Director of OVO, and took a peek behind the scenes at Cirque du Soleil’s OVO. One of the places Mr. Brusilovsky got to peek under, was the stage: # # # I’ve always been a fan of Cirque du Soleil and I make sure to go to a show when they are in town either in San Francisco or in Las Vegas. I got a backstage tour of their latest extravaganza, OVO, in San Francisco when they were in town. I caught up with Gerard Edwards-Webb, the Technical Director of the show, and we chatted about what really runs the show. Most people see the show, and are amazed at all the work the acrobats have put in, but me, being the geek that I am, decided to dig deeper, and go technical. Cirque du Soleil is known for many things, but you know Cirque is in town when you see their big yellow tent in the horizon. What many people don’t realize that when Cirque comes to town, they set up a mini-city, also known as the “village.” Now this includes the actual main tent, the artists training area, the mess hall, a school, and much more. A school you ask? Well, yes. Many of the acrobats are still young, and travel with a teacher so they can keep up with their studies. Also, the acrobats don’t stay in the city — they rent apartments for each of the artists, and the crew for extended periods of times. First, let's get some background on the show. OVO is a headlong rush into a colourful ecosystem teeming with life, where insects work, eat, crawl, flutter, play, fight and look for love in a non-stop riot of energy and movement. The insects’ home is a world of biodiversity and beauty filled with noisy action and moments of quiet emotion. When a mysterious egg appears in their midst, the insects are awestruck and intensely curious about this iconic object that represents the enigma and cycles of their lives. It’s love at first sight when a gawky, quirky insect arrives in this bustling community and a fabulous ladybug catches his eye – and the feeling is mutual. OVO is overflowing with contrasts. The hidden, secret world at our feet is revealed as tender and torrid, noisy and quiet, peaceful and chaotic. And as the sun rises on a bright new day the vibrant cycle of insect life begins anew. The entire site needs to be at least 180,000 square feet (4.2 Acres or 17,000 square meters) in order to house the entire site including the tents and trailers, and still have room for all the rest. It takes 11 days, and more than 200 workers, including 100 hired locally, to complete a city to city transfer of the infrastructures. It’s also interesting to note that Cirque uses their own generators, and don’t use the city power, which seems pretty logical — if the city has a power outage, Cirque doesn’t have power. The only recourses Cirque uses for the show is water, at least in the case in San Francisco. The entire show is carried on tractor trailers, where an average of 55 are needed to carry the show from one city to another. It doesn’t matter if the city is 10 hours away, or 45 minutes away, the show has to move, and the same setup takes place for each city. Which if you think about, just sounds like a pain in the ass for the crew and site technicians which actually have to move everything from one city to another. Gerard took me were not too many folks go to go — under the stage. What most people also don’t know is that there is only about 4-10 feet from the bottom of the stage, to the concrete floor that the show is setup on. So the actors use moving carts to travel across under the stage to get from one place to another. The stage is quite complex, and uses a various amounts of different material, and even includes three trampolines. I shoot some video of the main trampoline bed opening in the middle of the stage. The trampoline bed opens up in a matter of seconds, and uses a hydraulic system to actually open and close. Overall, the operations behind running a multi-million dollar circus is quite complex, and Cirque du Soleil have truly mastered the art, and that’s what makes them such a success. I highly recommend that anyone go and check out the show that’s nearest you — you won’t regret it. {SOURCE: CrunchGear} Technology of KA at MGM Grand Las Vegas [EXPANDED] {Jan.19.2010} -------------------------------------------------- During CES Las Vegas Technology Report joined a small group of fellow CES bloggers for a backstage tour of Cirque du Soleil’s KA theater at the MGM Grand. # # # Cirque’s media and technical staff are as extraordinary as their performers and we were joined by KA’s Technical Director Erik Walstad, Cirque’s Social Media Manager Jessica Berlin, and Cirque Publicist Jeff Lovari. This remarkable show – one of seven permanent Cirque productions in Las Vegas – is the most technically advanced production in the Western Hemisphere and perhaps the world (I could find no other shows that compare). KA has several extraordinary and unique technologies, but the most imposing and amazing were the massive moving stages that lift, move, tilt, and spin during the performance, providing everything from an empty abyss when the stages are lowered to a sandy beach (using thousands of pounds of tiny pieces of cork as the sand!) to a massive sheer cliff when one is rotated 90 degrees and flipped into a vertical position, with several performers perched precariously on the edge of the deck. As we toured the massive “basement” of the KA theater, many stories below the seating area, Walstad explained that the production required a massive retrofit of the existing building, with special support structures required to anchor the gigantic gantry crane that moves the huge deck with extraordinary precision and agility using hydraulics that use vegetable oil as an environmentally friendly alternative to more toxic oils. Two decks appear and disappear during the performance: The Sand Cliff Deck weighs in at about *40 tons* and measures 25×50 feet with a six-foot depth. It is supported and controlled by an inverted gantry crane attached to four 75-foot long hydraulic cylinders running along massive support columns. Together the crane and deck weigh in at about *175 tons*! The crane is powered using five pumps and about 3500 gallons of vegetable oil. The Tatami Deck measures 30×30 feet and weighs over 37 tons, and can slide forward almost 50 feet at full travel, like a giant drawer. Five stage lifts move props and artists during the show, each raised or lowered by four to seven spiral lifts. If you’ve been fortunate enough to watch any of the Cirque performances you know how *dangerous* many of the acts appear, and I was particularly interested in how Erik and his huge crew of technicians kept the Cirque folks safe during the amazing death defying acts they perform at hundreds of shows each year. * * * KA by Cirque du Soleil is Las Vegas’ most technically advanced stage production. No small order in a city known for many of the world’s most innovative and technically sophisticated shows. Although there are about 80 performers in the show, there are even more people behind the scenes at KA in roles that vary from computer “dead switch” operators who will stop the show in the event of danger or malfunction (both very rare) to the “cork ranglers” who manage the tons of chopped natural cork that form the “sand” on the huge rotating stage. As with all the Cirque shows, KA is remarkable in creating the appearance of death defying leaps, dives, and spectacular aerial performances. KA adds to this fireballs, archery battles, hand combat on a stage rotating in the air, and more. All this happens while an army of invisible support staff maintain an extremely high standard of safety for both performers and the audience. HOLGER FÖRTERER is KA’s Interactive projections designer. Unlike usual light work, KÀ dancers and acrobats do not control what happens to the projection through their own movements. KA’s scenery can actually react to the performers. This creates very realistic illusions – such as falling underwater with a trail of bubbles – that play out in real time as the performers interact with the computerized part of KA’s world. This innovation happens using infrared cameras which help track the performers and feed that data to computers in the control room pictured above. This integrates with a remarkable system that maps the massive rotating stage, effectively turning the KA stage into an massive touch-screen that knows the precise position of each actor, dancer and acrobat. “In essence, what we have is an intelligent set,” said Förterer in an earlier interview. “And everything the audience sees is created by the computer.” { SOURCE: Technology Report } KÀ Concept Art {Jan.26.2010} ----------------------------------------------- From our friends at CirqueTribune comes a post from user “Stretchy” who discovered some interesting concept art for KÀ while browsing Mark Fisher’s website. Mr. Fisher is credited as SEt Designer on KÀ, playing at MGM Grand hotel and casino in Las Vegas. Check out some of these designs and get a peek into what KÀ could have looked like! < http://www.stufish.com/cirque-du-soleil/k-las- vegas/concept.html > {SOURCE: CirqueTribune} Cirque 2010 is... {Jan.27.2010} ----------------------------------------------- ...not been officially released yet, and we here at Fascination cannot be sure this is the name of Tour 2010 set to launch in Montréal on April 22nd, but something new has been registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office in regards to Cirque du Soleil and what it is has piqued our interested. On January 19th and again on the 20th, Cirque du Soleil and its legal staff applied for a new service trademarks accross the board on many varieties of goods and services ranging from media to paper goods, collectibles, clothing and other forms of merchandise – much like it did for OVO before its name was announced. So, what was registered this time? [ TOTEM ] Keep in mind that this is not official until Cirque du Soleil announces it! Corrections to Ferguson-Allaire interview ----------------------------------------------- Just after we published our enlightening interview with Martin Lord-Ferguson and Ella Louise Allaire (see last month’s issue), we received some corrections and clarifications from Ms. Allaire. We have made corrections to the article text that appears in our archive – here is a summary. * Ms. Allaire graduated from McGill University before getting her Master’s degree in composition from the University of Montréal. Her first collaboration with Mr. Ferguson and Mr. Dupéré was playing piano for "Rideau" on the re-recorded Saltimbanco soundtrack. * The pre-recorded music synchronization system used in ZED is actually called Appleton Live. * We mis-spelled the name of the female singers' character, it is actually spelled "Nouit." * She pointed out that many of the individual instrument tracks on the CD came from the live performances recorded directly from the sound board, which didn’t allow for complete control of noise and environment but added a "live" sound to the tracks. * Originally, the strings for the Lasso act were recorded in the key of G minor, not the key of G. * Ms. Allaire’s voice, which can be heard on pre-recorded tracks that are played back during the live show, sometimes give cues to acrobats during their performance. (For example, at the end of "Vaneyou Mi Le", while at the top of the Banquine human tower, Elena Kolesnikova is cued to lift her leg by Ms. Allaire’s vocal!) * We mis-spelled the name of the series of film music cue CD’s Mr. Ferguson and Ms. Allaire have composed, it should have been spelled "Sonic Elixir." * She re-stated her quotation in the next to last paragraph in the interview, it should have read: "Every decision we make during the process is done with all the honesty and creativity as possible with regards to the emotion that we think the work is going to bring to the people. We always keep that as a guideline, to always to do as good as we can." ======================================================================= ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION ======================================================================= o) TOURING - Under the Big Top {Corteo, Dralion, Koozå, OVO, Quidam & Varekai} o) RESIDENT - en Le Théâtre {Mystère, "O", La Nouba, Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE, ZAIA, ZED, Believe & VIVA Elvis} o) VENUE - Arena & Seasonal Productions {Saltimbanco, Alegría | Wintuk, Banana Shpeel} NOTE: .) While we make every effort to provide complete and accurate touring dates and locations available, the information in this section is subject to change without notice. As such, the Fascination! Newsletter does not accept responsibility for the accuracy of these listings. .) Dates so marked (*) are not official until released by Cirque du Soleil. For current, up-to-the-moment information on Cirque's whereabouts, please visit our website < http://www.CirqueFascination.com/ >. --------------------------------- TOURING - Under the Big Top --------------------------------- Online at: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=39 > Cirque 2010: Montréal, QC -- Apr 22, 2010 to Jul 11, 2010 Québec City, QC -- Jul 22, 2010 to TBA Amsterdam, NL -- Oct 8, 2010 to Dec 18, 2010 (*) Corteo: Tokyo, Japan -- Nov 4, 2009 to Jan 24, 2010 Fukuoka, Japan -- Feb 11, 2010 to Apr 4, 2010 Sendai, Japan -- Apr 21, 2010 to Jun 6, 2010 Koozå: Irvine, CA -- Jan 8, 2010 to Feb 14, 2010 San Diego, CA -- Feb 25, 2010 to Mar 28, 2010 Portland, OR -- Apr 9, 2010 to May 23, 2010 (*) Seattle, WA -- Jun 3, 2010 to Jul 11, 2010 (*) Vancouver, BC -- Jul 22, 2010 to Sep 5, 2010 (*) Houston, TX -- Sep 23, 2010 to Oct 31, 2010 (*) Miami, FL -- Nov 18, 2010 to Dec 26, 2010 (*) Ovo: San Francisco, CA -- Nov 27, 2009 to Jan 24, 2010 San Jose, CA -- Feb 4, 2010 to Mar 21, 2010 New York, NY -- Apr 9, 2010 to Jul 4, 2010 Hartford, CT -- Jul 15, 2010 to Aug 15, 2010 (*) Boston, MA -- Aug 26, 2010 to Oct 3, 2010 (*) Washington, DC -- Oct 14, 2010 to Nov 28, 2010 (*) Atlanta, GA -- Dec 17, 2010 to Feb 13, 2011 (*) Quidam: Rio de Janeiro, BR -- Jan 8, 2010 to Feb 7, 2010 São Paulo, BR -- Feb 26, 2010 to Apr 11, 2010 Porto Alegre, BR -- Apr 22, 2010 to May 16, 2010 Buenos Aiers, AR -- May 28, 2010 to Jun 20, 2010 Santiago, CL -- Jul 2, 2010 to Aug 8, 2010 Lime, PE -- Aug 22, 2010 to Sep 19, 2010 Bogota, CO -- Oct 9, 2010 to Nov 21, 2010 Varekai: London, UK -- Jan 6, 2010 to Jan 24, 2010 Manchester, UK -- Feb 25, 2010 to Mar 21, 2010 (*) Munich, DE -- Apr 1, 2010 to May 2, 2010 (*) Cologne, DE -- May 13, 2010 to Jun 6, 2010 (*) Frankfurt, DE -- Jun 17, 2010 to Jul 18, 2010 (*) --------------------------------- RESIDENT - en Le Théâtre --------------------------------- NOTE: (*) Prices are in United States Dollars (USD) unless otherwise noted. (*) Ticket prices exclude the 10% Live Entertainment Tax, the $7.50 per-ticket processing fee, and sales tax where applicable. Online at: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=40 > Mystère: Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark: Thursday/Friday Two shows Nightly - 7:00pm & 9:30pm 2010 Ticket Prices (adult) / (child 5-12): o Category 1: $109.00 / $54.50 o Category 2: $99.00 / $49.50 o Category 3: $79.00 / $39.50 o Category 4: $69.00 / $34.50 o Category 5: $60.00 / $30.00 (Limited View) 2010 Dark Dates: o February 7 o March 10 o May 8 – 12 o July 7 o September 4 – 8 o November 3 "O": Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark: Monday/Tuesday Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm 2010 Ticket Prices: o Orchestra: $150.00 o Loggia: $130.00 o Balcony: $99.00 o Limited View: $93.50 2010 Dark Dates: o February 7 o April 14 - 18 o June 13 o July 4 o August 11 - 15 o October 10 o December 8 - 21 La Nouba: Location: Walt Disney World, Orlando (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday Two shows Nightly - 6:00pm and 9:00pm 2010 Ticket Prices (adults) / (child 3-9): o Category 0: $120.00 / $97.00 o Category 1: $105.00 / $85.00 o Category 2: $85.00 / $69.00 o Category 3: $69.00 / $56.00 o Category 4: $55.00 / $45.00 2010 Dark Dates: o March 23 o May 25 - 28 o June 1 - 4 o July 27 o September 21 - 24 o November 16 Zumanity: Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday through Sunday Dark: Monday & Thursday Two Shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm 2010 Ticket Prices (18+ Only!): o Duo Sofas: $135.00 o Orchestra Seats: $99.00 o Upper Orchestra Seats: $79.00 o Balcony Seats: $69.00 o Cabaret Stools: $69.00 2010 Dark Dates: o February 7 – 9 o March 9 o April 6 – 11 o June 15 – 16 o July 13 – 14 o August 3 – 8 o September 14 o October 12 – 13 o November 30 o December 1 – 14 2010 Added Performances: o February 11th o March 11th o June 17th o July 15th o September 16th o October 14th o November 29th o December 30th KÀ: Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark Sunday/Monday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 2010 Ticket Prices (adult) / (child 5-12): o Category 1: $150.00 / $75.00 o Category 2: $125.00 / $62.50 o Category 3: $99.00 / $49.50 o Category 4: $69.00 / $34.50 2010 Dark Dates o March 30 – 31 o June 1 - 8 o September 7 - 11 o November 16 - 17 LOVE: Location: Mirage, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Thursday through Monday, Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 2010 Ticket Prices: o Lower Orchestra: $150.00 o Upper Orchestra: $130.00 o Lower Balcony: $99.00 o Middle Balcony: $93.50 2010 Dark Dates: o February 7 - 8 o April 8 - 12 o June 10 o August 5 - 9 o October 7 o December 3 - 13 ZAIA: Location: Venetian, Macao (China) Performs: Every Day, Dark: Wednesday One to Two Shows Daily - Times Vary 2010 Ticket Prices (adult) / (child 2-11): o VIP Seating: MOP$ 1288 / MOP$ 1288 o Reserve A: MOP$ 788 / MOP$ 394 o Reserve B: MOP$ 588 / MOP$ 294 o Reserve C: MOP$ 388 / MOP$ 194 2010 Dark Dates: o February 12 o February 19 - March 5 o March 29 - 30 ZED: Location: Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo (Japan) Performs: Varies One to Two Shows Daily - Showtimes vary 2010 Ticket Prices (Non-Peek / Peek Time): o Category 1 ("Premium"): ¥15,000 / ¥16,000 o Category 2 ("Stage-Side"): ¥12,500 / ¥13,500 o Category 2 ("Center"): ¥12,500 / ¥13,500 o Category 3 ("Wide View"): ¥9,500 / ¥10,500 o Category 4 ("Value"): ¥7,500 / ¥7,800 2010 Dark Dates: o Not Available BELIEVE: Location: Luxor, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark: Wednesday/Thursday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 10:00pm NOTE: Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Children under the age of five are not permitted into the theater. 2010 Ticket Prices (all): o Category 1: $160.00 o Category 2: $125.00 o Category 3: $99.00 o Category 4: $79.00 o Category 5: $59.00 2010 Dark Dates: o April 13 - 17 o May 25 o June 1 o July 6 - 10, 13 - 17 o October 12 - 16 VIVA ELVIS: Location: Aria, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark: Wednesday/Thursday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm Preview Performances: December 18th to January 28th 2010 Ticket Prices (Previews / Regular) o Category 1: $149.38 / $175.00 o Category 2: $128.75 / $150.00 o Category 3: $108.13 / $125.00 o Category 4: $86.68 / $99.00 2010 Dark Dates: o March 17 - 25 o May 11 - 13 o July 14 - 29 o September 14 - 16 o November 17 - 25 -------------------------------------- VENUE - Arena & Seasonal Productions -------------------------------------- Online at: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=251 > [Arena Shows] Saltimbanco: Barcelona, ES -- Dec 30, 2009 to Jan 10, 2010 Salzburg, AT -- Jan 13, 2010 to Jan 17, 2010 Strasbourg, FR -- Jan 20, 2010 to Jan 23, 2010 Frankfurt, DE -- Jan 27, 2010 to Jan 31, 2010 Nantes, FR -- Feb 2, 2010 to Feb 5, 2010 Innsbruck, AT -- Feb 25, 2010 to Feb 28, 2010 Torino, IT -- Mar 3, 2010 to Mar 7, 2010 Pesaro, IT -- Mar 10, 2010 to Mar 14, 2010 Bologna, IT -- Mar 17, 2010 to Mar 21, 2010 Florence, IT -- Mar 24, 2010 to Mar 28, 2010 Stuttgart, DE -- Mar 31, 2010 to Apr 4, 2010 Bremen, DE -- Apr 7, 2010 to Apr 11, 2010 Almeria, ES -- Apr 15, 2010 to Apr 18, 2010 Santiago, ES -- Apr 21, 2010 to Apr 25, 2010 San Sebastian, ES -- Apr 28, 2010 to May 2, 2010 Sheffield, UK -- May 20, 2010 to May 23, 2010 Liverpool, UK -- May 26, 2010 to May 30, 2010 Glasgow, UK -- Jun 2, 2010 to Jun 6, 2010 Manchester, UK -- Jun 9, 2010 to Jun 13, 2010 Birmingham, UK -- Jun 17, 2010 to Jun 20, 2010 Newcastle, UK -- Jun 30, 2010 to Jul 4, 2010 Dublin, IE -- Jul 7, 2010 to Jul 11, 2010 Nottingham, UK -- Jul 21, 2010 to Jul 25, 2010 London, UK -- Jul 28, 2010 to Aug 1, 2010 Alegría: Quebec, QC -- Jan 5, 2010 to Jan 10, 2010 Chicoutimi, QC -- Jan 13, 2010 to Jan 17, 2010 Detroit, MI -- Feb 4, 2010 to Feb 7, 2010 Indianapolis, IN -- Feb 11, 2010 to Feb 14, 2010 Austin, TX -- Feb 17, 2010 to Feb 21, 2010 Frisco, TX -- Feb 24, 2010 to Feb 28, 2010 Hoffman Estates, IL -- Mar 3, 2010 to Mar 7 2010 Cedar Rapids, IA -- Mar 10, 2010 to Mar 14, 2010 Champaign, IL -- Mar 17, 2010 to Mar 21, 2010 Omaha, NE -- Mar 24, 2010 to Mar 28, 2010 East Lansing, MI -- Mar 31, 2010 to Apr 4, 2010 Cleveland, OH -- Apr 7, 2010 to Apr 11, 2010 Toronto, ON -- Jun 30, 2010 to Jul 4, 2010 Winnipeg, MB -- Jul 22, 2010 to Jul 25, 2010 Regina, SK -- Jul 27, 2010 to Aug 1, 2010 Saskatoon, SK -- Aug 4, 2010 to Aug 8, 2010 Edmonton, AB -- Aug 11, 2010 to Aug 22, 2010 Kelowna, BC -- Aug 25, 2010 to Aug 29, 2010 Kamloops, BC -- Sep 1, 2010 to Sep 5, 2010 Victoria, BC -- Sep 8, 2010 to Sep 12, 2010 [Venue Shows] Wintuk: Location: Madison Square Garden, New York City (USA) Wintuk's 2009 Season has drawn to a close. See you next winter! Banana Shpeel: Location: Beacon Theater, New York City (USA) Schedule: Performances from February 25th through May 30th; Days of the week and times vary. 2010 Ticket Prices (Regular Performances): [March 23rd through May 30th] o Premium: $199.00 single / $199 group o P1: $110.00 single / $75.00 group o P2: $85.00 single / $60.00 group o P3: $65.00 single / $45.00 group o P4: $45.00 single / $39.00 group 2010 Ticket Prices (Previews): [February 25th through March 22nd] o Premium: n/a o P1: $89.00 single / $55.00 group o P2: $65.00 single / $55.00 group o P3: $45.00 single / $45.00 group NOTE: Prices include $4.50 facility fee. There is no children's pricing. ======================================================================= OUTREACH - UPDATES FROM CIRQUE'S SOCIAL WIDGETS ======================================================================= o) Club Cirque -- This Month at CirqueClub o) Networking -- Cirque on Facebook, Youtube & Flickr o) Gatherings -- CirqueCon & More! --------------------------------------- CLUB CIRQUE: This Month at CirqueClub --------------------------------------- Although the well has run dry at CirqueClub this month – no new Articles, reviews or interviews posted to share for January, we’re reaching back into the posting archives for a couple of blog posts we weren’t able to highlight before. Enjoy! Get to know Kris Carrison, "The Devil" in LOVE... {Sep.22.2008} Kris Carrison “The Devil” D.O.B. August 30, 1971 Kris was born in Coca Beach, Florida and moved to Northern California when he was 4 years old. When he was 7, his grandfather agreed to pay for his gymnastics lessons with the idea that it would get him into college one day, and Kris immediately took to the sport. At age 12, Kris decided to quit gymnastics and devote his time to surfing. By 14 he was surfing the coast of Northern California everyday, having dropped out of high school the first month of his sophomore year by passing the proficiency test so he could surf 24/7. After a few years Kris realized maybe there was more to life than surfing, so he decided he would research a way to be “sponsored” back into gymnastics, in hopes it would take him somewhere else in life. A cold call to the President of the US Gymnastics Federation lead him to an audition in LA where through an intricate web of people he met the Johnston family, who offered to “sponsor” him back into the sport. Kris lived in LA with the Johnston’s for 3 ½ years while he trained in gymnastics, attended Jr. College (where he was President of the English Club, an Editor of the school magazine, and took all honors courses), eventually transferring to Stanford University with a near 4.0 GPA. After Stanford, Kris spent a year in Tahoe teaching snowboarding, then 3 years in Los Angeles working on major motion picture films with his uncle who is a well known Hollywood Producer. Realizing he didn’t want to work in Hollywood Entertainment, Kris decided to send a compilation of his talents to Cirque du Soleil in hopes he’d get a job. The compilation consisted of some dated trampoline footage that was at least 10 years old, Kris break-dancing inside a nightclub and tumbling at the beach. Two weeks later, Cirque du Soleil invited him to audition in LA. He was soon offered a role in Saltimbanco to do Russian Swing and Chinese Poles – which Kris had no idea what they even were at the time. Figuring he was a “fast learner” he accepted the job, trained in Montreal for three months, and spent the next 3 years traveling throughout Asia and Europe performing with Saltimbanco. During this time, he taught himself German Wheel and was offered a role in Quidam, in which he took and spent the next year touring in Asia. While on tour, Kris began creating acts of his own that he thought would be perfect for Cirque du Soleil. With a background in extreme sports and acrobatics, Kris created a compilation of 3 ideas he had, and sent it up to the HQ in Montreal. Once they saw these creations, Kris was taken out of Quidam and given a full-time “research and development” position in Montreal where he spent the next year and a half developing new “extreme sport” acts for Cirque. He was given his own warehouse to experiment and create, and with a background in surfing, snowboarding, skate boarding and rock climbing, they took notice of his work. Kris helped develop the rollerblading act in LOVE and in 2005 he was offered a part as “The Devil” character who performs on the Russian Swing at LOVE with no harness – 40 feet above the stage – and no safety net. Aside from performing, Kris is passionate about tattoos and music. He has tattoos covering approximately 1/3 of his body, all with symbolic meaning and relevance to moments in his life. He also DJs at nightclubs from time to time, using a collection of house music he accumulated from different parts of the World while performing on tour with Cirque du Soleil. Kris also enjoys writing, as well as reading (especially) 19th Century Russian, English and French Literature. --------------------------------------------------- NETWORKING: Cirque on Facebook, YouTube & Flickr --------------------------------------------------- --- [ ALEGRIA ] --- {Jan.27} Check out these new pictures of Alegría's Acts FOTO [7] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=180225& id=38543815745&ref=mf > {Jan.27} Check out these new pictures of Alegría's Characters FOTO [7] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=180216& id=38543815745&ref=mf > --- [ BANANA SHPEEL ] --- {Jan.14} Cirque du Soleil and Banana Shpeel will be the Opening Presentation at The New York Times Arts & Leisure Weekend, the annual celebration of the arts featuring TimesTalks interviews between New York Times journalists and celebrated guests from film, media, music, television and theater. Read More: LINK /// < http://artsandleisureweekend.com/ > {Jan.14} WABC-TV in New York got a backstage glimpse at Banana Shpeel. The segment airs on Saturday so if you're in the NY area be sure to tune in! LINK /// < http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=resources/ lifestyle_community/community&id=7212251 > {Jan.14} Here's the new tv spot for Banana Shpeel, what do you think? We'll be in NY so soon! VIDEO [0:30] /// < http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php ?v=312281650619&ref=mf > --- [ KÀ ] --- {Jan.02} Happy day two of 2010, KÀ fans! We want to wish Kleber, Mathieu, Daniel, Omar and Jason all the best as they begin their next life adventures. You will be missed! {Jan.05} Our friends at VEGAS.com were kind enough to include us in a great story for their blog about puppets used in various Las Vegas shows. Thanks to Sheri, JanNelle, Leo and Eric for their time and puppeteering! Power to the puppets! Read More: LINK /// < http://blog.vegas.com/%5E/las-vegas-shows/ the-power-of-puppetry-5982/ > {Jan.11} We are on a break for the next two weeks, so we'll try to find some other amusing items for you to enjoy while we're away. Today's random and totally awesome selection? The Golden Cougar Marching Band from Pulaski County High School in Virginia, and their 2008 performance of music from KÀ. Enjoy! VIDEO [9:18] /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnQJxrqwIsU > {Jan.30} The director of KÀ, Robert Lepage, who is directing our newest touring show, is also directing a production for the Metropolitan Opera in New York this fall. This week some of the technical folks from the Met came to KÀ to ask us how we do stuff. That's a fun cultural shift - a two hundred-year-old opera house asking a Las Vegas spectacle how they make their magic! --- [ KOOZA ] --- {Jan.07} What Cirque's fit pros know! Here are five fitness tips from Kooza performers that can help you stay fit! 1. Cross-train and/or change your routine to constantly challenge your body and keep yourself from getting in a rut. It may be easy to stay in your comfort zone, but you’ll eventually reach a plateau in your fitness level if you don’t add variety. Nazarov has several strength-training routines that he rotates throughout the year. 2. Go outside. Brisk walking and hiking are great activities that count towards maintaining cardiovascular fitness. 3. Give your body time to rest and recover. That’s when your body repairs itself and gears up for the next activity. If you don’t give it a break, it won’t have a chance to get better. 4. Never underestimate the importance of working on your flexibility. With regular stretching or yoga, you can improve your flexibility, which, in turn, can enhance your overall performance in your sport. For example, if you are runner, tight hamstrings may compromise your stride; if you are a cyclist, the same condition may keep you from getting the most out of your pedal stroke. If you play ball sports, multi- directional flexibility in the upper body can enable you to turn your torso to the right or left while minimizing risk of injury. 5. Know that there are good days and bad days – even Cirque’s top athletes have them. Not every workout every day has to be killer. {Jan.10} Great video! Anthony Gatto shows you step by step the process of his Cirque du Soleil Juggler make-up for KOOZA. VIDEO [6:02] /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9fWjeDEdvU > {Jan.19} You missed the KOOZA Hoops Act performance on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien, Monday, January 18? Or you want to see it again? See the KOOZA performance online (starts at 37:45 minutes) LINK /// < www.tonightshowwithconanobrien.com > {Jan.28} Here's a mix of the PR Coverage that KOOZA received in Irvine! FOTO [15] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=151177 &id=34324811338&ref=mf > --- [ LA NOUBA ] --- {Jan.29} Did you know that La Nouba celebrated its 11 years old at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida on December 25? This means 376,830 German Wheel revolutions, 171,664 feet Balanced on Chairs and about 8000 hours of training! FOTO [20] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=188371 &id=144074117500&ref=mf > {Jan.29} As you may have heard... Starting February 5, Anthony Gatto will be a permanent addition as The Juggler in La Nouba. Gatto joins the ranks of professional athletes, dancers, vocalists, musicians and comedic performers in the cast of 67 world-class artists. We are thrilled to welcome this new act to our incredibly creative and dynamic show!! --- [ LOVE ] --- {Jan.11} Check out what blogger Ted Kajani from Myvinylreview.com had to say about LOVE during his most recent trip to Las Vegas for CES! LINK /// < http://myvinylreview.blogspot.com/2010/01/ show-review-beatles-love-cirque-du.html > {Jan.20} LOVE is the perfect show for families! LINK /// < http://www.apparenting.com/story_behind_cirque_ du_soleil_the_beatles_love.html > {Jan.27} Get inspired through Cirque du Soleil! This blogger takes us on a backstage tour at LOVE...enjoy! LINK /// < http://www.inspiremetoday.com/gail/2010/01/ o-i-love-the-magic-of-cirque-du-soleil/ > {Jan.30} The LOVE DVD 'ALL TOGETHER NOW' finds out on Sunday if we win the Grammy Award for Best Long for Music Video...that will be our 3rd Grammy for LOVE!!! Fingers (and toes) crossed, wish us luck! --- [ MYSTERE ] --- {Jan.02} We want to wish Michelle, Aaron and Dima D. all the best as they begin the next chapter of their life adventures. You will be missed! {Jan.15} After 7,641 performances, Mystère's "Sky" was laid to rest. Not to worry, with the passing of one comes the birth of another. It's the circle of life! FOTO [19] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=177456 &id=18155469918&ref=mf > {Jan.30} If you remember, last fall we posted some photos of us filming our new trailer and TV commercial. We're getting ready to debut it to you all, but wanted to give you one last look at our current trailer before we retire it. Enjoy! VIDEO [1:00] /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vev3oxpXfyQ > {Jan.31} Yesterday we posted our current, soon-to-be retired, trailer, and while we were looking for it we came across another, older version! VIDEO [1:53] /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71bY06NZNiI > --- [ "O" ] --- {Jan.04} O is thinking 2010 should be referred to as 2"O"1"O" ... {Jan.27} I walk out of a Cirque performance with the adrenaline coursing through my veins feeling like I too can fly! LINK /// < http://www.inspiremetoday.com/gail/2010/01/ o-i-love-the-magic-of-cirque-du-soleil/ > --- [ OVO ] --- {Jan.05} San Francisco Ice Rink on January 2nd FOTO [16] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php ?aid=135527&id=62744104613&ref=mf > {Jan.06} San Jose Ice Rink on January 2nd FOTO [27] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php ?aid=135894&id=62744104613&ref=mf > {Jan.08} San Jose Ice Rink on January 3rd FOTO [28] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php ?aid=135895&id=62744104613&ref=mf > {Jan.13} San Francisco Ice Rink on January 9th FOTO [24] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php ?aid=137716&id=62744104613&ref=mf > {Jan.25} San Francisco Ice Rink on January 16th FOTO [26] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php ?aid=140802&id=62744104613&ref=mf > {Jan.25} San Jose Ice Rink on January 18th FOTO [10] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php ?aid=140804&id=62744104613&ref=mf > --- [ QUIDAM ] --- {Jan.07} Quidam is celebrating its premiere in Rio de Janeiro tonight! From our site, we can see the famous Pao de Azucar, the sea, the mountains and the incredible vegetation of Brasil, amazing location this year in Rio. Come visit us! See the Artists preparing. FOTOS [3] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=151494 &id=35752277045&ref=mf > --- [ VAREKAI ] --- {Jan.06} Review: The Celebrities and media are chatting about Varekai in London on Twitter! Check out what they have to say here! LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/notes/varekai-by-cirque-du- soleil/review-the-celebrities-and-media-are-chatting- about-varekai-in-london-on-twitter/400792820695 > {Jan.06} Green Carpet - Varekai in London FOTO [5] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php? aid=141257&id=30414380348&ref=mf > {Jan.28} Take a look behind the scenes at the show 'Varekai' by hand balancer, and star of the show, Irina Naumenko. LINK /// < http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8481523.stm > --- [ VIVA ELVIS ] --- {Jan.08} Wishes Elvis a Happy 75th! VIDEO [0:17] /// < http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php ?v=241454177001&ref=mf > {Jan.09} Check out the cast and crew with an amazing cake created by famous pastry chef Jean Phillippe Maury! FOTO [1] /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php? pid=3292344&id=167136344108 > FOTO [1] /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php ?pid=3291916&id=167136344108 {Jan.26} The Viva ELVIS cast visited Memphis and checked out some of Elvis' favorite things at Graceland. VIDEO [1:47] /// < http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php ?v=310506330619&ref=mf > --- [ WINTUK ] --- {Jan.05} Thank you for making our winter a success! What was your favorite part of Wintuk? VIDEO [0:47] /// < http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php ?v=273815855619&ref=mf > --- [ ZAIA ] --- {Jan.06} Check out our ZAIA artists paying special tribute to the amazing touring show, Dralion which is set to take its bow on January 17, 2010 after a decade on the road ! Bravo Dralion! VIDEO [1:12] /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJp5O-kIn8o > {Jan.25} We also have a video with all the highlights of New Year's Eve! Check this out! VIDEO [1:11] /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN5CFnI_R24 > {Jan.25} Here's photos from our New Year's Eve show and after-show party @ Cafe Deco ! See how we kicked off the new year with lots of fun! FOTO [8] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php? aid=142862&id=34277887388&ref=mf > --- [ ZED ] --- {Jan.27} Zed hosted the super cute AKB 48 idol band today! check out our website for more details about their visit and how much fun they had hunging out with our artists. LINK /// < http://www.zed.co.jp/latest_news/detail.php?id=174 > --- [ ZUMANITY ] --- {Jan.04} Red Hot Sex! Check out Zumanity pole dancer Felix in 944 magazine's list of the top 10 hottest people in Vegas! | FELIX CANE Felix Cane is on a one-woman mission to redefine how the world views pole dancing. Crowned the 2009 World Pole Dancing Champion, Cane was discovered by way of a YouTube performance and catapulted to the top of her profession after only three years of dancing. Read More: LINK /// < http://www.944.com/articles/sexy10in10/ > {Jan.14} We're off today, but you can get your Zumanity fix with this video featuring a behind-the-scenes look at our costumes with Jack Ricks, our fabulous Head of Wardrobe. Enjoy! VIDEO [3:25] /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=LW1d5iErkls&hl=en > ------------------------------------------- GATHERINGS: CirqueCon, Celebri & More! ------------------------------------------- CirqueCon: < http://www.CirqueCon.com/ > Update #9: Wednesday, February 3, 2010 -------------------------------------- Greetings, Cirque Passionates! Although there are still dozens of days left until we kick off CirqueCon 2010 in New York City, we're in what we'd like to call the preverbial home stretch. Many of our outstanding "big ticket" items are finally coming together (such as the tickets to BANANA SHPEEL), our schedule of activities (which we're still tweaking), and, our Group Meal in New York City, which we're pleased to announce in this update! We'd like to thank everyone who placed their ticket order with us for OVO in New York City and TOUR 2010 in Montréal - our deadline has passed on those tickets so we're closing the books! Please don't forget about reserving your seats for our group outing to BANANA SHPEEL, though. We have until February 24th on those! With that in mind, some deadlines to remember... *) February 26 (Wed) = Tickets to Banana Shpeel *) March 02 (Fri) = Group Meal, Montréal *) March 08 (Mon) = Hotel in Montréal *) March 10 (Wed) = Hotel in NYC *) April 15 (Thu) = Group Meal, NYC Okay, so, on with the update! o) DO YOU HAVE YOUR CIRQUECON 2010 MEMBERSHIP? Planning to join us in either New York City, Montréal or both? Don't forget about your CirqueCon 2010 Membership! Without a paid membership we will be unable to produce one of our CirqueCon badges for you and your family, cover the costs of printing our programme book or guarantee you a spot in any of our activites. Remember, in order to take part in any activity Cirque du Soleil may have in store for us, you must have a CirqueCon badge to identify you with our group. Unfortunately, we will be unable to let you participate without it! Becoming a member of CirqueCon 2010 is easy! We only ask a nominal membership fee of $20.00 per household to cover planning, research and expenses for the event. And we have two convenient ways for you to become a member! - By Check or Money Order: Please send $20.00 for each membership via check or Money Order. Keith is once again our treasurer, so checks should be made out and sent to: Keith Johnson 31241 Fourth Avenue South Federal Way, WA 98003-5203 - By Credit Card (via PAYPAL): We have set up a PAYPAL account for those that wish to pay via credit card. However, in order to offset PayPal's transaction charges, the cost of a Membership paid through PayPal is $21.00. Please send $21.00 to Paypal account: newyork@cirquecon.com See our MEMBERSHIP page for further details: < http://www.cirquecon.com/2010/member.htm > o) TICKETS TO BANANA SHPEEL /// NOW AVAILABLE! * * * DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 24, 2010 @ 11:59pm * * * We know you've been waiting on tickets to Banana Shpeel for our CirqueCon event - wait no longer! We apologize for the delay, but unforseen circumstances surrounding the previews in Chicago forced a change in New York City's preview shows premiere date, pushing the premiere date back almost 30 days. Since tickets had already been sold to those performances, accommodations to previous ticket holders took precedence over new sales. Now, however, we're pleased to offer you seats to Banana Shpeel during our offical show time: Thursday, April 29th at 8:00pm! +----------------------------------+ | | | *** CIRQUECON OFFICIAL SHOWS *** | | | | BANANA SHPEEL | | Thursday - April 29, 2010 | | @ 8:00pm | | | +----------------------------------+ Seating - Where Are We? ----------------------- Due to those previous unforseen circumstances, seat availability for our group was somewhat limited - we don't have front-and-center, but we do have center-isle seating in both Left-Center and Right-Center Orchestra sections very close to the stage. 36 seats in Orchestra-Left (in Rows B, C, D & E) 41 seats in Orchestra-Right (in Rows B, C, D & E) Our goal is to get everyone together in one section - so we'd like to try and fill Orchestra-Left first, but it's your preference where you want to sit - just let us know! Pricing - Okay, How Much? ------------------------- There is only one pricing category with these tickets and because we're one big group we were able to get these seats at a discount. Just how much? Only $75.00 USD w/tax [via Check] !! Only $79.00 USD w/tax [via Paypal] !! Buying - Great, How do I Get 'Em? --------------------------------- We have these two convenient payment options available: 1) CREDIT CARD via PAYPAL We have our general PAYPAL account for those that wish to pay via credit card. Please send the total amount for tickets to PAYPAL account - newyork@cirquecon.com 2) BY CHECK Please send the total for each order. Checks should be made out and sent to: Keith Johnson 31241 Fourth Avenue South Federal Way, WA 98003-5203 IMPORTANT - IMPORTANT - IMPORTANT - IMPORTANT When making your payment, please advise us the TITLE OF THE SHOW IN QUESTION (as we have a number of ticket sales going on), the NUMBER OF SEATS you wish to reserve and whether you'd like Orchestra-Left or Orchestra-Right seating. Due to the limited availability in some categories, seating choices will be filled on a FIRST PAID, FIRST SERVED basis. Email us your selections at: newyork@cirquecon.com Cool - Now What? ---------------- That's it! Once we receive your payment your seat reservations become final and you're set to sit in your selected category so long as we have the available seating. If your preferred seats or category are sold out we will make every attempt to contact you straight away. If we are unable to make contact with you, we will place you in the next seating category and refund the ticket difference (based on the form of payment). Some other things to consider... Seating Assignments -- Because CirqueCon is facilitating the ticket distribution this year, we have a little say over what seats you get. We will make every attempt to accommodate your seating preferences, but we cannot guarantee certain or any arrangements. Deadline -- The deadline for purchasing your seats through us for BANANA SHPEEL is 11:59pm ET, Wednesday, February 24, 2010. Any remaining unclaimed and unpaid for seats will be returned to Cirque du Soleil - once they're gone, they're gone! Ticket Distribution -- You can pick up your tickets during our scheduled open registration times, at either Meet & Greet and before the show. o) GROUP MEAL NYC /// NOW FILLING TABLES! +--------------------------------+ | | | Thursday, April 29th | | 5:00pm to 7:00pm | | AMSTERDAM ALE HOUSE | | | +--------------------------------+ We're pleased to announce our selection for our first of two group meals during this unique event - AMSTERDAM ALE HOUSE in New York City! Billed as a charming neighborhood restaurant on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, they're commitment to serving the finest ales and lagers available is unmatched. Not to mention a fine selection of foods one comes to expect from a great ale house. Where is the Amsterdam Ale House? -------------------------------------- Amsterdam Ale House 340 Amsterdam Avenue New York City, NY. 10024 Phone: 212-362-7260 Web: http://www.amsterdamalehouse.com/ At 76th Street and Amsterdam Avenue - just a couple of blocks from ON THE AVE, our Headquarters Hotel and from the Beacon Theater where we'll assemble for BANANA SHPEEL following dinner! What's for Dinner? ------------------ * APPETIZERS * (Will be served family style) -> Buffalo Wings Accompanied with carrots & celery and side of blue cheese. -> Ale House Quesadilla Spinach, onion and cheddar cheese baked in a flour tortilla and served with guacamole, sour cream, salsa and jalapenos on the side. -> House Salad Mixed greens with cherry tomatoes/cucumber. * ENTREES * (Choice of one per person) -> Pan Seared Tilapia Topped with a light white wine tomato and caper sauce, served with rice and sautéed spinach -> Pasta Primavera Your choice of pasta tossed with the season’s fresh vegetables in a light garlic sauce -> Pasta Bolognaise A rich red wine, herbed tomato & beef sauce over your choice of pasta -> Chicken Fajita Sautéed onions, red & green peppers, served with rice, black beans, salsa, guacamole and grilled folded tortillas. -> Chipotle Beef Chili in a Bread Bowl Topped with melted cheddar cheese and sour cream served with a side of mixed greens salad * DESSERT * (Choice of one per person) -> Chocolate Fondant Chocolate layer cake filled with rich chocolate cream -> Mango Sorbet Refreshing Mango sorbet served in the natural fruit shel Drinks Included, such as: Coke, Sprite, Diet Coke, Ginger Ale, Tonic Water, Cranberry Juice, Orange Juice, and a wide selection of beers and other ales) Okay, How Much? --------------- $36.00 USD per person w/taxes included by CHECK $38.00 USD per person w/taxes included by PAYPAL Let us know if you plan on joining us by sending us an email to newyork@cirquecon.com by THURSDAY, April 15, 2010. NOTE: Your entrée and dessert selections will be taken at the restaurant, you do NOT have to let us know in advance! Wow! How do I Pay? --------------------------------- We have these two convenient payment options available: 1) CREDIT CARD via PAYPAL We have our general PAYPAL account for those that wish to pay via credit card. Please send $38.00 USD per person to PAYPAL account - newyork@cirquecon.com 2) BY CHECK Please send $36.00 USD per person. Checks should be made out and sent to: Keith Johnson 31241 Fourth Avenue South Federal Way, WA 98003-5203 Great, What Else? --------------------------------- We are being put in the "Fireplace Room." When people arrive just tell the seater you are with "CirqueCon." Walking from the hotel: From the hotel entrance take a Left and head South on Broadway to 76th (1 block). Take a Left onto 76th and head one block East (to Amsterdam). The entrance to the Amsterdam Ale House will be on your Left just before Amsterdam. From restaurant to the theater: From the restaurant take a Right and head West on 76th (1 block). At Broadway take a Left and head South across 75th. The entrance to the Beacon will be on your Left half way down the next block. We'll see you there! o) GROUP MEAL MONTREAL /// RSVP TODAY! Don't forget about the Restaurant du Vieux Port - our Group Meal in Montréal! If you intend to join us and haven't yet let us know, please RSVP with us as soon as you can so we know how many plates need to be made! +--------------------------------+ | | | Saturday, May 1st | | 5:00pm to 7:00pm | | RESTAURANT DU VIEUX PORT | | | +--------------------------------+ See the GROUP MEAL, MONTREAL section on our website, for the menu and costs involved: < http://www.cirquecon.com/2010/social-YUL.htm#meal > o) HEADQUARTERS HOTELS /// NOW TAKING RESERVATIONS! Don't forget to RSVP with us at our headquarters hotels in New York City and Montréal - both are now ready to take your reservation! We have two wonderful Headquarters Hotels near our primary event locations this year. For New York City, we're going to be staying at "On the Ave", a boutique hotel across from Central Park in Upper West Side (just two blocks from the Beacon Theater). In Montréal, we're proud to once again stay at the Marriott Spring Hill Suites Vieux Port, which served us so well for CirqueCon 2005. Please see the HOTELS section of our website for further details: < http://www.cirquecon.com/2010/hotel.htm >. o) DINNER AT DALLAS BBQ BEFORE OVO Just because the Magic Bus is a Bust, doesn't mean the rest of our OVO evening is - pre-show dinner before OVO is still on! Rich Alford has selected Dallas BBQ in Time's Square for the pre-show meal. Located at 241 West 42nd Street, between 7th and 8th avenues just off of the Times Sq/42nd St subway stop is Dallas BBQ, the place where NYC denizens have been making themselves at home for over 15 years with the best barbeque in NYC! We know walking around Manhattan is going to make you hungry, so join us at Dallas BBQ before Cirque du Soleil's OVO tonight for excellent salads, big burgers, scruptious smokehouse chicken, steak, fish or ribs! This place is MmmMmmgood! The owner of Dallas BBQ has set aside a rather large table or two for us and welcomes all Passionates to order directly from the menu - that way everyone can get what they want and there's no payment required in advance! So, just drop by and eat and drink as much or as little as you like! Rich Alford and Ricky Russo will be at Dallas BBQ beginning at 4:00pm and will promptly leave for OVO at 6:00pm - so if you're in the neighborhood, come by and come hungry! NOTE: If you do plan to join us and know so ahead of time, please RSVP with us so we can be on the look out for you. Email us at newyork@cirquecon.com and say "I'm coming to Dallas BBQ!" o) BROADWAY NIGHT /// SEE WHAT YOU LIKE! Although we've come to New York City for spectacles by Cirque du Soleil, who says we can't take in a musical on Broadway too? Therefore, we've dedicated TUESDAY, APRIL 27th as our night to be on the Great White Way, so please enjoy its various theatrical and musical offerings. Do whatever interests you; the night is yours! Most of the CirqueCon staff will be seeing Disney's THE LION KING at Minskoff Theatre near Times's Square, which you're very welcome to join us for - who knows who we might see there tonight! Contact the theater box office directly to purchase tickets. Doors open at 6:30pm; show begins at 7:00pm. For information on DISNEY'S THE LION KING, please visit their official website: < disney.go.com/theatre/thelionking/broadway/ >. Tickets avaialble through the website should you be interested in joining us there! ======================================================================= COMPARTMENTS -- A PEEK BEHIND THE CURTAIN ======================================================================= o) DIDYAKNOW - Facts at a Glance about Cirque o) HISTORIA - Cirque du Soleil History --------------------------------- DIDYAKNOW? - Facts About Cirque --------------------------------- Every once in a while we like to take a look back at Cirque du Soleil that was. For this month's column of "DidyaKnow", we're going to take a look at some facts and figures from KÀ's 2,000th performance, which was celebrated in the month of February just last year. # # # KÀ by Cirque du Soleil made its groundbreaking debut at the MGM Grand on February 4, 2005. Now, just over four years later, the spectacular production, celebrated its milestone 2,000th performance. The landmark was celebrated with a special finale following the 9:30 p.m. performance on Wednesday, February 18. Just how impressive is 2,000 shows? o) 38 cast members and 81 behind-the-scenes managers and technicians have been with KÀ since the opening night performance. o) 3.1 million guests have experienced KÀ! o) 700,000 cubic feet of granular cork, enough to fill 8 Olympic-size swimming pools has been dumped from KÀ’s stage during the beach scene. o) The KÀ snake puppet has traveled more than 30 miles down the “trees” in the forest scene. That’s nearly four miles more than a full-marathon! o) 240,000 pre-show fireballs have been launched – each are a blazing 1200° Fahrenheit. o) 220,000 live arrows have been fired & 238,000 fireworks have been discharged. ------------------------------------ HISTORIA: Cirque du Soleil History ------------------------------------ * Feb.01.2008 –- Delirium opened Oberhausen, Germany * Feb.01.2008 –- Announcement that Delirium will fold in London, UK * Feb.02.2001 –- La Nouba celebrated 1000th performance [Friday, 6:00pm] * Feb.02.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Nantes, FR * Feb.03.2000 -- Dralion opened San Francisco, California * Feb.03.2005 -- KÀ Premiere Gala (Previews End) * Feb.04.1988 -- Le Cirque Réinventé opened Santa Monica (again) * Feb.04.2007 –- Cirque du Soleil performs at Super Bowl XLI. * Feb.04.2009 –- Corteo opened Tokyo, Japan * Feb.04.2009 –- Saltimbanco Arena opened St. Charles, MO * Feb.04.2010 -- Alegría Arena opened Detroit, MI * Feb.04.2010 -- OVO opened San Jose, CA * Feb.05.2007 –- iShares Announces Sponsorship of 2007-2008 US Teams * Feb.05.2008 –- Delirium opened Hanover, Germany * Feb.05.2009 –- Varekai opened Seville, Spain * Feb.06.2003 –- Dralion opened New Orleans * Feb.06.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Insbruck, AT * Feb.07.2002 -- Quidam opened Miami, Florida * Feb.07.2003 –- Region 2 DVDs released: Saltimbanco, Quidam, Dralion * Feb.07.2003 –- Quidam opened Tokyo * Feb.07.2007 –- Dralion opened Tokyo * Feb.07.2007 –- Koozå Creative Team Announced * Feb.07.2007 –- Delirium opened Moline, IL * Feb.07.2008 –- Alegria opened Sao Paulo * Feb.08.1996 -- Saltimbanco opened Hambourg * Feb.09.2001 -- Saltimbanco opened Fukuoka, Japan * Feb.09.2005 –- Alegría opened Fukuoka, Japan * Feb.09.2007 –- Corteo opened Dallas * Feb.09.2007 –- Delirium opened Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN. * Feb.10.2008 –- Delirium opened Bremen, Germany * Feb.10.2006 –- Cirque announced/launched Fashion Line * Feb.10.2008 –- Cirque du Soleil performs “A Day in the Life” from The Beatles/Cirque du Soleil LOVE at the Mirage at Grammy’s. * Feb.10.2008 –- Cirque du Soleil wins 2 Grammy’s for LOVE album. - “Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or other Visual Medium” - “Best Surround Sound Album” * Feb.11.1998 –- Quidam opened Dallas * Feb.11.2010 -- Alegría Arena opened Indianoplis, IN * Feb.11.2010 -- Corteo opened Fukuoka, Japan * Feb.12.2007 –- Cirque & Orange Business Services sign Partnership * Feb.12.2009 –- Saltimbanco Arena opened Indianapolis, IN * Feb.13.2008 –- Delirium opened Stockholm, Sweden * Feb.14.2001 -- Dralion opened Miami, Florida * Feb.14.2002 -- Saltimbanco opened Amsterdam * Feb.14.2007 –- Delirium opened Fort Wayne, IN * Feb.15.2005 –- Cirque Music available on iTunes * Feb.15.2007 –- Cirque Partners with Champ Car race * Feb.16.2001 –- Quidam opened Manchester * Feb.16.2008 –- Delirium opened Turku, Finland * Feb.17.2005 -- Saltimbanco (2005) CD Released (CDS Musique) * Feb.17.2007 –- Delirium opened Chicago, IL. * Feb.17.2010 -- Alegría Arena opened Austin, TX * Feb.18.2009 –- Saltimbanco Arena opened Batton Rouge, LA * Feb.19.1998 –- Alegría opened Madrid * Feb.19.2002 -- Quidam Extended CD Released (BMG/CDS Musique) * Feb.19.2004 –- Alegría opened St. Petersburg * Feb.20.2007 –- Cimarron gives KÀ new visual style * Feb.20.2008 –- Saltimbanco Arena opened Memphis, TN * Feb.21.2007 –- CirqueCon’s 2007 & 2008 Announced * Feb.21.2007 –- Delirium opened Kansas City, MO * Feb.22.1991 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened Cosa Mesa * Feb.22.2000 -- Alegría: Le Film CD Released in US (RCA/Victor) * Feb.22.2007 –- Alegría opened Barcelona * Feb.23.2006 –- Alegría opened Milan * Feb.24.2005 –- Saltimbanco opened Birmingham * Feb.24.2005 –- Varekai opened Austin * Feb.24.2007 –- Delirium opened Ames, IA * Feb.24.2009 –- Saltimbanco Arena opened Rockford, IL * Feb.24.2009 –- Varekai celebrated 2,500th performance [Seville, Spain] * Feb.24.2010 -- Alegría Arena opened Frisco, TX * Feb.25.1988 -- Le Cirque Réinventé opened Calgary * Feb.25.2001 -- Quidam opened Manchester * Feb.25.2008 –- Delirium opened Zurich, Germany * Feb.25.2010 -- Varekai opened Manchester, UK * Feb.25.2010 -- Koozå opened San Diego, CA * Feb.25.2010 -- Banana Shpeel opened NYC (Previews) * Feb.26.2003 –- Saltimbanco opened Bilbao * Feb.26.2008 –- Saltimbanco Arena opened Charlottesville, VA * Feb.26.2009 –- Cirque & Reebok announce “Fit to Fly” * Feb.26.2009 –- Quidam opened Liverpool, UK (Temporarily Arena) * Feb.26.2010 -- Quidam opened Sao Paulo * Feb.27.2005 –- Dralion opened Amsterdam * Feb.27.2008 –- Quidam opened Veracrux, Mexico * Feb.28.2000 –- La Nouba celebrated 500th performance [Monday] * Feb.28.2002 -- Alegría opened Singapore * Feb.28.2007 –- Delirium opened Green Bay, WI * Feb.29.2008 –- Varekai opened Amsterdam * Feb.29.2008 –- Delirium opened Budapest, Hungary ======================================================================= FASCINATION! FEATURES ======================================================================= Within... o) "Cirque in Your Ear (Part 1 of 2)" By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA) {Issue Exclusive} o) "Factory de Cirque" [EXPANDED] By: Steve Friess - Las Vegas, Nevada (USA) {Special Reprint from Las Vegas Weekly} -------------------------------------------------------------- "Cirque in Your Ear (Part 1 of 2)" By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA) {Issue Exclusive} -------------------------------------------------------------- Two Christmas’ ago I purchased MP3 players for my lovely bride and I. Since then, albeit late to the game, I have discovered the joys of podcasts, which come in handy while trying to pass the time on the bus while commuting to work. My tastes run more to shows which feature interviews with newsmakers and interesting people as opposed to solo or duet podcasts featuring the hosts alone. Public-affairs and popular-culture shows that might feature items of interest to Cirque du Soleil fans are few and far between. But I have found two sources of Las Vegas-centric podcasts that occasionally feature Cirque do Soleil – both based (naturally) in Las Vegas! This month we’ll look at KNPR’s State of Nevada. Las Vegas-based Nevada Public Radio operates two stations on the FM dial, classical-music station 89.7 KCNV, and NPR affiliate 88.9 KNPR. State of Nevada, their local public affairs show, airs on KNPR at 9am weekdays. State of Nevada has quite a history of topics, which can be found on their archive page, < http://www.knpr.org/son/archive/index.cfm >. The shows are sorted there by year and month, and each topic on a show is its own separate file. While mostly catering to current news and politics, they often feature entertainment topics, occasionally involving Cirque du Soleil employees. Here’s a list of their Cirque-related shows, in chronological order by original airdate. KNPR – STATE OF NEVADA 11/21/2003, also rebroadcast 12/25/2003 – Entertainment Engineering – This starts off with an “All Things Considered” report about UNLV creating a new area of study catering to the unique Las Vegas economy: Entertainment Engineering. The following discussion is more of a basic Cirque du Soleil primer covering topics already familiar to many Cirque fans. There is a great quote about how the “O” curtain eastoncinually tearing during show creation (which we first discussed in our “Secrets of the O Curtain” article back in Fascination #57 – Jan/Feb 2007). Karen Gay – “Mystere” company manager Danielle Rodenkirchen - Mystere Performer and Social Affairs Coordinator Tony Ricotta – “O” Operations Production Manager Brigitte Warner – Cirque du Soleil Publicist 06/17/2005, also rebroadcast 07/22/2005 – Director Franco Dragone. This long interview, taking place just a month after Le Rêve opened talks about his upbringing and some of his history with Cirque, but talks mostly about Le Rêve. Very interesting, highly recommended! Included are three samples of live soundboard recordings from the Le Rêve band. 07/03/2006, also rebroadcast 11/20/2006 – Sir George and Gilles Martin. Focuses on recording the Beatles and creation of the music for LOVE. Has a lot of discussion of the enhanced sound of the music and how that was created. Also includes a segment with a New York music critic about the impact of The Beatles music. 11/30/2006 – In a very revealing interview, Gilles Ste-Croix talks about Sixties idealism, the evolution of the show LOVE, the (at that time forthcoming) Criss Angel show and some tidbits about the Elvis project. He also gives some insight into Cirque’s business mindset. Another recommended interview. 02/14/2008, also rebroadcast on 02/18/2008 – A discussion about the staging of KA, focusing on the technical aspects. Inside this short feature are some backstage and stage manager audio recorded during a show – interesting! JT Tomlinson - Former head of Automation Eric Walstead – Technical Director Pierre Parisien – Head Artistic Director 07/11/2008 – The Secret Life of Clowns - Where do clowns who perform in Cirque-style shows go to exercise their creative muscles? This segment starts with a 10-minute audio documentary piece in which several Le Rêve clowns discuss working to find places to exercise their creativity – including quotes from legendary Cirque clown John Gilkey. The discussion that follows doesn’t center around Cirque so much as how do clown performers “break out of the box” to do their own thing. Much of the latter parts of the discussion talks about the difficulties of getting people interested in this type of “edgy” theater. Mentions local venues where off-duty Cirque performers can play. Colin Gee – former Cirque performer (Dralion) Francine Gordon – Managing Director, Samuel Beckett Festival Professor Dan Martin – Director of the Institute for the Management of Creative Enterprises at Carnegie Mellon University 02/05/2009 – Christopher “Edie” Kenney, Mistress of Sensuality at Zumanity. He discusses the creation of his character, his move and accommodation into Cirque in Las Vegas (including a humorous aside about how not understanding French can be a hinderance), and his impressions of the Las Vegas gay community. Most notable here is a snippet of show music from the audio soundboard of “Libera Me.” 08/18/2009 – Show Make-Up – A discussion of make-up for the big shows. Here Mr. Wild tends to dominate the conversation, and it isn’t very Cirque-specific. Roger Stricker – Supervisor of Wigs and Makeup for Zumanity Ron Wild – Makeup supervisor for “Phantom” 08/27/2009 – Show Costumes – A discussion of costuming for the big shows. Gives some interesting figures on numbers of costume pieces for the various shows, and discusses the backstage choreography involved in some of the “quick changes.” Eric Wood – Wardrobe Head for “KA” Frank Morales – Wardrobe for Bette Midler Renie Sabol – Wardrobe Attendant for “The Lion King” Yolan Pinter – Head of Wardrobe for “Phantom” 09/30/2009 – Cirque’s Foray into Los Angeles – Discussion of the future Cirque Kodak Theater show with Carla Hall of the Los Angeles Times. This short, 10-minute piece discusses how the deal was structured and how it might affect the Las Vegas shows. Ms. Hall brings up a notable point wondering if the financial deal, as structured, can be good for anyone else other than Cirque. 11/02/2009 – Fire Clowns – An interesting discussion of clowning in the big shows. Ray Wold’s comments on what it takes to work with fire are fascinating. He discusses his early history, how he came to Cirque’s attention, and what it feels like to have 1000-degree flames three inches from your skin. Both discuss how they are treated by their respective shows, and the skill involved in clowing professionally. Ray Wold – Fire Performer of “O” (never missed a performance!) Michael Goudreau – from the Lance Burton show That’s what we can find from KNPR. Next month we’ll discuss another series of podcasts that occasionally feature Cirque, The Strip Podcast. And if you know of any other audio interviews of Cirque, let me know by sending me an email to tourdemondo@yahoo.com and I’ll list them in a future installment! -------------------------------------------------------------- "Factory de Cirque" [EXPANDED] By: Steve Friess - Las Vegas, Nevada (USA) {Special Reprint from Las Vegas Weekly} -------------------------------------------------------------- The world headquarters for Disney features a mammoth topiary ode to Mickey’s famous ears. The home of Hershey has its own chocolate-themed town. And, of course, the mothership for NBC is also the site of the most famous Christmas tree and ice-skating rink in the world. So everyone, squeeze your eyes shut and imagine the incubator for the fantastical, surrealist imagination that brought us flying stages, strawberry fields of bubbles and a grown man playing a baby bouncing a gigantic ball into an audience. What do you see? Maybe a Frank Gehry? Surely such a place demands something a little avant garde, a little rock-n-roll and a lot of bright color. Right? Or not. Apple is at 1 Infinity Loop in Cupertino. IGT is on Prototype Drive in Reno. And Cirque du Soleil? That’s at 8400 2nd Avenue, where stands a boxy, four-story, metal-and- glass structure a shade of slate that matches Montreal’s usual midwinter skies. It stands on the eastern, suburban edge of this Canadian metropolis, at the end of a bus line, beside a landfill and offering panoramic views of a billowing Simpsonian—although not nuclear—power plant. Somehow, I had forgotten this. I had been here six years earlier, for a Newsweek piece in advance of Cirque’s third permanent Vegas show, Zumanity. But somehow I had forgotten, until I hopped off said city bus earlier this month, just how drab and remarkably unremarkable the place appears from the outside. Of course, like anything Cirque-ish, appearances are deceptive, and there’s a lot going on inside that makes more sense of the weird universe launched into the world from these parts. But a reasonable first impression is that it looks from the street like an auto plant, and Cirque president and CEO Daniel Lamarre only reinforces that notion with this factory analogy: “I can easily see Cirque developing two to three new shows a year. Right now, we have 20 shows. It doesn’t matter if we have 30 or 35 shows or 40 or 50 shows.” With that remark, Lamarre is actually making a point about the importance of maintaining quality control, of having the resources and the staff to create and perform that many productions. But then again, he is totally serious about those numbers. It’s staggering to imagine a world with 50 Cirque shows in it. But clearly not to him—he believes without hesitation that two or three new shows a year is a reasonable plan. No, no. Not all in Vegas, which could be a relief to many who watch with raised eyebrows as the dominant entertainment force on the Strip prepares to officially unfurl show No. 7, Viva Elvis, at Aria, on February 19. That, of course, follows—in order—Mystère, O, Zumanity, Ka, Love and the perpetually troubled Criss Angel Believe. We’ll get back to that one in a bit. CIRCUE-UMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE There’s virtually nothing on the outside of this $40 million, nearly 400,000-square-foot unadorned building that bespeaks Cirque. Not even an appearance by their famous smiley-sun logo. Cirque HQ is the last thing on a long east-west road that cuts through the St. Michel region of Montreal—which, I would discover the next day amid the coverage of the Haitian earthquake, is best known as home to the 125,000 immigrants who make up the world’s third-largest expatriate Haitian population. The decision by Cirque to relocate there, in anticipation of a growth spurt in 1997, was something of a goodwill gesture to the home city, a way to develop a lower-income region. Nearly 2,000 people work there now, and every Cirque performer spends at least a few months up here training before being deployed. The interior isn’t particularly dazzling, either, except that the cumulative effect of it all provides a renewed respect for what Cirque does. Up front sits a cheerful receptionist, who greets visitors below a four-story windowed atrium with gunmetal walls and gangways crisscrossing above. Black-and-white photos of scenes from a Cirque-operated youth circus program are prominently displayed, as well as portraits of the creators of the latest show, which is—for the moment—Viva Elvis. There’s a trophy case that’s not nearly as ostentatious as it could be: three shelves with a total of 36 honors, the most prominently displayed of which is last year’s Guinness Book of World Records certificate for the most people stilt-walking at once. Missing, surprisingly, is the Grammy award earned for the soundtrack of Love. Missing, happily: any of the gazillion Review-Journal “Best of Las Vegas” banners Cirque has garnered. International Headquarters, or IHQ as they call it here, boasts three towering gymnasium-style rehearsal spaces. The first, on the day I peeked in, contained a pair of shirtless, needless-to-say lithely muscled gymnasts practicing high-bar routines for potential placement in Mystère, while in another set designers fussed over a piece I’m not permitted to describe, for the newest touring show, directed by Robert Lepage—the title will be announced when it debuts in Montreal in April. The third and tallest of the gyms was vacant, availing me a chance to stand underneath a net of aerial equipment as high as the highest leap of divers in O—a perspective that again reminds me that the people who work for this company are courageous lunatics. The hallways bustle with performers in various stages of costume, babbling in any number of foreign languages, many of them with tape on their hands or legs reflecting injuries, and every single one of them with bodies that make me feel guilty about the donuts I had for breakfast. There’s an immigration department devoted to handling work visas, a mail room responsible for routing correspondences for cast members roaming the globe on tours, a research library for both show creators (bios of Elvis and The Beatles abound) and theater architects (Restroom: Contemporary Design must be a page-turner.) Cirque is known for making seemingly impossible physical feats seem easy, but at least you know as you watch that you’re seeing something impressive. Few of the millions of audience members have ever wandered the IHQ, which is not open for public tours, and thus, few can know how much more of what they see they are taking for granted, too. Each Cirque performer, for instance, is taught in Montreal how to do their own elaborate makeup, because that’s easier than sending technicians all over the place to apply it for them. There are studios in which dozens of artisans work by hand on building or mending every shoe and wig, entire rooms devoted to rolls of fabric and clasps that correspond to specific costumes of particular shows. Nearly all the fabric purchased for costumes is white, then dyed, because buying pre- colored fabric risks the prospect that the manufacturer may some day discontinue that hue and performers’ attires won’t match anymore. The one part of this place that I recalled vividly was no longer there: the Creepy Heads. Cirque creates a bust of the head of every performer and keeps it on hand in case a particular headpiece needs mending or altering. Back in 2003, they were all in one incredibly freakish space, but seven years and a dozen shows have created a tremendous number of heads, and they’re now spooking some other facility; artisans simply summon a messenger to retrieve whichever Creepy Head they need. Four of those dozen shows are, of course, in Vegas. CIRQUE-UMNAVIGATION As I sit down with Lamarre in an office as sparsely decorated as the exterior of the edifice, I realize it is telling that I am having a conversation with this man at all. Last time, I met with the worldwide face of Cirque, Guy Laliberte, the chrome-domed former stilt-walker and fire-eater whose office, on the opposite end of same floor, I recall as being adorned with Houdini and P.T. Barnum memorabilia—the sort of tchotchkes you might expect. But now Lamarre, 56, is largely in control here, having left his gig as president of TVA Group, Quebec’s largest private TV broadcaster, in 2001 and ascended to CEO in 2006. That liberated Laliberte to gallivant the globe searching for ideas and talent and, most recently, to escape the earth altogether as a $47 million space tourist dropping in on the International Space Station. Laliberte owns 80 percent of Cirque (he sold off a chunk of stock to Dubai last year), so he does have final say, but Lamarre is his man in Montreal. A small, calm fellow with a small mop of stringy salt-and-pepper hair, Lamarre favors frameless tinted glasses and colorful striped button- down shirts. He first came into contact with Cirque back in the 1980s, when he donated his public relations work to the ragtag, then- penniless Cirque troupe, as a service to the arts. That was, of course, before Cirque staged the tent spectacle Nouvelle Experience at the Santa Monica Pier in 1990. It was seen by Steve Wynn, who brought it to the Mirage parking lot in 1992, where it was a hit and begat Vegas’ first permanent Cirque show, Mystère, in 1993. After that, Laliberte never needed charity again. The company is on track to sell $1 billion in tickets for the first time, either this year or next, Lamarre says. If you found it reassuring that there’s no plan at the moment for 50 Cirques in Vegas, not so fast. Only two things prevent yet another Vegas production from actually happening: the fact that the company is the exclusive “content provider” (Lamarre’s term) for MGM Mirage in Las Vegas and that, for the moment, MGM is all out of vacancies. “I always have the same conversation with Jim: ‘Do you have a theater for us?’” Lamarre says, referring to Jim Murren, the MGM Mirage CEO. “But at the same time, it’s a two-way street. I cannot just take a theater from Jim Murren. I have to come to him with some content.” Murren’s restraint is somewhat remarkable. There was a Cirque concept offered up for the Mandalay Bay Theatre—nobody has told me what it was, other than that it existed—but recession-era MGM didn’t have the dough to overhaul a perfectly functional showroom last year, while it was busy digging between every nearby seat cushion for the loose change to finish CityCenter. Also, the timing was off, inasmuch as Mamma Mia! was departing in January, and Cirque already had its Vegasy arms full with opening Believe in late 2008 and Viva Elvis by last December. Now Mandalay Bay has a surprisingly durable hit in The Lion King; originally seen as a one- or two-year placeholder, it is doing impressive business. Or, as Lamarre demurely puts it, “My understanding is that showroom is not available any longer.” The contracts given recently to Lance Burton and Frank Caliendo seem to denote that MGM isn’t planning to Cirque up the Monte Carlo any time soon, and a once-expected plan to replace the 16-year-old Mystère became moot when new Treasure Island owner Phil Ruffin extended the show to at least 2016. Ruffin also can’t replace it with another Cirque show anyway, per Cirque’s exclusive MGM deal. That leaves Excalibur and Circus Circus, neither of which MGM cares enough about to commit to a fancy $100 million-plus theater. But that doesn’t mean Lamarre is done: “I still have a lot of markets to conquer around the world.” CIRQUE-LING THE WAGONS Lamarre’s roots are in public relations, and he retains his gift for spin. An example: When I complain to him that the $150 million Viva Elvis Theater at Aria is a technological and acoustical letdown—no speakers in the seats for a show about a musical icon?—and compare it to the stunning structures that house O, Ka and Love, he insists that the Elvis sound system “is as sophisticated as the one in Love,” and that there as are many lifts—the mechanisms to move scenery on stage—as there are in the Beatles-themed show. “People don’t realize all the equipment we have in there,” Lamarre says. “When you have a theater in the round, you see it more.” He then suggested, to a Cirque publicist sitting in with us, to take journalists on Viva Elvis backstage tours and emphasize this—so look for that angle to be faithfully stenographed in the local media soon. Lamarre also acts surprised when I say the buzz I’ve heard on Viva Elvis has been negative. As recently as mid-January, when MGM Mirage flew in 130 journalists for a three-day CityCenter junket, I was getting texts and e-mails from friends gang-bashing it as simplistic, confusing and at times dull. And these were the folks who got in for free! Yet Cirque maintains its audience surveys show increasing satisfaction with the production and that the show won’t be really ready until its official premiere. A building delay for the theater, Lamarre says, led to a rush to open by the mid-December bow of Aria, and the only way Cirque knows what to tweak is to see how it plays before an audience. CIRQUE-UMVENTION Still, when the conversation turns to Criss Angel Believe, even a Cirque loyalist can’t pretend it’s all been hunky-dory. “We truly think that at the beginning of the show, [Believe] was not on par with the quality of Cirque du Soleil,” he says. “We have been doing a lot of changes, and we’re still doing some changes, and I think Believe will deliver at the same level as the other shows. Right now we’re putting all our efforts and resources to bring the show to the quality level that Criss and we deserve.” Which means what? “We are going to be adding a lot more magic.” Six new tricks, to be exact. Ah, that would be the famous “fixation” effort that Review-Journal entertainment columnist Mike Weatherford first reported on a year ago. The rap on the show from the start was that it wasn’t Cirque-ish enough for Cirque fans but also not magical enough for Angel’s Mindfreak corps. To which the next logical question is the one I ask in exactly this way: “The show’s been open a year and a half. What are you waiting for?” Lamarre is startled by that phrasing and insists that adding new illusions is complex, that you cannot “change it like this,” as he snaps his fingers. Give it another three months, he says, and it’ll be “to a level that we want it to be.” That’s a refreshing acknowledgement, but the wagons circle again when I turn to the question of what it has been like to deal with the tempestuous Angel, whose mercurial nature has prompted the necessity for Cirque to apologize on his behalf more than once. Angel threatened to blind the R-J’s Norm Clarke, bellowed obscenities at Perez Hilton from the stage and offended gays by performing a trick that revealed the slur “faggot,” to name a few highlights. But, to Lamarre’s mind, all of this is simply the media out to get Angel. “I think it’s very important to make sure that the values are always in the same place, and we’ve always been very candid with Criss about that,” he says. “I think that people like to take stabs at him all the time.” In fact, not only does Lamarre not regret the partnership with the controversial star but—get this!—he hopes that the next time they pair up in such a way that the star will have Angel’s intense work ethic and willingness to change and edit the production in progress. He even claims the company has been “very, very lucky” with Angel. No, really. Oh, but there is a regret, and it’s a damning doozy, because it lays bare the truth about the medium that made Angel a star in the first place: “The one thing that might have been underestimated was what the magician can do on television and what a magician can do live.” Ouch. CIRQUE-LING THE GLOBE One thing nobody can deny about Cirque, though, is that they don’t give up and they stand their ground, even with the bosses. Steve Wynn famously screamed at Laliberte, after a preview of Mystère, that he had created “a fucking German opera.” And it not only succeeded without any significant changes but launched an empire. Lamarre recalls serious consternation about the explicit homosexual content of Zumanity—although he wouldn’t say from whom—and yet they didn’t touch it, even as they constantly altered other components. The epic Ka opened weak and went on, Lamarre says, to be “the first time in our history of our permanent shows that it did better the second year than the first year.” When Love was in development, Beatles purists were outraged that these clowns would put their oversized gloves on such sacred material; the score went on to win a Grammy. Now, with a critical headwind against Criss Angel Believe and, possibly, Viva Elvis, Lamarre appears completely unfazed. He’s also contending with slow business for Zaia at the Venetian Macao, owing to the Chinese disinterest in anything but gambling, and horrifying reviews for a less-acrobatic vaudevillian touring show called Banana Shpeel. The latter previewed in Chicago, where a critic for Variety tabbed it as a “frenetic but unfunny dollop of shtick.” It’s due to open in New York City in February and Lamarre says the Chicago response has been helpful in retooling the comedy. After that, there’s that as-yet-unnamed touring show, referred at IHQ as Cirque 2010, which Lamarre says is “about evolution.” (A turtle figures in the signage around the IHQ, if that’s any clue.) Cirque is also cooking up two new productions that break significant new ground for them in 2011, one that will occupy Radio City Music Hall in New York six months of the year, and another cinema-themed show to take up permanent residency at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood year-round except for during the month of the Academy Awards ceremonies. “I have two traveling shows in Asia but I don’t have one traveling show in Europe,” Lamarre says, per his earlier remark that there are markets all over the world that have yet to be Cirque’d. He wants two or three new shows opening every year, and that would mean having about nine on the boards at once, given that each takes about three years to create. Some of those shows, inevitably, will be for Las Vegas. During a debate I had with Murren in November last month about what I saw as a tasteless decision to adorn the unfinished Harmon Hotel with a wrap advertising the production at Aria, Murren said the company is contractually obliged to put up the sign as they will be “for new Cirque shows in the future.” CIRQUE-IT OVERLOAD? That, of course, returns us to the ongoing debate in Vegas over whether there can be too much Cirque. Wayne Newton last month said Vegas is in the latter stages of a “Cirque syndrome,” and insisted that “it’s on the wane, no pun intended.” Lamarre says that’s wishful thinking by competitors; that as long as Cirque keeps creating shows that are distinctly different—and it’s hard to claim that Viva Elvis and O have much in common—they’ll keep going. Here’s why: “There’s no other city than Las Vegas, not even New York. There is no other city that can afford to spend the kind of money that people are spending in Vegas on these production costs to build the best theaters in the world and go as wild as we have been going in that city.” So what’s next, then, for us? This exchange may illuminate. Lamarre had noted that the Elvis show was born because the Presley estate’s folks saw Love and wanted that treatment, so I asked who else had come a-calling. Lamarre: “A lot of artists, but there are not that many iconic stars, you know? What do you do? Elvis and the Beatles are alone in their own game.” Me: “What about Michael Jackson?” Lamarre: “Yeah, he’s probably the only other icon I can imagine that would be of interest. Maybe Madonna, perhaps. We’re talking about people that will turn our creators on.” Me: “Is there any movement right now towards a Michael Jackson show?” Lamarre: “No.” Me: “No discussions, no talks?” Lamarre: “No.” Me: “Is it too soon? Do you think there’s a certain cooling-off period right after the most recent round of Michael Jackson frenzy?” Lamarre: “Yeah.” Me: “You do.” Lamarre: “Yeah, that’s what I think. I’m not saying no, not saying no to anything at this point in time. But we are focused right now on delivering Elvis.” So the big question that remains is whether the Cirque library will be stocking up on Martin Bashir interviews or copies of Sex, and whether the artisans will someday be beading white gloves or building mammoth conic brassieres. But rest assured, Cirque No. 8 will be upon us before we know it. Vegas “is the most important entertainment city in the world,” Lamarre says. “And it always will be the most important city to us.” ======================================================================= SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION ======================================================================= Fascination! is a monthly newsletter, available through subscription via Yahoo! Groups or on the World Wide Web in text format at the newsletter's website: < http://www.CirqueFascination.com/ >. To subscribe, please send an email to: < CirqueFascination- subscribe@yahoogroups.com >. To unsubscribe, please send an email to: < CirqueFascination-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com >. To view back issues, or other online Newsletter content, please visit us at: < http://www.CirqueFascination.com/ >. Have a comment, question or concern? Email the Fascination! Newsletter staff at: < CirqueFasincation-owner@yahoogroups.com >. We are anxious to hear any and all comments! ======================================================================= COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER ======================================================================= Fascination! Newsletter Volume 10, Number 2 (Issue #73) - February 2010 "Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (c) 2001-2010 Ricky Russo, published by Vortex/RGR Productions, a subsidiary of Communicore Enterprises. No portion of this newsletter can be reproduced, published in any form or forum, quoted or translated without the consent of the "Fascination! Newsletter." By sending us correspondence, you give us permission (unless otherwise noted) to use the submission as we see fit, without remuneration. All submissions become the property of the "Fascination! Newsletter." "Fascination! Newsletter" is not affiliated in any way with Cirque du Soleil. Cirque du Soleil and all its creations are Copyright (c) and are registered trademarks (TM) of Cirque du Soleil, Inc., and Créations Méandres, Inc. All Rights Reserved. No copyright infringement intended. { Feb.10.2010 } =======================================================================