======================================================================= ______ _ __ _ __ / ____/___ ___________(_)___ ____ _/ /_(_)___ ____ / / / /_ / __ `/ ___/ ___/ / __ \/ __ `/ __/ / __ \/ __ \/ / / __/ / /_/ (__ ) /__ / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /_/ / / / /_/ /_/ \__,_/____/\___/_/_/ /_/\__,_/\__/_/\____/_/ /_(_) 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 ------------------------------------------------------------ http://www.CirqueFascination.com ------------------------------------------------------------ ======================================================================= VOLUME 13, NUMBER 08 August 2013 ISSUE #115 ======================================================================= Welcome to the latest edition of Fascination, the Unofficial Cirque du Soleil Newsletter. It's funny - no sooner did we finish up our overview of Cirque's musique catalog that the company announced a new addition: ZARKANA's official studio CD! As they say... no good deed goes unpunished! So if you are so inclined, you can purchase the music CD through Amazon, FYE, and, of course, Cirque's own online botique. It's not the only product available online - Gravitas Ventures has struck a deal to become the exclusive VOD distributor of a variety of Cirque du Soleil programs that include performance specials featuring the live shows as well as behind-the-scenes documentaries that highlight the creative process of a Cirque du Soleil show. The titles are available for the first time to a North American audience on VOD, Video on Demand. The first programs, Kooza and A Thrilling Ride Through Kooza, will be available on Aug. 6. Additional programs that will continue into September as part of a Season of Cirque du Soleil, which will include four other specials: Delirium; Hatching, a documentary about the creation of Ovo; Flow: A Tribute to the Artists of O; and The Mystery of Mystere. While many of these have already been released, the OVO one is new and it appears there might even be new recordings of shows coming soon! You'll also find that the second issue of Cirque du Soleil's KÀmic book was released last month, just ahead of San Diego Comic Con - it continues the story laid down in issue #1 with more to come! Although not generally available for sale, you can find copies of the comic on eBay should you be interested. Check out the cover art on our website here: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=4034 >. And speaking of Cirque du Soleil-based graphic novels, have you heard of the "Cirque Du Soleil: ZED - The unofficial graphic novel"? If you haven't you're really missing out! Released JUST before we went to press, this fan-endeavour tells the tale of Cirque du Soleil's ZED in 45 pages of glorious color. Check it out here: < http://goo.gl/oWjKzW >. Zumanity, the sensual side of Cirque du Soleil, celebrated its 10th anniversary at the end of last month. To that end we swing our continuing "looking back" series toward Zumanity in honor of this great achievement! You'll find that within as well as an expanded look at Polstar's ranks and numbers in terms of gross sales, number of tickets sold, average ticket price, and more. Winner! We Have a Winner! Millions read it. Thousands entered. And we have one winner! We are happy to announce the winner of our Trivia Contest was Adam Sutton of Tampa, Florida. Our trivia question --Which artist (other than Cirque du Soleil itself), was signed to Cirque du Soleil Musique, and what was the name of the CD that resulted? The correct answer? Alain Vinet, current Musical Director of Cirque du Soleil, whose 2-CD set, Mouvement, was released in 2005. To quote from our first interview with Mr. Vinet, "Following [Delirium] Cirque [wanted] to produce new musical artists for the [CDS Musique] record label and I was signed as an artist. I was the only one [whose 2-CD set "Mouvement" was released in 2005], because after that the company decided to regroup into what they know best, which is Cirque shows." Congratulations Adam! And, as always, we have the latest news items posted to Fascination's website, tour schedule updates, and the most interesting posts to the many Facebook pages Cirque maintains. It's all inside! 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 * BigTop Shows -- Under the Grand Chapiteau * Arena Shows -- In Stadium-like venues * Resident Shows -- Performed en Le Théâtre o) Outreach -- Updates from Cirque's Social Widgets * Club Cirque -- This Month at CirqueClub * Networking -- Posts on Facebook, G+, & YouTube o) Compartments -- A Peek Behind the Curtain * Didyaknow? -- Facts About Cirque * Historia -- Cirque Company History * Odyssea -- Cirque Tour History o) Fascination! Features * "Cirque’s Tours Make The Grade – again and again and..." By: Ricky Russo & Keith Johnson * "ZUMANITY: 10 Years of Sensuality" By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) o) Subscription Information o) Copyright & Disclaimer ======================================================================= CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS ======================================================================= Zarkana CD Coming July 23rd {Jul.01.2013} ---------------------------------------------- Fans will recognize Paul Bisson (formerly of Corteo) on lead vocals with Cassiopée and Briana Shaw Rossi also featured as lead vocalists on the album. This is the first Cirque du Soleil soundtrack written and produced by Nick Littlemore. Littlemore is well-known as the front man of the acclaimed Sydneybased electronic act PNAU, and as one half of the electro-pop duo Empire of the Sun. As a producer Littlemore has worked with Sir Elton John, Groove Armada, Ellie Goulding, Robbie Williams, and many others. He won his first Australian Record Industry Association Award (ARIA) in 1999 for Best Dance Release with PNAU, and four more ARIAs in 2009 for Empire of the Sun’s album Walking on a Dream. After touring, New York, Madrid and Moscow, the live show Zarkana is now in Las Vegas at the Aria Hotel and Casino, its new permanent location. Zarkana marks the first album release from a Cirque du Soleil permanent show in Las Vegas since the best-selling soundtrack of KÀ. 01. ANTLIA (2:34) 02. ZAWRAQ (3:41) 03. ERIDANUS (4:43) 04. CAPH (4:58) 05. CRYSOCOCCA (3:35) 06. KUMA (3:16) 07. TARIENTAR / THE ARCHER (4:22) 08. GIENAH (4:48) 09. RAE (4:56) 10. TOURAGO / GUIRAM (4:25) 11. JARSEATE (4:35) 12. ASTERAW (4:11) Get your copy today! $18.50 USD via Cirque du Soleil’s Online Boutique LINK /// < http://goo.gl/yYRtt > OR $15.38 USD via Amazon.com. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/JixfC > {SOURCE: Amazon, Cirque du Soleil} Cirque’s hardest balancing act: Safety vs. spectacle {Jul.02.2013} ---------------------------------------------- A small number of details are beginning to emerge regarding the horrifying accident that took the life of Sarah Guillot-Guyard on Saturday, June 30th. We know that Sarah Guillot-Guyard was suspended from a safety harness clipped to a cable as she moved up and down KA’s 50-foot vertical stage, along with 16 other performers, during the show’s battle scene climax – just as she had been countless times during her seven years on the show. She “was being hoisted up the side of the stage and then just plummeted down,” spectator Dan Mosqueda told The Las Vegas Sun. “Initially, a lot of people in the audience thought it was part of the choreographed fight. But you could hear screaming, then groaning, and we could hear a female artist crying from the stage.” As the stunned audience was dismissed from the theater, Guillot- Guyard was rushed to the University Medical Center. The Clark County coronor pronounced her dead. Press reports say Guyard- Guillot died in an ambulance and was pronounced dead at 11:43 p.m. Shockwaves continue to reverberate. KÀ was immediately shut down until at least next Tuesday pending investigations by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the coroner’s office and Cirque du Soleil. The closure does not affect the 18 other Cirque shows across the country. Speculation about what could have caused the accident has just begun: Was it a mechanical malfunction or human error? A Cirque representative, Renee-Claude Menard, would not discuss the open investigation. “At this point in time, I can’t confirm exactly what happened. But I can confirm that she did not slip out of her harness,” she said. “We are fully collaborating with the proper authorities to determine the events that led to this tragic accident.” John Fudenberg of the Clark County Coroner’s office told Variety: “We’re going to be working with OSHA and investigating this tragic accident. There is certainly safety apparatus that is used during any Cirque du Soleil show, and I know that company is very safety-conscious. We have to make sure we inspect the safety harnesses and we’ll work with OSHA to do some of that. Our priority is to find out how this happened. We have to know exactly what failed so we and OSHA can make recommendations on what should be done and how to prevent this from happening again.” Erica Linz, who starred in Cirque du Soleil’s 2012 3-D movie, Worlds Away, was an aerial performer in KÀ for six years. In an interview in October at the MGM Grand theater, during prolonged but regular safety checks, she talked about the extensive training each performer receives, perfecting every maneuver on the ground before slowly moving to higher altitudes. Each night, all performers are in constant radio contact with safety personnel. “There’s multiple rescue plans for everything. We’ll do rescue training and go through every potential scenario,” said Linz, who added that she never had to resort to one of these measures. If there are issues with the airbags below the stage, performers are told “no jumps” into their ear monitors, and lightning flashes onstage as a second signal. A Nevada OSHA spokeswoman and an official with Cirque du Soleil said Monday that they would not predict when the investigation would be completed. The show is dark at least through July 9. {SOURCES: Las Vegas Sun, USA Today, Variety, LV Review-Journal} Coroner releases details into Cirque death {Jul.03.2013} ---------------------------------------------- An official autopsy report released late Tuesday offers new details into the death of veteran acrobat Sarah Guillot-Guyard who fell to her death Saturday night during a performance of Cirque du Soleil’s “Ka” at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The 31-year old French-born mother of two young children, 8 and 5, died of multiple blunt force trauma after falling about 90 feet from the show’s vertical stage, the Clark County Coroner’s Office said, KLAS Las Vegas reported. This updates earlier estimates that she fell 50 feet. Dan Kulin, a county spokesman, told the Las Vegas Sun that the Coroner’s Office determined Guyard-Guillot’s death was accidental. Determining how the accident happened could take up to six months, the Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration said after launching an investigation into the fatal fall, The Associated Press writes. A candlelight vigil to remember Guillot-Guyard is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday evening at Studio 222 on West Flamingo in Las Vegas. {SOURCE: Las Vegas Sun} Final KÀ battle scene likely to be cut {Jul.08.2013} ---------------------------------------------- A representative of Cirque du Soleil says “Ka” plans to remove its final battle scene, the same scene during which a performer died on June 29 after falling roughly 90 feet in front of a live audience at the MGM Grand. Cirque representative Renee-Claude Menard said in an email, “It is very likely that (the) Battle Scene will be removed during the OSHA investigation period,” which can last up to six months. Menard also said Cirque is continuing its initial investigation into the death of 31-year-old Sarah Guillot-Guyard and should announce by next week when “Ka” performances will resume. It is unlikely that “Ka” will be back onstage before July 16, she said. The final scene involves performers suspended by wires rappelling along a vertical wall as the audience watches the battle unfold from a bird’s-eye view. Guillot-Guyard’s death was the first onstage fatality in Cirque’s 29-year history. {SOURCE: Las Vegas Review-Journal | http://goo.gl/l3hox } Performer’s death adds to Cirque’s troubles {Jul.09.2013} ---------------------------------------------- Before this tragic accident, the Canadian circus company had already suffered setbacks including layoffs of 400 staff and a string of poorly performing shows Saturday 29 June was supposed to be the day that Cirque du Soleil turned the page on recent financial and artistic setbacks, and sent a message that it was still the most powerful player in live entertainment in Las Vegas. Instead, it ended with the worst tragedy in the French-Canadian circus company’s history – the first fatal on-stage accident in the 29 years of its existence. During a performance of the Cirque du Soleil extravaganza Kà, audience members gasped in amazement as one of the aerialists plummeted an estimated 27 metres into a pit below the stage. But the fall was no act: Sarah Guyard-Guillot, 31, a mother of two known as “Sasoun” to friends and colleagues, died of her injuries before she reached hospital. The timing of the incident, as well as being a tragedy for Guyard-Guillot’s friends, colleagues and family, was doubly cruel for Cirque – which has been trying to get its momentum back after it had to lay off 400 employees this winter owing to a string of under-performing shows. Earlier the same day, the troupe had held the premiere of Michael Jackson ONE, its much-anticipated news how at the Mandalay Bay resort and casino – just two blocks down from the MGM Grand, which has housed Kà since 2006. Celebrities from Justin Bieber to Spike Lee were on hand for the opening of a spectacle that mixes circus tricks with the music of the late King of Pop – a pairing that has already proved lucrative for Cirque on the road with the arena show, Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour. Concerns that the company has over-saturated the Las Vegas market have escalated over the past year, since its acrobatic tribute to another musical king, Viva Elvis, closed early. The glitzy opening of ONE was no doubt designed to demonstrate that the company was, in fact, not in retreat in Vegas, where it first opened Mystère in 1993 and now operates eight shows. By 11.43pm that evening, however, Guyard-Guillot had been pronounced dead, and soon after the news spread across social media instead of red-carpet pictures of ONE. Directed by Robert Lepage, Quebec’s second most-famous theatrical export after Cirque, Kà is known for two things: its record-breaking budget, an estimated $165 million (more than twice that of Broadway’s budget-smashing, accident-prone musical, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark); and its gravity-defying battle scenes, one called “The Wheel of Death”, and another in which the massive stage flips up 90 degrees and performers fly out towards the audience. When all goes well, the latter looks like a live-action version of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. But something – it’s still unclear what – went wrong during the sequence on June 29 and Guyard-Guillot, who had been a member of Kà’s cast since its creation, fell. The show has been closed since, and Cirque du Soleil has been cooperating fully with an investigation by the Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration that may take up to six months to conclude. Meanwhile, the company’s founder Guy Laliberté – the stilt walker who in 2009 became a billionaire space tourist – has said he is “heartbroken” by the traumatic accident. On the online memorial site forsasoun.com, another circus colleague wrote: “I can’t believe I’ll never again see your smiling face behind that mask of warrior paint … You were, and always in my heart will be, among the most badass of badasses.” Around the world, Cirque du Soleil is known for its thrilling animal-free acts. Its colourful aesthetic forged in the bilingual city of Montreal has proved easy to export. Within the industry, however, the company is equally well known for the steps it takes to protect the performers that help it pull in an estimated $1bn (£674m) annually from ticket and merchandising sales. Safety protocols and detailed risk analyses are a part of every routine’s creation and there are a host of trainers, physiotherapists and even performance psychologists on staff to keep artists healthy. In a 2009 study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers from six Canadian and American universities examined five years of data for Cirque, and found the company’s injury rates less than those for college gymnastics. But just as Cirque du Soleil’s box-office success is no longer certain – the company has suffered a string of disappointments in Las Vegas, New York, Los Angeles and in Asia over the past five years, as it tried to expand too quickly amid a recession – its safety record will now be subject to greater scrutiny. This is not actually the first death on Cirque’s watch. In 2009, the Ukrainian acrobat Oleksandr Zhurov, 24, died during a rehearsal at the company’s Montreal headquarters. Quebec’s occupational health and safety commission investigated and eventually imposed a CA$1,915 (£1,221) fine on the company, according to the Montreal Gazette. More recently, just days before the death at Kà, an acrobat was reportedly taken away from a preview performance of Michael Jackson ONE in a wheelchair after a fall. In a statement released after Guyard-Guillot’s death, Laliberté said: “Our focus now is to support each other as a family.” But the past year has already been trying for the Cirque family in other ways – and families of Cirque performers. In April, news broke that the company would be discontinuing family support for its touring shows. “This means no more family housing, and most critically, no more schooling,” wrote the wife of one performer on her blog Running Away with the Circus. “Everything is slated to close down at the end of our North American tour – June 2014.” Attempts to trim costs have filtered down to the permanent shows running in Las Vegas as well, even as Cirque has gone ahead with the opening of new projects such as Michael Jackson ONE. This spring, singer Dina Emerson started an online fundraiser for seven employees who had “unexpectedly lost their jobs” in Mystère. Kà has been subject to budget cuts too, with two performers from that troupe let go over the winter. There’s nothing to suggest that any of the company’s cost-saving measures have trickled down to safety measures, however. “The layoffs have absolutely no incidence on this accident [sic],” spokesperson Renée-Claude Ménard told me in an email. Still, halfway through 2013, with its 30th anniversary swiftly approaching, Cirque du Soleil now finds itself nursing two blows to a reputation that for the first quarter century of its existence was iron-clad. {SOURCE: The Guardian | http://goo.gl/k2WGLt } Guillot-Guyard benefit show scheduled; KÀ resumes 7/16 {Jul.12.2013} ---------------------------------------------- The first show benefiting the late “Ka” artist Sarah Guillot- Guyard’s family is set for midnight July 18 at Baobab Stage at Town Square. The event is a cabaret-style performance featuring several Cirque performers. Tickets are $20 and available at the Baobab Stage website or by calling (702) 369-7749. The director of Baobab Stage is Wassa Coulibaly, also performer in Cirque’s “Zumanity” at New York-New York (characteristic of Cirque’s worldwide reach, Coulibaly is from Dakar, Senegal). All money raised at the event will be sent to Guillot-Guyard’s family. Meantime, the return of performances of “Ka” appears to be Tuesday. At least that is the preliminary indication if you are confident in the process of ordering tickets to production shows. The MGM box office is taking ticket orders to Tuesday night’s shows, marking the first performances since June 29, when Guillot-Guyard fell from the vertical stage to her death during the show’s Final Battle scene. That act is not expected to return, though Cirque spokeswoman Renee-Claude Menard has stopped short of saying the scene has formally been cut from the production. “Highly unlikely” is the term she’s been using to address that probability. If the Final Battle scene is ever to return, it would be in the far-off future. In the interim, OSHA’s investigation into the incident will take months to complete (the government safety agency has up to six months to issue citations, if any are merited, in such investigations). Cirque shut down the show, not OSHA, and can bring it back without having to clear its decision with the occupational safety inspectors. “We are pursuing our ongoing collaboration with OSHA, and their findings will not be available for a few months down the line. We completely respect their process and will offer our continued collaboration all through the process,” Menard said in an email. “What Cirque du Soleil is doing this week is our own evaluation of when the performances will resume and making the necessary artistic adjustments for when the performances will resume.” {SOURCE: Las Vegas Weekly | http://goo.gl/jmt399 } Cirque du Soleil’s KÀ Performances Resume {Jul.14.2013} ---------------------------------------------- Montreal (July 14, 2013) – Cirque du Soleil announces that performances of KÀ, presented at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, will resume on Tuesday, July 16th at 7:00 p.m. The decision was made after a two-week evaluation and in agreement and consultation with the artists and staff of the production. KÀ will be presented without the “Battle Scene” act. This act has been replaced with a transition artistic scene, “The Dressing-Ritual”, that will maintain both the storyline of production and its 90-minute running time. This scene will not involve acrobatics. Instead it will involve a “soft” approach to the combat that makes it clear who has won. Although the show’s director, Robert Lepage, “has been kept abreast of everything happening in the last 12 days,” according to Cirque du Soleil spokesperson Renée-Claude Ménard, “We have not called on him for this short-term solution. We will, however, appeal to Robert’s artistic wisdom for the mid-to-long- term changes” over six months to a year. The Tuesday July 16th 7:00 P.M. performance will be dedicated to the memory of Sarah Guillot-Guyard (Sasoun). Cirque du Soleil has modified the schedule of performances of KÀ until July 23rd. The revised schedule is as follows: KÀ will begin performances again on Tuesday, July 16th (7pm), Wednesday, July 17th (7pm), Thursday, July 18th (7pm) and Friday, July 19th (7pm). Please note that Saturday, July 20th was a scheduled dark day. We will cancel late show performances for Tuesday, July 16th (9:30pm), Wednesday, July 17th (9:30pm), Thursday July 18th (9:30pm) and Friday, July 19th (9:30pm). KÀ will resume the regular performance schedule beginning on Tuesday, July 23rd. All other ticketing info will remain the same. The details surrounding the accident of June 29th are still under review by OSHA and their report on this matter may take up to 6 months before it is released. Cirque du Soleil wishes to thank the audience and the media for their kind wishes, respect and on-going support during this difficult time. {SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil} Michael Jackson ONE: Cirque re-finds its way {Jul.15.2013} ---------------------------------------------- On June 29, the top executives of the Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil were here at the theater inside the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, sitting alongside the likes of Justin Bieber, Spike Lee & Neil Patrick Harris, celebrating the opening of “Michael Jackson ONE,” the latest Cirque creation, designed as an evocation of the music & spirit of the late King of Pop. Those executives were in dire need of a favorable night. The annus horribilis of an entertainment colossus in that once seemed infallible began last August with the demise of “Viva Elvis,” a Cirque show reflecting its newfound interest in working with the estates of iconic celebrities. Not only was “Elvis” a uncharacteristically bland & unimaginative show — — a whitewash of its subject to the point of rendering the guy unrecognizable — — yet audiences at the high-end Aria Hotel & Casino responded with a yawn. Cirque had wanted to do a retooling, yet the hotel’s owner, MGM Resorts, which found the box-office reports depressing reading, told them to close it down instead. Shows shutter all the time, yet not Cirque shows in Vegas. None of its desert extravaganzas, which typically cost tens of millions to produce & take years of time to recoup, had ever closed. Performers grow old within them. The masterpiece “Mystere” has-been playing nearly 20 years. After the “Elvis” debacle came the layoffs of 400 Cirque employees, some 9 % of the staff, formally announced in January. That led to an uncomfortable headline in the large Canadian newspaper The Globe & Mail: “Massive layoffs & mediocrity: Has Cirque du Soleil lost its way?” Mandalay Bay has a fake beach & wave pool, & in that was the site of the opening-night party for “ONE.” Cirque is famous for its extravagant parties, which typically go on for several hours. But on this occasion, attendees state news filtered in that there had been, in that very Saturday night, a serious accident just up the Strip at the MGM Grand, at “Ka,” one of Cirque’s most massive & artful creations. The show had been canceled midperformance. Although most of the Mandalay Bay celebrants did not know it straightaway, an accident inside one of the show’s thrilling battle scenes had led to the death of a performer, Sarah Guyard-Guillot, a 31-year-old mother of two. Although all circus shows involve risk, & minor accidents are not unknown, no one had ever died while performing a Cirque show. The word here is in that the Cirque leadership & staffers, who remain close-knit despite all of the above, were devastated beyond measure by the death of Guyard-Guillot. Creative or financial struggles are one thing; this was another. This, they felt, had nothing to do with any narrative trajectory of a company, despite the sudden interest of the media in connecting those dots. The accident led to the temporary suspension of “Ka.” As of Thursday, the show still was very slowly easing back in to rehearsals with the intent of removing the scene in that contained the accident. The reopening date, likely to be quiet, has yet to be set. Cirque wants the artists themselves to decide when they are ready. All of in that might explain why “Michael Jackson ONE” opened here with attention very much focused elsewhere. That’s a shame. It is a strikingly attractive & emotional show. Indeed, “ONE,” which was created by Jamie King, who once danced alongside Jackson on his “Dangerous” world tour in 1992-93, is the 1st Cirque show in a acceptable long while to feel like it actually has a heart. That crucial collective drive of vulnerability, wonder & striving for rebirth informed all the amazing early Cirque shows, especially those created by its early auteur, Franco Dragone, the creator of “O.” The return of an emotional personal vision is long overdue. “Michael Jackson ONE” actually is being widely confused with “Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour,” a separate, arena- based Cirque show, moreover based on the life & works of Jackson & in that has-been playing arenas around the world (including the United Center in Chicago last summer). Although a hit at the box office, “The Immortal” is a massive, cool-to-the-touch hagiography in that captures Jackson’s thirst for the kinetic & the spectacular yet seems to crush his gentle spirit & confusing legacy with video, volume, freneticism & fireworks. It evidences a fear of intimacy, which is not surprising given the complexities of its subject, yet still, that’s no excuse for not seeming to reveal much of the man. King’s far superior & infinitely more personal piece at Mandalay Bay is a whole different beast. Indeed, it contains a beast at its center: a roving man-and- machine with arms made up of cameras, headlines, flashbulbs & probing tentacles. When you add the projected tabloid images on the walls of the theater in that greet the audience as it enters, you grasp the show has an antagonist not unlike the one in that pursued Jackson himself. By contrast, the representations of Jackson are fleeting, flickering & fragile. The notion of Jackson rendered in twinkling lights & inhabiting the Milky Way will sound cloying to the arguable late star’s detractors, of course, yet then such people are not the target audience. And to King’s amazing credit, he doesn’t deify so much as evoke with arresting fullness in that familiar Jacksonian worldview — — in that instantly recognizable, inherently unworkable blend of softness, horror, urbanity & escape. The Jackson of “ONE” captures in that wildly singular fusion of childhood innocence & pulp stardom — — & makes clear in that when Jackson died, the world of Neverland disappeared with him, for acceptable or ill. It is a show in that makes you miss the guy & his art. In its best moments, it makes you wonder what aspects of him ever really touched the earth. “ONE,” as seen Wednesday, is a remarkable sonic experience. There are a whopping 5,800 speakers installed in the theater, in addition to at least three in every seat, creating an experience in that certainly can’t be re-created in arenas. The mixes of the Jackson hits are, of course, based on the original recordings, yet they have been infused by music director Kevin Antunes with theatricality. There are unexpected pauses, mashups, stutters, reaches. The take on “Bad,” performed against a backdrop of a graffiti- clad moving subway car with original Jackson video playing off to the side, is especially resonant in in that it contextualizes Jackson’s music against a stark, bad picture of the huge U.S. cities of the 1980s, before mayors started cleaning them up & the yuppies moved back. It’s arresting little meditation on what the weird guy was up against back then with all his talk of reconciliation & wonder. King uses a frame — — a quartet of initially cynical youthful explorers in street clothes breaking in to Neverland, it seems, & slowly being immersed & empowered by Jackson’s world. It’s not a wildly original device (the chaotic 1st version of “Spider- Man: Turn Off the Dark” on Broadway tried something similar with disastrous results), yet it is executed very well by King, & it allows for an eye-popping final moment when 50 or so dancers we’ve watched do “Bad,” “Thriller” & “Beat It” disappear en masse in to the floor, even as their guiding Jackson sprit heads for the rafters. The fan characters, who remind you of the crew from Scooby Doo, until they start to dance themselves, then just get on with their lives. Mostly by not fearing a few notes of ambiguity, King pulls off what surely read in description as hokey devices. There’s one such moment, which will be what most people carry home from their costly 90 minutes, when Jackson, who is never impersonated in the show directly, appears in holographic form, dancing alongside the company, only to suddenly transform in to his younger self from Gary, Ind., only then to disappear without warning in to a puff of digitized smoke, leaving the other dancers sad & confused. It’s an eye-popping trick, worth the price of admission. Aside from wondering how on earth they did in that with such realism, you get an existential shiver or two. It’s certainly a moment in that plays with an icon’s immortality — — which is what a lot of Jackson fans want — — yet it’s just removed enough in that it does not so much feel like Jackson has-been reborn so much as taken the form of a ghost dancing, not so different from the visions in that both ennobled & terrified Scrooge. People’s mouths fall open. The sensation is, as anything sensational about Jackson always should be, complex. And complexity coupled with heart is the only way to bring a grieving Cirque back. {SOURCE: Chris Jones, Las Vegas NV Blog | http://goo.gl/gGgNBw } LV Sun: “KÀ marks a triumphant, and poignant, return” {Jul.17.2013} ---------------------------------------------- On the night the circus returned to MGM Grand, a man and his two daughters were spotted standing, hugging, near the theater exit at the end of the show. They were crying, the father and the two girls. The sisters looked to be about 10 and 8 years old, if that. The man wrapped his arms around the girls and was asked if he wanted to say anything about the performance he just saw. “We were good friends, and she taught my daughters,” said the man, who declined to give his name as tears streaked his face. “We just had to be here, and we loved her. That’s all I can say right now.” The woman of whom he spoke was the late Sarah Guillot-Guyard, who died after falling from the stage in a performance of “Ka” on June 29. Tuesday’s show is the first performance of the production since Guillot-Guyard fell 90 feet from the show’s moveable stage, which had been hoisted in its vertical position for the show’s Final Battle scene. OSHA inspectors have been investigating the accident, the first death from an onstage incident ever in Cirque’s 29 years. The occupational safety findings could take as long as six months to be made public, though OSHA did not forge the cancellation of “Ka” performances over the past 2 ½ weeks. That was Cirque’s decision, as was the move to sideline the Final Battle act, the show’s climactic scene, at least until OSHA issues its findings. In its place is a far more sedate act titled the Dressing Ritual, in which the show’s twin characters are dressed in formal attire as they reunite at show’s end. Tuesday’s show was a sellout in the 1,950-seat Ka Theater. The show was dedicated to Guillot-Guyard, and a female voiceover told the audience that the show was dedicated to “an exceptional artist.” At that, the crowd rose, and many sobs could be heard across the audience. The performance itself was classic Cirque. Aside from eliminating the Final Battle and adding the new act, which kept the show’s running time at 90 minutes, “Ka” was characteristically daring and powerful. During the performance, about 20 artists dove or fell into the 25-foot open pit at the center of the stage. This including the “audience member” who is thrown into the open space after his cell phone blares just before the show starts. All of the other wildly, and dangerously, inventive acts remain: the fistfights on the swaying sea vessel, the artists plunging down the vertical stage as archers fire arrows across the theater, aerialists bounding dozens of feet above the stage while hooked to bungee chords, and the winter scene in which performers are locked into the same types of harnesses and wire cables used in the Final Battle and scale that towering, vertical stage. The show ended with a loud, lengthy standing ovation. Many performers sighed heavily and pumped their fists at the crowd. Cirque has not yet decided how, or even if, another public tribute will be made in honor of Guillot-Guyard. She has been memorialized privately twice, in Paris and Las Vegas. Thursday at 11:59 p.m., performers from shows across Las Vegas, including many Cirque artists, are staging a cabaret show at Baobob Stage at Town Square. Some fans in the audience were caught unaware that the performance held such importance. Visiting couple Gerd and Traudel Lange of Washington, D.C., had known of the Guillot- Guyard tragedy, but hadn’t known the show they had just watched was “Ka’s” return to the stage. “They are such incredible athletes and acrobats, world class,” said Traudel Lange, a real-estate agent in Las Vegas for a conference. “They are remarkable.” Added Gerg Lange, a retired forest and technical engineer who once worked in theater staging: “What I just saw — I’ve never seen anything like it. To know someone lost their life doing this is very, very sad.” {SOURCE: John Katsilometes, Las Vegas Sun | http://goo.gl/CRKaMv } ======================================================================= ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION ======================================================================= o) BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau {Amaluna, Corteo, Koozå, OVO, Totem & Varekai} o) ARENA - In Stadium-like venues {Alegría, Quidam, Dralion & MJ Immortal} o) RESIDENT - Performed en Le Théâtre {Mystère, "O", La Nouba, Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE, Believe, Zarkana & Michael Jackson ONE} 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. 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: Denver, CO -- Jul 18, 2013 to Aug 25, 2013 Minneapolis, MN -- Sep 26, 2013 to Oct 20, 2013 San Francisco, CA -- Nov 15, 2013 to Dec 29, 2913 San Jose, CA -- Jan 22, 2014 to Feb 9, 2014 New York, NY -- Mar 20, 2014 to May 18, 2014 Corteo: Brasilia, BR -- Aug 2, 2013 to Sep 8, 2013 Belo Horizonte, BR -- Sep 19, 2013 to Oct 27, 2013 Curitiba, BR -- Nov 8, 2013 to Dec 15, 2013 Rio de Janeiro -- Dec 26, 2013 to Feb 23, 2014 Porto Alegre, BR -- Mar 7, 2014 to Apr 13, 2014 Koozå: Knokke, BE -- Jul 18, 2013 to Aug 18, 2013 Moscow, RU -- Sep 7, 2013 to TBA Paris, FR -- Nov 23, 2013 to Dec 23, 2013 Ovo: Taipei, TW -- Nov 19, 2013 to Jan 5, 2014 Tokyo, JP -- Feb 12, 2014 to TBA Sendai, JP -- Apr 23, 2014 to TBA Osaka, JP -- Jul, 17, 2014 to TBA Nagoya, JP -- Nov 20, 2014 to TBA Fukuoka, JP -- Feb 21, 2015 to TBA Totem: Ottawa, ON -- Jul 11, 2013 to Aug 4, 2013 Columbus, OH -- Aug 22, 2013 to Sep 15, 2013 Long Beach, CA -- Oct 11, 2013 to Nov 10, 2013 Irvine, CA -- Nov 21, 2013 to Dec 29, 2013 Santa Monica, CA -- Jan 17, 2014 to Feb 9, 2014 Portland, OR -- Mar 27, 2014 to May 4, 2014 Vancouver, BC -- May 15, 2014 to Jun 6, 2014 Varekai: Guadalajara, MX -- Aug 14, 2013 to Aug 28, 2013 Mexico City, mX -- Sep 19, 2013 to Oct 13, 2013 (Going Arena: December 2013) ------------------------------------ ARENA - In Stadium-Like Venues ------------------------------------ Alegría: Gdansk, PO -- Jul 31, 2013 to Aug 04, 2013 Palma de Mallorca, ES -- Aug 22, 2013 to Aug 30, 2013 Bucharest, RO -- Sep 5, 2013 to Sep 8, 2013 Bratislava, SK -- Sep 11, 2013 to Sep 15, 2013 Sofia, BG -- Sep 20, 2013 to Sep 22, 2013 Minsk, BY -- Sep 26, 2013 to Sep 28, 2013 Newcastle, UK -- Oct 17, 2013 to Oct 20, 2013 Leeds, UK -- Oct 23, 2013 to Oct 27, 2013 Liverpool, UK -- Oct 30, 2013 to Nov 3, 2013 Nottingham, UK -- Nov 6, 2013 to Nov 10, 2013 Lille, FR -- Nov 13, 2013 to Nov 17, 2013 Bordeaux, FR -- Nov 20, 2013 to Nov 24, 2013 Valencia, ES -- Nov 28, 2013 to Dec 1, 2013 Gijon, ES -- Dec 4, 2013 to Dec 8, 2013 Santander, ES -- Dec 11, 2013 to Dec 15, 2013 Madrid, ES -- Dec 18, 2013 to Dec 22, 2013 (Closing in Madrid, Dec 22, 2013) Quidam: Sunrise, FL -- Jul 31, 2013 to Aug 4, 2013 Estero, FL -- Aug 7, 2013 to Aug 11, 2013 Graz, AT -- Sep 5, 2013 to Sep 8, 2013 Vienna, AT -- Sep 11, 2013 to Sep 15, 2013 Leipzig, DE -- Sep 18, 2013 to Sep 22, 2013 Stuttgart, DE -- Sep 25, 2013 to Sep 29, 2013 Innsbruck, AT -- Oct 2, 2013 to Oct 6, 2013 Salzburg, AT -- Oct 9, 2013 to Oct 13, 2013 Munich, DE -- Oct 16, 2013 to Oct 20, 2013 Cologne, DE -- Oct 23, 2013 to Oct 27, 2013 Frankfurt, DE -- Oct 30, 2013 to Nov 3, 2013 Dortmund, DE -- Nov 6, 2013 to Nov 10, 2013 Mannheim, DE -- Nov 13, 2013 to Nov 17, 2013 Malaga, ES -- Dec 5, 2013 to Dec 8, 2013 Zaragoza, ES -- Dec 11, 2013 to Dec 15, 2013 Sevilla, ES -- Dec 18, 2013 to Dec 22, 2013 A Coruña, ES -- Dec 25, 2013 to Dec 29, 2013 London, UK -- Jan 4, 2014 to Feb 2, 2014 Toulouse, FR -- Mar 5, 2014 to Mar 9, 2014 Strasbourg, FR -- Mar 12, 2014 to Mar 16, 2014 Toulon, FR -- Mar 19, 2014 to Mar 23, 2014 Lyon, FR -- Apr 2, 2014 to Apr 6, 2014 Dralion: Nantes, FR -- Jul 31, 2013 to Aug 4, 2013 Doha, QA -- Sep 19, 2013 to Sep 21, 2013 Beirut, LB -- Oct 10, 2013 to Oct 13, 2013 Athens, GR -- Oct 29, 2013 to Nov 3, 2013 Rome, IT -- Nov 8, 2013 to Nov 17, 2013 Turin, IT -- Nov 21, 2013 to Nov 24, 2013 Milan, IT -- Nov 28, 2013 to Dec 1, 2013 Geneva, CH -- Dec 4, 2013 to Dec 8, 2013 Basel, CH -- Dec 11, 2013 to Dec 15, 2013 Barcelona, ES -- Dec 18, 2013 to Dec 29, 2013 Lisbon, PT -- Jan 1, 2014 to Jan 12, 2014 Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour: Beijing, CN -- Aug 9, 2013 to Aug 11, 2013 Shanghai, CN -- Aug 16, 2013 to Aug 18, 2013 Hong Kong, CN -- Aug 22, 2013 to Aug 25, 2013 Perth, AU -- Sep 18, 2013 to Sep 22, 2013 Sydney, AU -- Sep 26, 2013 to Sep 29, 2013 Brisbane, AU -- Oct 2, 2013 to Oct 6, 2013 Melbourne, AU -- Oct 9, 2013 to Oct 13, 2013 Adelaide, SA -- Oct 15, 2013 to Oct 17, 2013 Auclkand, NZ -- Oct 30, 2013 to Nov 3, 2013 Varekai: Montreal, QC -- Dec 20, 2013 to Dec 30, 2013 --------------------------------- RESIDENT - en Le Théâtre --------------------------------- Mystère: Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark: Thursday/Friday Two shows Nightly - 7:00pm & 9:30pm 2013 Dark Dates: o September 5 - 13 o November 6 2013 Added Performances: o December 27 "O": Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark: Monday/Tuesday Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:00pm 2013 Dark Dates: o August 7 - 11 o October 6 o December 3 - 17 2013 Added Performances: o December 24 o December 31 La Nouba: Location: Walt Disney World, Orlando (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday Two shows Nightly - 6:00pm and 9:00pm 2013 Dark Dates: o September 17-21 o November 5-6 Zumanity: Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark Wednesday/Thursday Two Shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:00pm 2013 Dark Dates: o TBA KÀ: Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark Sunday/Monday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 2013 Dark Dates: o September 22 -30 2013 Added Performances: o December 30 LOVE: Location: Mirage, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Thursday through Monday, Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 2013 Dark Dates: o August 21-7 o October 10 o December 11-26 2013 Added Performances: o December 10 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. 2013 Dark Dates: o September 3 - 7 o November 26 - 30 o December 17 - 24 2013 Added Performances: o August 1 o August 7 & 8 o August 14 & 15 o August 21 & 22 o December 25 & 26 ZARKANA: Location: Aria, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark: Wednesday/Thursday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 2013 Dark Dates: o August 21 - September 5 o November 5 2013 Added Performances: o December 26 MICHAEL JACKSON ONE: Location: Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark: Thursday/Friday Two Shows Nightly: 7:00pm and 10:00pm 2013 Dark Dates: o August 22 - 30 o October 9 o December 5 – 20 ======================================================================= OUTREACH - UPDATES FROM CIRQUE's SOCIAL WIDGETS ======================================================================= o) Club Cirque -- This Month at CirqueClub o) Networking -- Posts on Facebook, G+, & YouTube --------------------------------------- CLUB CIRQUE: This Month at CirqueClub --------------------------------------- “Artists in Training” – Episode 2 {Jul.11.2013} ---------------------------------------------- We continue the presentation of Artists in Training: an original documentary webseries introducing new artists visiting the Montreal Head Office. Get an insider’s look at all the challenges and thrills they face as they take a new turn. In this second Episode, Barry Lowin is slowly getting into his character. See it first on Cirque Club! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/QE70aT > --------------------------------------------------- NETWORKING: Cirque on Facebook, YouTube & Twitter --------------------------------------------------- {Compiled by Keith Johnson} ---[ ALEGRIA ]--- {Jul.05} Learn more about the true meaning behind Alegria with this extract from our In the Wings documentary. Tell us what Alegria means to you! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/cqwyCM > {Jul.25} This is just one of the drawers of our giant make-up road case. Did you know that we travel with over 150 different colors of lip pencils, creams, blushes, powders and lipsticks and have inventory to last us approximately 1 year? It takes up to 6 strong men to move the entire cabinet! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/MmoXfY > ---[ AMALUNA ]--- {Jul.21} Behind the Scenes at Amaluna: The Band Pit, where our all female band and the band leader make great music happen! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/ycwMm8 > {Jul.22} How do Circus folk get to work? Bikes, Bikes and more Bikes! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/hF5a4m > ---[ CIRQUE DU SOLEIL ]--- {Jul.23} Whether juggling torches, balls or rings, slithering, leaping or bounding in the air, our artists must show extreme agility. (Ed. Note: There are 8 short videos in this series.) LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgU5hOSqBcw > {Jul.29} Meet Danielle and Kendrick, tap dancers, currently training at our International Headquarters in Montreal. LINK /// < http://instagram.com/p/cXLXz1xIz1/ > ---[ CORTEO ]--- {Jul.17} By our 3,000th performance, 513 cast & crew and over 6200 temporary staff have contributed their talents to the success of Corteo! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/uZ7Q6N > LINK /// < http://goo.gl/18LZnJ > ---[ DRALION ]--- {Jul.04} We made it to the Souk Waqif! Our performers will come out for photos at 9:00 pm. Stay tuned! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/0V7gRd > {Jul.05} Our performers are applying their make up for the today's sneak peak previews in Doha at 3:30 pm at City Center, 6:30 pm at the Villagio Mall and at 8:30 pm at Landmark. Come see us! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/Szas54 > {Jul.06} Bonjour la France! Le montage au Galaxie Mega Hall d'Amneville va bon train. On a hâte de vous voir à compter du 9 juillet! Crédit photo: M. Newnum LINK /// < http://goo.gl/ZI4GnL > {Jul.09} Congratulations to Vladimir who did his first performance tonight in Amnéville! It was a hit! Have you ever seen the juggling act in Dralion? LINK /// < http://instagram.com/p/bEeQF_xI4w/# > {Jul.11} Fine tuning the choreographies for the show (3 photos) - Performers are perfecting their choreography with Dralion's choreographer Julie Lachance. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/kVIdcl > {Jul.17} Parade in Nice, FR (5 photos) - Dralion characters visited the Galeries Lafayette/Cap 3000 and Place Masséna. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/0NGQ7c > {Jul.24} Did you know this performer invented the Crossed wheel (unique in the world) six years ago from an idea he had. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/5bySpF > {Jul.26} Last night, we introduced our new Âme Force (singer) in the show. Listen to his debut in the Handbalancing act. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/4FFmvY > ---[ KOOZA ]--- {Jul.24} What do you think about our new poster for Moscow? KOOZA will open in Moscow on September 7! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/iuT7Ra > ---[ MJ IMMORTAL ]--- {Jul.14} Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour by Cirque du Soleil is heading to New Zealand! Get a behind the scenes look at what to expect plus a peek into Michael Jackson ONE! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/RmDvb6 > {Jul.19} Three of the most talented performers from the Michael Jackson Immortal World Tour, Josh Rasile (Acrobat),Khalid Freeman (Dancer, Fanatic Character), and Pom Arnold (Dancer) stopped by AFN Daegu to tell Area IV about themselves and their experiences working on such an amazing show. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/IsLkfv > {Jul.20} Every arena we visit is different and sometimes we need to get creative with how we set up the backstage area. For example, here at EXCO in Daegu several of the offices and backstage rooms have been created under our own little Big Tops! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/TqlzL8 > {Jul.23} Guitarist Jon Myron Clark talks to the New Zealand Herald about working with Michael Jackson and bringing IMMORTAL to Auckland. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/LTIYqm > ---[ MJ IMMORTAL ]--- {Jul.12} Check out the Rolling Stone review of Michael Jackson ONE for a look at what Tito, Jackie, and Marlon Jackson think of the show: LINK /// < http://goo.gl/vFifGc > ---[ MYSTERE ]--- {Jul.19} Today we performed at Hudson Booksellers in Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac)! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/Gfl9g1 > LINK /// < http://goo.gl/SntDFi > ---[ "O" ]--- {Jul.22} Do you remember this act from the last time you saw "O"? (ED: Don’t get too excited, it’s only :30) LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txju4TDx9cg > ---[ OVO ]--- {Jul.15} Want to learn more about the inspiration behind the music of OVO? Watch this video where Berna Ceppas, the show's composer, reveals the different music genres that inspired him. LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v_7R6a9B8Q > ---[ QUIDAM ]--- {Jul.05} Did you see us in the street of Charlotte with the Quidam Street Team? LINK /// < http://goo.gl/wVWfJM > ---[ THE BEATLES LOVE ]--- {Jul.12} The new LOVE display in the lobby at The Mirage Hotel and Casino is coming along – check back soon as we make it even more colorful! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/3ssPqa > {Jul.18} The Beatles LOVE Lobby Display at The Mirage Hotel and Casino (4 photos) - Don't miss the lobby display for The Beatles LOVE at The Mirage Hotel and Casino! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/oZeERK > {Jul.30} One of our artists saw this scene and couldn't resist taking a photo – we thought you might like it, too! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/amlHD0 > ---[ TOTEM ]--- {Jul.10} Marina & Svetlana Tsodikova rehearsing under the big top at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa!! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/yEETZ8 > {Jul.10} Shandien Larance, Hoop Dancer, rehearsing her routine! TOTEM opens tomorrow in Ottawa!!! (Video) LINK /// < http://goo.gl/9cDK0I > {Jul.12} We are now opened in Ottawa!!! See Pavel Saprykin's training session before the show yesterday at the Canadian Tire Centre!! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/B5EDtz > {Jul.17} Eric Hernandez performing live on CTV! Coming up, Ottawa Rogers Daytime! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/705WlU > {Jul.18} Have you missed the performance of our Native American Hoop Dancer Eric Hernandez on CTV Ottawa on Tuesday? Watch it here! LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN481PCM3pk > {Jul.24} Ottawa!! Watch CTV Morning tomorrow to see Melissa in action on the Trapeze!! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/0JruzL > {Jul.27} Did you know? To reduce the amount of plastic and paper we use, the artists all have their own cup with their nickname written on it to drink water after their performance! Here is Sarah "little bird" Tessier from the Love Birds Trapeze Act! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/OJXKhr > {Jul.30} Meet James Mack our percussionist!! Did you know he plays 13 different instruments during the show including a djembe he created himself!! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/elh2rg > ---[ ZARKANA ]--- {Jul.09} A Jovian was recently unveiled at Jean Philippe Patisserie in ARIA Resort & Casino, made up of more than 99 lbs. of chocolate. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/CDD9HZ > {Jul.16} Go behind the scenes of the making of the chocolate Zarkana sculptures now on display at Jean Philippe Patisserie in ARIA Resort & Casino: LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULiNZFxAtAg > ---[ ZUMANITY ]--- {Jul.09} Let's all agree to make today Waterbowl Wednesday! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/ELsVaJ > ======================================================================= COMPARTMENTS -- A PEEK BEHIND THE CURTAIN ======================================================================= o) DIDYAKNOW - Facts at a Glance about Cirque o) HISTORIA - Cirque Company History --------------------------------- DIDYAKNOW? - Facts About Cirque --------------------------------- o) Did you know that approximately 150,000,000 pieces of snow were thrown in Alegria since May 2009? o) Did you know that Alegria's snow machine is operated by a technician backstage and he manually feeds the 'snowflakes' that fall from the ceiling? o) Did you know the PowerTrack act in Alegria counts 14 performers? o) Since its premiere in 2005, Corteo has produced 63.36 tons of popcorn, using 19,600 liters of oil and 2.1 tons of salt! o) Since its premiere in 2005, more than 25,000 hours were required for pressing and steaming Corteo's costumes. o) By the 2999th performance, Corteo's technical crew will have pushed the automation “Go” button 695,768 times!! o) In Dralion's Bamboo Poles act, six men balance long decorative poles symbolizing fire. Did you know that each poles weighs 7.5 kg and are close to 5M long. o) Did you know the Mad Max movies inspired the wigs used in Kooza? o) Did you know there are 254 pairs of shoes worn in MJ: The Immortal? o) Did you know that there are more than 300 headpieces in Mystère? Some of them only last three weeks with use! o) Did you know that OVO's Egg, which is inflatable, measures 28 ft wide by 22 ft tall? o) Did you know that the initial cricket costumes in OVO required 75 hours of work? It takes that long because of their complexity and the need to give them rigidity while maintaining the flexibility and expandability of the material? o) Did you know that the wall in OVO measures 60ft wide by 20ft tall? It is supported only on the sides to allow a floor with built-in trampolines to slide in and out like an enormous drawer. ------------------------------------ HISTORIA: Cirque Company History ------------------------------------ * Aug.03.2004 -- Alegría CD Released US (CDS Musique) * Aug.05.1996 –- Cirque Announced Show at WDW * Aug 06.2006 –- Mystère celebrated 6000th performance [Sunday, 7:30pm] * Aug.06.2008 –- Nakeel of Dubai purchases 20% Stake in Cirque * Aug.06.2010 –- Varekai celebrated 3000th performance in Oostende, Belgium * Aug.08.2008 –- Koozå celebrated 500th Performance [Fri, 4:00pm/Chicago] * Aug.09.1990 -- Nouvelle Expérience CD Released (Nâga) * Aug.10.2006 –- La Nouba Celebrates 5,000,000th guest! * Aug.13.2006 –- Corteo celebrated 500th performance [Sun, 5:00pm/Chicago] * Aug.14.1996 -- Mystère Live CD Released in Canada (RCA/Victor) * Aug.16.2001 -- Cirque wins 3 Emmys for Dralion on Bravo * Aug.16.2005 -- «O» CD released in Canada (CDS Musique) * Aug.16.2005 -- La Nouba CD released in Canada (CDS Musique) * Aug.16.2005 -- Mystère (Live) CD released in Canada (CDS Musique) * Aug.18.2000 -- Alegría: Le Film premiered in Italy * Aug.20.2008 –- DELIRIUM premieres on Digital Theater Screens * Aug.30.2004 –- Zumanity celebrated its 500th performance * Aug.xx.2001 –- Dralion celebrated 500th Show [Minneapolis, Minnesota] ======================================================================= FASCINATION! FEATURES ======================================================================= o) "Cirque’s Tours Make The Grade – again and again and..." By: Ricky Russo & Keith Johnson o) "ZUMANITY: 10 Years of Sensuality" By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) ---------------------------------------------------------- "Cirque’s Tours Make The Grade – again and again and..." By: Ricky Russo & Keith Johnson ---------------------------------------------------------- During early July Pollstar’s state-of-the-art UNIBLAB computer was spewing smoke, grinding gears and chewing up punch cards to determine the state of the world, concert-wise. January through June 2013 resulted in the Top 50 Worldwide Tours selling nearly $1.85 billion in tickets, a 23 percent rise from the same period one year ago. Total tickets sold during the first six months also jumped when compared to last year. In 2013 the figure rose 10.5 percent to 21 million even though the average ticket price increased by $9.09, up 11.5 percent to $88.03. Bon Jovi was the clear winner on the Worldwide Tours chart, grossing $142.1 million. Another New Jersey act captured second place. With an average ticket price of $107.19, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band’s total tickets sold was 969,504 for 31 shows in 21 cities, half of what Bon Jovi played. The Rolling Stones came in third, playing half as many times as Springsteen but with an average ticket price of a whopping $350.00, three times as much as the other two. So where does Cirque du Soleil sit on the world-wide charts? 4th, 14th, 15th, 18th, 19th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 49th and 58th! Here’s how it breaks down... o) Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL grossed $79.6 million for 4th place. With an average ticket price of $116.53, the production played 88 shows in 20 cities, sold a total of 683,196 tickets and achieved an average gross of $3,980,577 per show. o) OVO grossed $45.3 million for 14th place. With an average ticket price of $132.24, the production played 166 shows in 3 cities, sold a total of 342,315 tickets and achieved an average gross of $272,706 per show. o) Corteo grossed $44.2 million for 15th place. With an average ticket price of $107.87, the production played 238 shows in 1 city, sold a total of 415,233 tickets and achieved an average gross of $188,193 per show. o) Kooza grossed $33.3 million for 18th place. With an average ticket price of $97.19, the production played 163 shows in 3 cities, sold a total of 342,678 tickets and achieved an average gross of $204,324 per show. o) Varekai grossed $31.1 million for 19th place. With an average ticket price of $65.84, the production played 195 shows in 3 cities, sold a total of 473,099 tickets and achieved an average gross of $159,733 per show. o) Dralion grossed $28.0 million for 26th place. With an average ticket price of $87.71, the production played 92 shows in 6 cities, sold a total of 319,701 tickets and achieved an average gross of $304,784 per show. o) Totem grossed $27.7 million for 27th place. With an average ticket price of $91.33, the production played 152 shows in 3 cities, sold a total 303,487 tickets and achieved an average gross of $182,351 per show. o) Amaluna grossed $26.0 million for 28th place. With an average ticket price of $88.48, the production played 136 shows in 4 cities, sold a total of 294,230 tickets and achieved an average gross of $191,432 per show. o) Quidam grossed $15.2 million for 49th place. With an average ticket price of $59.01, the production played 134 shows in 22 cities, sold a total of 267,748 tickets and achieved an average gross of $718,124 per show. o) Alegria grossed $14.3 million for 58th place. WIth an average ticket price of $82.83, the production played 66 shows in 9 cities, sold a total of 172,556 tickets and achieved an average gross of $216,552 per show. A summary article can be found here: < http://goo.gl/tvo5FV >. The Worldwide Top 100 midyear chart is here: < http://goo.gl/cfWw9c > And the North American Top 100 midyear chart is here: < http://goo.gl/aQQX4G > If you strip out MJ Immortal’s nearly 80 million dollars in tickets grosses (since Cirque must share revenue with the Michael Jackson estate), the total gross of Cirque’s other nine units on the chart total $266.3 million, almost double that of first-place finisher Bon Jovi. But Bon Jovi is just one act, they would have to clone themselves several times to come close to Cirque’s total. The chart also shows, once again, that Cirque obtains its standing through the sheer hard work of repetition. Attendance figures range from 1,997 to 3,475 seats sold per show (Immortal, with its full-arena configuration, totals an average of 34,160 seats sold). Cirque plays to the least amount of people per show of all acts on the Top 100 chart except “Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance”. Ticket costs for the Cirque shows in the chart range from the mid $80’s to low $90’s. However, there are two outliers; Corteo at $108 and Ovo at a way-out-of-norm $132! This is a reflection of their touring locations – OVO was in Australia for the first six months of the year, while CORTEO was in Hamburg Germany for a month, then in Sao Paulo from April-July. The average gross revenue figures per unit are also much lower than other acts, with Cirque having the lowest per show gross per unit of any act in the Top 50. Since the number of seats sold is below the norm, along with the ticket price, why do the shows continue to place highly? The clue is in number of shows – Cirque averages 150 per unit, something no one else in the Top 100 even comes close to. Michael Jackson Immortal placed at #4 also due to determination. It played for 88 shows in 20 cities, an amount you’d have to go all the way to OVO at #14 to approach. In fact, it is second in quantity of performances only to the average of the other Cirque shows, “Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance” and “Walking with Dinosaurs.” It also has the advantage of using a full-arena configuration which allows it to play to much larger houses. Its 34,000 average attendance is matched only by #2 Bruce Springsteen, #7 Depeche Mode, #16 Paul McCartney, #35 Robbie Williams, and #40 Vasco Rossi, all veteran “legacy” rock acts. That it sold so well during the first half of the year is due to its being in Europe, where it plays in larger halls than in North America and where Michael Jackson is more popular. The charts again show that Cirque makes its money through multiple units touring simultaneously with a high number of performances per unit. Otherwise known as – sheer hard work. ---------------------------------------------------------- "ZUMANITY: 10 Years of Sensuality" By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) ---------------------------------------------------------- In 1993, Cirque du Soleil planted what it called a “Flower in the Desert” with Mystère and watched its newly-formed garden bloom when it launched “O” in 1998 to enormous success. When their partner – Mirage Resorts – merged with MGM Grand in May 2000 and their Mirage, Treasure Island, and Bellagio resorts joined with MGM Grand Inc.’s New York-New York and MGM Grand, speculation ran rampant that Cirque du Soleil would extend its resident show empire in Las Vegas to the showrooms in these casino-hotels. When and where, however, was a mystery, but by March 2002 those rumors became a little more persistent. Cirque fans considered that Mystère might fold at Treasure Island and another Cirque show – Alegría – would take its place, but other gossip suggested that Mystère would be staying indefinitely and a third, different show would make an appearance on the Las Vegas Strip. During March 2002 the Las Vegas Review-Journal suggested the second option was the more plausible possibility and reported that the management of the New York-New York casino-hotel had been actively courting Cirque du Soleil founder and President Guy Laliberté to set up something at their property. Indeed, in an article published December 4, 2001, Alan Feldman (Vice President of Public Affairs for MGM Mirage) confirmed that the New York-New York casino hotel would be the number one choice for the next Cirque show on the Las Vegas Strip. But where would it go? According to the article Cirque could set up a big top on property (think Nouvelle Experience in 1993 at The Mirage) until a suitable theater could be built for the show. Or, a show might move in to the Broadway Theater, which was then occupied by “Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance.” Options were open and all bets were on the table. Would it happen? RUMOURS CONTINUED ----------------- Speculation regarding a new Las Vegas production would not abate. In fact when Cirque posted a casting call the following month (April 2002) for “a new project”, it only stoked the rumor mill’s fire. In their words, "Cirque du Soleil is now developing a new form of Cabaret-style show" and they were looking for a variety of talents to help bring this project into reality. They wanted artists that "wish to perform in a provocative, sensual, exotic and cutting-edge environment." The only thing that Cirque du Soleil would say regarding where this new show would be was that it would be “staged at a permanent venue within the North American continent” but fell short of suggesting it would be in Las Vegas... so the rumor mill kept turning. By June 2002 rumors flooded the fandom that Las Vegas would not receive just one new show, but possibly two! And then in July 2002 Cirque du Soleil made an announcement... FOUR FLOWERS, ONE DESERT ------------------------ Using the words "a partnership based on creativity and innovation," Cirque du Soleil in their June 13th press release, confirmed earlier rumors that they were not only developing one, but two new shows for Las Vegas, in partnership with MGM-Mirage. The "Fascination! Newsletter" had touched on these rumors at the time; they were rumored to be working on a "Cabaret" style show, which we believed would be housed at the New York-New York Hotel-Casino. Exciting new official details were released about this project - confirming the Cabaret show, as well as another new show to set up shop at the MGM Grand in the following joint press release between Cirque and MGM-Mirage: "This partnership is built on the mutual success achieved by our two businesses throughout the past decade," said J. Terrence Lanni, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of MGM MIRAGE. "Cirque du Soleil proved that it had an excellent understanding of Las Vegas by fundamentally changing the form of entertainment here with their groundbreaking artistic vision first with Mystère and then with 'O'. Now we want to work together to explore new areas in which they can continue to cultivate their unique creativity not only in Las Vegas but throughout our projects in the U.S. and around the world." Guy Laliberté, President, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Cirque du Soleil, added that, "MGM MIRAGE has an excellent grasp of the creative strengths and energy that drive Cirque du Soleil. We have always held fast to our dream of reinventing other forms of entertainment. Terry Lanni and his team have confidence in us and are assisting us to do so." "We have set out to stimulate the imagination, fire the senses and touch the emotions of spectators around the world," says Laliberté. "The potential of Las Vegas is still vast. Some 36 million people visit the city each year and we believe there is room for continued growth to encourage them to take the opportunity to see shows as part of their Las Vegas experience." The new productions that Cirque du Soleil is preparing could be described as "hybrid" in the sense that they draw on a number of disciplines. "Whatever the creative niche we're developing may be, we are committed to maintaining the level of quality and creativity associated with the Cirque du Soleil brand," says Lyn Heward, President and Chief Operating Officer of the Creative Content Division. Cirque du Soleil has always put creativity at the heart of all its production and management activities. Creativity is the very essence of Cirque. "We have worked with creators from all over the world to design, produce and stage our shows," explained Guy Laliberté. "We will continue to promote the developing talent of new creators by undertaking new collaborative projects." The first project, at New York-New York was set to open in 2003 under the direction of Philippe Decouflé, with Andrew Watson serving as Director of Creation. While the theme and disciplines therein were still in development, the show was said to be "sensual, exotic and provocative;" containing elements of dance, acrobatics and, of course, humor. This show would take the place of "Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance". The Second project, for the MGM Grand, would replace "EFX Alive!" starring Rick Springfield, and would reopen in 2004 - Cirque du Soleil's 20th Anniversary year. Robert Lepage was set as director with Guy Caron (Le Magie Continue, Dralion) serving as Director of Creation. The show was set to "shake the spectator's perception of space, conception of the law of gravity, and comprehension of the world in three dimensions." These projects built upon the relationship between Cirque du Soleil and MGM-Mirage, which started back in 1992 with a special presentation of "Nouvelle Experience" on the grounds of the Mirage. Other projects with this Las Vegas-based company included: Mystère in 1993 (at Treasure Island), "O" in 1998 (at Bellagio), and a special engagement of Alegría from 1999-2000 (at Beau Rivage, in Biloxi, Mississippi). "MGM Mirage has an excellent grasp of the creative strengths and energy that drive Cirque du Soleil," said Guy Laliberté, CEO and Founder of Cirque du Soleil in a press release. "We have always held fast our dream of reinventing other forms of entertainment." And it certainly looks as if Cirque du Soleil will continue to "Re-invent the Circus" in the desert of Las Vegas, and worldwide, as their expanded partnership with MGM Mirage will globalize their efforts even more. The race was on... By the end of 2002 speculation ran wild regarding just what Cirque du Soleil had up its sleeve; casting calls became rare windows into just what the company had in mind. Some small details began to emerge about the performances/acts. Slated to debut in July 2003, the New York-New York show was casting Rhythmic Gymnasts (to perform in a duo act), a Contortionist / Hand-balancer (for a specialty act - solo, duo, trio or quartet), a Middle Eastern dancer (for an exotic dance act), and "virile" male and "voluptuous" female dancers. AN INTIMATE EXPRESSION ---------------------- On Sunday, July 28, 2002, "Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance" ended its successful four-year run at the Broadway Theater in the New York- New York Hotel and Casino, which paved the way for the new Cirque du Soleil show to move in. Throughout the summer Cirque fans had been having heated debates over the direction the new "cabaret-style" show would be taking (Fascination maintained that while most felt that "cabaret" must mean topless, that was not necessarily the case). By September 2002, several signs posted around and inside the hotel gave more of a clue. The largest by far was attached to a parking structure on Tropicana Avenue, measuring a whopping 50 X 60 feet! All of the signs said the same thing: "Opening / July 2003 / a more / INTIMATE expression of / Cirque du Soleil / at New York-New York" (The word "intimate" in larger type than the rest of that line, showing emphasis.) What made these signs interesting wasn't just the "more intimate expression" tagline. The image in the center of the picture was somewhat hazy and mysterious, but further inspection revealed it to be a nude woman's torso, turned slightly to her left. The camera angle was based below the right hip, aiming upwards. Her left breast was visible, though the nipple had been airbrushed out. The right breast had been airbrushed entirely and was further obscured by the word "Opening." Her navel was clearly visible in the lower right. The bottom of the shot was cropped several inches below that on her body – any further down and you'd be in trouble! “What this means, of course, is any fans guess,” Fascination said at the time. “Publicists are notorious for promising the sky, especially when the show is only in the planning stages. But it seems to lend credence to the idea that there will be more ‘exposed’ than in previous Cirque productions.” CHANGE IN DIRECTION ------------------- Just two months later, however – on August 14, 2002 – an abrupt change was announced: René Richard Cyr would direct the show at the New York- New York rather than Philippe Decouflé. Cirque released a statement to the press accordingly: With an eye to redefining the music hall genre, this intimate, exotic and provocative show will serve up an original mix of dance, humour and acrobatics. "Each act promises to be a sensual, artistic experience of the highest calibre," says Lyn Heward, President & COO of Cirque du Soleil's Creative Content Division. The New York-New York Hotel theatre is currently being renovated to house the production in 2003. Creator, artist and communicator René Richard Cyr has been an active player in Quebec's cultural scene for over 20 years. He's an accomplished theatre director who has created over 100 shows. He has put his talents to work as an actor, director, author, creator and producer of variety shows aired on Quebec's major networks. In addition, he has garnered a number of awards, most notably for his work on Les Parapluies de Cherbourg. His most recent production, L'homme de la Mancha (Man of La Mancha), is currently a major success. "I'm really up for this new professional challenge! It's an honour to be able to work on a Cirque du Soleil production, and I'm thrilled to create a show that will strive to redefine the music hall genre," says Cyr. "I'm joining an organization that has the utmost respect for the creative process, and showcases the talent of numerous Quebec artists on the international stage." "René Richard will bring a fascinating artistic perspective to this creative project. We are all the more proud to be working with a Quebec director who wants to embark on Cirque du Soleil's international adventure," adds Heward. O, THE ZUMANITY! ---------------- For months fans had been speculating about the new production. Soon at least some of the speculation would be over - what to call it? "Zumanity!" The fervor began on the evening of March 17th when an article appeared in USA Today featuring the title of the show, amongst a list of the gifts that would be handed out to presenters at the Academy Awards. The gift was an "invitation for two to the international gala premiere of Zumanity ... on Sept. 20 and a two-night stay at the [New York-New York Hotel Casino]." Zumanity [zü'man-i-tee] was described as "an intense visit to a world where human inhibitions are both unveiled and discarded, where style and intense sensual passion share an uncommon stage." Cirque recently offered this definition of the word: "n. n. Neologism dating from 2003, contraction of the words "zoo" and "humanity." 1. A human zoo. 2. A new form of eroticism which blends dance movement, acrobatics and beautiful bodies with the sensual caress of the human voice and the pulse of exotic rhythms. 3. An exploration that awakens the most primal urges in human beings." On February 27th, Cirque du Soleil registered the domain < http://www.zumanity.com/ > and placed a dual English/French language teaser site online. You could sign up to be on a mailing list to receive updates about the show in either HTML or Text format, however you needed to be 18 years old to participate (or you were directed back to the CDS website). The 18-year age limit caused quite a stir within Cirque fandom, dividing the age groups for the first time since Cirque's debut. So, what could we expect out of Zumanity? Fascination discovered: Rhythmic Gymnasts (to perform in a duo act), a Middle Eastern dancer (for an exotic dance act), a Drag Queen (transvestite), a Body Builder (strong man) and "virile" male and "voluptuous" female dancers - with clowns, singers, and a sensuous atmosphere. One of the acts, we believe, will be a solo-contortion act performed in water. The artist, Natalia Vasyliuk, recently performed at the Festival du Cirque de Demain in 2002. Nicolai Tchelnokov (Adagio Trio, Saltimbanco) is the artistic counselor of this act. Spymonkey, the Brighton(UK)-based theater group, may be providing their talents to place their writer/director Cal McCrystal in the directors' seat for the show's clown acts. McCrystal recently worked with Cirque du Soleil on Varekai, producing and creating the clown acts seen in the show. Four Spymonkey regulars will provide the storyline for the acts: Aitor Basauri, Stephan Kreiss, Petra Massey and Toby Park, with the assistance of Andrew Watson (Director of Creation for "Zumanity") and René Richard Cyr (Writer/Director). Word comes from Chartattack, a Canadian musical website/magazine, that Cirque du Soleil has chosen homegrown Kinnie Starr to vocalize Zumanity. Starr is described as a "hip-hop slam poet/freaky beatnik dance rocker" and seems rather perfect for this production. The costumes for Zumanity remained a mystery until fans received their first look at sketches on April 4th. Zumanity's mailing list emailed two items: a definition and a link. That link produced four interesting and provocative sketches of what costumes may look like when the shows premiere. There is a strong man, bare-chested wearing a fuzzy-pink stole; a Drag Queen, which resembles Erik Karol (the ex- singer from Dralion) in a way; a leggy young woman in a trench coat; and Cher. Cirque du Soleil took over a theater at the New York-New York Hotel Casino previously built for Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance production (that had since moved to the Venetian). For months Cirque has been working on re-creating the theater in their image. "We took over the theatre 18 months ago," explains Ménard as quoted in the Toronto Star, "and tore everything out to rebuild it in cabaret style. The theatre is always a key element in our resident shows, almost a character. And this one will be much more intimate." And they mean it. Seating for Zumanity will include a wide variety of options from "love seats to barstools". "We want to offer people options," said Ménard. You can sit way back high up a stool and be a voyeur, or you can be a participator right down in front. Maybe you want to lounge in the middle with your partner, letting it inspire you. Very warm, very cozy." Zumanity, a provocative exhibition of human sensuality, arousal and eroticism, opens July 31st at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. An official announcement by Cirque du Soleil is scheduled for April 22nd. "We're here to evoke, invoke and provoke," says Cirque du Soleil, and that's exactly what they're doing. A TWO HEADED COW? ----------------- By January 2003 it was apparent from another abrupt change in direction – Dominic Champagne (as co-director) came on board - and the constant rumors of delay that Zumanity, which Cirque had named the show, was not coming along as planned. Fascination touched on these in its June 2003 issue: The fiery creative process we first saw documented in "Fire Within" seems to have taken hold of Zumanity. Earlier this month we reported that the "soft open" date of Zumanity had been pushed back two weeks from Thursday, July 31st to Thursday, August 14th to "address technical demands associated with the production of the new show." Now we have word that Varekai's Dominic Champagne has come in to co-direct with Rene Richard Cyr. What's going on -- a meltdown? Not exactly. Here's what we found out from our sources... The two-week delay, we understand, was caused by the contractor hired to construct the theater at the New York-New York Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas. Apparently, the contractor thought he had more time to complete the project than he actually had, due to a misreading of the schedule. Suddenly he could not meet the deadline of completion for Cirque's needs, which delayed the installation of special equipment needed to run the show, which in turn pushed back the rehearsal schedule. The theater has now been completed but we've seen what this problem has caused - the first time Cirque has had to announce a delay in the opening of one of its shows. But the second issue, well, that's a bit more touchy, and sketchy. Zumanity is now suggested as being a "two-headed cow", with Rene Richard Cyr and Dominic Champagne making up those heads. But this pairing leads to a question, why bring in Champagne at all? Was management not happy with Cyr's direction and staging of the show? It seems so. "Guy [Laliberte] said that he was confused after having seen what [Cyr] showed him," Andrew Watson, Director of Creation for Zumanity, admitted to Canadian newspaper La Presse. We've seen how Mr. Laliberte can make it clear if he doesn't like something (remember the apparatus from Varekai he got rid of?), but what does this mean for Zumanity? It seems that this "human zoo", a show that is set to debut in two months, is going back to the drawing board of a sort. "This morning, we start at zero," said Director Cyr, indicating they plan to go back to the spark of the original idea and start again, albeit with the same performers, talents and performance space as before. This is a shocking revelation that could have major repercussions for those seeing Zumanity in its first few weeks. Thankfully the upheaval at Zumanity has spared, for the time being, composer Simon Carpenter, who was rumored to had been let go, a suggested cause of the delay in the first place. Either way, on May 22nd the general public will be allowed to buy tickets for performances from August 15th forward, up to 90 days in advance. The "official" star-studded Oscar presenter/nominee gala opening will still be Thursday, September 20th. THE OTHER SIDE... ----------------- Despite those challenges, Zumanity would open to the public on August 15, 2003 - and fall with a thud. Original singer Kinnie Star left the show early on, and the way we heard it she wasn’t satisfied with the direction the music of the show was taking, so she and Cirque came to an amicable parting. (One might speculate that she was expecting more of a featured role in the show music, and the music's evolution didn't meet her expectations.) We also heard that, at Guy Laliberté’s insistence, the fire performers also left. Evidently Guy did not want any fire in this show; they were replaced with an aerial hoops act. And then there was the CD: it had been delayed while Cirque re-thought the entire endeavor, as the original album didn’t reflect the current state of the show after numerous changes Cirque had implemented. And when finally released (on March 22, 2005) the new version – the “Inspired by” soundtrack – didn’t win over fans either. There was very little music from the actual show, English lyrics, poems and narration that did not exist before. We speculate that this might have been done to “inspire” romance where a straight soundtrack would not do, but the drastic departure left the Zumanity album to become the weakest soundtrack in Cirque Musique’s canon. Even so, by the time Zumanity had its gala premiere on October 19, 2003 the show came together a little more. And it would take quite a while – and even more changes – before the show would find its place in Las Vegas. Through the years Zumanity has endured, which shows us that even if a show premieres as a dud it can be salvaged given the right attention. Sometimes that requires just a tweak and sometimes that requires more drastic action – such as re-arranging the flow of the show and putting out a new visual and advertising campaign, which is exactly what Cirque du Soleil did on November 24, 2006: The Resident Shows Division’s Marketing Department brought in the SpotCo agency from New York City to develop the new campaign. Many months ago the SpotCo creative team came to Las Vegas and viewed ZUMANITY over and over and over. They discussed the show with the artistic team and the marketing team and pinpointed their mandate: To create a visual identity for ZUMANITY that combines sexuality, humor and playful surprise to create the sensual side of Cirque du Soleil. In order to avoid turning-off the less adventurous Cirque du Soleil patrons it became apparent that we needed to communicate the element of humor and playfulness along with the element of sexuality. Adding a creative new twist to Cirque’s saucy cabaret, the new ads contrast the sexuality and humor of ZUMANITY against the mundane nature of everyday life. Commonplace items such as fishbowls, water faucets, light bulbs and bathtubs seamlessly contrast with the sensual and sexy images of ZUMANITY. Along with the new look, the show also moved away from the “Another Side of Cirque du Soleil” billing in favor of a brand new tagline, emphasizing that ZUMANITY really is “The Sensual Side of Cirque du Soleil.” Thanks to Cirque du Soleil’s more drastic tactics, Zumanity has been able to celebrate a number of “wet and quivering orgasms”, including: Hard; we mean Soft opening - Aug.14.2003 The first time (Premiere) - Sep.20.2003 500th (yeah baby, it feels good!) - Aug.30.2004 1000th (...mmmm, even better!) - Sep.12.2005 2000th (Ooooo!) - Oct.20.2007 And here's to many more earth-shattering, mind-altering, body-tingling cries in the darkness! ======================================================================= 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 13, Number 08 (Issue #115) - August 2013 "Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (c) 2001-2013 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. { Aug.07.2013 } =======================================================================