======================================================================= ______ _ __ _ __ / ____/___ ___________(_)___ ____ _/ /_(_)___ ____ / / / /_ / __ `/ ___/ ___/ / __ \/ __ `/ __/ / __ \/ __ \/ / / __/ / /_/ (__ ) /__ / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /_/ / / / /_/ /_/ \__,_/____/\___/_/_/ /_/\__,_/\__/_/\____/_/ /_(_) 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 11, NUMBER 11 NOVEMBER 2011 ISSUE #94e ======================================================================= Remember, remember: the fifth of November, the gunpowder treason and plot. I know of no reason why the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot. Welcome to the latest edition of Fascination, the Unofficial Cirque du Soleil Newsletter. It's the fifth of November and hopefully you've not all forgot(en) about Fascination! We've been in Atlanta now a little over a full month and I have to say moving here has been one of the best things ever. The weather is simply beautiful and with all the things to see and do around town, we'll never be bored! Of course you're not reading this to get all the low-down on "Hotlanta", rather, you're here to get all the latest news, views and information about Cirque du Solil! And once again this month there's plenty to talka bout on that front. In October, Cirque du Soleil unleashed its latest arena production, this one in tribute to the undisputed "King of Pop" - Michael Jackson. Learn all about "The Immortal World Tour" within as we republish a number of Cirque du soleil's press releases on the show. You'll also find our continued reflections on ZED, which will be concluded next issue (sadly also the final month ZED will be performed.) And those interested in CirqueCon have two items inside: one, the latest update from CirqueCon 2011 in Hollywood (not to mention an announcement regarding a hiatus) but also a reflection on CirqueCon 2010, which took place in April/May in New York City (for Banana Shpeel and OVO) and Montreal (for Totem's premiere!). Want to know what a CirqueCon is like? See within! As always we've got the latest news items posted to Fascination! Web and, of course, updates to Cirque's tour schedule within. So, let's get started! 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 * Arena Shows -- In Stadium-like venues * BigTop Shows -- Under the Grand Chapiteau * Resident Shows -- Performed en Le Théâtre * Venue Shows -- Venue & Seasonal Productions o) Outreach -- Updates from Cirque's Social Widgets * Club Cirque -- This Month at CirqueClub * Networking -- Cirque on Facebook, YouTube & Flickr o) Compartments -- A Peek Behind the Curtain * Didyaknow? -- Facts About Cirque * Historia -- Cirque du Soleil's History o) Fascination! Features * "Remembering ZED: A Timeless Evocation" Part 3 of 4 - "A Living Poem" By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) * "A New Twist on CirqueCon: CirqueCon 2010 - Three Shows. Two Cities. One Event." By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) * Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour By: Cirque du Soleil Press Materials * MJ THE IMMORTAL World Tour Premieres! [EXPANDED] A Special Collection of Reviews from the Press * CirqueCon 2011 Update: One Month Away! By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA) o) Subscription Information o) Copyright & Disclaimer ======================================================================= CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS ======================================================================= MJ Immortal Album to Debut Nov 21st {Oct.03.2011} ------------------------------------------------- "Immortal," a new album featuring the music of the late pop legend Michael Jackson, will be released next month, Epic Records announced this morning. The album will include more than 70 of Jackson's original recordings, but they will be "re-designed and re-imaged," according to a statement from Epic. To be released Nov. 21, the album will include mashups of Jackson's hits as well as new, never-before-heard outtakes, including an alternate take on the Jackson 5's hit "ABC." "Immortal" will serve as the musical inspiration for "Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour," a new Cirque du Soleil production. [...] "Immortal" - the album - will be released as both a deluxe double disc version and single disc. The album is helmed by Kevin Antunes, who said in the release that Jackson's "musical essence" was the driving force behind the project's creative energy. {SOURCE: ABC News} Discover the Music of IRIS {Oct.10.2011} ------------------------------------------------- From the live Cirque du Soleil show, IRIS - A Journey Through the World of Cinema(tm), performing exclusively at Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, comes its studio soundtrack by multiple OSCAR(r) nominated composer Danny Elfman. Best known for scoring music for television and movies (The Simpsons and Desperate Housewives and many of Tim Burton's films including Alice in Wonderland) and having earned numerous honors, Elfman joins Cirque du Soleil for the first time to compose and produce the music of a poetic phantasmagoria inspired by the world of cinema. The unique blend of 100 orchestral musicians - the largest number in Cirque du Soleil recording history - spread over large and small ensembles are mixed with the live show's eight house musicians working with and around each other, are now brought together on this 17-song album. Supporting the show's kaleidoscope of movement, moods and images, Danny Elfman evokes the language of film music, magnifying the emotions of this surrealistic tribute of the seventh art, cinema. DISCOVER THE SOUNDTRACK IN FULL STREAMING: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/iris/show/music.aspx > {SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil} IMDB on Upcoming CDS 3D Movie {Oct.10.2011} ------------------------------------------------- Interested in learning more about the upcoming Cirque du Soleil 3D Movie by James Cameron and company? So are we! And look no further than the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) entry for the project: < http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1792647/fullcredits > {SOURCE: IMDB} Tickets for "Cirque 2012" On Sale Now!! {Oct.12.2011} ------------------------------------------------- Tickets for an all-new touring show to open in Montreal on the Quays of the Old Port next spring are on sale to CirqueClub members (Signing up is free). Cirque 2012 (working title) is the 32th production from Cirque du Soleil since its beginnings in 1984. The Tour: o) Montreal, QC 04/19/12 - 05/20/12 o) Quebec, QC 07/25/12 - 08/19/12 o) Toronto, ON 09/05/12 - 09/30/12 Get your tickets here: o) Montreal: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/ cirque2012/tickets/montreal.aspx > o) Quebec: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/ cirque2012/tickets/quebec.aspx > o) Toronto: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/ cirque2012/tickets/toronto.aspx > {SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil} Guy's Soyuz Capsule on Display {Oct.19.2011} ------------------------------------------------- According to Taiwan's NTD-TV: On Tuesday the retired Russian Space Capsule Soyuz-TMA was hoisted aboard the U.S. Intrepid in New York City for future public display. The spacecraft was primary docked at the International Space Station and carried out educational and experimental missions. Soyuz-TMA 16 was also the first spacecraft designed for tourist passengers. Among past space tourists was Guy Laliberté, CEO of Cirque du Soleil. Soyuz-TMA 16 will be officially open to the public on November 14th in the Museum aboard the U.S. Intrepid. {SOURCE: NDTV.com} Experience Michael Jackson Fan Fest in Las Vegas! {Oct.21.2011} ------------------------------------------------- LAS VEGAS - Walk through the storied gates of Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch, then view his personal book collection in a study filled with his actual furniture. Peek inside the interior of the 1999 Rolls-Royce Seraph limousine Michael designed himself with 24-karat gold embellishments, then check out the 10-foot-tall statue created for the HIStory tour. Get the feel of Michael's music videos by wandering through the spaceship set used in "Scream," sit in the actual throne from the Egyptian-themed set of "Remember the Time," then stand before the hostile tank from the live concert performance of "Earth Song." Never has there been an artist like Michael Jackson and never has there been a more intimate and personal glimpse into the career and life of the King of Pop than what will be assembled during the first-ever Estate-authorized Michael Jackson Fan Fest(tm). Scheduled for December 3-14 at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, the event coincides with the kick off of the extended Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour(tm) stop in Las Vegas during December. The Michael Jackson Fan Fest will only be in Las Vegas and will not travel to any other tour stop. "We are thrilled to offer Michael's fans an opportunity to experience his life and career up close through the Fan Fest while they also enjoy Cirque du Soleil's spectacular tribute to his creativity as an artist in Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour," said the Executors of the Michael Jackson Estate, John Branca and John McClain. "Michael Jackson Fan Fest will add an unparalleled addition to Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour's extended three-week run at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino," says Daniel Lamarre, President and CEO of Cirque du Soleil. "Fan Fest gives fans the opportunity to experience Michael Jackson as a man, iconic performer and immortalized legend." Michael Jackson Fan Fest is designed to transport guests on a journey through Michael Jackson's life, beginning with his rise to stardom through his pop super stardom and beyond as he is immortalized through fan art, photos and Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour. Throughout the experience, fans will have access to rare memorabilia and have the opportunity to take their own photos in recreated sets of the historic music videos and to play the Michael Jackson The Experience video game with other fans. A wide variety of other personal items will be on display from both his career and Neverland Ranch. Featured career memorabilia will include costumes, the Fantasy glove collection from the 1980s, award statues, tickets, the famed rocket plane from the "Leave Me Alone" video, a castle displayed in the living room of Neverland and others. For a photo gallery of featured items please click here: http://www.michaeljacksonfanfest.com/# Each session of Michael Jackson Fan Fest will last for four hours and will allow visitors time enjoy without overlapping each performance of THE IMMORTAL World Tour shows December 3-14 in Mandalay Bay's Bayside Exhibit Halls. Fan Fest will be open from 12-4pm and 5-9pm on December 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 and from 2-6pm on December 6, 7, 13, and 14. Tickets for Fan Fest can be purchased in conjunction with Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour or individually. Fan Fest ticket prices start at $35 plus applicable fees for general admission; $75 for VIP tickets. VIP tickets include priority entrance into the event and all activities within the event, a commemorative lanyard and access to the VIP-only lounge. For more information or to purchase tickets, guests can visit: www.michaeljacksonfanfest.com or www.cirquedusoleil.com/lasvegas. {SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil} Guy Laliberte explains: Why One Drop? {Oct.25.2011} ------------------------------------------------- Cirque du Soleil founder and CEO Guy Laliberté talks about why he contributed $100-million over 25 years to start One Drop, an organization that helps fight poverty by providing access to clean water worldwide. Check out the video at Montreal's Globe and Mail: < http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/giving/giving-video/video- cirque-du-soleil-founder-guy-lalibert-explains-why-he-adopted- water-as-a-cause/article2210739/?from=sec434 > {SOURCE: Globe and Mail} Cirque Marks 10 Years of Support for Up-and-Coming Artists {Oct.26.2011} ------------------------------------------------- Montreal, October 25, 2011 ­ For the past ten years, Cirque du Soleil has been supporting emerging artists from all disciplines and up-and-coming artistic companies, giving them the opportunity to present their work to the public. Cultural action support was born from a first voluntary arts integration project when Cirque du Soleil International Headquarters in Montreal were built. Two public works of art were created and incorporated into the building's architecture. Since then, a budget has been established specifically to support up-and-coming artists. In ten years, the equivalent of more than $5.5 million was given, in various forms, to more than 600 artists and artistic companies in communities where Cirque du Soleil has permanent facilities-i.e. Montreal and Las Vegas. "It is essential to showcase creation projects by promising young artists and thus contribute to their outreach," explains Gaétan Morency, Vice-President of Global Citizenship at Cirque du Soleil. Thanks to the cultural support program at Cirque du Soleil, about 100 artists benefit from financial support each year, including: Sophie Cadieux (theatre), Dominic Besner (visual arts), Les 7 doigts de la main (circus arts), Marc- François Blondin (theatre, cinema), Manuel Bujold (public arts), Marcelle Dubois (literature, theatre), Chantal Gilbert (crafts), Marie Béland (dance), D. Kimm (multidisciplinary) and Aux Z Écuries (performance). Sylvie François, Cultural Action Director at Cirque du Soleil, adds: "Cirque is biased when it comes to the risk associated with emerging artists. Without a next generation, creation dies." The financial support offered by Cirque du Soleil comes in the form of creative support or bursaries during various contests set up with artistic partners such as RIDEAU and Mon Accès à la scène. Cirque also promotes these artists in the artistic networks it supports, contributes to artists' residency programs and helps showcase their work. To raise employees' awareness of various art forms through its cultural action program, Cirque du Soleil also invites visual artists to display their works in the designated areas of our offices. In addition, it purchases more than 2,000 tickets for plays, dance and music shows in which up-and-coming artists are performing, and holds draws for employees to give these away. {SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil} Stark Insider goes Behind the Scenes on TOTEM {Oct.26.2011} ------------------------------------------------- Cirque is in town with their latest touring production, Totem, and I ventured into rehearsals armed with a Canon EOS 60D and a willing on-air host, aka the little Loni. These are the outtakes of some 25GB of footage we shot featuring some really amazing, up-close demonstrations of physicality and skill. Sometimes I just like to cut a 60-second or so preview, without all the effects, backing tracks, etc. just to get a raw feel for it. Plus, in this preview I'm relying merely on the Rode Videomic shotgun mic, as syncing the separate audio (lavaliers) takes quite a bit of time in Premiere Pro. The show opens Friday, and once again fans should expect an experience that only Cirque can provide. If you've been to a show before - maybe OVO, Quidam, Mystere, O or another - then you know already to expect artistry, amazing human feats, and spectacular sound and sets. As you'll see in this clip, the set is quite interesting. It doesn't feature the huge cliff/drop that we saw in OVO, rather there is a cage-like array of handbars, trampolines. I expect this will factor into the story that is about mankind, and evolution. Read the original article (with pictures!) here: < http://www.starkinsider.com/2011/10/cirque-du-soleil-behind- the-scenes-at-totem-in-san-francisco-video-outtakes.html > {SOURCE: Stark Insider} See Mystère... for FREE! {Oct.27.2011} ------------------------------------------------- At the Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas! According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Mystere, Las Vegas' original permanent Cirque du Soleil production, will present an afternoon of family fun Friday [October 28, 2011] at the Fashion Show mall, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. South. # # # Performances and activities begin at 1 p.m. on the first floor runway between Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom. Admission is free. Hosted by "Mystere" characters, the performances will take place on and above the stage, starting with Taiko drums at 1 p.m, hand-to-hand strength and balancing at 1:30 p.m., hand-balancing and the aerial cube at 2 p.m. and teeterboard at 2:30 p.m. Between acts, guests can receive souvenir photos, and face- painters will be on hand for a Cirque du Soleil-inspired makeover. # # # If you're 21 and over, you can even enter to win two tickets to the show! {SOURCE: Las Vegas Review-Journal} Dandypunk, the New Weird? {Oct.29.2011} ----------------------------------------------------- Check out this fascinating project by one of LOVE's artists! "A dandypunk exists to inspire and motivate creativity, non- conformity, whimsy, intense curiosity, do-it-yourself mentality and everyday eccentricity in everybody. The new weird." Watch the video here: < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcLut3z54Wk > a dandypunk's website: < http://adandypunk.com/ > ...and Facebook page: < http://www.facebook.com/adandypunk > starring/ directed/ choreographed/ edited/ animated/ illustrated/ laser effects/ styling/ concepts by: a dandypunk music: jon caton - a clockwork orange (dubstep mix) {SOURCE: Dandypunk} Listen to "Immortal Megamix" from MJ IMMORTAL album! {Oct.31.2011} ----------------------------------------------------- "Immortal Megamix" Will Also be Streamed on MichaelJackson.com IMMORTAL Set for Release on November 21 NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- At 11:00 AM EST today, October 31st, the debut track from the upcoming Michael Jackson album, IMMORTAL, entitled "Immortal Megamix", will be unveiled to the world on www.AolMusic.com. The track is comprised of four of Michael's greatest hits redesigned and re-imagined as never before. Included in the unique mix are "Can You Feel It," "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," "Billie Jean," and "Black Or White." "Immortal Megamix" is a show-stopping highlight of the Cirque du Soleil Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour show and a showcased track on Michael's forthcoming Epic Records release, IMMORTAL. Following the premiere on Aol, the "Immortal Megamix" will be available to stream at www.MichaelJackson.com and on Michael Jackson's Facebook page. Starting tomorrow, Tuesday, November 1st, IMMORTAL will be available for pre-order on iTunes in both the deluxe double disc and single disc edition. Upon completion of a pre-order for the deluxe double disc edition, "Immortal Megamix" will be downloaded instantly. On November 21, Epic Records in conjunction with the Estate of Michael Jackson, will release IMMORTAL - the highly anticipated soundtrack for Cirque du Soleil's Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour. IMMORTAL will be released as both a deluxe double disc edition and single disc. Esteemed musical designer, Kevin Antunes, worked with Jamie King, the writer/director of the IMMORTAL show, in redesigning and reimagining more than 40 of Michael Jackson's greatest original recordings to synch with the visuals on screen and the live action on stage. After spending a year in the studio working with Michael's original multi-track master recordings, Kevin created a new soundscape to Michael's artistry while preserving the power and familiarity of his unparalleled voice and his legendary tracks. Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour includes over 100 minutes of Michael's original recordings reimagined for Cirque du Soleil. Placing all of this incredible music onto a single disc proved impossible hence the single disc edition which is jam-packed with nearly 78 minutes of highlights and the double disc edition which offers listeners the opportunity to enjoy music from the Immortal show from start to finish as it is experienced during the performance of the show. To pre-order IMMORTAL, and view footage from Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour please visit www.michaeljackson.com. IMMORTAL DELUXE ALBUM TRACKLISTING: Deluxe Disc 1: 1. Workin' Day And Night (Immortal Version) 2. The Immortal Intro (Immortal Version) 3. Childhood (Immortal Version) 4. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' (Immortal Version) 5. Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground) (Immortal Version) 6. Dancing Machine/Blame It On The Boogie (Immortal Version) 7. Ben (Immortal Version) 8. This Place Hotel (Immortal Version) 9. Smooth Criminal (Immortal Version) 10. Dangerous (Immortal Version) 11. The Mime Segment: (I Like) The Way You Love Me/Speed Demon/Another Part Of Me (Immortal Version) 12. The Jackson 5 Medley (Immortal Version) 13. Speechless/Human Nature (Immortal Version) 14. Is It Scary/Threatened (Immortal Version) 15. Thriller (Immortal Version) Deluxe Disc 2: 1. You Are Not Alone/I Just Can't Stop Loving You 2. Beat It/State Of Shock (Immortal Version) 3. Jam (Immortal Version) 4. Planet Earth/Earth Song (Immortal Version) 5. Scream/Little Susie (Immortal Version) 6. Gone Too Soon (Immortal Version) 7. They Don't Care About Us (Immortal Version) 8. Will You Be There (Immortal Version) 9. I'll Be There (Immortal Version) 10. Immortal Megamix: Can You Feel It/Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough/Billie Jean/Black Or White (Immortal Version) 11. Man In The Mirror (Immortal Version) 12. Remember The Time/Bad (Immortal Version) IMMORTAL SINGLE ALBUM TRACKLISTING: 1. Workin' Day And Night (Immortal Version) 2. The Immortal Intro (Immortal Version) 3. Childhood (Immortal Version) 4. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' (Immortal Version) 5. Dancing Machine/Blame It On The Boogie (Immortal Version) 6. This Place Hotel (Immortal Version) 7. Smooth Criminal (Immortal Version) 8. Dangerous (Immortal Version) 9. The Jackson 5 Medley (Immortal Version) 10. Speechless/Human Nature (Immortal Version) 11. Is It Scary/Threatened (Immortal Version) 12. Thriller (Immortal Version) 13. You Are Not Alone/I Just Can't Stop Loving You 14. Beat It/State Of Shock (Immortal Version) 15. Jam (Immortal Version) 16. Planet Earth/Earth Song (Immortal Version) 17. They Don't Care About Us (Immortal Version) 18. I'll Be There (Immortal Version) 19. Immortal Megamix: Can You Feel It/Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough/Billie Jean/Black Or White (Immortal Version) 20. Man In The Mirror (Immortal Version) {SOURCE: PR-Newswire} ======================================================================= ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION ======================================================================= o) BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau {Corteo, Koozå, OVO, Totem & Varekai} o) ARENA - In Stadium-like venues {Saltimbanco, Alegría, Quidam, Dralion & Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour} o) RESIDENT - Performed en Le Théâtre {Mystère, "O", La Nouba, Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE, ZAIA, ZED, Believe & VIVA Elvis} o) VENUE - Venue & Seasonal productions {Iris & Zarkana} 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 Cirque's website: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/ >. ------------------------------------ BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau ------------------------------------ Amaluna: Montreal, QC -- Apr 19, 2012 to May 20, 2012 Quebec, QC -- Jul 25, 2012 to Aug 19, 2012 Toronto, ON -- Sep 5, 2012 to Sep 30, 2012 Corteo: Paris, FR -- Nov 4, 2011 to Dec 31, 2011 Barcelona, ES -- Jan 20, 2012 to Mar 11, 2012 Amsterdam, NL -- Mar 23, 2012 to Apr 22, 2012 Gijón, ES -- Jul 25, 2012 to Aug 26, 2012 Zurich, CH -- Sep 7, 2012 to Oct 14, 2012 Antwerp, BE -- Nov 2, 2012 to Dec 23, 2012 Koozå: Osaka, JPN -- Aug 4, 2011 to Nov 6, 2011 Nagoya, JPN -- Nov 23, 2011 to Jan 22, 2012 Fukuoka, JPN -- Feb 9, 2012 to Apr 1, 2012 Ovo: Mexico City, MX -- Oct 30, 2011 to Nov 20, 2011 Santa Monica, CA -- Jan 20, 2012 to Mar 25, 2012 Portland, OR -- Apr 5, 2012 to TBA Brisbane, AU -- TBA Sydney, AU -- TBA Melbourne, AU -- TBA Totem: San Francisco, CA -- Oct 28, 2011 to Dec 18, 2011 London, UK -- Jan 5, 2010 to Feb 5, 2012 San Jose, CA -- Mar 2, 2012 to Apr 1, 2012 Atlanta, GA -- May 9, 2012 to Jun 17, 2012 Washington, DC -- Jul 11, 2012 to TBA Varekai: São Paulo, BR -- Sep 15, 2011 to Nov 27, 2011 Rio De Janeiro, BR -- Dec 8, 2011 to Jan 8, 2012 Belo Horizonte, BR -- Jan 19, 2012 to Feb 12, 2012 Brasilia, BR -- Feb 22, 2012 to Mar 18, 2012 Recife, BR -- Mar 29, 2012 to Apr 22, 2012 Salvador, BR -- May 3, 2012 to May 27, 2012 Curitiba, BR -- Jun 7, 2012 to Jul 1, 2012 Porto Alegre, BR -- Jul 11, 2012 to Aug 5, 2012 Buenos Aires, AR -- Aug 17, 2012 to Sep 16, 2012 Santiago, CL -- Sep 28, 2012 to Oct 28, 2012 ------------------------------------ ARENA - In Stadium-Like Venues ------------------------------------ Saltimbanco: Moscow, RU -- Nov 3, 2011 to Nov 13, 2011 St. Petersburg, RU -- Nov 16, 2011 to Nov 21, 2011 Kiev, UA -- Nov 27, 2011 to Dec 4, 2011 Vilnius, LT -- Dec 15, 2011 to Dec 17, 2011 Riga, LV -- Dec 21, 2011 to Dec 23, 2011 Tallin, EE -- Dec 28, 2011 to Dec 30, 2011 Gdansk, PL -- Jan 19, 2012 t0 Jan 22, 2012 Malmö, SE -- Jan 26, 2012 to Jan 29, 2012 Sofia, BG -- Feb 3, 2012 to TBA Bucharest, RO -- Feb 8, 2012 to TBA Bratislava, SK -- Feb 15, 2012 to Feb 19, 2012 Graz, AT -- Feb 22, 2012 to Feb 26, 2012 Alegría: Frankfurt, DE -- Nov 2, 2011 to Nov 6, 2011 Mannheim, DE -- Nov 9, 2011 to Nov 13, 2011 Malaga, ES -- Dec 1, 2011 to Dec 4, 2011 Santiago, ES -- Dec 7, 2011 to Dec 11, 2011 Zaragoza, ES -- Dec 14, 2011 to Dec 18, 2011 Lisbon, PT -- Dec 21, 2011 to Jan 8, 2012 Granada, ES -- Jan 11, 2011 to Jan 15, 2012 Bilbao, ES -- Jan 18, 2012 to Jan 22, 2012 Toulouse, FR -- Jan 25, 2012 to Feb 29, 2012 Nantes, FR -- Feb 1, 2012 to Feb 5, 2012 Lyon, FR -- Feb 23, 2012 to Feb 26, 2012 Toulon, FR -- Feb 29, 2012 to Mar 4, 2012 Nice, FR -- Mar 7, 2012 to Mar 11, 2012 Montpellier, FR -- Mar 14, 2012 to Mar 18, 2012 Strasbourg, FR -- Mar 21, 2012 to Mar 25, 2012 Manchester, UK -- Apr 4, 2012 to Apr 7, 2012 Glasgow, UK -- Apr 11, 2012 to Apr 15, 2012 Birmingham, UK -- Apr 18, 2012 to Apr 22, 2012 Dublin, IE -- Apr 25, 2012 to Apr 29, 2012 Budapest, HU -- May 17, 2012 to May 20, 2012 Prague, CZ -- May 23, 2012 to May 27, 2012 Hambgurg, DE -- May 30, 2012 to Jun 3, 2012 Hanover, DE -- Jun 6, 2012 to Jun 10, 2012 Nuremberg, DE -- Jun 13, 2012 to Jun 17, 2012 Vienna, AT -- Jun 20, 2012 to Jun 24, 2012 Quidam: Philadelphia, PA -- Nov 10, 2011 to Nov 13, 2011 Washington, DC -- Nov 16, 2011 to Nov 20, 2011 Greenville, SC -- Nov 23, 2011 to Nov 27, 2011 Fayetteville, NC -- Nov 30, 2011 to Dec 4, 2011 Hampton, VA -- Dec 7, 2011 to Dec 11, 2011 Worcester, MA -- Dec 14, 2011 to Dec 18, 2011 Toronto, ON -- Dec 20, 2011 to Dec 30, 2011 Oshawa, ON -- Jan 4, 2012 to Jan 8, 2012 Windsor, ON -- Jan 11, 2012 to Jan 15, 2012 Detroit, MI -- Feb 2, 2012 to TBA Hoffman Estates, IL -- Feb 8, 2012 to Feb 12, 2012 Springfield, IL -- Feb 15, 2012 to Feb 19, 2012 Baton Rouge, LA -- Feb 22, 2012 to Feb 26, 2012 Austin, TX -- Feb 29, 2012 to Mar 4, 2012 Evansville, IN -- Apr 26, 2012 to TBA Honolulu, HI -- Oct 4, 2012 to TBA Dralion: Cypress, TX -- Nov 17, 2011 to Nov 20, 2011 Beaumont, TX -- Nov 23, 2011 to Nov 27, 2011 Houston, TX -- Nov 30, 2011 to Dec 4, 2011 Lafayette, LA -- Dec 6, 2011 to Dec 8, 2011 Bossier City, LA -- Dec 10, 2011 to Dec 11, 2011 North Little Rock, AK -- Dec 13, 2011 to Dec 14, 2011 Montreal, QC -- Dec 18, 2011 to Dec 30, 2011 Quebec, QC -- Jan 3, 2012 to Jan 8, 2012 Kingston, ON -- Jan 11, 2012 to Jan 15, 2012 Broomfield, CO -- Feb 8, 2012 to Feb 12, 2012 El Paso, TX -- Feb 15, 2012 to TBA Colorado Springs, CO -- Feb 22, 2012 to TBA Rio Rancho, NM -- Feb 29, 2012 to Mar 4, 2012 Laredo, TX -- Mar 6, 2012 to TBA Corpus Christi, TX -- Mar 9, 2012 to Mar 11, 2012 Hidalgo, TX -- Mar 14, 2012 to TBA Highland Heights, KY -- Mar 28, 2012 to TBA Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour: 2011 ---- Edmonton, AB -- Nov 1 & Nov 2, 2011 Vancouver, BC -- Nov 4, 2011 to Nov 6, 2011 Seattle, WA -- Nov 9 & Nov 10, 2011 Spokane, WA -- Nov 12 & Nov 13, 2011 Euguene OR -- Nov 15 & Nov 16, 2011 Portland, OR -- Nov 18 to Nov 20, 2011 Las Vegas, NV -- Dec 3, 2011 to Dec 27, 2011 Phoenix, AZ -- Dec 30 & Dec 31, 2011 2012 ---- Boise, ID -- Jan 3, 2012 Denver, CO -- Jan 6 to Jan 8, 2012 Sacramento, CA -- Jan 10 & Jan 11, 2012 San Jose, CA -- Jan 13 to Jan 15, 2012 Oakland, CA -- Jan 17 & Jan 18, 2012 San Diego, CA -- Jan 21 & Jan 22, 2012 Anaheim, CA -- Jan 24 & Jan 25, 2012 Los Angeles, CA -- Jan 27 to Jan 29, 2012 St. Louis, MO -- Feb 7 & Feb 8, 2012 Houston, TX -- Feb 10 to Feb 12, 2012 New Orleans, LA -- Feb 15 & Feb 16, 2012 Tulsa, OK -- Feb 18 & Feb 19, 2012 Kansas City, MO -- Feb 21 & Feb 22, 2012 Indianapolis, IN -- Feb 24 & Feb 25, 2012 Orlando, FL -- Feb 28 & Feb 29, 2012 Miami, FL -- Mar 2 & Mar 3, 2012 Jacksonville, FL -- Mar 7 & Mar 8, 2012 Raleigh, NC -- Mar 10 & Mar 11, 2012 Charlotte, NC -- Mar 13, 2012 Milwaukee, WI -- Mar 16, 2012 to Mar 17, 2012 Montreal -- Mar 20, 2012 to Mar 22, 2012 Quebec City, QC -- Mar 24 & Mar 25, 2012 Minneapolis, MN -- Mar 27 & Mar 28, 2012 Newark, NJ -- Mar 30 & Apr 1, 2012 New York City, NY -- Apr 3, 2012 to Apr 5, 2012 Uniondale, NY -- Apr 7 & Apr 8, 2012 Philadelphia, PA -- Apr 10 & Apr 11, 2012 Pittsburg, PA -- Apr 13, 14 & 15, 2012 State College, PA -- Apr 24 & 25, 2012 Columbia, SC -- Apr 27 & 28, 2012 Hartford, CT -- May 2, 2012 Baltimore, MD -- May 5 & 6, 2012 Worcester, MA -- May 16 & May 17, 2012 Dayton, OH -- Jun 6 & Jun 7, 2012 Columbus, OH -- Jun 9 & Jun 10, 2012 Nashville, TN -- Jun 12 & 13, 2012 Austin, TX -- Jun 15, 2012 San Antonio, TX -- Jun 23, 2012 Atlanta, GA -- Jun 29 & 30, 2012 Montreal, QC -- Jul 6 & Jul 7, 2012 Washington, DC -- Jul 13, 14 & 15 2012 Cleveland, OH -- Jul 17 & 18, 2012 Chicago, IL -- Jul 20 & 21, 2012 Salt Lake City -- Aug 21, 2012 --------------------------------- 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. Mystère: Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark: Thursday/Friday Two shows Nightly - 7:00pm & 9:30pm 2011 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) 2011 Dark Dates: o November 2 2011 Added Performances: o December 30th "O": Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark: Monday/Tuesday Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:00pm 2011 Ticket Prices: o Orchestra: $150.00 o Loggia: $130.00 o Balcony: $99.00 o Limited View: $93.50 2011 Dark Dates: o October 9 o December 5-18 La Nouba: Location: Walt Disney World, Orlando (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday Two shows Nightly - 6:00pm and 9:00pm 2011 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 2011 Dark Dates: o November 22 Zumanity: Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Friday through Tuesday Dark: Wednesday & Thursday Two Shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:00pm 2011 Ticket Prices (18+ Only!): o Duo Sofas: $129.00 o Orchestra Seats: $105.00 o Upper Orchestra Seats: $79.00 o Balcony Seats: $69.00 o Cabaret Stools: $69.00 2011 Dark Dates: o October 17-18 o December 16-20 2011 Added Performances: o November 23rd o December 31st KÀ: Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark Sunday/Monday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 2011 Ticket Prices (adult) / (child 5-12): o Category 1: $150.00 / $75.00 o Category 2: $130.00 / $65.00 o Category 3: $99.00 / $49.50 o Category 4: $69.00 / $34.50 2011 Dark Dates: o November 15-16 2011 Added Performances: o November 27 o December 26 o December 31 LOVE: Location: Mirage, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Thursday through Monday, Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 2011 Ticket Prices: o Lower Orchestra: $150.00 o Upper Orchestra: $130.00 o Lower Balcony: $99.00 o Middle Balcony: $93.50 2011 Dark Dates: o October 3 o December 1-12 2011 Added Performances: o December 28th o December 31st ZAIA: Location: Venetian, Macao (China) Performs: Every Day, Dark: Wednesday One to Two Shows Daily - Times Vary 2011 Ticket Prices (adult) / (child 2-11): o VIP Seating: MOP$ 1288 / MOP$ 1288 o Reserve A: MOP$ 788 / MOP$ 394 o Reserve B: MOP$ 588 / MOP$ 294 o Reserve C: MOP$ 388 / MOP$ 194 ZED: Location: Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo (Japan) Performs: Varies One to Two Shows Daily - Showtimes vary 2011 Ticket Prices (Non-Peak / Peak 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 / ¥8,500 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. 2011 Ticket Prices (all): o Category 1: $160.00 o Category 2: $130.00 o Category 3: $109.00 o Category 4: $89.00 o Category 5: $59.00 2011 Dark Dates: o December 6-17 VIVA ELVIS: Location: Aria, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 2011 Ticket Prices o Category 1: $175.00 o Category 2: $150.00 o Category 3: $125.00 o Category 4: $99.00 2011 Dark Dates: o November 8-12 2011 Added Performances: o November 27th o December 26, 31 -------------------------------------- VENUE - Venue & Seasonal Productions -------------------------------------- Zarkana: Madrid, ES -- Nov 12, 2011 to Dec 31, 2011 Moscow, RU -- Feb 4, 2012 to Apr 8, 2012 New York, NY -- Summer 2012 IRIS: Location /// Kodak Theatre, Hollywood, CA (USA) < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/iris/ tickets/los-angeles.aspx > Performances /// Times: Performances are held from Tuesday through Friday at 8pm, Saturdays at 2pm & 8pm (with the exception of Saturday December 24 at 1pm), and Sundays at 1pm (with the exception of July 24 & 31 at 6:30pm) and 6:30pm. There are no performances on Monday. 2011 Dark Dates: o October 10-19 o November 24 o December 5, 6, 7, 25 Tickets /// Weekday Matinees: o Category Premium - $253.00 USD o Category 1 - $123.00 USD o Category 2 - $93.00 USD o Category 3 - $68.00 USD o Category 4 - $43.00 USD Saturday Matinee & All Evening Performances: o Category Premium - $253.00 USD o Category 1 - $133.00 USD o Category 2 - $103.00 USD o Category 3 - $78.00 USD o Category 4 - $43.00 USD ======================================================================= OUTREACH - UPDATES FROM CIRQUE's SOCIAL WIDGETS ======================================================================= o) Club Cirque -- This Month at CirqueClub o) Networking -- Cirque on Facebook, Youtube & Twitter --------------------------------------- CLUB CIRQUE: This Month at CirqueClub --------------------------------------- A Clock to Celebrate Every Show {Oct.07.2011} ------------------------------------------------- At Cirque du Soleil, the beginning of a new show was always marked with gifts, chosen for their symbolic value. In 2005, individual gifts - often clothing items or objects bearing a good luck message-given by the Head office in Montreal to the artists and crew, were replaced by a collective gift that would travel with the show throughout its life. We needed an item better represented the link between creation and performance. That was when the thought of a custom-made clock inspired by the new show came into being. The first, given to Corteo in 2005, was designed by Robert Massicotte, who was inspired by the storyboard he had made for the show. This gift represented a welcome to the family and a souvenir of the time spent at the Studio-the time taken to create the show and the time dedicated to sharing it, to "invoking, provoking and evoking." And a clock was given to every new show since then. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, check out the link to CirqueClub to see a few of the clocks presented over the years! < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/cirque-club/news/2011/2011- 09-30-show-clocks.aspx > {SOURCE: CirqueClub} Exclusive New Videos from IRIS {Oct.13.2011} ------------------------------------------------- Members of CirqueClub, get ready for some exclusive behind-the- scenes footage of IRIS! With these two new IRIS videos, see firsthand the ins and outs of such a cinematic creation. The Technical Aspects of IRIS Denise Biggi, Artistic Director explains the technical aspects of IRIS, from special effects to awesome costumes! < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/cirque-club/photos- videos/videos/galleries/iris-technique.aspx > The Power of Human Performance - IRIS Meet, Boris Verkhovsky, Acrobatic Performance Designer for IRIS who explains the emotions conveyed by acrobatic prowess. < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/cirque-club/photos- videos/videos/galleries/iris-acrobatics.aspx > Read the original article: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/cirque-club/news/2011/2011- 10-12-iris-videos.aspx > Give a Cirque Twist to Your Mask this Halloween {Oct.14.2011} ------------------------------------------------- Have a look at the following videos for make-up tips to add Cirque du Soleil "WOW" to your Halloween mask! < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/cirque-club/news/2011/ 2011-10-13-halloween-mask-makeup.aspx > Safewalls - What's New? {Oct.17.2011} ------------------------------------------------- Nine months have passed since the creation of SAFEWALLS - an art project that pairs up with cutting-edge artists to create original art posters - and they have been very busy ones! 16 posters have been created so far, revisiting the colorful universes of shows like: TOTEM, OVO, Corteo, Zumanity, Zarkana, and KÀ. Don't miss the launch of SAFEWALLS next limited edition poster dedicated to IRIS! Collect the limited hand numbered posters on our online store at www.safewalls.org Take a look at Cirque's exclusive photo gallery featuring SAFEWALLS artwork and get a sneak peek at the upcoming poster of IRIS at www.cirqueclub.com! Become a member today! Halloween Make-up Ideas from Cirque! {Oct.24.2011} ------------------------------------------------- Stand out this Halloween by creating your own Cirque du Soleil make-up! This year, the Cirque du Soleil make-up designers are offering you three step by step printable tutorials to help transform you into characters from KOOZA, TOTEM and "O". Download our tutorials and start painting in minutes: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/cirque-club/news/2011/ 2011-10-13-halloween-makeup.aspx > Go as The Grim Reaper from KOOZA, The Amerindian Dancer from TOTEM or a Zebra from "O"! --------------------------------------------------- NETWORKING: Cirque on Facebook, YouTube & Twitter --------------------------------------------------- ---[ "O" ]--- {Oct.03} Took a peek into the Textile Shop at International Headquarters and found this fabric, which is about to become a costume for "O"! LINK /// ---[ ALEGRIA ]--- {Oct.16} Rehearsals in Berlin, Germany - a picture set LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a. 10150406490255746.417663.38543815745&type=1 > ---[ CORTEO ]--- {Oct.31} Corteo was featured yesterday on TF1...the show opens on November 4 at Île Seguin - Boulogne-Billancourt. LINK /// < http://videos.tf1.fr/sept-a-huit/dans-les-coulisses- du-cirque-du-soleil-6797930.html > {Oct.28} Corteo dans TELERAMA! LINK /// < http://sortir.telerama.fr/evenements/spectacles/ cirque-du-soleil-corteo,50185.php > {Oct.28} Exclusivité : Carré Sénart accueille Corteo du Cirque du Soleil du 31 Octobre au 5 Novembre pour une semaine d'animations exclusives. Toutes les informations en cliquant ici: LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/carre.senart? sk=app_192229990808929 > {Oct.23} Corteo dans LE PARISIEN! LINK /// < http://www.leparisien.fr/hauts-de-seine-92/le-cirque- du-soleil-debarque-sur-l-ile-seguin-22-10-2011- 1679852.php > {Oct.21} "Exclusivité : Rosny 2 accueille Corteo du Cirque du Soleil du 24 au 29 Octobre pour une semaine d'animations exclusives. Toutes les informations en cliquant ici : LINK /// < https://www.facebook.com/rosny2? sk=app_197602066931325 {Oct.15} "Exclusivité : Le Forum des Halles accueille Corteo du Cirque du Soleil du 17 au 22 Octobre pour une semaine d'animations exclusives. Toutes les informations en cliquant ici : LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/forum.des.halles? sk=app_197602066931325 > ---[ DRALION ]--- {Oct.27} Dralion in Santo Domingo - a Picture Series LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a. 10150907820425195.767199.39340140194&type=1 > {Oct.21} One year ago, Dralion began its journey in Arenas across North America! As of today, we performed 328 Arena shows in 2 countries (USA and Canada), 20 States, 4 Provinces and 43 cities! Congratulations to everyone on a great first year! Look for us in your area soon! Cheers! {Oct.18} Load-in @ the Coliseo de Puerto Rico LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a. 10150889433755195.763502.39340140194&type=1 > {Oct.04} Cirque du Soleil's newest show opened this past weekend Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour by Cirque du Soleil Dralion and other Cirque tours created a flashmob in celebration. Check it out! LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W9tzAbsqBk > ---[ IRIS ]--- {Oct.31} Tonight we celebrated our 100th performance. Time really does fly when you're having fun! {Oct.05} Preview of IRIS! LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LBajou7a_g > ---[ KÀ ]--- {Oct.31} We recently asked some audience members to describe KÀ for us! Here's what they had to say! What would YOU say? LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj_vkCt8P6Y > ---[ KOOZA ]--- {Oct.26} This picture was taken during our filming of the SMAP SMAP show in April, in Tokyo. What a great day! LINK /// < http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak- ash4/s320x320/297738_10150326954746339_ 34324811338_8454143_2053727111_n.jpg > {Oct.23} KOOZA Photo exhibition, part 2 at RIHGA ROYAL HOTEL in Nakanoshima, Osaka. LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= 10150323519971339&set=a.71836936338.88957. 34324811338&type=1&ref=nf > {Oct.10} Trickster did the first pitch at Nagoya dome! LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= 10150313128426339&set=a.10150313128216339. 335409.34324811338&type=1&ref=nf > {Oct.04} This picture was taken in March 2011 when Zed and KOOZA spent time together in Macau. We were welcomed so well by the Zaia family at the Venetian. It is the first time we had the cast and crew from 3 different productions together. LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= 10150254674086164&set=a.10150144377101164. 342824.41326571163&type=1&ref=nf > ---[ LA NOUBA ]--- {Oct.25} A Clown Nose Epidemic! LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a. 10150344564229902.352645.16315569901&type=1 > {Oct.21} Party for the Senses 2011 LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a. 10150339190284902.351427.16315569901&type=1 > {Oct.06} The immense height of the La Nouba theatre enables scenic and acrobatic equipment to be stored in the fly space - around 80 ft. above the stage. For the first time in its history, Cirque du Soleil designed the La Nouba trapeze net to be mechanically lowered from above and secured with no visible stagehands. Can you recall other set pieces that are lowered from the fly space during the show? Two trampolines, nine flying doors, the petite fenêtre volante (we call it the New York window), two pedestal platforms and four trapezes, five aerial silks, five upstage silks, the door (aerial cradle act), the singer pod (above the trampowall), a chandelier, the Green Bird's red trapeze and a moon rock. For bragging rights: What else appears from "above" that isn't a set piece or prop? If you blink you might miss it (or them)... The skippers! They drop down from the 9th level on bungees, but it happens so quickly it is easy to miss! ---[ MJ THE IMMORTAL ]--- {Oct.31} Here is the link to watch the ABC News 20/20 interview with Guy Laliberté, founder of Cirque du Soleil, and Barbara Walters featuring THE IMMORTAL World Tour rehearsal footage! LINK /// < http://abcnews.go.com/2020/ > {Oct.27} Video: Michael Jackson's Music, Cirque's Magic LINK /// < http://abcnews.go.com/2020/video/michael-jacksons- music-cirques-magic-14827286 > {Oct.27} We're happy to bring you today video of a special tribute performance by Cirque du Soleil employees from our World Premiere weekend. Headquarters employees in Montréal, joined in video by artist and employees from around the world, followed steps from choreographer Travis Payne. LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br8Sc8NTRc8 > {Oct.18} Have you heard? "IMMORTAL", the musical tapestry for the show hits stores this coming November, yet you can pre-order it now: LINK /// < http://cirk.me/qvyb6A > {Oct.17} You missed the feature story on THE IMMORTAL World Tour this morning on Good Morning America? Watch it online! LINK /// < http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/michael-jacksons- music-opens-cirque-de-soleil-14752762 > {Oct.14} We're making our U.S. debut tomorrow in Detroit - where Michael started with Motown back in the day. Here's Journalist Brian McCollum's review of the show: LINK /// < http://www.freep.com/article/20111014/ENT05/ 111013069/With-video-Cirque-du-Soleil-Michael- Jackson-show-heads-Detroit?cid=lg%3Ab1m&odyssey=tab% 7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE&utm_medium= post&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=ypp+-+mj > {Oct.06} Performer Gianinni captured the last moments before taking the stage on World Premiere night (Oct. 2 '11) - including a special word from Writer-Director Jamie King. LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOiO86Xg4WE > {Oct.04} The premiere night audience is raving about the show! Our special correspondent Randi Zuckerberg gathers reactions... LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVXepVtdsiI > {Oct.02} Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour by Cirque du Soleil - OFFICIAL SHOW PREVIEW LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5kPTl4jEFo > ---[ MYSTERE ]--- {Oct.28} The Mystère Taiko drummers just finished, and the Hand-to-Hand performers are about to take the stage at Fashion Show Mall. LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= 10150422529709919&set=a.121054974918.123251. 18155469918&type=1&ref=nf > {Oct.27} Yesterday the Mystère performers were rehearsing for their performance at Fashion Show Mall. Come join us tomorrow at Fashion Show Mall (Oct. 28th) at 1PM for a no-cost event! Click here for more info: http://cirk.me/tCj9yN LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php ?v=10150887031315046 > ---[ OVO ]--- {Oct.23} Fotografías de la filmación del comercial de Trident. LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a. 10150360140719614.369096.62744104613&type=1 > {Oct.20} Fotografías del levantamiento de carpa de OVO. LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a. 10150355546044614.368199.62744104613&type=1 > ---[ QUIDAM ]--- {Oct.21} Quidam in the Milwaukee media LINK /// < http://www.expressmilwaukee.com/article-16295- gravity_defying_circus.html > LINK /// < http://www.onmilwaukee.com/ent/articles/quidam.html > LINK /// < http://blogs.99wmyx.com/kiddoshea/ 2011/09/23/quidam-is-coming/ > LINK /// < http://beta.realmilwaukeenow.com/2011/ tony-visits-with-cirque-du-soleil/ > LINK /// < http://www.fox6now.com/videobeta/a2f90ec9-aa2f-4785- b2c2-b2599f444b72/Entertainment/Cirque-Du-Soleil- performer-gives-Tony-a-demonstration > LINK /// < http://www.fox6now.com/videobeta/55d775d4-e530-4f4a- 9450-1f56321f9674/Entertainment/Tony-tries-out-some- Cirque-Du-Soleil-equipment > LINK /// < http://beta.realmilwaukeenow.com/2011/tony-visits- with-cirque-du-soleil/ > LINK /// < http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/multimedia/ photos/132194968.html#id_57992943 > {Oct.05} View from the Administrative office - how can we get any work done! LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= 10150315089972046&set=a.10150315089602046. 339562.35752277045&type=1&ref=nf > ---[ SALTIMBANCO ]--- {Oct.30} Great photo gallery of Saltimbanco opening show in Kazan!! A big thank you for your great welcome in your city! Spasiba! LINK /// < http://www.business-gazeta.ru/photo/45701/ > {Oct.27} LIVE photos from the colorful Saltimbanco show in Russia!! LINK /// < http://inkazan.ru/cirque-du-soleil-pryzhok-na-skamyu- udalsya/ > {Oct.27} Opening Night of Saltimbanco in Kazan,Russia!! LINK /// < http://www.business-gazeta.ru/article/48536/ > {Oct.18} Very good review in Yekaternburg, Russia!! LINK /// < http://www.ria.ru/culture/20111016/460590104.html > {Oct.14} Behind-the-scenes at Saltimbanco in Yekaterinburg, Russia!! LINK /// < http://www.nakanune.ru/news/2011/10/14/22249445/ > ---[ THE BEATLES LOVE ]--- {Oct.27} Great review of LOVE from our friend at MTV UK, James Barnes! LINK /// < http://www.mtv.co.uk/news/the-beatles/335330-cirque- du-soleil-the-beatles-love-review > {Oct.18} Loving this acoustic rendition of "Blackbird" by the beautifully talented Alicia Keys LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrTbf_ws9Is > {Oct.14} Can you guess which European city this wall exists? Hint - This city resides in Eastern Europe, and is a popular tourist attraction when visiting. LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= 10150372977558666&set=a.101066423665.92500. 14653468665&type=1&ref=nf > ---[ TOTEM ]--- {Oct.30} Review: 'Totem' one of the most magical Cirque du Soleil productions in years - San Jose Mercury News LINK /// < http://www.mercurynews.com/entertainment/ ci_19226853 > {Oct.20} Big Top Raising San Francisco LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a. 284064201614277.75222.111798252174207&type=1 > ---[ VIVA ELVIS ]--- {Oct.07} Elvis & Us exhibit - a Picture Series LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a. 10150309346084109.337605.167136344108&type=1 > ---[ ZAIA ]--- {Oct.10} Hi ZAiA fans, come and watch this video! You will find out some hints of our new acts in the show!! LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php ?v=10150325555652333 > {Oct.07} Wanna know what happened behind the scene of ZAiA 3rd Anniversary Ceremony on 1 September? Check this out!! LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php ?v=10150320973207333 > ---[ ZARKANA ]--- {Oct.21} Zarkana Set up in Madrid. LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a. 251683998216830.70607.139797212738843&type=1 > {Oct.10} Over the next 7 days, we will load up 61 trucks to transport everything to four 747 airplanes to take the show to Madrid! ======================================================================= COMPARTMENTS -- A PEEK BEHIND THE CURTAIN ======================================================================= o) DIDYAKNOW - Facts at a Glance about Cirque o) HISTORIA - Cirque du Soleil History --------------------------------- DIDYAKNOW? - Facts About Cirque --------------------------------- o) The Bateau (or boat) in "O" has parallel bars with catch chairs positioned on opposite sides. Did you know this was first time these two disciplines have been combined in one single apparatus? o) Did you know that the automation in Believe has over 3 miles of network cable, which has the ability to move people or scenery at 10' per second? o) The principle of Icarian games - one of the oldest circus arts disciplines - calls for a porter lying on his back spinning an acrobat with his feet. This dazzling number in IRIS features eight acrobats who literally blur the lines between reality and the impossible as they push the act far beyond its traditional boundaries with cool daring. o) Boris Verkhovsky, Acrobatic Performance Designer for IRIS, was formerly the head coach of the Canadian National Trampoline and Tumbling Team. o) François Bergeron, a long time collaborator with Cirque du Soleil and Sound Designer for IRIS, took part in the creation of the Tokyo DisneySea theme park in Japan for Walt Disney Entertainment. o) IRIS features 20 video projectors. o) During 'aerial ball' in IRIS, one operator is running 11 automated axis and flying 4 artists. o) At one point during IRIS, there are twelve artists and two technicians riding the lifts. o) any of the fog effects in KÀ are created using liquid nitrogen, which has a temperature of approximately -300° Fahrenheit. They then accomplish this effect, by mixing it with hot water, which in- turn creates a low fog effect. o) To create the interactive projections that follow an artist's movement in KÀ, the artists are captured by an infrared-sensitive camera above the stage and their movements are tracked by a computer. o) Every seat in the KÀ Theatre has two speakers built into its headrest which allows sound effects to be targeted, manipulated, and customized to any of 16 seating zones. o) There are a total of 18 winches used to pull two safety nets into the many different configurations needed for KÀ. Each winch rope has a tensile strength of 30,000 pounds. o) On top of doing ten shows a week, most of the artists train regularly on their own in addition to one or two scheduled trainings on stage. The Flying Trapeze team trains three times a week at La Nouba. o) Mystère's Alice the Snail weighs over 2,000 pounds and is pushed by four carpenters. She travels approximately 165 feet per show, which means she's traveled over 1.3 million feet or 261 miles. o) The Mystère Wardrobe department applies more than 2,500 sequins to the Bungee Girl costumes by hand! It takes about 20 hours to re- sequin just one costume. o) Do you know why the American flag in the "Return to Sender" scene at Viva Elvis only has 48 stars? There are 48 stars in the 'Return to Sender' scene, because Elvis entered the service in 1958. This was the year before Alaska and Hawaii were admitted to the Union. ------------------------------------ HISTORIA: Cirque du Soleil History ------------------------------------ * Nov.01.1996 -- Alegría opened Hong Kong * Nov.01.2004 -- "20 Years Under the Sun" Book Published * Nov.02.2004 -- Region 01 DVD Release: Fire Within and La Nouba * Nov.02.2006 -- Saltimbanco opened Rio de Janiero, Brazil * Nov.03.1999 -- Quidam opened Madrid, Spain * Nov.03.2005 -- Quidam opened Hong Kong * Nov.03.2010 -- Cirque Announces CIRQUE MJ * Nov.04.2001 -- Dralion wins 3 Emmys: Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special Outstanding Directing for a Variety or Musical Outstanding Costumes for a Variety or Music Program * Nov.04.2004 -- Quidam opened Brisbane * Nov.04.2004 -- Varekai opened Dallas * Nov.04.2009 -- Corteo opened Tokyo * Nov.04.2010 -- OVO opened Atlanta, GA * Nov.04.2010 -- Alegría Arena opened Boise, ID * Nov.04.2010 -- Tickets go on sale for Cirque MJ Extravaganza * Nov.05.2002 -- Varekai CD released in Canada (BMG/CDS Musique) * Nov.05.2002 -- NBC purchased BRAVO, the Official Network of Cirque in US * Nov.05.2004 -- Dralion celebrated its 2000th performance [Madrid, Spain] * Nov.05.2010 -- Varekai opened Barcelona, ES * Nov.06.2002 -- Quidam opened Tampa Bay * Nov.06.2003 -- Alegría opened San Francisco * Nov.06.2009 -- Cirque officially announces VIVA ELVIS name * Nov.07.1996 -- Saltimbanco opened Frankfurt * Nov.07.1997 -- Alegría opened Dusseldorf * Nov.07.2002 -- Varekai opened San Francisco * Nov.07.2002 -- Varekai canceled in San Francisco due to Wind Gusts * Nov.07.2009 -- Mystère/KÀ performs at Latin Grammy's * Nov.08.1987 -- Cirque Réinventé (Vol 1) CD Released (Nâga) * Nov.08.1994 -- Cirque Réinventé CD Released in US (RCA/Victor) * Nov.08.1994 -- Mystère CD released in US (RCA/Victor) * Nov.08.2007 -- Corteo opened Orange County, California * Nov.09.1999 -- Dralion CD released in US (RCA/Victor) * Nov.09.2006 -- Varekai opened Brisbane * Nov.09.2010 -- VIVA ELVIS CD Released * Nov.10.1992 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened in Las Vegas * Nov.10.1995 -- Saltimbanco opened Vienne * Nov.10.2010 -- Alegría Arena opened Houston, TX * Nov.10.2010 -- Dralion Arena opened Youngstown, OH * Nov.11.2005 -- Corteo opened San Francisco * Nov.12.1996 -- Mystère Live CD released in US (RCA/Victor) * Nov.12.1998 -- Alegría opened Frankfurt * Nov.12.2010 -- Koozå opened Miami, FL * Nov.12.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Prague, CZ * Nov.13.2002 -- Dralion opened Phoenix * Nov.13.2003 -- Cirque presented at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto to Honor Prime Minister Jean Chrétien * Nov.13.2008 -- Corteo opened Miami * Nov.14.2009 -- ZAIA celebrated 500th Performance * Nov.15.1993 -- "Cirque du Soleil" 10th Anniversary Book Published * Nov.16.1995 -- Alegría opened Atlanta * Nov.16.2001 -- Dralion opened Dallas * Nov.16.2007 -- Quidam opened Mexico City, Mexico * Nov.16.2007 -- Koozå opened San Francisco, California * Nov.17.2005 -- Saltimbanco opened Guadalajara * Nov.17.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Zagreb, HR * Nov.17.2010 -- Alegría Arena opened Phoenix, AZ * Nov.17.2010 -- Dralion Arena opened Windsow, ON * Nov.18.1993 -- Saltimbanco opened Atlanta * Nov.18.2005 -- Dralion opened Bilbao * Nov.19.1991 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened Atlanta * Nov.19.1998 -- "O" CD Released in Canada (RCA/Victor) * Nov.19.2001 -- Region 01 DVD Release: Inside La Nouba * Nov.19.2002 -- Alegría premiered on Bravo at 8:00pm EST * Nov.20.1989 -- Cirque Réinventé opened San Diego * Nov.20.1997 -- Quidam opened Houston * Nov.20.2006 -- Diesel Marketing (Cirque Website) becomes Sid Lee * Nov.20.2008 -- Varekai opened Madrid * Nov.21.1993 -- Nouvele Expérience closed in Las Vegas * Nov.21.2006 -- LOVE CD Released in US (Capitol Records) * Nov.21.2008 -- ZED Celebrated 100th Performance * Nov.21.2010 -- Curtain falls on Quidam Bigtop Tour (Bogota, Columbia) * Nov.22.2001 -- Quidam opened London * Nov.22.2005 -- Saltimbanco opened Mexico City * Nov.22.2007 -- Alegría opened Belo Horizonte, Brazil * Nov.23.2009 -- Dralion Juggling act on Mexican Awards Show, Los Premios * Nov.24.1998 -- "O" CD Released in US (RCA/Victor) * Nov.24.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Belgrade, SB * Nov.24.2010 -- Alegría Arena opened Tucson, AZ * Nov.24.2010 -- Dralion Arena opened Oshawa, ON * Nov.25.1999 -- Saltimbanco opened Singapore * Nov.25.2004 -- Saltimbanco opened Lille * Nov.26.2004 -- KÀ Premiered (Preview Performances Begin) * Nov.26.2009 -- Dralion opened Mexico City * Nov.27.2008 -- Asociación de Cronistas del Espectáculo awards Alegría * Nov.27.2008 -- Dralion opened Brisbane * Nov.27.2009 -- OVO opened San Francisco * Nov.28.1989 -- Cirque Réinventé opened Phoenix * Nov.28.2002 -- "Run Before You Fly" documentary premiered on BRAVO * Nov.28.2003 -- Saltimbanco opened Valencia * Nov.29.1991 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened Atlanta * Nov.30.2000 -- Dralion opened Atlanta * Nov.30.2002 -- "Fire Within" premiered on ArTV in Canada * Nov.30.2003 -- "SOLSTROM" premiered on CBC * Nov.xx.1999 -- Region 01 DVD release: Alegría: Le Film * Nov.xx.2001 -- Quidam celebrated 2000th performance [Zurich] ======================================================================= FASCINATION! FEATURES ======================================================================= o) "Remembering ZED: A Timeless Evocation" Part 3 of 4 - "A Living Poem" By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) o) "A New Twist on CirqueCon: CirqueCon 2010 - Three Shows. Two Cities. One Event." By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) o) Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour By: Cirque du Soleil Press Materials o) MJ THE IMMORTAL World Tour Premieres! [EXPANDED] A Special Collection of Reviews from the Press o) CirqueCon 2011 Update: One Month Away! By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA) --------------------------------------------------------- "Remembering ZED: A Timeless Evocation" Part 3 of 4 - "A Living Poem" By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) --------------------------------------------------------- Shocking news hit the Cirque du Soleil fandom around Noon on Sunday, July 24th- ZED, Cirque du Soleil's resident show in Tokyo, Japan would cease operations and close as of December 31, 2011 - and it was the proverbial shot heard around the world for Cirque fans. It was no surprise to learn that ticket sales and attendance had plummeted since the 2011 Tokoku earthquake and tsunami, and Oriental Land Company (OLC), Cirque du Soleil's partner in Japan, said the decision to close the show amounted to just that - low attendance and a bleak overall outlook on the show's future. Thankfully this will not be the last time we hear from the world of ZED, as pieces of the show will be salvaged and used to upgrade VIVA ELVIS and MYSTERE on the Las Vegas Strip. While we absorb the full impact and meaning of this closure, and contemplate the knowledge that we may never again see ZED staged whole, I'd like to take a moment to reflect upon my experience with ZED and highlight the fascinating characters and acts we'll now miss once the final curtain is called. * * * When I last left you, my friend (and fellow Cirque du Soleil fan) Rich Alford and I had entered the ZED theater complex on the afternoon of November 8 2008 in triumph, though huffing and puffing from the walk, with only a few moments to spare before the curtain would rise again on ZED, Cirque du Soleil's then newest resident production. We had found ourselves at Tokyo DisneySEA that morning as hosts to a CirqueCon lunch for a table of eight patrons at Magellan's, then made our way to the Theater for the afternoon performance. When we arrived, though, we were in for a bit of a shock: our seats were occupied, and our tickets were issued in error! With about a minute before curtain call and with the box office on the phone to Kyoko Hasegawa (our friendly contact at Cirque Tokyo), they found us alternative seats, which we took quickly, settling down to gaze over the white canvas that keeps the world of ZED tightly wrapped, discovering then the wondrous theater and stage the show would play upon. And now I'll continue with a look at the show's theme and characters. The Theme --------- ZED is a timeless evocation that draws together an imaginary world based on the Tarot and its arcana. It is a world that conjures the vitality of the human condition and holds up a mirror to our true selves. As a living poem, ZED is the meeting of two worlds: the heavens - where iridescent colors, paler shades and pearl and silver predominate - and the earth, which emphasizes ochre, green, turquoise, gold and Venetian blue explode before us. At the center of it all is a wide- eyed, white-clothed harlequin named Zed (played with energy and innocence by Reda Guernick), who represents all of humanity in all its guises: from wisdom to folly and from discovery to adventure. Zed grows as he discovers the world on his journey of initiation, bridging the gap between the People of the Sky and the People of the Earth. This world of the arcana, in which ZED finds its inspiration, teems with life and vibrant characters, including the Great Goddess, The Magician, The Sphinxes and the Satyrs - all engaged in a lyrical odyssey to the heart of the human experience. And through eleven different performances, featuring an eclectic cast of mixed progeny one expects from Cirque du Soleil, these characters weave an incredible story of the human condition - from birth, to discovery, to the realization of purpose - sharing and growing. He takes us through eleven different performances (Batons, Bungees, Lassos, Poles & Trampoline, Solo Tissue, High Wire, Juggling, Banquine, Straps, Hand-to-Hand and Flying Trapeze), featuring the eclectic cast of mixed progeny one expects from Cirque du Soleil. But he doesn't merely walk us through the individual numbers; he helps thread the tapestry that binds them to each other, and us all, completing stunning images framed in breathtaking tableaux from which an entire world is sewn. The Characters -------------- Though the stage upon which this story takes place is impressive, above all ZED is driven by its vast characters, which've drawn their inspiration from the mysteries of the Tarot. ZED - the Traveler Inspired by "The Fool" of the Tarot, Zed resembles a Pierrot. Wearing a Rasta wig and dressed in all white, his paleness allows him to take on the coloring of the various tableaux in which he appears, and reflects his eagerness to know everything. Called to undergo a transformation, he is both multiple and omnipresent. The initial state of Zed is associated with the unconscious and chaos: his imbecility is obvious, but his silliness is touching because it reveals his vulnerability and naivety. By the end of the journey, Zed represents consciousness, restored harmony and the reversal of the order of things through laughter. NOUIT - the Great Goddess The creator of the firmament, Nouit (Johanna Lillvik, singer) is the incarnation of the Great Goddess, Mother of the Sky and of all beings who inhabit it. As a representation of the starry sky (she is fitted with wings, decorated with 400 LEDs), Nouit expresses an infinite compassion for all beings and is an ally of Zed, whom she understands and quietly watches over, making every effort to help him achieve his quest. ABRAKA - King of the Earth Inspired by "The Magician" of the Tarot, the magus Abraka (Kevin Faraci) is the Father of the Earth and procreator of all the creatures who inhabit it. Abraka is all-powerful - he wears a chain mail coat and a large royal collar. When he raises his arms, his four wings, which range gradually from purple to gold, spread out over 18 meters - but his power is earthbound and subject to the omnipotence of the Shaman. He is the guardian of the liberating, jubilant power of Zed. THE SHAMAN & DJINN - Masters of the Arcana Inspired by "The Pope" of the Tarot, the Shaman is clad in a transparent copper-colored outfit coupled with white-painted tribal patterns that contrast with his black skin. As the carrier of the magic incantation of the universe, he presides over the birth of Nouit and Abraka, who submit to him. It is also he who awakens the elements. In him, Zed finds a guide to initiate him into the secrets of the arcane and accompany him on his path to self-realization. The Shaman is accompanied by Djinn, his accomplice and apprentice. Covered in gold leaf and smartly adorned, Djinn is the bringer of light and fire, opening the way wherever the Shaman may go. KERNOUN - the God of Hell Kernoun, inspired by "The Devil" in the Tarot, embodies the troubled forces of the unconscious. Covered in the burning hues of reds, oranges, yellows and ochres, he reigns over the subterranean depths, a kingdom that is one of fire where the Satyrs are his unwitting subjects. CLOWNS - Playing the Fool Oulaï and Nalaï; one is a vindictive petty dictator who seeks to control everything, while the other is just plain lazy and always finds a way to do as little as possible. Together, they form an inseparable duo of buffoons with the splendid naivety and great poetry to both move us and make us laugh. TO BE CONTINUED... Next time: the conclusion to our story where I delve into the show's acts and offer up my thoughts about the show, as viewed on November 8, 2008. --------------------------------------------------------- "A New Twist on CirqueCon: CirqueCon 2010 - Three Shows. Two Cities. One Event." By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) --------------------------------------------------------- Over the years, CirqueCon has journeyed across oceans and transcended borders, reaching fans of Cirque du Soleil in Canada, North America, and Japan to great success. And while it had only been a few short months since we'd wrapped up our very successful multi-cultural event in Monterrey, Mexico (CirqueCon 2009; thanks to all!), before long we were ready to jump back into the fray and announce our next exciting CirqueCon adventure - CirqueCon 2010: New York City. But as we gathered for the seventh time since our inception, not only did we find ourselves once again witnessing the evolution of some of Cirque du Soleil's newest productions - BANANA SHPEEL, a new traveling venue concept staged at the historical Beacon Theater in Manhattan and OVO under the Grand Chapiteau at Randal's Island Park, both in New York City, and TOTEM, a new traveling spectacle opening under the Grand Chapiteau on the Quay's of the Old Port of Montréal - we also found ourselves part of a nouvelle expérience at CirqueCon. There'd be more to our 2010 event than just exploring "The Big Apple"; for the first time we expanded our traditional weekend to encompass two separate locations spanning a distance over five-hundred kilometers: one, a new and exciting metropolis for Passionates to explore, a city that never sleeps; the other, a cobblestone-lined historical village, with the familiarity of a heartwarming homecoming. To accommodate both cities we added two extra fun-filled days to our schedule! So as we now come close to unleashing CirqueCon 2011 in Hollywood for Cirque du Soleil's IRIS, and scaling back our traditional weekend so Passionates may incorporate CirqueWeek in Las Vegas should they choose (not to mention reveling in the festivities surrounding MICHAEL JACKSON THE IMMORTAL WORLD TOUR performing at Mandalay Bay during that time), I'm excited to relive CirqueCon 2010: New York City & Montréal with you. Think you're ready for a CirqueCon experience? Then join us for IRIS in Hollywood! Bridging oceans and transcending borders while taking in three Cirque du Soleil productions (two of which were brand new at the time) was an exciting step for us. One we hoped everyone enjoyed to the fullest. THREE SHOWS. TWO CITIES. ONE EVENT. DAY ONE: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28TH /// ----------------------------------- A hallmark of CirqueCon is our Meet & Greet; it's a chance to socialize as a group in a much more relaxed, slow-paced setting. In years past we've partied with the cast and crew of La Nouba after an incredible group show (at CirqueCon 2007: Orlando), raised such a ruckus that the hotel staff tried to shut us down twice (at CirqueCon 2008: Tokyo), and took a cruise down the Paseo Santa Lucía to the Macroplaza (our cultural answer to CirqueCon's traditional Meet & Greet activity for CirqueCon 2009: Monterrey). We kicked off our New York City excursion early in the morning (from 8:30am to 9:30am), holding our Meet & Greet in the lobby of our Headquarters Hotel, within a specially designated space at The "On The Ave" Hotel. I was there handing out our Convention Packet (consisting of our annual Programme Book, specially created buttons, and our identity badges), fulfilled our official T-Shirt orders and even had posters for Passionates to make their mark upon. It was a nice get-together on our first morning together, filled with friends, fun, food and festivities! With our group viewing of OVO scheduled for later in the evening (at 7:00pm), the rest of the day was open to all Passionates, and we let them loose upon Manhattan accordingly. Where they would go and what they would do was up to each guest, but for one Passionate and I, we were in to fulfilling dreams. As it was Josh McCall's first-ever visit to New York City, he not only wanted to see the Statue of Liberty from a close vantage point, he also wanted to climb to the top of her crown. Since the National Park Service recently re-opened the crown to the general public (shut down after the September 11th terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center towers), I booked us an excursion time (many months in advance) and away we went! If there's one thing you have to see when visiting the Big Apple, it is lady Liberty. Many know that the Statue of Liberty was a gift to the United States by France in 1886 to commemorate the centennial of the United States' Declaration of Independence from Great Britain and the friendship our two nations established during the American Revolution. She stands triumphantly in New York Harbor, lighting the way to the land of prosperity, and if you miss the opportunity to see her (whether in good weather or bad), you'll be really disappointed. A journey to Liberty from Manhattan starts down at the Circle Line docks, as ours did, but ours did not end until we climbed all 354 steps to the crown (that's 192 to reach the top of the pedestal and another 162 to reach the crown). And with spiral steps only 19 inches wide, shallow and tapered at one end, with barely a 6-foot clearance, doing so was clearly an arduous affair, but so very, very worth it. Did you know the rays on liberty's crown are meant to evoke the seven seas and the seven continents of the world? The entire experience - getting through security at the docks, riding the boat over to Liberty Island, getting our tickets and armband for crown access, going through a second security check to gain access to the pedestal, and climbing to the top and back (oh my god, the stairs!) took about four to five hours total; the majority of our free time in the afternoon. Once done, we met Rich Alford (friend and fellow Cirque fan; and Josh's relative) at Hard Rock Café in Times Square for a bite to eat before making our way to Randal's Island for OVO. Getting there proved to be an adventure and a half. Special New York Transit X80 event busses were scheduled to leave for Randall's Island from Lexington Avenue and East 125th Street, easily accessible via the Lexington Avenue 4/5/6 Subway and from Metro North 125th Street Station. With busses running from at least 70 minutes before show time to 30 minutes following the performance, getting to and from the venue should have been a breeze. For the majority of our Passionates this was the case - Keith and Lucy led a contingent from the Hotel to the subway station where they all caught the busses at the same time; for Rich, Josh and I, because of our location at that time day, we were forced to choose a different route. And though we too tried the busses at Lexington and East 125th street, none of the appropriately labeled ones ever made stops near us, so we did the next best thing - hailed a cab! And strangely enough, we made it to Randall's Island only a few moments before the busses carrying our brethren - whodathunk? By then we were all primed for the show. OVO (pronounced oh-voh) takes its name from the Portuguese word for Egg, an animal reproductive body consisting of an ovum together with its nutritive and protective envelope. "When a mysterious egg appears in the insect's midst," the story goes, "they are awestruck and intensely curious about this iconic object;" a timeless symbolic representation of birth. The enigma and its importance to the insectoid microcosm embodies the underlying thread of the show, which is also communicated graphically as OVO hides an insect in its name: The two letter "Os" represent the eyes while the letter "V" forms the nose. "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." And we enjoyed it! Immediately following the performance Cirque du Soleil invited us to stay in our seats to meet a few of the creepy crawlies of OVO and get a chance to ask some of the cast and crew a few of our most burning and pressing questions. We were joined at the thrust of the stage by Lee John Brearley (Creaturea Manipulation artist), Michelle Matlock (who plays the "ladybug" character), and the company publicist. It was a fantastic ending to a great day! DAY TWO: THURSDAY, APRIL 29TH /// ---------------------------------- The second day started just as early, but on a more personal note. Since our activities with Banana Shpeel wouldn't be until later in the afternoon, our early-morning registration window wasn't opened until an hour before our activities; therefore, I had more free-time to explore the streets of Manhattan. That morning Rich, Josh and I had an appointment at 30 Rock, 30 Rockefeller Plaza that is - the home of NBC Studios in New York and the starting point for the NBC Studios tour. Since 1993, NBC has offered this historic tour that takes you through the halls and into the studios of NBC's New York operations. An NBC Page will be your guide to the world of the Peacock Network. Some NBC Pages have gone on to become famous entertainment personalities, including Willard Scott, Ted Koppel, Regis Philbin, Steve Allen, Marcy Carsey, Kate Jackson, Michael Eisner, and Dave Garroway. Though our guide isn't destined to become an NBC star (nor did we see any such personalities on our tour), we had a good time touring the facilities. The first stop on the tour is the NBC History Theatre, where you learn about NBC's early days in radio. Your NBC Page will tell you about some of the network's early sound effect techniques and NBC's transition into television. Then Katie Couric and Matt Lauer (on video) take you down memory lane to show you where NBC has been and where the network is today. From there the Tour gives a backstage peek at some of the most famous studios in television, including: Studio 3C - Home of NBC Nightly News, Studio 3B - Home of Dateline, Studio 3K - Home of NBC Sports, and Studio 8H - Home of Saturday Night Live. And in addition to these, a stop at Broadcast Operations, the Make-Up Room, the set for Dr. Oz., and our very own chance to produce a news and weather program in the High Definition Mini-Control Studio. A visit to "The Top of the Rock" (a separate ticket) brought a fantastic end to our visit to NBC Studios. Rich, Josh and I met a small contingent of Passionates (Rodolfo Elizondo, Steve Long, and Heather & Jim) for lunch at Juniors, a famous and award-winning restaurant most noted for its cheesecakes, and then I parted with the group to see the King Tut Exhibit at the Discovery Center, where 130 artifacts from Tut's reign were on display (some seen in America for the very first time!) in over 10 separate galleries. As a fan of Egypt and with a passing familiarity with Egyptology in general, spending even an hour here would be too hard to pass up. We all re-assembled at ON THE AVE around 2:30pm for the open registration period, scheduled for those who might have arrived late and who still needed to pick up their convention credentials (a badge would be needed to attend the activities at Banana Shpeel, for instance), and to give Passionates a place to gather before-hand. ON THE AVE was chosen as our headquarters hotel this year because of its proximity to the Beacon Theater - it was just 300 yards south! The experience was billed as being an invite from Mr. Schmelkey, of schmelkey Productions, inviting the entire CirqueCon Group to come to his theater and witness last-minute rehearsals for his show BANANA SHPEEL before that night's performance. In doing so we'd also get a chance to speak with a member of the creative team. Watching a last- minute rehearsal we did, but did you know we did it with Mr. Serge Roy, Director of Creation for the show? WOW! He was as excited to speak about his new show as we were to sit and listen, but unfortunately we had to bid Monsieur Roy adieu an hour later - it was time for our Group Meal at Amsterdam Ale House. Billed as a charming neighborhood restaurant on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, the Amsterdam Ale House is committed to serving the finest ales and lagers available. Not to mention a fine selection of foods one comes to expect from a great ale house. And at 76th Street and Amsterdam Avenue - it was just a couple of blocks from ON THE AVE, our Headquarters Hotel and from the Beacon Theater where we later assembled for BANANA SHPEEL following dinner; it was a great location! And the food was good too... For appetizers (which was served family style) each patron had their choice of Buffalo Wings (accompanied with carrots & celery and a side of blue cheese), Ale House Quesadillas (made with spinach, onion and cheddar cheese baked in a flour tortilla and served with all the fixings), or a house salad. For entries we had a choice between Pan Seared Tilapia (topped with a light white wine tomato and caper sauce, served with rice and sautéed spinach), Pasta Primavera (a choice of pasta tossed with the season's fresh vegetables in a light garlic sauce), Pasta Bolognaise (a rich red wine, herbed tomato and beef sauce over a choice of pasta), Chicken Fajitas, or Chipotle Beef Chili in a Bread Bowl (topped with melted cheddar cheese and sour cream, and served with a side of mixed greens salad). And to finish off this fine meal we had our choice of two desserts: a Chocolate Fondant or a refreshing Mango sorbet. Yuuumy! At 8:00pm we settled in our seats for Cirque du Soleil's new twist on Vaudeville, BANANA SHPEEL. Banana Shpeel, the latest show from producer extraordinaire Marty Schmelky, features a colorful array of slapstick comedy, eclectic dance and unique acrobatic acts. This larger-than-life personality presents the diverse talent he has gathered from around the world, as zany characters spread chaos throughout the theatre. In his long and illustrious career, Schmelky has created such unforgettable hits as The Phantom of the Banana; Annie Get Your Banana; Fiddler on the Banana; The Best Little Banana in Texas; Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Banana; and Gentlemen Prefer Bananas. With Banana Shpeel, Schmelky is moving in a new direction from his previous shows. "I'm mixing together lots of different ingredients in a big blender that will combine dance, comedy and circus arts in the fancy schmancy Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side." Banana Shpeel featured an international cast of 38 performers including the main character of Schmelky, played by Broadway veteran Danny Rutigliano, best known for his role as Timon in The Lion King. Assisting Schmelky are two slapstick sidekicks performed by Daniel Passer and Wayne Wilson and his wacky assistant Margaret played by Shereen Hickman. As Schmelky works to complete his latest show, he is disrupted by a comedic trio: Claudio Carneiro, Patrick de Valette and Gordon White. The show offers incredible acrobatic performances, including Russian hand balancer Dmitry Bulkin; Vietnamese hat juggler Tuan Le; Spanish foot juggler Vanessa Alvarez; Canadian Hand to Hand duo Preston Jamieson and Kesley Wiens; and Russian contortionists Tsybenova Ayagma, Tsydendambaeva Imin and Zhambalova Lilia. Banana Shpeel featured diverse dance elements, including brother-sister tap dance duo Joseph and Josette Wiggan and a talented ensemble comprised of Robyn Baltzer, Kassie Brown, Adrienne Jean Fisher, DeWitt Fleming Jr., Karida Griffith, Luke Hawkins, Kathleen Hennessey, Adrienne Reid, Anthony J. Russo, Melissa Schott, Josh Scribner, Alexis Sims and Steven T. Williams. Banana Shpeel turned out to be a roller-coaster mix of styles that blended comedy with tap, hip hop, eccentric dance and slapstick, all linked by a hilarious narrative that ignites a succession of wacky adventures. It wasn't circus, or a musical or a variety show, or even vaudeville. It was Banana Shpeel, and it wasn't half bad! * * * Our time in New York City ended with Banana Shpeel that night, but our CirqueCon adventure continued in Montréal, where we held another Meet & Greet, Group Meal, and Group Show. Much like for our CirqueCon 2005 event, we hosted our Montreal meet-and-greet from our hotel rooms at the Headquarters Hotel - Springhill Suites Vieux Port! And Passionates who joined us in Montréal for CirqueCon 2005 may remember the Restaurant du Vieux Port, a wonderful historical restaurant situated in the heart of the Old Port of Montréal and just a few moments walk to/from the Grand Chapiteau perched on the Quays at the waterfront. We loved them so much we went back! And, of course, we saw Totem... but that's a story already told. (See Fascination! Newsletter Issue #72 for our take on TOTEM). As for BANANA SHPEEL, it unfortunately did not last its entire New York City run. The show originally had a run from February 25th through May 30th, with previews going from February 25th through March 22nd; however, production delays (following not-so-nice reviews in Chicago) pushed previews to April 29th through May 16th (we saw one of the first public preview shows). Normal shows would have then begun from May 17th through August 29th; however, scathing reviews and dwindling attendance forced the show to close at the Beacon on June 27th, two months after CirqueCon was in the house. BANANA SHPEEL didn't fare any better in its next stop - Toronto - folding there and for good on October 10th, 2010. Interested in attending CirqueCon 2011: Hollywood for IRIS? Find out more about us at our website: < http://www.cirquecon.com/ > Visit us on Facebook: < http://www.facebook.com/pages/CirqueCon/272446895013 > Or Follow us on Twitter: < http://www.twitter.com/CirqueCon/ > --------------------------------------------------------- "Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour" By: Cirque du Soleil Press Room Materials --------------------------------------------------------- A riveting fusion of visuals, dance, music and fantasy that immerses audiences in Michael's creative world and literally turns his signature moves upside down, Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour unfolds Michael Jackson's artistry before the eyes of the audience. Aimed at lifelong fans as well as those experiencing Michael's creative genius for the first time, the show captures the essence, soul and inspiration of the King of Pop, celebrating a legacy that continues to transcend generations. THE IMMORTAL World Tour takes place in a fantastical realm where we discover Michael's inspirational Giving Tree - the wellspring of his creativity. The secrets of Michael's inner world are unlocked - his love of music and dance, fairy tale and magic, and the fragile beauty of nature. The underpinnings of THE IMMORTAL World Tour are Michael Jackson's powerful, inspirational music and lyrics - the driving force behind the show-brought to life with extraordinary power and breathless intensity. Through unforgettable performances Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour underscores Michael's global messages of love, peace and unity. CREATIVE TEAM -------------- o) Jamie King -- Writer and Director o) Chantal Tremblay -- Director of Creation o) Kevin Antunes -- Musical Designer o) Greg Phillinganes -- Musical Director o) Mark Fisher -- Set Designer o) Michael Curry -- Props and Scenic Designer o) Zaldy Goco -- Costume Designer o) Germain Guillemot -- Acrobatic Performance Designer o) Scott Osgood -- Rigging and Acrobatic Equipment Designer o) Olivier Goulet -- Projection Designer o) Martin Labrecque -- Lighting Designer o) François Desjardins -- Sound Designer o) Travis Payne -- Choreographer o) Rich and Tone Talauega -- Choreographer o) Debra Brown -- Acrobatic Choreographer o) Napoleon and Tabitha Dumo -- Choreographers o) Jamal Sims -- Choreographer o) Daniel "Cloud" Campos -- Choreographer o) Tamara Levinson -- Choreographer o) Mandy Moore -- Choreographer o) Florence Cornet -- Makeup Designer THE SCENES ----------- Transposed in the theatrical and acrobatic language of Cirque du Soleil, Michael Jackson's music and his messages have taken on a life of their own. Childhood In front of the gilded gates of Neverland, the Mime awakens the bronze statues that inhabit this magical place. Wanna be Starting Something In a wild, high-powered number, dancers and acrobats in tribal costumes climb up and down the tree and hurl themselves onto the stage. Fanatics - Shake Your Body Down to the Ground In a playful atmosphere, five "fanatics" take pictures of members of the audience jump on stage to groove to Michael's music booming from a jukebox and dance. When they arrive in front of the gates to Neverland, their only hope is to slip inside, but the doors remain closed. Dancing Machine In a scene that evokes an ironworks factory, a group of welders fly and swing on motorized cables. They perform various "dancing machines," paying tribute to different dance styles. Ben A tableau that celebrates Michael's love of animals. This Place Hotel Suspended in the air, artists perform a sensual aerial tango as if they were in an anti-gravity nightclub. Smooth Criminal Fleets of foot dancers perform a choreography that showcases Michael Jackson's iconic moves, including his famous leaning motion. Dangerous Surrounded by gangsters, a female acrobat performs a "dangerous" pole- dancing act. Fanatics Medley In front of Neverland, the Fanatics take part in a friendly competition as they lip-sync and perform to the sounds of a Jackson 5 medley, which finally lets them in to Neverland. Mime Suddenly inhabited by Michael Jackson's spirit, the Mime is completely transformed and infused with Michael's talents as he performs a funky beat box number. Human Nature While a 3D version of the Neverland log (Michael as a boy sitting on the crescent of a moon) is suspended above the stage, artists representing the constellations wearing multicolored LED costumes swoop, soar and float in the air. Scary Story - Is it Scary Like a mind-bending storyteller, a contortionist comes out of a giant Book of Tales. As beautiful as she is strange, she turns the pages in the most unusual positions. Bats - Threatened Suspended upside down at first, artists wearing striking winged bat costumes perform a dramatic choreography. Thriller This scene re-imagines Michael Jackson's original choreography for Thriller and showcases his iconic moves. Tree branches are on the ground as acrobats dressed as mummies perform a free-running parkour act through the branches, roots, coffins and tombstones in a cavalcade of jumps, leaps and bounds. Swans - I Just Can't Stop Loving You Appearing as a black and a white swan, two artists emerge from a lake to perform a graceful straps duo. Beat It Embodied and manipulated by the Fanatics, Michael Jackson's signature accessories - his famous hat, glove and penny loafers - jump to life. In the final moments of the scene, an electric guitar and an electric cello engage in a rock-infused duel on centre-stage. Jam Inspired by the video Michael Jackson made with basketball superstar Michael Jordan; artists play with basketballs and perform a hip-hop- inspired choreography. Earth Song In a menacing atmosphere, the Mime gets tangled in the tree, which is now turned upside down. Scream Acrobats execute a perfectly synchronized tumbling act, flinging themselves in the air and belly flopping onto the stage as Ninja-style aerial dancers suspended above interact with the Japanimation-inspired sequences projected on the screens. The scene evokes the destruction of the world: the tree is ablaze and the planet is in peril. Gone Too Soon With images of a merry-go-round filling the screens in the background to the sounds of this moving ballad, four animal heads, each carrying an artist, are gently cradled by the Mime. They Don't Care About Us In a reenactment of the number that was designed for THIS IS IT concert tour, artists dressed like soldiers wearing robot suits with LED breastplates line up to perform a powerful choreography in unison. Heal the World - Will You Be There As the soldiers' breastplates begin to glow, artists come down from the audience onto the stage holding red glowing hearts in a scene that evokes rebirth and conjures up Michael's spirit on stage, as his image appears on the Giving Tree. Mega Mix - Can You Feel It/Don't Stop Till You Get Enough/Billie Jean/Black or White This sequence is a fusion of music, dance and acrobatics. During Can You Feel It, acrobats execute a Swiss rings act moving from stage to sky. This scene segues into a riveting dance number on Don't Stop Till You Get Enough. Michael's famed choreographic style is showcased once more during the Billie Jean sequence; his silhouette is revealed by the dancers' LED costumes. For Black or White, performers manipulate flags in a tribute to the nations and dance styles of the world, including African, Spanish, Thai and Georgian dances. Man in the Mirror The show's finale culminates with the song Man in the Mirror - a song Michael often chose to end his concerts - in a celebration of the legacy of an immortal. THE MUSIC ---------- Hard-wired into Michael Jackson's inspirational music and lyrics, THE IMMORTAL World Tour conjurers up the extraordinary power and emotional intensity of Jackson's unforgettable concert performances. "It starts with the music," says Director Jamie King. "Michael's voice is what drives the show. I have the opportunity to carry on Michael's legacy, to take all that energy - all that he was and was going to be - and build it into this production." Looking forward To weave together the all-important musical components of the show, Jamie King called upon Musical Designer Kevin Antunes, who was given unprecedented access to the master recordings, and Musical Director Greg Phillinganes, who has worked with Michael for more than 25 years, providing an unparalleled depth of knowledge of his music and live performances. "Our goal is not to simply cover Michael, but to take his music to a whole new level," King explains. The Director wanted to integrate as many songs into the 100-minute production as possible, so this meant mash-ups, remixes and new arrangements. It also meant moving them forward emotionally, weaving songs together in new ways so that the music feels new and fresh all the while respecting Michael's essence and his voice. Michael's voice - the driving force behind the show To say Michael's voice drives the show is somewhat of an understatement. "In some of his song," Antunes says, "Michael would let the groves breathe and he would tuck his voice underneath the music. In this show, the world is going to hear Michael's voice like they've never heard it before." Banding together to keep Michael's spirit alive To showcase Michael's voice and support the huge cast, Musical Director Greg Phillinganes has rounded up a stellar group of musicians, including Jonathan "Sugarfoot" Moffett, who played drums for Michael for 30 years. "I wanted to handpick everybody on the band," he explains. "I knew exactly whom I wanted. We have a full band, including horns and an electric cello. I wanted to have as many players as possible with a direct, personal history with Michael Jackson. We are all doing this because of the love we have for Michael. His spirit will live in this show." Music Close-Ups o) THE IMMORTAL World Tour features 32 of Michael's songs, in addition to numerous bits and pieces of songs that have been used for the soundscapes and transitions. o) Musical Designer Kevin Antunes has created a very intimate experience. The audience can even hear Michael snap his fingers or stomp his feet in some audio segments. o) For the song Ben a sonic rainforest was created with all kinds of animal sounds and Asian instruments such as Taiko drums that provides a transition to introduce the song. o) During Dancing Machine scene, cinematic sound effects were added to blend the music with the acrobatic performance. o) Instead of hearing the string section in Childhood in normal stereo, the whole orchestra spreads out and the audience will experience this song in a new light. o) Michael's phrase "Cause we're all the same!" from Can You Feel It was added in between the choruses of Black or White. o) They Don't Care About Us features a previously unreleased choir that Michael recorded. o) The Jackson 5 song ABC features a never-heard-before outtake call and response that Michael recorded when he was young. o) The voice of Naiomi Campbell and elements of the song In the Closet were blended into the intro to the Dangerous scene. o) In the "Scary" section the creepy voice-over segment during the Book of Tales segment was performed by Kevin Antunes. o) The song Ease on Down the Road from the movie The Wiz was added as traveling music for one of the Fanatic characters' numbers. COSTUMES --------- Few stage performers have created iconic looks that are directly related to specific songs. Say "Billie Jean" and the black sequin jacket, black white-striped tuxedo pants and fedora hat immediately come to mind. As for "Thriller," one unmistakably sees the red leather jacket with the two black diagonal stripes. In THE IMMORTAL World Tour, there are references galore to Michael Jackson's legendary outfits. "Michael is our narrator, leading us on a journey through his lyrics, his poetry, his visuals, his moves and, of course, how he dressed," explains Director Jamie King. Michael's world was the wellspring of Costume Designer Zaldy Goco's creativity. "My approach has been to draw upon and respect Michael's iconic style while creating something new and fresh. I placed subtle references throughout the costumes in the show," says Zaldy, who was also Michael Jackson's exclusive designer for the THIS IS IT concert series. Keeping Michael's Legacy Alive For Zaldy, playing a role in THE IMMORTAL World Tour had a special emotional resonance. "The prospect of working on this show," he points out, "was not so much a second chance with regard to THIS IS IT as much as an opportunity to honor Michael and keep his legacy alive with new ideas." Flights of Fancy The color palette in THE IMMORTAL is rich and lively. Michael loved gold and all things ornate and shiny. He was fond of Swarovski crystals - aurora borealis in particular. The show's costumes are a rainbow of colors and called for innovative materials and techniques. "In particular, we explored techniques such as 3D printing and LED, pushing the limits just as Michael would," says Zaldy. The production brims with imaginative costumes and outfits. Gangster types have surreal guns that seem to be tucked in their pockets but are only shapes; when they pull the trigger built into their "gun gloves", streams of pyro shoot out. The ghoulish Thriller characters wear pure white, shiny outfits; the bloody innards that show behind the wrappings reflect Michael's love for horror movies. The straps duo artists appear as magnificent swans; covered in Swarovski crystals, their costumes are corseted and laced in reference to Michael's corseted wrist in his Black or White video. o) The bat costumes are made of ultra lightweight paper used for shipping parcels. The huge, lifelike gold wings create a stunning effect. o) The "fanatics" in the Shake Your Body Down to the Ground act wear gold, glittery cartoon-inspired costumes and don the legendary white socks and penny loafers. o) The "welders" copper-colored costumes with zippers in Dancing Machine directly reference Michael's red, silver-meshed, zipper-clad jacket in Beat It. o) The soldiers' costumes in They Don't Care About Us are essentially made of mytex (foil transfer) on a polyester frame with padding. o) The shoulder pads on the gangster costumes are made using 3D printing. o) Each costume in the Celestial/Human Nature scene is equipped with 275 blinking LED lights specially designed for the show. They change color during the song to evoke constellations. o) When Director Jamie King asked Zaldy Goco to design "non- choir choir robes" for the Will You Be There number, the costume designer decided to create shirts inspired by those Michael loved and would wear on the cherry picker during his concerts with the wind blasting from underneath. o) There are a total of 252 costumes in the show. SET DESIGN ----------- THE IMMORTAL World Tour invites the audience inside an imaginary world inspired by Michael Jackson's Neverland. Once inside the gilded gates, we discover the Giving Tree, a representation of the great oak tree in which Michael would climb up to seek inspiration and write his songs and poems. Setting the Stage Neverland was also the venue chosen to hold the first meeting of the show's creative team. "I remember going to Neverland with the creative team and meeting the grounds people who have remained faithful to Michael," Jamie King reminisces. "I recall seeing the Giving Tree where he wrote among other things most of the Dangerous tour that I danced on, and I truly felt that I was at the right place creating this show." The Giving Tree was chosen early on as the main scenic element to anchor the project. Set Designer Mark Fisher created a tree that is not a replica of the original tree; it has many personalities and undergoes various transformations during the show. The structure is articulated and can break apart depending on the scene. It turns into a root system for the Thriller scene and becomes a hi-tech object toward the end of the show. A metaphor as well as a centralizing piece, the Giving Tree creates a symbolic world for Michael's memory to occupy. "Working on a rock show without a live artist can be challenging," Fisher explains. "In this case, the set design takes on a whole new meaning. Its role is to fill the shadows as it were, and to evoke the artist's presence." The props as storytelling devices Props and Scenic Designer Michael Curry, who was one of the designers on the THIS IS IT concert tour, has developed props that serve as storytelling devices. For example, a huge book of tales and an upside down tree serve as acrobatic devices. Michael's famed glove, hat and shoes become giant props inhabited by nimble dancers. Curry's goal was to tap into and trigger the fans' memories of Michael, and to focus attention on the performance. Many of the props are subtext for the songs or support the narrative. The projections - in Michael's image The projections in THE IMMORTAL World Tour not only act as storytelling devices, they play a key role in making Michael's presence palpable. Projection Designer Olivier Goulet has integrated video content such as footage of Michael's performances and real-time projections of the performances on stage. Set design close-ups THE IMMORTAL's versatile stage is highly technical with multiple lifts for scene changes. A large, multi-purpose LED screen was developed: it starts flat on the stage, stands up to act as a projection surface, turns into a ramp, and surrounds the Giving Tree like a gradient LED ramp. In the middle of the stage, there are large drawers that serve as steps for artists to perform on. o) The stage out in the house - called the B Stage or runway - is equipped with a conveyor belt, a lift and video screen. o) The tree is 12 m high and weighs 5,500 kg. o) The elephants are more than 2 m tall and weigh 9 kg each. They are manipulated by two hidden acrobats and were inspired by Baba and Gypsy, the two elephants given to Michael by Elizabeth Taylor. o) The giant shoes directly reference Michael Jackson's famous penny loafers. They are 2.4m long and are created from orthopedic foam with a vinyl skin. o) The giant hat is large enough for two performers to hide inside. It is constructed in a way that mimics the softness of a real hat. o) The glove is a soft sculpture that allows the dancers inside to create various hand positions using their full body. The glove is 1.8 m tall and is light-weight. o) The scrim (translucent screen) is equipped with four 20K projectors; there are four 10K projectors and two 20K projectors on B stage; the tree has two 10K projectors. o) The total projection surface in the show is 500 m2. o) The young Michael in the balloon is an animatronics puppet (animated by means of electromechanical devices) styled after Michael when he was six years old. o) The balloon and its equipment weigh only 4 kg. Free flight is made possible by using a helium balloon outfitter with drive fans. It is remote-controlled by a ground-based technician. o) It took more than 9,000 hours to create the props and puppets. --------------------------------------------------------- MJ THE IMMORTAL World Tour Premieres! [EXPANDED] A Special Collection of Reviews from the Press --------------------------------------------------------- Reviews are in for the premiere of Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour, which kicked off in Montreal last night. "MJ THE IMMORTAL World Tour A Dazzling Show" FROM: The Montreal Gazette --------------------------------------------- How do you stage a Michael Jackson show without Michael Jackson? With high energy dancing and acrobatics, plenty of razzle dazzle, tons of ingenuity and lots of carefully selected video clips of Jackson himself. That seems to be more or less the recipe adhered to by the Cirque du Soleil in creating Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour which had its world premiere at the Bell Centre last night (Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011). It plays here again tonight before moving on to Ottawa, then to about 60 other North American cities. This $60 million arena show that sold $40 million worth of tickets within 24 hours when it was first announced, is not like anything the Cirque has done before, although its genre is similar to that of Viva ELVIS and LOVE (the Beatles show) in Las Vegas. Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour has circus acts, but it’s not a circus. Nor is it a rock concert or dance show, exactly, either. Insofar as people are expecting any one of the above, they may feel a bit shortchanged. But if they go with the multi-media performance art flow of it all, they are not likely to be bored. This is a dazzling, fast-paced arena spectacle for people with short attention spans, flitting from one song to the next, seldom settling down with one for a complete number. All is deftly rearranged, using live music and Jackson’s recorded voice. Musical director/keyboardist Greg Phillinganes and musical designer Kevin Antunes reinvent, sample, do mash-ups, yet respect the material, and, above all, the voice. MJ sings again, touching the heart as only he knew how to do. The audience is overwhelmed with images, some of them on screens, others created through manipulation of quirky props and puppets (by Michael Curry), like a mega-sized white glove, a huge Jackson hat that conceals several dancers or a pair of giant shoes and socks, with dancers inside. The music carries a thunderstorm of percussion, while lights flash from all directions. Mark Fisher’s golden Tree of Life set is at its best when an image of Jackson flickers, then disappears into its trunk. There’s no real attempt to tell Jackson’s life story, but it all begins with a five-clown band, evoking the Jackson Five. (Not the most successful idea in the show, given their moves aren’t nearly as slick as the originals and their bad afro wigs don’t become them well.) But it’s great to hear the J5 songs and see Michael on the screen as a child. The show offers a fairly comprehensive sampling of Jackson’s better- known songs. Early on, there’s a poignant rendition of Have You Seen My Childhood? Some songs, like Dancing Machine and Black or White (done with international flag-waving, so we get the point), get more of a workout than others. Fantasies of Neverland come alive, one after another, sometimes at very high volume. There’s quiet time, too, with Jackson speaking his own lyrics. A solo dancer/acrobat in sparkling white (Salah Benlemqawanssa) does mime shtick that reminds us where the moonwalk came from. He returns again and again throughout the show, at one point doing a series of startling backwards cartwheels. (Do not try this at home.) He’s got the moves. Aerial acts are used frequently to conquer the cavernous space of the Bell Centre. The sky-high pas de deux for I Just Can’t Stop Loving You is exquisite. And the human constellations sparkling for Human Nature mesmerize. The song, Ben (Who but Jackson would write a song for a rat?) starts out in a puzzling way with dancing elephants but ends beautifully with a sketch of a rat appearing on kite-like screens held by the dancers. A single contortionist worms her way out of a giant storybook, in another cleverly choreographed (by Debra Brown) blend of circus and dance. With 10 choreographers credited, there’s a certain confusion of movement style. (In addition to Brown, who has a special knack for acrobatics, there’s Travis Payne, Rich and Tone Talauega, Mandy Moore, Tamara Levinson and Daniel Cloud Campos, Jamal Sims, and Tabitha and Napoleon Dumo.) But that makes for plenty of surprises. Costume designer Zaldy Goco’s costume tricks include robots with flashing hearts. Unlike most Cirque shows, this one, directed by Jamie King, is prepared to do a couple of encores. And on Sunday night it was clear that about 13,000 people wanted more. And more. "Cirque debuts Michael Jackson tribute 'The Immortal'" FROM: The Las Vegas Review-Journal ------------------------------------------------------ In California, a courtroom debate rages over how Michael Jackson died. But Sunday, on a cold, rainy night on the opposite side of North America, Cirque du Soleil set out to resurrect his heart. The heart -- as in the red Valentine kind -- was a dominant image of "The Immortal," Cirque's sports arena tribute to Jackson that bowed to a capacity hometown crowd at the Bell Centre in Montreal, the company's headquarter city. Jackson was a known fan of Cirque du Soleil and took in many of the company's Las Vegas-based titles, including "Mystere" with his children in 2008. "I think it's a perfect match," Cirque co-founder and chief executive Guy Laliberte told reporters on the red carpet before the show. "This guy came from the same planet that we're coming from." On Cirque's planet, however, that means strange sites such as (a costumed actor as) Jackson's pet chimp, Bubbles, as the dee-jay, spinning tracks from an aerial pod as aerialists performed underneath. It also meant a break-dancing mime and a rockin' female cellist with a bare midriff. And a childhood representation of Jackson giving one of those red valentine hearts away after coasting to the stage in a hot- air balloon. The hearts even lit up on the chests of menacing robot figures who marched down the stage for "They Don't Care About Us." The venture in cooperation with Jackson's estate will tour for two years, including a Dec. 3-27 stint at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. A different incarnation will eventually settle into the theater now hosting "The Lion King" in 2013. "This is the biggest thing we've ever done," Laliberte told reporters before the show. "This guy was so big. Not only in a certain generation but the entire span of generations." The arena tour has seen record pre-sales, he said. "When we announced this project our Internet site crashed because there were so many people trying to get information." The product that awaits them, at least in its debut, is one in which Cirque's acrobatics take a backseat to Jackson's music, recreations of his inimitable dance moves and sometimes spoken-word recordings of his own voice. Crowd reaction was strong for segments that most closely matched their source video, such as zoot-suited gangsters on a nightclub set in "Smooth Criminal." "The Immortal" embraced every aspect of the pop legend's legacy, from a whimsical depiction of '70s era Jackson 5 to an environmental message in "Earth Song" and a dance sequence that paid homage to all his show business influences from ballet to tap. The tribute also ventures far from the greatest hits and aims for poignant moments. All human performers vanish during footage of Jackson as a boy performing "I'll Be There" on the giant video panels. The gates of his Neverland estate and a symbolic "Giving Tree" from the ranch were among the many show elements representing Jackson's loss of a normal childhood in the show designed for sports arenas. The live band was in the hands of Greg Phillinganes, a musical collaborator with Jackson in life. "It's not like this is a career move. It's a labor of love ... to maintain Michael's legacy, Phillinganes told reporters on the red carpet. Asked if he felt the pressure of Jackson's brothers and children attending the tour debut, Phillinganes answered, "We put the press on ourselves. It's not like, 'Oh, the family's here. We better get it right.'?" Phillinganes noted that on one visit to Cirque's headquarters, Jackson "got stuck in the costume department and didn't want to leave." The red carpet festivities were mostly limited to Jackson's family and the show's creative team, with one odd exception: Acoustic-folk leaning singer-songwriter Rufus Wainright. A friend of the show's costumers, he said he had never covered a Michael Jackson song in one of his own shows. "But I'm from Montreal originally so it makes sense. I usually come here for a hockey game." "Cirque Stages world premiere of MJ's World Tour" FROM: The Detroit Free Press ------------------------------------------------- The event: The music, moves and legacy of Michael Jackson got the fantasy treatment Sunday night as Cirque du Soleil staged the world premiere of The Immortal World Tour. It's the biggest project formally authorized by the estate since the star's 2009 death. The crowd: A capacity audience of 13,000 included brothers Tito, Jackie and Marlon Jackson, mom Katherine and Michael's kids Prince, 14; Paris ,13; and Blanket, 9. The tour: Today's show launched a 47-city North American tour that will make its U.S. debut Oct. 15 in Detroit. The tour - which will include a December residency at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas - is slated to wrap up July 20 in Chicago, though more dates are likely. A variation of the show will establish a permanent Vegas home in late 2013. The fans: On a wet and chilly night in Montreal, Sunday's opening drew fans from Brazil to Los Angeles, some decked out with glittery white gloves and classic Thriller jackets. The music: The show was an ecstatic barrage of hits from Jackson's solo career and Jackson 5 years. With vocal parts extracted from original studio tapes and mixed with a live band (directed by Jackson keyboardist Greg Phillinganes), it was a four-dimensional funky swirl of sound. The set ran through a host of moods - a night where the tender Childhood seamlessly segued into the crackling Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'. The performance: The Jamie King-directed show featured Cirque's typical attention to detail, from meticulously constructed props (glowing hearts, a handsome hot-air balloon) to exquisite cast numbers choreographed by longtime Jackson associates such as Travis Payne. Unlike traditional Cirque shows, Immortal was presented less as a nouveau circus than a fantasy concert, with some of Jackson's signature moves cast through Cirque's whimsical prism. The centerpiece: A re-creation of Jackson's Giving Tree, the backyard spot at his Neverland Ranch where he often retreated for musical inspiration. The wow factor: Human Nature featured performers dangling over the stage, gorgeously dotted with lights against a backdrop of stars. A giant white glove and dancing shoes appeared for Beat It, and the Giving Tree sprouted a sprawling set of claws for Thriller, which featured mummies and white-tuxedoed zombies. Peace symbols adorned the chests on the robotic warriors of They Don't Care About Us. While the show featured no singular story line, broad themes of compassion, human connection and global consciousness were sketched throughout. The King of Pop: Jackson's images were a constant presence, and he occasionally had the stage to himself: I'll Be There featured just his voice accompanied by a live piano, childhood footage playing on a big onstage screen. The brothers: Backstage, three beaming Jackson brothers declared that the show captured Michael's spirit. "That was Michael's message - to help us understand that love is so important," Tito says. The family was particularly moved by the interpretation of Gone Too Soon. "Our mother is probably bawling out there somewhere," Jackie says. "'A gift from beyond': MJ IMMORTAL World Tour" FROM: The Canadian Press ---------------------------------------------- Michael Jackson had always hoped to do a show with Cirque du Soleil, and on Sunday that dream came true. The "Immortal World Tour" debuted at the Bell Centre, combining acrobatics and dance with the King of Pop's massive catalogue of hits spanning more than four decades. From "ABC" to "Thriller," the high-octane performance did not disappoint. It was also a tribute to Jackson's lasting impact on dance and fashion — from his patented moonwalk to his iconic white glove. At one point, a pair of giant dancing black dress shoes with white socks graced the stage, and at another, a pack of acrobatic werewolves. But Jackson and the circus? It's a perfect fit, according to his brother, Jackie. "First of all, Michael is a great fan of Cirque (du Soleil). He's seen all the shows," Jackie, who arrived with his brothers Tito and Marlon, told reporters just before the show. "And to have Cirque and Michael together, you expect to see something fantastic." Jackson's mother Katherine and his three children were also at the show, making a brief appearance beforehand for a photo-op. The family made the trip to the premiere from Los Angeles, where the involuntary manslaughter trial of Dr. Conray Murray, Jackson's doctor, is underway. The show packed 60 hits into about an hour and a half, starting with the Jackson 5 and ending with Jackson's last studio album. It did not, however, dare imitate the man himself — no single performer plays the role of Jackson. "We were very clear on this, and I think the family was too," said Daniel Lamarre, president and CEO of Cirque du Soleil. Lamarre said he had the blessing of Jackson's mother to go ahead with the show. "Many people were interested in doing shows to pay tribute to Michael Jackson," Lamarre said. "His mother said Michael has always wanted to do a show with the circus, so if there is a show about Michael, it will be Cirque du Soleil." While a wholehearted tribute, the performance didn't glaze over Jackson's eccentricities, with Bubbles the chimpanzee making more than one appearance. It also alluded to a darker side. To the tune of Jackson's song "Childhood," where he laments never having had one, dancers swayed above the entry sign to the now infamous Neverland Ranch while a child looked longingly through a window. In another tune, Jackson is heard pleading "I need my privacy, get away" as clips of the TV news media play in the background. The $60-million tour has stops in cities across Canada and the United States, with Ottawa as the next stop on Oct. 7. The Jackson estate authorized and took part in the project. Before the show, more than 100 fans waited in the rain for a glimpse of the famous family on the red carpet. One group of women wore single white gloves and black leather jackets in homage to Jackson. "I've been a fan since I first saw him on TV in 1969 when I was nine," said Montrealer Shirley Elvis. "When I first heard this show was coming, I think everyone was in a really dark place and when we heard that they were going to do this it was like another gift from Michael from beyond." "Michael Jackson The World Tour Theater Review" FROM: The Hollywood Reporter ----------------------------------------------- Cirque du Soleil combining dance-inspired circus acts with popular Michael Jackson songs will have the late pop star's fans cheering and his detractors scratching their heads. The show, which had its world premiere in Montreal on Sunday night, features a circus mime, a contortionist, acrobats and dancers performing to the late King of Pop's songs. The Gloved One may be dead, but thanks to Cirque du Soleil, the late pop star's life remains a circus with Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour saluting the King of Pop Sunday night with a world premiere in Montreal. Here was another full on production from iconic concert director- choreographer Jamie King, a veteran concert tour director for Madonna, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Celine Dion. But a concert being live performance, King's latest tour creation suffered without a star live performer to anchor the show and provide a focus. Sure, Jackson's digitally recorded voice, fronted by a live band and around 60 dancers and circus performers, drives the show. But Cirque du Soleil, for all its legendary inventiveness, can't match Michael Jackson, for all his iconic song-writing and dancing flamboyance, step for step, music performance for music performance. In the late pop star's place, King's stage setting offers a fantastical realm, in keeping with Jackson's otherworldly persona. And the framing story is a plea for global love and peace embodied in a Giving Tree, one of the giant oak trees at the Neverland Ranch, and the apparent source of Jackson's song-writing creativity. Set designer Mark Fisher's 12-meter-high Giving Tree, which opens to the concert audience via the Neverland Ranch gates, eventually gives way to a fantasy-driven world of ferris wheels, merry-go-rounds, draw bridges and toy trains. "Have you seen my childhood," the audience hears Jackson's digital voice intone, as we recall his best Peter Pan plea that all along, Jackson was just a kid at heart, trying to relive a childhood he never knew. We see on stage in The Immortal World Tour elephants, a giant hat big enough to hold two dancers, and a soft sculpture glove by which performers create varied hand positions. And we see a young Michael as an animatronics puppet during the "Ben" track float in a giant balloon into the arena, to the applause of the capacity Bell Arena audience in Montreal. It's all classic Cirque du Soleil, except, of course, for the absence of the late, great entertainer himself. His absence is all the more glaring each time Jackson shows up on a giant LED screen or the stage-length scrim, via video of his old gigs like the 1987 Bad World Tour, or the pyrotechnics and illusions of the 1992 Dangerous World Tour. King makes the most of the absence. The red jacket, the sequins, the glittering glove and white sock/dance shoes are all represented with props. Dancers showcase the deceased singer's iconic steps, including the moonwalk and his famous leaning motion. Zombie dancers rise from the grave during the "Thriller" track, accompanied by pulsing synths and power choruses. And there's the predictable Cirque du Soleil touches: a mime and a monkey figure dance together during the "Blame It on the Boogie" scene and four performers swing high in the air on ropes during the "Human Nature" track. But a circus mime, a contortionist, acrobats, and dancers and their sweat-breaking choreography can't replace the Real Deal. And make no mistake: Michael Jackson The Immortal Tour is not Jackson's life story. We see a familiar character arc that took Jackson from musical boy wonder as a fifth of the Jackson 5 to global pop genius. But a Cirque du Soleil production sanctioned by the Jackson family could well offend the pop star's detractors for dismissing much that held Jackson's fans and the paparazzi in thrall until his untimely death in 2009: the "sleeping with boys" allegations, Jackson in handcuffs and on trial, the pill popping, the bleached white skin, the spending sprees and the botched plastic surgery. King's quasi-metaphysical storyline of Jackson¹s music and songs, and his quest for global love and protecting the world¹s children, instead never strays from a fantastical, circus sensibility. But the magic of Michael Jackson: The Immortal Tour is the King of Pop's detractors will be left shaking their heads over what all the circus that's come to town means, and Jackson's legions of fans will know exactly what their idol is saying, seemingly from beyond the grave. "Cirque's tribute to Michael Jackson a spectacular show" FROM: The Toronto Star --------------------------------------------------------- When I first heard that Cirque du Soleil was planning a show based on the life and works of Michael Jackson, I felt a shudder of fear. To begin with, I doubted the wisdom of the famous company drawing too heavily off the presence of pop idols, so soon after they failed to ring the bell with Viva Elvis! And as I walked into the Bell Centre on Sunday night, I also questioned what was to be gained by sifting through the ashes of Jackson’s sad demise so soon after the event, especially with the manslaughter trial of his physician, Conrad Murray, about to enter its second week, reminding us over and over of The King of Pop’s tragic, drug-induced death. Well, about 15 minutes into the opening of Michael Jackson – The IMMORTAL World Tour, I heard a voice in my head saying “Oh ye of little faith.” Not only is Cirque’s latest show their most spectacular to date, but for almost all of its 2-hour length, it succeeds in distilling a sad and powerful poetry out of the enigma that was Michael Jackson. Credit Jamie King, the writer and director with succeeding in erecting a tower of glory on top of what could have been a potential minefield. Things click from the very opening, where we’re about to start groaning at the presence of a quintet of typical Cirque clowns, only to realize they’re blessedly multi-racial, genuinely funny and larger- than-life comic portraits of The Jackson Five. Soon after, we tap into a vein of sweet nostalgic bliss for a happy childhood that Michael never really had, taking us through “the lost and found of my heart” and asking a question he would pose until his death: “Where is my childhood?” A little child in a hot air balloon floats over the golden gates of Neverland and disappears over our heads in the spectacular arena staging King and his collaborators have created. They turn the cavernous Bell Centre into a place of magic and I can’t wait to see them repeat the trick in Toronto’s ACC later this month. In a show so packed with visual wonders, it’s impossible to catalogue all the beauty on display, but you won’t forget the aerial acrobats all in black, whose bodies are wired with an assortment of lights that turn them into human star sculptures of breathtaking beauty. And when it comes to the “Ghost Stories” sequence, we all wait to see what’s going to be done with the archetypal Jackson number, “Thriller.” But instead of a mere imitation of the video we all know so well, King and company turn it into a mind-blowing voodoo funeral, all in white, with the spectre of Baron Samedi hovering over the familiar dance steps. As the show goes on, we start to realize how much of Jackson’s vision of the world was ebony-hued and how sadly potent that darkness was. In fact, we literally see how certain images came to overwhelm the reality of Jackson by having his trademark hat, shoes and glove all appear 20 times larger than life as the song “Beat It” is ironically sung. But as the driven Michael keeps dancing towards his death on the numerous video screens, we also see giant clock wheels spinning madly out of control, just as time did for the superstar. There is no one playing Jackson per se, but a solitary performer, clad all in silvery white, with a childlike cap, fills the role of our central figure who becomes hero and victim all at once. As the end comes closer, it gets almost unbearably moving when we hear Jackson’s prophetic lyric, “Gone Too Soon,” with its lines about “Born to amuse, to inspire to delight/Here one day and gone one night.” A stage full of performers with illuminated red hearts beat faster and faster, before fading out one by one. Then from the darkness, we see the entire company with hearts glowing anew, filling the aisles of the theatre while we watch a video of the very young Michael singing “I’ll Be There” with that unique voice which could hurt and heal at the same time. I would have been happy to have the show end in simplicity, right there, but it goes on to an acrobatic upbeat finale, with “greatest hits” like “Billie Jean,” “Black or White” and “Man in the Mirror.” But this is just the very first performance of a world-wide tour and since they have so much of it right already, there’s no reason to doubt that Cirque’s tribute to Michael Jackson will shimmer in complete glory before too long. The capacity audience of 13,000, who stayed cheering on their feet long after the show had ended, adored it, as did the Jackson Family members who attended: mother Katherine; brothers Tito, Jackie and Marlon; and Michael’s three children, Prince, Paris and Blanket. Somehow the sad fact that many of the Jacksons were flying back to Los Angeles early Monday morning to return to Dr. Murray’s manslaughter trial drove the show’s theme home with incredible poignance. Michael Jackson: gone too soon, yet somehow alive again on stage. --------------------------------------------------------- "CirqueCon 2011 Update: We Are A Month Away!" By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA) --------------------------------------------------------- GREETINGS, PASSIONATES! Trick or Treat!! Keith calling with some updates and announcements, as we are now just a month away from CirqueCon 2011: Hollywood! LET'S UPDATE OUR NUMBERS - Here's how things stand: Total members - 66 Total memberships - 41 IRIS tickets - 76 according to our special ticket website. That's more than we have members, so if you have purchased tickets to our "official" performance and aren't a member of CirqueCon 2011, please let me know. Group Meal - 14 Rooms at the Highland Gardens Hotel - 10 HAVE YOU GOT YOUR HOTEL ROOMS/SHOW TICKETS/GROUP MEALS? - Our exclusive deals are still available, through the links we've sent to members previously - but not for long (see more about our deals at our website, www.cirquecon.com ). HOTEL ROOMS - Don't wait too much longer before reserving, when the hotel reaches a certain occupancy level the offer will expire. IRIS TICKETS - There are only 24 of our specially reserved seats for our show on Friday at 8pm. If you haven't gotten your tickets, get them now! After November 7, it is likely the seats will be released back to Cirque for sale. GROUP MEAL - What better way to prepare for a fantastic evening Cirque show than with a delicious meal (and sparkling conversation) beforehand? If you are interested in chatting with other Passionates at our Group Meal on Friday evening at The Grill, get your payment to us now! We will be able to hold slots open until the latter part of November. ANYBODY INTERESTED IN TOURS? LAST CALL! - In our last message we mentioned the possibility of getting group purchase tickets for either a tour of the Kodak Theatre or the Beatles LOVE exhibit at the Grammy Museum in downtown LA. So far we have not recieved enough response to justify making it happen (we need a minimum of 10 in both cases). If you are interested in either, please let me know by Sunday, November 6 AND NOW, AN ANNOUNCEMENT - CirqueCon 2011: Hollywood! will be the eighth consecutive year of Events for us. In those years we've been to wonderful places such as Vancouver, Montreal (twice!), Mexico, Orlando as well as Las Vegas, New York City, Tokyo and soon LA. As fellow tourists we know we've had many indelible memories, met many many new friends and taken several "trips of a lifetime", and we hope you have, too. In those eight years the landscape of Cirque du Soleil has changed greatly as well. Cirque Week now seems to be an annual event in Las Vegas, and we like to think in our own small way we helped show Cirque the power that Passionates have when gathered in one place. Cirque has also taken to opening multiple new creations each year, some in exciting far-flung cities of the world. As you might imagine, organizing an event like CirqueCon takes a lot of work by a lot of people. And after eight years of planning and executing it is time for us to take a break (though we will work hard to make CirqueCon 2011: Hollywood what you have come to expect of us). This means that CirqueCon 2011: Hollywood! will be the last CirqueCon for awhile. We are going on hiatus and will return if we find a compelling reason and a compelling city in which to gather. We plan to indulge in some of our other passions for awhile. So if you've ever considered attending a CirqueCon and experiencing for yourself the power of gathered Passionates sharing the wonder of Cirque du Soleil together, now is the time. We'd love to meet you, get newly or re-aquainted with you and introduce you to some interesting people who share your passion. And see a wonderous Cirque show to boot. THESE NEXT TWO ITEMS ARE FOR EVERYBODY - EVEN IF YOU'VE ATTENDED CIRQUECON IN THE PAST BUT WON'T BE JOINING US THIS YEAR - WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU, TOO! LET'S GATHER YOUR CIRQUECON MEMORIES! - We can't tell you how many times we have heard what wonderful memories you've created through attending CirqueCon. Now is the time to share them!! And we've got several ways to do it. CIRQUECON HAIKU - Here's a contest; condense your thoughts about CirqueCon into haiku! Use the 5-7-5 format and create a haiku that tells us what you've thought and how you feel, we'll put them in our program book. We'll pick one winner, who'll get something special (though we have no idea what it will be). Have fun, be creative, be Cirque-ey!! Deadline is November 17, 2011. AND SEND US YOUR STORIES! Since we will be taking a break, we'd like our Hollywood program book to be full of fantastic CirqueCon memories. If you can't focus it into a haiku, write up your favorite memories of CirqueCon; what it has meant to you, an unforgettable encounter, or what you will remember most. Long stories or short, the more the better! We'll do everything we can to include everyone's stories and haikus. If you have pictures to illustrate, please send them along as well. We Passionates enjoy hearing other's experiences. Send them to Hollywood@cirquecon.com, by November 17, 2011. We love and appreciate everyone who has attended, helped, or facilitated our events over the years. And we have one more great one to go! And it's getting closer!! Thank you for continuing to believe in us and we'll be talking again soon. Just one month left! Live Passionately! Keith, Lucy and Ricky Your CirqueCon 2011: Hollywood! team Email: < Hollywood@cirquecon.com > On the Web: < www.cirquecon.com > Facebook: < http://www.facebook.com/pages/CirqueCon/272446895013 > Twitter: < http://www.twitter.com/CirqueCon/ > ======================================================================= SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION ======================================================================= Fascination! is a monthly publication, available through subscription via the World Wide Web in text format at the newsletter's website: < http://www.CirqueFascination.com/ >. To subscribe, please visit our website and enter your name and email address in the "About Fascination" box and press Subscribe. You,ll receive an email to confirm your selection. Once confirmed you,ll be added to our mailing list. To Subscribe via Realy Simple Syndication (RSS) Feed (News) use the following: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?feed=rss2 >. To view back issues, or other online Newsletter content, please visit us at: < http://www.CirqueFascination.com/ >. Join us on the web at: < www.cirquefascination.com > Realy Simple Syndication (RSS) Feed (News Only): < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?feed=rss2 > ======================================================================= COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER ======================================================================= Fascination! Newsletter Volume 11, Number 11 (Issue #94) - November 2011 "Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (c) 2001-2011 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. { Nov.05.2011 } =======================================================================