======================================================================= ______ _ __ _ __ / ____/___ ___________(_)___ ____ _/ /_(_)___ ____ / / / /_ / __ `/ ___/ ___/ / __ \/ __ `/ __/ / __ \/ __ \/ / / __/ / /_/ (__ ) /__ / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /_/ / / / /_/ /_/ \__,_/____/\___/_/_/ /_/\__,_/\__/_/\____/_/ /_(_) 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 16, NUMBER 11 November 2016 ISSUE #154 ======================================================================= Welcome to the latest edition of Fascination, the Unofficial Cirque du Soleil Newsletter. The biggest news to share this month comes out of Montreal with the introduction of Cirque's newest big top show for 2017 - VOLTA - which was announced to the world via social media on Friday, November 4th. In addition to the name, we were also enlightened to the show's story and theme: "WAZ, a popular gameshow host, has lost touch with his inner self in the pursuit of fame, pulling others in the trap of instant glory. But as doubt sets in, WAZ is enlightened by childhood memories as he encounters 'free spirits' who open doors to his inner soul he has long kept shut. On his high-voltage search for meaning, will WAZ find the courage to relinquish his fame, reconnect with his true self, and shine bright? VOLTA tells a spellbinding story about the freedom to choose and the thrill of blazing your own trail. Inspired in part by the adventurous spirit that fuels the culture of action sports, the show weaves the adrenaline rush of acrobatics into a visually striking world driven by a stirring melodic score. VOLTA is a story of trans- formation. It is about being true to oneself, fulfilling one’s true potential, and the power of the group to make that possible. It cele- brates freedom as a movement." Interesting, no? We've heard the rumors now for weeks/months that the theme for Cirque2017 - VOLTA - would revolve around extreme sports in some way. I've accepted this as an potential fascinating creative leap, but I'm not sure hanging the storyline on a gameshow character - especially one named WAZ - was a good creative choice. However, we're still in the development phase and it's possible some of the material unveiled will change between now and April. After all, in poetry, the volta, or turn, is a rhetorical shift or dramatic change in thought and/or emotion. So anything is possible! Also interestingly to note is VOLTA, much like it's most recent brethren (Septimo Dia, Luzia, TORUK, and Kurios), comes with a tagline: FIND YOUR FREE (ENVOLE-TOI in French). I'm not sure these taglines - such as "No Descansare" for Septimo Dia, "A Waking Dream of Mexico" for Luzia, "Cabinet of Curiosities" for Kurios, and "The First Flight" for TORUK - are really necessary, but the trend continues. What do you think? And perhaps more importantly, what do you think a tagline for earlier Cirque shows could have been had they included one? What would Mystere's be? Or Quidam's? La Nouba? "O"? (Varekai is excluded... as it received a tagline as part of its arena revamp in 2014: "Tales of the Forest") All I could come up with was... "QUIDAM: FIND YOUR FAMILY", "MYSTERE: ROAM THE UNIVERSE", and, a little tongue-in-cheek, "KA: MARTIAL THOSE ARTS" and "CORTEO: TEARS OF A CLOWN" Hmm... what about you? VOLTA comes under the direction of Bastien Alexandre (Director) and Jean Guibert (Director of Creation), Quebec designers who worked together on the opening ceremony of the Toronto Pan American Games last year. And if you're a member of CirqueClub you can purchase tickets today! (Get'em here: https://goo.gl/Azp1up) VOLTA premieres on the quays of the old port of Montreal on Thursday, April 20, 2017! Speaking of Luzia, on October 9th, LUZIA celebrated its 200th show since the World Premiere back in April. "Thank you to more than 400,000 audience members who have attended one of our performances since then!" Congratulations Luzia! And, in case you missed it, JOYA has a new Bungee Straps act! Yoann Benhamou, previously of KOOZA, has joined the show as of October 10th. "With a high level of difficulty, Yohann needs to manage his strength, gravity, speed and dance all at the same time during his act!" (https://goo.gl/FMKjU9) Additionally, the cast of LOVE will be attending The Royal Variety Performance for a special anniversary presentation. The RVP will take place on Tuesday, December 6th and will be screened on ITV later in the month. The other really exciting development this past month came out of Mexico, with the leak of even more artwork from the Cirque du Soleil resort project now under development from Grupo Vidanta & The Goddard Group - and Theme Park University website, which has covered the park since it was first announced, was one of the first to release these new images. "This place is jaw dropping," they said. How exciting! The water park will open with the first phase of the park. The Garden Of The Nature Spirit, which is described as a “hidden cove nestled around The Cascades Resort, a giant stone sentinel presides over formal pools and statuary gardens. In a first-of-its kind themed attraction, guests are able to take a wild ride down the living vines emanating from the giant statue’s jeweled crown." What is most unique about this water park is that it will be performance based. (Yes, you read that correctly.) Cirque du Soleil will have shows in and around you as you splash around this part of the park. Nothing like this has ever been done before in a water park setting. Make no mistake about it, this will be the most unique water park experience on the planet and it goes far beyond slides and wave pools! This would not be possible, of course, without Vidanta. The Cirque du Soleil theme park will be surrounded by several hotels / timeshares, which Vidanta has several of scattered around Mexican hotspots. The hotels are also Cirque themed and are inspired / look equally as impressive. Check out the new art- work here: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=9205 > Although I've neglected to mention it due to time constraints and other issues, CirqueCast continues to produce wonderful episodes for fans - and I'm excited to still be part of it! Since I last spoke about the project back in Issue #151, three more episodes have been released to the public. Check ’em out below! o) EPISODE 7 – LUZIA REVIEW PART 1 + ARTISTS INTERVIEW Join us this episode as we review Luzia, Cirque du Soleil’s newest Big Top production. And for our feature this month, we interview Luzia artists Kelly McDonald (Adagio), Devin Henderson (Hoop Diving), and Rachel Salzman (Cyr Wheel). LINK /// < https://youtu.be/fOaENCBCtYI > o) EPISODE 8 – LUZIA REVIEW PART 2 + BACKSTAGE TOUR Join us this episode as we continue our review of Luzia. And for our feature, Heather Reilly, Luzia’s Company Manager, gives us a backstage look at some of the show’s costumes and props! LINK /// < https://youtu.be/UiKyOZ7xrSo > o) EPISODE 9 - DAVID RESNICK INTERVIEW David Resnick is an acrobat currently touring with TOTEM, currently in Japan. Watch our exclusive interview where David shares his experience with Cirque du Soleil, including how he made it to the famous circus. Want to know what Cirque show David is going to next? Watch to find out! LINK /// < https://youtu.be/PGZ_WjI8sKM > We'll have another discussion episode out shortly, so please follow us on FACEBOOK (https://www.facebook.com/CirqueCast/), and YOUTUBE (https://www.youtube.com/CirqueCastShow) to be notified about our next exciting episode! And last, but certainly not least (in this abbreviated introduction), is our monthly look at Paramour grosses. Week This Week Potential Difference Seats % Cap Ending Gross Grosses in Dollars Sold ------------------------------------------------------------------ 04-Sep $890,754.60 $1,592,392.00 $337,331.90 10,218 76.99% 11-Sep $892,797.05 $1,805,456.00 $2,042.45 11,122 73.33% 18-Sep $999,384.45 $1,805,456.00 $106,587.50 12,739 83.99% 25-Sep $800,590.15 $1,805,456.00 -$198,794.30 9,744 64.24% 02-Oct $796,008.80 $1,805,456.00 -$4,581.35 9,903 65.29% 09-Oct $929,646.25 $1,805,456.00 $133,637.45 11,024 72.68% 16-Oct $942,631.85 $1,805,456.00 $12,985.60 11,261 74.24% 23-Oct $1,060,597.10 $1,805,456.00 $117,965.25 12,650 83.40% 30-Oct $1,005,388.40 $1,805,456.00 -$55,208.70 12,437 81.99% 06-Nov $884,873.95 $1,805,456.00 -$120,514.45 10,981 72.40% The show seems to be doing A-OK. Join us within as our friend Douglas Metzger has reviewed PARAMOUR again following the show's revamp and has some pretty good things to say about it. Check it out! Well, that's all I have time for this month. Let's get to the rest! /----------------------------------------------------\ | | | Join us on the web at: | | < www.cirquefascination.com > | | | | At CirqueCast: | | < http://www.cirquecast.com/ > | | | | Realy Simple Syndication (RSS) Feed (News Only): | | < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?feed=rss2 > | | | \----------------------------------------------------/ - Ricky "Richasi" Russo =========== CONTENTS =========== o) Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings * La Presse -- General News & Highlights * Q&A –- Quick Chats & Press Interviews * CirqueTech –- The Technical Side of Cirque o) Itinéraire -- Tour/Show Information * BigTop Shows -- Under the Grand Chapiteau * Arena Shows -- In Stadium-like venues * Resident Shows -- Performed en Le Théâtre o) Fascination! Features * "Paramour Revamped - Impressions 2.0" By: Douglas Metzger - Long Island, New York (USA) * "Robin Leach on Upcoming One Night for One Drop 5" A Special to the Fascination! Newsletter * "Casting Q&A's - Meet an Artist, Part 3 of 6" Edited By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) o) Copyright & Disclaimer ======================================================================= CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS ======================================================================= --------------------------------------------------- LA PRESSE -- General News & Highlights --------------------------------------------------- Gilles Ste-Croix Joins Céline Dion’s Team {Oct.04.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- Aldo Giampaolo, CEO, is proud to announce the nomination of Gilles Ste-Croix as Artistic Adviser at Feeling Productions and CDA Productions. Mr. Ste-Croix will develop new artistic concepts and harness the necessary resources to produce them while reporting directly to Mr. Giampaolo. “I have known Gilles for many years. When I was at the Cirque du Soleil, I worked with him on a number of projects. I admire his audacity, his flair and his ability to bring people together around a common vision. His approach, experience and extensive network of contacts around the world make him a valuable ally for Céline and I. We are very pleased that he is joining our team,” said Mr. Giampaolo. “I eagerly accepted Aldo’s invitation to take on this exciting challenge. It is an honour for me to work with Céline Dion, a unique artist with an exceptional voice and unlimited potential,” said Gilles Ste-Croix. Co-founder of Cirque du Soleil along with Guy Laliberté, Gilles Ste-Croix spearheaded the creation of numerous shows that thrilled both international audiences and critics alike including Saltimbanco, Alegría, Mystère, Quidam, O and LOVE. He just published his biography (Ma place au soleil) in which he tells his exciting life story, marked by daring and by the strong desire to transform dreams into reality. { SOURCE: Canada Newswire | https://goo.gl/tUnmTx } AD Daniel Ross keeps La Nouba looking sharp {Oct.12.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- Seth Kubersky of the Orlando Weekly Magazine spoke recently with Cirque du Soleil artistic director Daniel Ross, discussing how he keeps Cirque’s long-running La Nouba production at Disney Springs looking sharp and about introducing two new acts into such a tightly integrated show. “We were mandated to make some changes to the show, and we all felt that it was well needed, so the first thing that we did was look at the positions we wanted to fill,” Ross told me, spelling out the steps behind adding new segments to a Cirque show. “We looked at the creative context and the initial impulse at creation with the director and writers and choreographer. We really needed to find something that would complement that and respect the concept of the show.” Replacing the opening jump-rope routine, La Nouba’s first new troupe members are an international trio of breakdancers: Josh “Incredible Josh” Ortiz, Jean Carlos “Bebo” Lloret and Dmytro “Flying Buddha” Li. “The opening of La Nouba is the cleaning lady who opens up a magic world,” Ross says. “The first act is really about urbanity, as if she’s found herself in the traffic of the city where there is a lot of people that are not paying attention to her. We really needed that city grit, that city-street feel, and we felt that breakdancing was a good idea.” La Nouba’s first half reaches a peak (literally and figuratively) with its high-flying second addition. “It used to be a high wire act tightrope,” Ross says. “The director really wanted to bring up the traditional circus, as if the cleaning lady was reliving memories of her childhood, remembering the time she went to the circus with her mom or her dad, seeing this beautiful lady and man up there. And at the same time, because we are in the city there was a bit of a tribute to Philippe Petit, the wire walker that walked across the Twin Towers. We wanted to preserve that, so we knew we wanted an aerial act.” Ross’s answer was found in acrobatic aerialists Alexander and Ekaterina Abramov, who perform on a suspended pole-shaped apparatus known as a “bamboo.” “We fell upon this, which was an act we had before in a show in China. You don’t see [aerial bamboo] around much anymore; looking for it, we only found this one couple. So it’s something that doesn’t really roam the streets so much, even in the European circus. We still wanted a love story so we decided to go for the aerial bamboo, so we could keep that traditional aerial character, but at the same time provide something special to the audience that they rarely see.” { SOURCE: Orlando Weekly | https://goo.gl/LqIz3V } Turkish court orders injunction against Cirque, blocks departure {Oct.12.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- The Turkish customs authority has seized 23 trucks from the world renowned Cirque du Soleil, following a court ruling on Tuesday, the Middle East Monitor reports. The ruling related to financial losses accrued due to a number of cancelled performances during the failed coup attempt on 15 July. A Turkish court in the northwestern border province of Edirne has passed an interim injunction ordering the seizure of 23 trucks belonging to the world-renowned Quebecois performance group Cirque du Soleil after the circus’ organizing firm decided to cancel an agreement with Turkish counterparts for a special show despite receiving advance payments. Cirque du Soleil canceled 40 performances of 45 DEGREES’ show Blüm, which was scheduled from August 16 to September 17, 2016. Blüm was custom designed for EXPO 2016 – an international horticultural exposition in Antalya, Turkey, running until October 30. “We were not able to ensure the safety of our employees to our satisfaction.” – Marie-Hélène Lagacé, Senior Public Relations Manager of the Cirque du Soleil said at the time. A total of 70 people were involved in the show, many of whom are employees of Cirque du Soleil. “This is a decision for their safety,” repeated Marie-Hélène Lagacé. The EXPO 2016 said that it lost more than $5 million as a result. Harun Guzel, the Cultural Programs Editor for EXPO 2016 said Cirque du Soleil unfairly canceled the contract. Therefore, an Edirne court on Oct. 6 ordered the injunction against the group and blocked the departure of its trucks through the border gate of Ipsala into Greece on Oct. 12 due to the legal dispute. According to the agreement sealed by Événements 45 Degrees Inc. and Turkish ESO Organizasyon on March 10, Cirque du Soleil was paid 2,250,000 euros in cash to perform. On July 26, however, the Quebecois firm notified its Turkish counterparts that it was unilaterally canceling the agreement, citing security concerns in Turkey that arose from the failed July 15 coup attempt. The company also indicated that they would not make any refund for the 40 shows. While the dispute between the parties remained unsolved despite efforts by the Turkish side to reach a reconciliation with the firm, the Turkish side was informed that the Cirque du Soleil team was scheduled to perform in Istanbul between Oct. 1 and 9. Upon this information, the Turkish party involved in the dispute applied to an Edirne court, demanding an interim injunction for the performance group’s materials which were to be transported over land with 23 trucks. Going into effect early on Oct. 12, the court resulted in 18 of the trucks being prevented from leaving Turkey for Greece. Five of the trucks, however, reportedly left the country before the decision went into effect. The lawyer of the Turkish company, Eylem Akkayal, said Événements 45 Degrees Inc. failed to abide by the terms of the agreement by citing the state of emergency in Turkey. “We are always ready for reconciliation. Our customer is also always ready for reconciliation. If they make the payment, of course we can lift the decision and come to an agreement. This situation has somewhat turned into an issue of national pride. Thus we demand that our losses be reimbursed,” said Akkayali. “The Beatles Love” Invites Guests to Rehearsals {Oct.14.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- Following on the heels of its 10th anniversary celebration and a reimagining of the show, “The Beatles Love” by Cirque du Soleil has announced an opportunity for fans to see the show’s inner workings. Starting Oct. 14, the production began welcoming visitors to open rehearsals, offering a chance to see both new and old acts practice their routines before the evening show. The rehearsals are free to attend, and guests will also get access to special deals on tickets for the full performance. “We are opening our doors to show fans exactly what it takes to bring ‘Love’ to life,” Melanie Lalande, the show’s artistic director, said in a release. “When you experience something as extraordinary as this show, you can’t help but wonder how our artists are able to do the things they do, whether it’s Lucy flying over the audience or acrobats flipping through the air during the trampoline act in ‘Revolution.’ It’s an amazing opportunity to fall for ‘Love’ in a totally new way.” “The Beatles Love” opened at the Mirage in 2006, and marked the first time Cirque du Soleil built a show around a catalog of music. It features a cast of 70 artists, dancers and acrobats. The open rehearsals take place at the Love Theater inside the Mirage every Friday from 4:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. and Sunday from 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., but are subject to cancellation. For more information and to confirm rehearsals, call the box office at (702) 792-7735. All ages are welcome. { SOURCE: Travel Weekly | https://goo.gl/ZC17Cl } Paramour eligible for 2017 Tony Award! {Oct.14.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- The Tony Awards Administration Committee met yesterday for the first time this season and confirmed the eligibility of two Broadway productions, Paramour and Cats, for the 2017 American Theatre Wing’s Tony Awards. The two productions are consistent with opening night billing. Broadway World has confirmed that Andy Blankenbuehler, who choreographed the show (based on the original choreography by Gillian Lynne), has been deemed ineligible in the category. Additionally, the Committee determined that the newly renovated Hudson Theatre will be deemed a Tony eligible theatre, beginning in the 2016-2017 season. The theatre, located on West 44th Street, will have a minimum of 970 seats without the use of the orchestra pit and 948 seats when the orchestra pit is utilized by a production. The American Theatre Wing’s 71st Annual Tony Awards will air on the CBS Television Network on Sunday, June 11, 2017 (8:00-11:00 PM, ET/delayed PT). The Tony Awards, which honors theatre professionals for distinguished achievement on Broadway, has been broadcast on CBS since 1978. The Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. The official eligibility cut-off date will be April 27, 2017, for all Broadway productions opening in the 2016-2017 season. Productions which meet all other eligibility requirements and open on or before the eligibility date are considered eligible for 2017 Tony Award nominations. The Tony Award Nominations will be announced live on May 2, 2017. The Tony Awards Administration Committee meets a total of four times throughout the 2016-2017 season to decide the eligibility for the 71st Annual Tony Awards { SOURCE: Broadway World | https://goo.gl/vJIUOv } Truck Dispute over Canceled Shows Settled {Oct.16.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- The trucks of the world famous circus Cirque du Soleil seized by Turkish customs authorities have been allowed to pass after a dispute between the organizers of EXPO 2016 Antalya and Cirque Du Soleil was resolved. On Tuesday, twenty-three trucks belonging to the world famous circus were seized at Turkey’s Ípsala Customs following a court ruling. The court ordered for an interim injection upon a complaint by ESO Organization over the financial losses emerged due to a number of canceled performances during the state of emergency. “We would be pleased to inform you that the dispute regarding the agreement between ESO Organization and Cirque Du Soleil for Expo 2016 Antalya, has been compromised on 10.13.2016 by mutual agreement of the parties. The trucks which have been seized at the Ípsala Customs have been allowed to pass,” ESO Organization later said in a statement. Organizers of EXPO 2016 Antalya said in a statement that the Montreal-based world renowned Cirque du Soleil team had already performed in Istanbul last week but canceled its 40 shows for the EXPO 2016 due to Turkey’s state of emergency. The EXPO 2016 said that it lost more than $5 million, according to the statement. Harun Güzel, the Cultural Programs Editor for EXPO 2016 said Cirque du Soleil unfairly canceled the contract. Güzel added that canceling shows for EXPO 2016 but performing in Istanbul was unacceptable and would damage the expo’s image. Various shows have been canceled across Turkey this year due to Daish and PKK attacks as well as the deadly July 15 overthrow attempt. Backed by Turkey’s presidency, EXPO 2016 Antalya will end its run later this month October on its 121-hectare exhibition site. EXPO 2016 Antalya adopted the theme, “Cultivating a Green Life for Future Generations”, along with the motto. “A Green Life for Future Generations”. Millions of tourists from Turkey and abroad have visited the gardens and enjoyed the cultural and artistic activities of EXPO 2016 Antalya, during which national and international congresses, panels, meetings, and seminars have also been held. { SOURCE: Daily Sabah | https://goo.gl/YHn4Ao } Cirque and the App {Oct.17.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- About half of the people who buy tickets to a Cirque du Soleil production in Las Vegas do so just 48 to 72 hours before the show, and 25 percent purchase them the day of the show, according to Cirque Senior Vice President Jerry Nadal. Armed with that information, the company has been working to develop technology targeting visitors arriving in Las Vegas with text messages and updates with special offers such as, “Looking for something to do? How about a two-for-one ticket package for ‘Zumanity’ at MGM Grand in four hours?” “We see this with Millennials all the time, making these last- minute decisions, so we have people working on how to reach them,” Nadal said during Saturday’s One Drop Walk for Water charity event that started at Symphony Park and ended at Springs Preserve. “We are working on programming an app for that right now, targeting those who make last-minute decisions, and we’re hoping to have it ready the first quarter of next year.” { SOURCE: John Katsilometes, LVRJ | https://goo.gl/H1txNb } 45 Degrees + Level Kids = New Event {Oct.18.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- 45 Degrees posted this up to their Facebook page yesterday: “We are super excited to announce that we’ll be producing an exclusive Cirque du Soleil performance for the grand launch event of Level Kids, the sensorial retail destination for children’s designer clothes, located at City Walk in Dubai.” Check out the image associated with this blurb here: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=9193 > { SOURCE: 45 Degrees } Cirque du Soleil woos Chinese investors in Montreal {Oct.18.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- The Cirque, which has made expansion into Asia a priority, welcomed Chinese businessmen to its headquarters in Montreal Monday afternoon. Projects the circus troupe is considering include a theme park and dinner-show concept. The first visit of the very exclusive China Entrepreneur Club — often called the “club of billionaires” — offers unique opportunities for businesses here. It comes on the heels of a visit to China by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who seeks to forge links with politicians and businesspeople. “It could not have come at a better time for us,” said Daniel Lamarre, president and CEO of the Cirque. The Chinese conglomerate Fosun has a 20% stake in the Cirque and has “brought very concrete benefits” to the business, Lamarre said. Other shareholders include U.S. investor TPG (60%) and the Caisse de dépôt et placement (10%). Cirque founder Guy Laliberté holds a 10% stake. Fosun helped the Cirque open a business office in Shanghai, the first step in penetrating a market of more than one billion people, where the middle class has seen fabulous growth. Lamarre said seven or eight projects are in “serious” development. He expects to have two shows on tour in China soon, including Toruk, which is inspired by the movie Avatar. Toruk should be up and running by the end of 2017. The Cirque plans to have a permanent show in Hangzhou by 2018. This one, “a meeting between East and West,” was designed specifically for the Chinese public and will premiere there. These shows will help raise awareness of the Cirque in China, Lamarre said. The Cirque hopes to have shows in a dozen cities, with five permanent shows in the country in the next five to seven years, he said. Chinese investors have expressed interest in the dinner show Joya, which was designed by the Cirque du Soleil and is running in Mexico. Lamarre said many of the Chinese businessmen saw the show in Mexico, while others went to see shows in Las Vegas. “There is a momentum that is being created between China and the Cirque,” he said. Lamarre is enthusiastic at the prospect of a theme park and said that although some discussions have already taken place, the meeting in Montreal provided a unique opportunity with so many potential partners and investors in one place. He said he intended to use the forum to pitch different types of projects and performances. The Cirque is already involved in a theme park in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, that is slated to be ready by the end of 2018. The circus is developing all the content, narrative, and artistic aspects. But with this sort of artistic license, there is little financial risk, and he said a similar approach should be used in China. For now, the company does not plan to grow by acquiring other circuses, Lamarre added, but they will continue to seek out partnerships for some projects. The Quebec-based circus has been trying for some time to break into China, a country that already has a strong circus tradition and where circuses are too numerous to count. Performances were presented in 2007 in Shanghai, and a permanent show was installed in 2008 in the Chinese territory of Macau, but ended prematurely in 2012, as developers struggled to fill the room. “Macau, this is not China,” Lamarre said. It is an isolated place where people go mostly for the casinos, he said. Mainland China is “a true consumer market.” The China Entrepreneur Club began an eight-day visit to Canada on Sunday. { SOURCE: Montreal Gazette | https://goo.gl/BriOLb } --------------------------------------------------- Q&A –- Quick Chats & Press Interviews --------------------------------------------------- Reed Kelly of Broadway’s Paramour {Oct.05.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- The new Broadway production of Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour marks dancer Reed Kelly’s fourth Broadway show. No stranger to the Lyric Theatre, he last flew around that stage in Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark. He also took flight as a monkey in Broadway’s Wicked and danced in The Addams Family. In addition to performing, Reed continues to interact with a legion of reality show fans from his stint on CBS’s Survivor: San Juan Del Sur in 2014. A champion for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, he’s raised generous donations from fans through his active social media presence. Read what Reed has to say about Paramour, training as an aerial artist, and super soapy showers. Moment I look forward to every night in Paramour: When the iris opens onstage to reveal our opening number. The music is in full swing, the set is gleaming, everyone is dressed to the nines, and we’re about to take our audience on a spectacular journey. It’s full of promise and excitement and is a thrilling moment night after night. What I love about our diverse cast: Everyone comes from such different walks of life and each has a very unique specialty. It’s incredible getting to learn and grow by sharing skills with one another and just simply being around artists who are truly at the very top of their game. Plus, I get a chance to practice my French, Spanish, Russian, and Polish on a daily basis! Seeing myself on Paramour ads all over New York City: What’s not to love? Paramour has such beautiful ad campaigns! It’s an honor to get to represent Cirque du Soleil and Paramour on buses, taxis, billboards, and commercials all over the city, not to mention the jumbotrons in Times Square. Musicals that inspired me to make dance my profession: All the old classic movies like “The Wizard of Oz”, “Singing In The Rain”, “Top Hat”, and especially “White Christmas” were hugely influential in inspiring me from a very early age. Three things about training for aerial: Practice, practice, practice. Oh, and persistence. (Ok, that’s four. #sorrynotsorry) Some days won’t feel as good as others. Some days you may not be nailing something you were sailing through the day before, but these are the days that you actually learn the most. You figure out how to make things happen in potentially less than optimal conditions. All that matters is that you continue to try. (This is a lesson my coaches Kevin and Andrew Atherton continue to patiently beat into my head when I am being too hard on myself during training.) The most surprising thing about being a cast member on the CBS reality show Survivor: San Juan del Sur: I’ve been surprised by how many fans from around the world have genuinely opened up about very personal and important moments in their lives that have been inspired or influenced by my time on Survivor. I was seen as a strong physical and strategic competitor on my season who also happened to be gay. I’m grateful to CBS for not playing heavily into stereotypes in their editing process in terms of my story. It could have been easy to try to pigeonhole me as just a “musical theater gay” with no dimension. In fact, they were nominated for a GLAAD Award for their fair and accurate portrayal of the LGBT community on my season. Coolest interaction with a fan: I’ve honestly had so many amazing interactions with fans, especially my FoRKs [fans who have named themselves Fans Of Reed Kelly’s] that it’s hard to pick just one. I do have to say that I am still humbled to this day that anyone even cares about what I do or who I am, let alone go out of their way to do some of the most amazing things or thoughtful gestures that they have. Though over the years I have been able to work with my fan base to personally raise over $150,000 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. If that isn’t cool, I don’t know what is. Favorite thing to do after a show: Shower. I love showers, especially after doing Survivor; I have a whole new appreciation for the blessing of being clean after a hot shower. I come off stage, strip down, and enjoy some relaxing soapy goodness post-show before anything else. What growing up in a dance competition studio taught me: It helped reinforce my parent’s teaching that if you want something, you have to put in the hard work and the effort to get it. Larkin Dance Studio (the studio I grew up in) refuses to settle for mediocrity. They encourage you to be disciplined, committed to your craft, and to always strive to be a better version of yourself daily. I’ve integrated these lessons now as strong, second nature principles to live by. My advice for young dancers considering a professional career: If you’re moving to New York City with a goal to be on Broadway you have to sing! Starts today, don’t wait. Focus on it the same way you would focus on taking jazz, tap, ballet, contemporary and hip hop. It’s essential. I’ve known far too many incredible young dancers who moved to the city thinking that their dance talent would be enough, only to come to the realization that they were missing an important tool in their belt. The more well-rounded you are as a performer with a wide array of skills, the more desirable you will be to those behind the table at castings. { SOURCE: Rob Rizzo, Broadway World | https://goo.gl/Wd1wwL } Meet Maya Kesselman – Luzia Hummingbird {Oct.13.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- Maya Kesselman spent the last year traveling the globe cloaked in a beak and wings running on a treadmill and diving through hoops while the stage below her spun. The Burlingame High School graduate now stands on the brink of bringing her circus act home, as she will return to the Bay Area next month as a cast member of Luzia, the newest Cirque du Soleil show. Kesselman, 27, joined the internationally recognized troupe in late 2014 after honing her skills as a youngster in San Francisco and then later as a burgeoning talent at training programs in Canada and Belgium. With her local debut in the Latin American accented show just around the corner, Kesselman said she is ready to share her talent before an audience filled with friends and family. “When they come to see me perform in this show, it will be a big deal for me and a big deal for them,” she said. “I’m excited. I’m ready to show people at home what I’ve been up to.” What she has been up to is a nonstop global tour, most recently in Toronto, with more than 120 other cast and production members often doing a show per night, and sometimes two. After completing about 200 shows, Kesselman said she is beginning to feel comfortable in her role as a bird, despite the high degree of danger and unpredictable nature of live performance. “I know what I need to do and I can have more fun,” she said. Adding to her enjoyment is being able to perform alongside Marta and Devin Henderson as well as Dominic Cruz, three cast members who Kesselman made friends with years ago while a student at the San Francisco Circus Center. The show, slated to be performed under a tent set up near AT&T Park in San Francisco from November through January, serves as the most recent highlight in a professional circus career which has been the dream of Kesselman since her mom signed her up for her first trapeze lesson at 10. “Since the day I started, it was what I wanted to do,” Kesselman said. As an athlete who also appreciated performing before large crowds, Kesselman said the circus offers her the opportunity to enjoy her favorite part of both endeavors. “I liked that I could have the performance aspect without the competition, but I could share the stage with others who were like my teammates,” she said. As she has reached the proverbial big leagues in her craft, Kesselman said she still finds great joy in the unique exposure granted by her career. “At a normal job, no one is on their feet applauding you. At my job, they do that and it is really rewarding. You have given happiness to people and you can see it in their faces,” she said. Compounding the enjoyment she draws from performance is the ability of Cirque du Soleil cast members to collaborate in developing their roles, she said. Her first seven months on the job were spent working with other elite professionals in creating the vision of her performance and tweaking ways to make it work best for the big stage. “We kind of had to figure out to our best capacity what we could do,” she said. “There is a vision for the whole show, but it is a very organic process.” It is an evolution as well, she said, as cast members are granted the ability to continuously change and improve on their role throughout the life of a show. She said being a part of a performance which she feels is in some way a reflection of her input and character makes it even more rewarding. “I’ve put so much into this show and I was allowed to,” she said. “People listened to me and that is really nice to be able to perform a show that I’ve put myself into.” With the show’s debut locally approaching rapidly, Kesselman said she is ready to bring her talents back to the place where her passion was born. “I’m so excited to go home and perform,” she said. { SOURCE: San Mateo Daily Journal | https://goo.gl/ikxdUY } Meet Paramour’s Jeremy Kushnier {Oct.15.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- Paramour, Cirque du Soleil’s first venture on Broadway, finds a cast of actors, singers and acrobats filling the voluminous Lyric Theatre with that old-fashioned razzle-dazzle, catchy songs and high-flying theatrics. At the center of the narrative is Jeremy Kushnier’s character of AJ Golden, a man who presents a few obstacles to the leading lady’s meteoric rise in Golden Age Hollywood. Kushnier is not new to Broadway. The leading man is best known for his roles as Ren in Footloose, Roger in Rent and Tommy Devito in Jersey Boys. However, the actor is new to the unique family of Cirque du Soleil, a Canada-based company that has revitalized and revolutionized circus performances throughout the world. For Kushnier, his entry into this strange and fascinating world began like so many other theatrical jobs: with an audition. “I guess it’s the same way that anybody gets attached to a show,” the actor said recently in a phone interview. “I auditioned and came into it. It was kind of a fast-paced, hectic start. … I came in about two weeks before we started previews to join the company.” The role of AJ Golden is a unique one. On stage, he come across sometimes as the “bad guy” of the musical, but deep down there’s something different and redemptive about the character. “No one ever casts themselves as the villain in their own life story, so I kind of figured out the reason this guy acts the way that he does,” Kushnier said. “Why is he the way that he is? I guess that’s sort of the first way that I approach any character, and I think … at the beginning of the show [he’s] this guy in an art vs. life competition that art always wins. And I think by the end, he sort of changes his tune a little bit. He sees true love exists, and it exists outside film. And I think he walks away a little bit changed.” When first signing up for Paramour, which is in an open run at the Lyric Theatre on 42nd Street, Kushnier was excited rather than hesitant. He admitted that he’s probably past the point of performing any death-defying acrobatics, so he leaves those high-flying routines to the professional circus performers. But the promise of molding theater with circus inspired him. “I think there are certain things that I’m really excited about,” he said. “I’m really excited about the inspiration, the sort of the storytelling through circus. … My very first entrance is about as circus-y as I get physically in the show. Spoiler alert: I get shot out of the floor on this thing called the toaster lift, which is exactly what it sounds like. It’s basically this telephone booth sort of thing that they stick me into underneath the stage and then shoot me out of the stage pretty fast.” Because of the added circus elements, the rehearsal process for Paramour was complex and extensive. That allowed Kushnier and the cast, which also includes Ruby Lewis and Ryan Vona, to dig deeper into their characters. “A lot of these acts came out of nothing,” he said. “Then you sort of get into a room, and you start playing around. And you see what people are good at what things, and you start [to go], ‘OK, let’s make this.’ Some of the acts come not premade, but they have an idea of the kind of things they’re going to do. … There’s these twins that do an aerial act, and they have been involved with Cirque. So they sort of knew generally that they were going to do this aerial act, but then there’s some stuff that just gets created on the spot. … It was three months before they even hit the stage, and then they had another two months of rehearsals on the stage. And that’s way longer than any Broadway show, but that’s purely because you’re creating new things. Then once you create an acrobatic act, then you have to make sure it’s safe.” The company of Paramour seems to be more like an extended family. They hold one another up — sometimes literally — for every performance, and Kushnier said he’s so happy to be part of the team. “We have such a great group of people both on and off stage,” he said. “It’s a real pleasure to go to work every day. When it comes to the acrobats, I’ve never seen a group of people that are harder working, that have less ego, that just enjoy being there and quite honestly put their lives at risk everyday. It really is a lesson, and it also makes coming to work so exciting and so fun. Then at the same time, there’s no lack of playing around that goes on backstage, before the show and after the show. We’re definitely a group of people that like to have fun.” Much like Kushnier’s toaster-jump entrance on the Paramour stage, his career on Broadway began with a quick, showy entrance. His role of Ren in Footloose is a highlight of his resume and a memory that sticks with him this many years later. “It was an amazing experience,” he said. “It was the thing that brought me to New York. It was my first starring role anywhere, especially creating a role. It was my introduction to Broadway, so it’s pretty exciting. It also raised the bar a little bit. I definitely created a false sense of security as far as what I should assume the rest of my career would be like immediately. You know what I mean, as a 23-year-old going, ‘Well, OK, you got the lead on Broadway, and then you just keep going that way.’ It doesn’t really work that way, but that being said, I feel so lucky and so blessed to have had that moment in my life. And now looking back on it, I wouldn’t change anything.” Kushnier has always enjoyed the project-to-project, character- to-character nature of the theatrical life. The variety and ability and to create a role from scratch sustains him creatively. “Getting a chance to open up that script for the first time, and sitting down with other actors, and talking about what this means and really finding it is incredible,” he said. “I think the thing that attracts me to it is just that that’s what I love to do. I love making something. I love finding these characters.” On the horizon are several other projects, in addition to his demanding schedule at Paramour. He recently completed a movie with his brother, who is a filmmaker. The Idea of Manhood is in the editing stage right now and will hopefully make the festival circuit in a few months. Kushnier also writes his own music and is working on two new albums; this is in addition to releasing his most recent albums. “I’m also working with some friends, and we’re trying to make/produce some more classical theater,” he said. “Just this past year I got to do my first Shakespeare, and just fell in love with it and sort of Jonesing to do the next one. So got together with a couple of friends that are very talented and definitely know more about classical theater than I do, and we’re sort of in the process, very early, early stages of maybe mounting some interesting things in the city.” Paramour was also keeping him busy these past few weeks with a “refresh” on the show. This might be somewhat new to Broadway musicals, but it’s a tradition of Cirque shows around the nation, especially with their residencies in Las Vegas. After opening night, a Broadway musical is typically set in stone and made permanent. However, Cirque likes to evolve their shows, and Kushnier has been involved in the process. “I think it’s a great thing,” the actor said. But he also conceded: “It’s a lot of hard work.” { SOURCE: Hollywood Soapbox | https://goo.gl/DVcTNV } Meet Mahesh Vinayakram, LUZIA’s Indian Singer {Oct.26.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- Mahesh Vinayakram, son of the well-known Ghatam Master Vikku Vinayakram, is the first Indian to perform in a Cirque du Soleil show, LUZIA, coming to San Jose in early 2017. “I am happy and proud to say that I am the first Indian male singer from the entire Karnatic music fraternity to ever be cast by Cirque du Soleil.” The creators of the show wanted to add a spiritual element to an act that has a contortionist depict Alebrijes, a creature from Mexican mythology, which scares the nightmares away, as it is scarier than them. “My accentuations lead the reactions of the audience as they see him contort in positions we didn’t know could even be possible,” describes Vinayakram. Vinayakram is not unfamiliar with contortions himself, musically speaking. He has worked with several styles and genres of music/ musicians, such as beatboxing, Bulgarian choirs, African percussionists, and Reggae. A rivetting youtube video shows him jamming with Dub Fx, a street performer and studio recording artist out of Melbourne, Australia. His “JOY” with Georg Gratzer & Klemens Bittmann is an exihilarating homage to the band Shakti, made famous by his father and Ustad Zakir Hussain, among others. Cirque du Soleil is a performance act like no other. The new show LUZIA was inspired by the natural beauty, modernity, surrealism, and mythology of Mexico. Composer Simon Carpentier said in an interview that he wanted to, at the point in the show where the Carnatic music is introduced, to creatively destabilize whatever has been constructed in the storyboard up until then. Vinayakram was chosen to render this creatively disruptive force, and the raaga he has chosen is Keeravani. India Currents caught up with the musician to understand how it all came to be, as well as get to know the man behind the musician. Q. How did it all come about? I was traveling with a big group Charishnu with the Kalakshetra director Leela Samson who asked me whether I was ready to go for a session with Cirque du Soleil. I said ok and did a 10-minute presentation of singing, Konnakol (vocal percussion), Moorsing (Jews harp), Kanjira (tambourine). I didn’t hear from them afterwards. But apparently they were following my journey on Facebook and four years later, to my complete surprise, I get a message from Andre Faleiros (circus talent scout) asking if I would be interested to join in their new production. They flew me to Burlington for a final recording/audition in December 2015. I was in Montreal joining the creation process of LUZIA 45 days later! Q. LUZIA is performance art – how do you feel about singing for it? LUZIA is a bit like musical theatre. There is stage acting, acrobats, live music…It’s a dream-come-true to take part in a show like this! It gives me wider scope to exhibit Carnatic music, especially to a worldwide audience that would never have heard it before. Q. How have you been preparing for LUZIA? Indian classical music needs a lot of quality time of practice of melody and rhythm control, Every student has to do it for years. For LUZIA, I had to learn western music chords & scale system, for example, we don’t attempt singing falsetto in Indian classical, but after coming to LUZIA, I have been trying “head voice.” Q. Who have been your role models? Obviously my Dad, he is a simple human being yet powerful, he has conquered the entire world with his small instrument! Q. Growing up with a living legend, your father- was it tough? Yes kind of… because expectations are high. That I had to match them, made me always conscious about quality …I have been travelling and sharing the stage with my father for more than 15 years now. Q. What is your earliest memory of watching your father perform? Watching SHAKTI band in Madras IIT when I was in school in the 90’s … I still can’t forget how my father enthralled an audience of 2,000 people in open air theatre…it had a memorable impact on me not only as a listener, but it also sparked an ambition in me to achieve big. Q. What is your philosophy as a teacher? Being human and staying with values of life/ enjoying the moment. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is mystery, today is a gift… I follow this principle. Q. What next, as a personal goal/ aspiration? I would like to sing with a philharmonic orchestra featuring Carnatic music- I want Carnatic music to be taken to all kinds of possibilities, I am working on that mission to break the barriers. I want to be the bridge between musical cultures and like the many masters from India who have been an inspiration, I want to give back respect to my India. I want to spread harmony using music. { SOURCE: India Currents | https://goo.gl/Lt6dfy } --------------------------------------------------- CirqueTech -- The Technical Side of Cirque --------------------------------------------------- Cirque Launches ‘KÀ’ VR Experience, With ‘O’ on the Way {Oct.06.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- Cirque du Soleil and Felix & Paul Studios released the 13-minute 3D virtual reality experience KÀ The Battle Within and reported that O is in post-production during the Oculus Connect 3 developers conference in San Jose, Calif. Available now for Samsung VR Gear before expanding to other platforms, KÀ is the second project in a VR production pact between VR studio Felix & Paul, Cirque du Soleil and Samsung. Based on KÀ, the martial arts-themed Cirque du Soliel show at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, It was first previewed last month at the Toronto International Film Festival. The third, based on the water-set O show, was shot last summer in Las Vegas and is currently in post-production (a late-2016 release is expected), while additional Cirque du Soleil-themed VR experiences are being planned. Also at the annual Oculus developers conference, Felix & Paul will preview a clip from a planned 40-minute VR narrative, Miyubi, which is a collaboration with Funny or Die and part of Felix & Paul’s multi-project production agreement with Oculus. The scripted comedy is set in 1982 and told from the perspective of a toy robot. CHECK OUT A PREVIEW HERE: < https://twitter.com/Cirque/status/784076788083326976 > KÀ: The Battle Within features horizontal and vertical choreography, performed on what’s billed as the world’s largest- moving hydraulic stage. To film the production, Felix & Paul attached its proprietary VR camera system to the platform in order keep viewers in motion as the action surrounds them, according to directors and company co-founders Félix Lajeunesse and Paul Raphaël. “It’s a gravity-defying experience,” Lajeunesse says, adding that in working on the production “we realized the beauty and power in how to use [VR] to immerse the viewer in a different way. You feel more physically a part of the experience because you are moving in space with them.” He said the experience includes portions of existing acts in the production, in addition to some new acts that were created with VR in mind. That’s the same approach that Cirque du Soleil and Felix & Paul took with their previous collaboration, Inside the Box of Kurios, which was released earlier this year and won a Daytime Emmy Award in the outstanding interactive media, original daytime program or series category. { SOURCE: The Hollywood Reporter | https://goo.gl/YbcM0l } McLaren Helped with Creative City Project Performance {Oct.19.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- McLaren Engineering Group, a full-service engineering firm with offices throughout North America, including Orlando, adapted Cirque du Soleil La Nouba’s Bamboo Aerial Act for use in a stunning outdoor performance. The Orlando-based show took its new dynamic act to the streets of downtown Orlando for the Creative City Project event last week. The Bamboo Aerial Act is an acrobatic performance where two artists, Ekaterina and Alexander Abramova, use a ladder-like apparatus to demonstrate a spellbinding mix of acrobatics and romantic storytelling. Originating from China, this moving art form involves fluid choreography and bold tricks performed while dangling in the air. “McLaren was proud to provide the initial structural review of the act’s equipment, rigging, and supporting structure in the gridiron for La Nouba’s theater, and the follow-up review for the crane, forklift, and rigging components for the Creative City Project,” said Andrew Habel, Florida Regional Director, McLaren Engineering Group. To bring the show safely to the streets of Orlando, a crane was used to suspend the act. Loft blocks attached to the crane’s boom suspended the rigging. The performer’s apparatus was hung from steel cables at a winch attached to a forklift at ground level, acting as an anchorage point. The winch raised and lowered the acrobat’s prop for the performance. McLaren reviewed the act’s rigging, the supporting crane’s capacity and the crane boom angle and length — providing 25 feet of clearance below the performance during the act. “One of the most challenging aspects of this project was determining the dynamic forces on the act’s show components and rigging due to the performer’s acrobatics,” said Habel. “For performer safety, we wanted to minimize any changes to the feel of the equipment during the performance to ensure that performer interaction with modified equipment would be as smooth as possible.” This fantastic act can also be seen as part of the show at the Cirque du Soleil La Nouba theater (www.lanouba.com) at the Walt Disney World Resort. McLaren has collaborated with Canadian-based Cirque du Soleil for years, working on various scenery, mechanized effects, and show-action equipment in many theaters and designing entire sets for traveling shows. “McLaren’s entertainment division has been responsible for some of the biggest shows all over the world. From Broadway to Vegas to Orlando, we’re extremely proud of the creative ideas we’ve helped to become reality,” said Malcolm G. McLaren, CEO of McLaren Engineering Group. McLaren’s entertainment work includes structural and mechanical design of touring show sets and stages for The Rolling Stones, Rihanna, Blake Shelton, Tina Turner and Paul McCartney, as well as structural and mechanical design for scenery and rides in theme parks around the world. ======================================================================= ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION ======================================================================= o) BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau {Amaluna, Koozå, Kurios, Luzia & Totem} o) ARENA - In Stadium-like venues {Varekai, TORUK, OVO & Séptimo Día} o) RESIDENT - Performed en Le Théâtre {Mystère, "O", La Nouba, Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE, MJ ONE, JOYÀ & Paramour} 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/ >, or for a more comprehensive tour listing, visit our Itinéraire section online at: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=6898 >. ------------------------------------ BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau ------------------------------------ Amaluna: Dusseldorf, DE -- Nov 11, 2016 to Dec 29, 2016 London, UK -- Jan 12, 2017 to Feb 26, 2017 Vienna, AT -- Mar 9, 2017 to Apr 17, 2017 Rome, IT -- Apr 30, 2017 to May 7, 2017 Koozå: Sydney, AU -- Aug 25, 2016 to Nov 13, 2016 Brisbane, AU -- Nov 24, 2016 to Jan 8, 2017 Melbourne, AU -- Jan 20, 2017 to Mar 26, 2017 Perth, AU -- Apr 13, 2017 to May 7, 2017 Manila, PH -- Jun 25, 2017 to Jul 30, 2017 Kurios: New York City, NY -- Sep 29, 2016 to Nov 27, 2016 Miami, FL -- Dec 10, 2016 to Jan 29, 2017 Dallas, TX -- Feb 17, 2017 to Mar 26, 2017 Houston, TX -- Apr 6, 2017 to May 21, 2017 Winnipeg, MB — TBA 2017 Portland, OR — Aug 28, 2017 to Oct 8, 2017 Vancouver, BC — Oct 19, 2017 to Dec 31, 2017 Luzia: San Francisco, CA -- Nov 17, 2016 to Jan 29, 2017 San Jose, CA -- Feb 9, 2017 to Mar 19, 2017 Seattle, WA -- Mar 30, 2017 to May 21, 2017 Denver, CO -- Jun 1, 2017 to Jul 9, 2017 Chicago, IL -- Jul 21, 2017 to Sep 3, 2017 Phoenix, AZ -- Sep 22, 2017 to Oct 22, 2017 Totem: Nagoya, JP –- Nov 10, 2016 to Jan 15, 2017 Fukuoka, JP –- Feb 3, 2017 to Mar 19, 2017 Sendai, JP -– Apr 6, 2017 to May 21, 2017 Brussels, BE -- Aug 31, 2017 to Oct 29, 2017 Paris, FR -- Nov 2017 VOLTA: Montreal, QC -- Apr 20, 2017 to Jun 11, 2017 ------------------------------------ ARENA - In Stadium-Like Venues ------------------------------------ Varekai: Bologna, IT -- Nov 03, 2016 to Nov 06, 2016 Turin, IT -- Nov 10, 2016 to Nov 13, 2016 Nantes, FR -- Nov 16, 2016 to Nov 20, 2016 Toulouse, FR -- Nov 23, 2016 to Nov 27, 2016 Strasbourg, FR -- Nov 30, 2016 to Dec 4, 2016 Paris, FR -- Dec 7, 2016 to Dec 11, 2016 Lille, FR -- Dec 14, 2016 to Dec 18, 2016 Lisbon, PT -- Jan 5, 2017 to Jan 15, 2017 Seville, ES -- Jan 18, 2017 to Jan 21, 2017 Gijon, ES -- Jan 25, 2017 to Jan 29, 2017 Sheffield, UK -- Feb 2, 2017 to Feb 5, 2017 Dublin, IR -- Feb 8, 2017 to Feb 12, 2017 Newcastle, UK -- Feb 15, 2017 to Feb 19, 2017 Leeds, UK -- Feb 22, 2017 to Feb 26, 2017 Birmingham, UK -- Mar 1, 2017 to Mar 5, 2017 Nottingham, UK -- Mar 8, 2017 to Mar 12, 2017 Glasgow, UK -- Mar 15, 2017 to Mar 19, 2017 Lyon, FR -- Apr 13, 2017 to Apr 16, 2017 Amsterdam, NL -- Apr 20, 2017 to Apr 23, 2017 Bratislava, SK -- Apr 27, 2017 to Apr 30, 2017 Budapest, HU -- May 12, 2017 to May 14, 2017 Sofia, BG -- May 26, 2017 to May 28, 2017 Ljubljana, SL -- Jun 2, 2017 to Jun 4, 2017 TORUK - The First Flight: Ontario, CA -- Nov 2, 2016 to Nov 6, 2016 Los Angeles, CA -- Nov 11, 2016 to Nov 13, 2016 Phoenix, AZ -- Nov 16, 2016 to Nov 20, 2016 San Diego, CA -- Nov 23, 2016 to Nov 27, 2016 Sacramento, CA -- Nov 30, 2016 to Dec 4, 2016 Portland, OR -- Dec 7, 2016 to Dec 11, 2016 Vancouver, BC -- Dec 14, 2016 to Dec 18, 2016 Edmonton, AB -- Dec 22, 2016 to Dec 26, 2016 Inglewood, CA -- Jan 12, 2017 to Jan 15, 2017 Las Vegas, NV -- Jan 18, 2017 to Jan 22, 2017 Wichita, KS -- Jan 26, 2017 to Jan 29, 2017 New Orleans, LA -- Feb 1, 2017 to Feb 5, 2017 Guadalajara, MX -- Feb 10, 2017 to Feb 12, 2017 Mexico City, MX -- Feb 16, 2017 to Feb 19, 2017 Monterrey, MX -- Feb 23, 2017 to Feb 25, 2017 Cleveland, OH -- Mar 3, 2017 to Mar 5, 2017 Philadelphia, PA -- Mar 8, 2017 to Mar 12, 2017 Hartford, CT -- Mar 15, 2017 to Mar 19, 2017 OVO: Erie, PA -- Nov 17, 2016 to Nov 20, 2016 Quebec City, QC -- Nov 23, 2016 to Nov 27, 2016 Montreal, QC -- Nov 29, 2016 to Dec 4, 2016 Kingston, ON -- Dec 7, 2016 to Dec 11, 2016 Grand Rapids, MI -- Dec 14, 2016 to Dec 18, 2016 Detroit, MI -- Dec 22, 2016 to Dec 25, 2016 Kansas City, MO -- Dec 28, 2016 to Jan 1, 2017 Sioux Falls, SD -- Jan 4, 2017 to Jan 8, 2017 Loveland, CO -- Jan 11, 2017 to Jan 15, 2017 Colorado Springs, CO -- Jan 18, 2017 to Jan 22, 2017 Tulsa, OK -- Jan 25, 2017 to Jan 29, 2017 Spokane, WA -- Feb 16, 2017 to Feb 19, 2017 West Valley City, UT -- Feb 22, 2017 to Feb 26, 2017 SÉPTIMO DÍA – NO DESCANSARÉ: Buenos Aires, AR -- Mar 9, 2017 - May 14, 2017 Cordoba, AR -- May 25, 2017 - TBA Lima, PE -- June 2017 Santiago, CL -- July 2017 Bogota, CO -- September 2017 Mexico City, MX -- October 2017 Guadalajara, MX -- November 2017 Monterrey, MX -- December 2017 Select US Cities -- 2018 --------------------------------- 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 2017 Dark Dates: o January 7 - 19 o February 5 o March 8 o May 6 - 10 o July 12 o September 9 - 13 o November 8 Special Performance Dates: o Fri, Dec 30, 2016 o Fri, Jan 20, 2017 | Dress Rehearsal 7:00 pm o Thu, Apr 6, 2017 o Thu, Aug 17, 2017 o Fri, Nov 24, 2017 o Fri, Dec 29, 2017 o Sun, Dec 31, 2017 | 4:30pm & 7:00pm 2017 Single Performance Dates: o Fri, Jan 20 | 9:30 pm o Sun, Jan 29 | 7:00 pm o Fri, Mar 03 | 9:30 pm o Sat, Mar 11 | 7:00 pm o Sun, Mar 26 | 7:00 pm o Sun, Apr 02 | 7:00 pm o Sun, Apr 09 | 7:00 pm o Sun, Apr 16 | 7:00 pm o Sat, Jun 17 | 7:00 pm o Sun, Aug 13 | 7:00 pm o Sun, Oct 01 | 7:00 pm o Fri, Oct 20 | 7:00 pm o Sun, Oct 22 | 7:00 pm o Fri, Dec 08 | 7:00 pm "O": Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark: Monday/Tuesday Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 9:30pm (as of Aug 12, 2015) 2016 Dark Dates: o November 28-December 13 La Nouba: Location: Walt Disney World, Orlando (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday Two shows Nightly - 6:00pm and 9:00pm Zumanity: Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark Sunday/Monday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm KÀ: Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark Thursday/Friday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 2016 Dark Dates: o November 23 LOVE: Location: Mirage, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Thursday through Monday, Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm MICHAEL JACKSON ONE: Location: Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Two Shows Nightly - Dark: Wednesday/Thursday Schedule: 7:00pm & 9:30pm on Friday, Saturday, Monday & Tuesday 4:30pm & 7:00pm on Sunday JOYÀ: Location: Riviera Maya, Mexico Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday One/Two Shows Nightly: 9:00pm (Weekdays) 7:00pm & 10:15pm (Fri, Sat & Holidays) PARAMOUR: Location: Lyric Theater, Broadway, New York City Performs: Wednesday through Monday, Dark: Tuesday One/Two Shows Daily: 2:00pm (Wednesday) 7:30pm (Thursday & Monday) 8:00pm (Friday) 2:00pm & 8:00pm (Saturday) 2:00pm & 7:00pm (Sunday) ======================================================================= FASCINATION! FEATURES ======================================================================= o) "Paramour Revamped - Impressions 2.0" By: Douglas Metzger - Long Island, New York (USA) o) "Robin Leach on Upcoming One Night for One Drop 5" A Special to the Fascination! Newsletter o) "Casting Q&A's - Meet an Artist, Part 3 of 6" Edited By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) ------------------------------------------------------------ "Paramour Revamped - Impressions 2.0" By: Douglas Metzger - Long Island, New York (USA) ------------------------------------------------------------ As a recap to my last review of this wonderful show, I’m lucky enough to be a ‘Passionate’ – one of those people who have followed Cirque for many years. Through those years I’ve made many cirque-adjacent friends as well as with cast and crew alike. Paramour is no exception. I had previously related my fascination (unrelated to the naming of this publication) with Kurios and how it too has gone through revamps and tweaking between the time it premiered and through its various touring locations and most notably imposed financial constraints. These changes noticeably tightened the show and in some cases trimmed well respected elements. In the case of Paramour, lengthy initial previews were used to test audience response and flow. This finally led to opening night and the formal launch of the show. Going back to my opening above, I’m enthusiastic about Cirque in general and the group of friends I have formed that are similarly inclined to travel widely to see shows and gather. Some travel great distances – China, France, Japan, Mexico, Europe in general, South America, and certainly long distances in the US as well. In July of this year a few of us got together s decided to further meet again in NYC. We planned this knowing two (2) cirque productions would be in town together: Paramour and Kurios. These friends are passionate about Paramour and Kurios similarly having personal friendships within cast and crew alike. What better a day to be spent than seeing two shows, one mid-afternoon, one in the evening. We’d leave one show, have dinner (and celebrate a birthday – Hi Heather Smith!) then travel a few short miles to see Kurios on Randall’s Island. One dot naught, and Two dot naught... In mid-August Paramour announced it would go dark for a few days and re-tool. This announcement preempted scheduled performances where tickets had been sold. These tickets were refunded or exchanged for a future performance. As of the last Sunday show that week (August 21st) Paramour went dark until the immediately following Thursday evening (August 25th). During this time an extensive and, mind you, very expensive, re-tooling took place. Operationally speaking this was a very costly undertaking in many ways. As a note: prior to opening on Broadway Cirque entered negotiations with various Broadway unions. Since not all show talent was part of these unions, Cirque needed a waiver. This waiver though prevents Paramour from using off-site rehearsal facilities while the show is being actively staged. Financially speaking one would have preferred to use the lower cost off-site rehearsal facility at Long Island’s Grumman Studio’s for such a retool. (This facility hosted original production development and rehearsals.) Because of this union limitation, the Lyric Theater was used including all the associated supporting talent, crew, house, facility and orchestra teams. Social media storm - It should be noted, again, that the launch of 2.0 was continually promoted in social media. Most cast and crew members maintain individual, if not professional, based social media accounts. These seemingly went into overdrive, and have remained at a very heightened state of use ever since. Most days you can find numerous new postings on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and the now closed Vine. Cast and crew even go out of their way to post self- produced and interesting ‘bits’ unrelated to the show. These grab numerous behind the scenes aspects of the show itself and make for attractive and informative alternate content supporting an eager audience. It becomes a veritable PR bonanza at times. It’s also heartening to see Tweets acknowledged by cast and crew alike. Audience members tagging the theater or cast member will typically get a note of thanks or ‘like’ at the end of each day. The new dawn of social interaction is being wholeheartedly embraced by this production, at the request of Cirque corporate. Print and TV media - The 2.0 rework was also covered in Broadway media, such as Playbill, TheaterTimes, and the local arms of national print press, all in a favorable manner. Performers were also dispatched to a lengthy list of daytime and evening talk / entertainment shows as well. This included the likes of Today, Kelly Ripa, The View, Entertainment Tonight, etc. To this reviewer 2.0 has been much better received than its original incarnation. Show consistency, balance and structure are vastly improved. The storyline is also communicated in a more broadway-esque styling. All of these changes should help to bring this production towards 21st century audience expectations, previously not met. The most notable change to the show was the overall story structure. This changed storyline arc places the narrative of the lead, AJ, front and center, literally. This narrative comes and goes throughout the show helping to fill gaps as well as assisting the audience with the explanation of artistic interpretation. Storyline aside, other significant changes have taken place with the addition of new components such as Unicycle, German Wheel, and introducing the shows namesake song - Paramour. Reworked existing components include modified Banquine, use of Korean Plank, Teeter and Pole/Lamp post use. High expectation existing acts were expanded as well, sometimes appearing to run a full double of their original iteration. These include the Atherton strap segment in Cleopatra and the acrobatic representation of the love triangle - Hand to Trap. Each of these changes is wholly welcomed. In the case of Unicycle, it’s the first heavily acrobatic performance of the show; the cycler and assistant glide effortlessly around the stage in seemingly impossible scenarios. This act ends with the audience raring to jump to their feet in appreciation. German Wheel is introduced in a supporting role as well. It’s become a staple of Cirque, with its inclusion into this show not going unnoticed. The title song ‘Paramour’ (first introduced underlying television adverts and then suspiciously dropped from 1.0 in its entirety) is a welcome addition. To those that had previously noticed, there was no namesake song in the original production. This new inclusion places a nice artistic bow on the show when hearing it, especially since it’s an immensely well-formed song. With respect to reworked acts, the established show stoppers: Atherton straps and Hand to Trap are practically doubled in length as previously mentioned. At times this extension might seem repetitive. The nightmare street number including Lamp Posts is a feat for certain. How the performers toss themselves about - in sometimes death-defying manipulation - astounds. The context of this act, though, remains fraught. Zombies. I just don’t get this inclusion. It feels disturbingly whimsical in its misplacement. One component I continue to enjoy is the use of drone technology. I believe it represents a new vision for Broadway and cirque alike. Having seen audience reception to their use during a duet I do believe the audience doesn’t really understand what they’re watching until the very last moment. At that time a single drone flies through a hoola hoop, then the technology truly sets itself apart. It might be suggested to launch the drones from the two center isles and fly them to the stage. In this manner the audience will have an immediate immersive connection with the flighty craft. One notable, but unfortunate, detraction for me was the dumbing down of lead female, Indigo. In 1.0 her mid-western ‘hick’ upbringing was immediately quieted after introduction. The historical iteration of such a character being that of ditzy brunette just off the bus on the Great White Way, ready to be descended upon by scrupulous producers/ casting agents. In 2.0 they embrace this classic stereotype. In 1.0 she was more quick-witted and full of moxie from almost the outset. This change unfortunately plays well to support the newer storyline and eventual reveal near shows end, but it could be better interpreted. Strong women characters are positive to progressive expectations. Last notable change to the show was the saloon dance act. This brings out all of the characters for an epic western style dance number. In 1.0 this was the large opening number, with it now moved deep into the 2nd act, lending complexity to the acidic love triangle. This triangle culminates its arc in the shows ending number, Rooftops. Rooftops is artistically interesting though continues to be conceptually stunted. From the use of elevator and stair tower projections to implementation of a chase, it’s juvenile and harsh. Most worrying, the number is outwardly choreographed to become a parody of itself. It’s the most oblique and forced act of the show, though athletically impressive, at times using poles, tramps, and elevated platform to support shear madness. The only way this reviewer would know how to properly incorporate the staging would be to draw upon previous incarnations of West Side Story fight scenes. The set used for the act is impressive, huge and certainly expensive. No wonder they wish to keep it, at any cost. In closing, my first review assessed a production 70% complete. I’d now say 2.0 is 90% complete. If slight changes are made it can certainly be a sustaining production throughout Broadway and live on quite well through 2017-2018, and possibly beyond. The reworked show has a vastly superior Broadway flavor to it than did 1.0. It’s captured the essence of true Broadway, but with a 21st century view. Incorporating extreme athletics, as well as technological innovations, will certainly drag a stunted and somewhat entrenched Broadway into bigger and better things. This is certainly something Broadway needs right now and well into the future in order to capture those critical dollars. With this concept cirque has resoundingly placed itself as a force within this theater community and they should be represented for quite some time to come. At the end of the day, even if this show doesn’t capture needed viewership in Times Square, it's comforting to know it can leave and go on a world tour to become a standard bearer for the company. ------------------------------------------------------------ "Robin Leach on Upcoming One Night for One Drop 5" A Special to the Fascination! Newsletter ------------------------------------------------------------ PART 1: “We want to bring back the blood, sweat and tears” The new “One Night for One Drop” benefit performance in March from Cirque du Soleil promises to be radically different than the previous four one-night-only productions that have raised millions of dollars for the water charity One Drop Foundation. Husband-and-wife creators Nicky and Laetitia Dewhurst, working alongside director Krista Monson, the creator of the first “One Drop,” promise that it will be “more dangerous and daring” than ever before. “We’re actually going smaller than year one as in smaller cast, smaller theater. This will be more about the individual talent of circus artists and performers. We want to bring back the blood, sweat and tears. We want the audience to really feel what it is to be a performer, and because we’re going back in time, we can go back to the traditional circus where the acts were a little more risky as in a danger aspect to the show. A little more jaw-dropping, much smaller, more intimate and thus more dangerous,” Laetitia said. On Monday, the trio make the final cut of just 60 performers who will appear in their production. Auditions ended last Monday, and 16 weeks of rehearsals begin Tuesday as tickets go on sale for the March 3 show at “Zumanity” Theater in New York-New York. The tax-deductible VIP tickets are $1,500 for the show and post-show extravaganza with performances and Cirque-themed festivities. Show-only tickets start at $100. Go to Onedrop.org/onenight or call 1-844-33-WATER. Proceeds benefit One Drop’s global-water initiatives, with a portion locally benefiting our Springs Preserve. “It will be a little more dangerous,” Laetitia continued. “We’re really pushing the boundaries in the sense that we’re looking at the planet as a whole. I know that the charity is about water, but if it wasn’t for the planet, we wouldn’t have water. “We’re trying to look at the broader issues of what’s going on with the planet right now. The previous four shows have all focused on the search for water. There’s no searching for water this time around. We wanted to make this show very different from the ones in the previous years but still focus on the broader issues with the planet rather than draw attention to the one particular subject.” We talked as auditions from dozens of volunteer Cirque show performers and artists from our Las Vegas community ended. Along with Las Vegas Review-Journal photographer Jason Ogulnik’s rehearsal photo gallery, we have an exclusive inside look with the new “One Drop” producers. For the first time, dancers from our Nevada Ballet Theatre will perform onstage with Cirque. DAMAGE TO THE PLANET -------------------- Laetitia revealed: “Basically we have two main characters. One represents mankind and the other represents Earth. Man treats Earth really poorly throughout the whole show. The metaphor throughout the show is the damage we’re doing to the planet we call home. We’re doing it with characters rather than actual physical things and visuals. We have reached out to guest stars and singers, and we’re in conversation with a couple of solo artists. This year we really bring them into the show as a real part of it as actual characters.” The husband-and-wife team who perform in “Zumanity” submitted a similar idea for this year’s show performed at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts last spring. Their hope to present extraordinary aerial excitement couldn’t be achieved there, so Cirque officials who had long wanted to use the “Zumanity” Theater for “One Drop” decided that the fifth production would be there. That meant the duo had to redesign their production for the smaller-scale theater. “It let us go back farther in time with more of a cabaret vaudeville show, so it’s completely different to what we envisioned at The Smith Center and a completely different concept from past productions,” said Nicky. “(Cirque founder) Guy Laliberte had always wanted to use the ‘Zumanity’ Theater for ‘One Drop.’ He doesn’t know anything about the show until the night we present it. He only knows that we’re directing it.” Laetitia added: “We know the theater. I was literally born here. I’ve been with ‘Zumanity’ since it opened. The roof wasn’t even on when I first came here. I was an original dancer on straps and pole, and now I back up the clown character played by my husband. We thought that we knew the theater from performing here nightly, but we’ve discovered a lot more. We’ve had a lot of meetings in the lighting booths, and as artists we never really had to go there. “We’re really going backstage. We know every nook and cranny in the theater, how it works, and it works perfectly for our ‘One Night’ vision. There was a toss-up between the ‘Mystere’ Theater, and we prayed for this one for our concept because of the intimacy, and it’s such a stunning showroom. It’s the smallest of all the Cirque theaters on the Strip, but it’s what we wanted originally. “After The Smith Center production this year, there was talk of using a circus tent, but they wound up giving us the choice of the ‘Zumanity’ or ‘Mystere’ theaters, and we pushed for ‘Zumanity.’ It’s a beautiful theater, and for our concept this fits beautifully. We would have had to make the ‘Mystere’ Theater more intimate somehow.” I pushed them to reveal at least one dangerous aspect of the new production. “We have an act that does straps but not holding on with their hands,” said Laetitia. “They hold on by their teeth. She holds him, a 130-pound guy, with her teeth. That’s pretty intense. They’re from Uzbekistan, friends of friends of ours, and they sent us the act and said they’d love to be part of the show. “At first you think it’s a normal strap act, but then it just gets crazier and crazier and crazier. They will be one of our guest performers. She holds him in her teeth, and he hangs and flies and does a bunch of strength moves with her holding him in her teeth. We have to keep their name secret for now, but they illustrate what we’re transforming our ‘Zumanity’ Theater into: A nonstop traditional circus. We’re physically transforming the theater into a ‘broken’ big top. “The show is very surreal, like a dream where our character goes back in time, a little like the story of ‘A Christmas Carol’ with Scrooge where he goes back in time. They can’t see him, but he can see himself and he sees the mistakes he’s made and how he treated people. It underscores how we treat Earth. If we could go back in time, what would we do differently? Our two main characters are the two ringmasters, one old and one younger.” ‘SHATTERED BIG TOP’ ------------------- Laetitia confirmed my earlier exclusive that her father-in-law, Nicky’s 84-year-old dad, Brian Dewhurst, the clown Brian Le Petit in “Mystere” at T.I., will play the older ringmaster: “He will go back in time to see his younger self in the circus. Brian began his 50-plus- year circus career when he joined the circus at age 13. The younger ringmaster will be played by Lorenzo Pisoni, who was the original pink character in ‘Mystere’ that my husband also played.” Nicky said: “We’ve all had a long history with Cirque, so we wanted that element brought in because this will be the fifth anniversary of the ‘One Drop’ shows and the 10th anniversary of the One Drop Foundation launched by Guy in October 2007. (The Cirque and One Drop founder personally pledged a $100 million donation over 25 years.)” “So in the shattered big top, the older ringmaster gets taken back like the Ghost of Christmas Past,” Nicky continued. “He gets to see his younger self and how he behaved and how he screwed up Earth. That’s the message to everybody: Take care what’s in front of you and realize the beauty of what you have. “Last year we had 120 performers, but in making this production more intimate, we have cut it in half and will have about 60 performers. As there’s not a lot of money involved in a one-night-only show, we wanted to give the designers an opportunity to really focus on the production. They have wonderful ideas, but it becomes difficult financially, so the whole cast throughout the whole show will wear the same costume, but there’s more detail in those costumes. “A lot of acts from around the world have submitted videos, and we had 50 more volunteers than we needed from Cirque wanting to be in the show. There’s a lot of interest this year already. They were excited that it was at ‘Zumanity’ Theater, too, because it is such an intimate theater. You want to give the opportunity to as many Cirque performers as you can, but we wanted to reach out to the Las Vegas community, so we’re striking the right balance now that our audition process has ended. LIVING, BREATHING TIME MACHINE ------------------------------ “The ballerinas will be a living, breathing, working part of the time machine inside it as the cogs and wheels and springs. They are more fairies than ballerinas because Cirque isn’t ballerina-driven. It’s acrobatic character performance-driven.” Krista summed up: “Nicky and Laetitia’s concept is fantastic. Each of the dancers will have his or her own language as opposed to a corps ballet. “We’ll actually have a couple of ‘human’ animals in the circus and many visuals of animals. Our new production goes back in time with a time machine from the influence of Charles Dickens, and the acts are dangerous and very daring. We’re going to really focus on that individual artist and bring the focus to them.” Nicky explained: “So much of what we do sometimes gets lost if there’s something else happening onstage. We want to try to reintroduce the focus on the performer. You see the beads of sweat. You see the tension as they fly. You see that energy that they’re really putting into the concentration. “As much as Cirque is wonderful and we love the shows, the massive spectacles, our side of the intensity does not always show itself. Our ‘One Drop’ audience will experience that close up; they won’t miss a thing. We’ll know the performers a lot more than we have in previous shows. That’s why this ‘Zumanity’ Theater works so well. It can only really work in this theater.” * * * PART 2: “The paint comes out now to make our masterpiece” Nearly five years ago, Krista Monson created the first “One Night for One Drop” show for Guy Laliberte’s commitment to the One Drop water charity he founded. Now she’s returned as the overall director of creation for the next spectacular production March 3 at “Zumanity” Theater in New York-New York. Tickets go on sale today as preparations begin for rehearsals now that auditions have been completed. The tax-deductible VIP tickets are $1,500 for the show and post-show extravaganza with performances, Cirque-themed festivities, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Show-only tickets start at $100. Details: OneDrop.org/OneNight and 1-844-33- WATER. Krista said as auditions ended and the trio began the final cut to 60 performers: “It is an awesome responsibility to be back and awesome in another way for me because, after the first year, I left Las Vegas for four years. I did a show in Italy. I’ve been doing other things with different producers. “I always knew about the collective expertise of Cirque du Soleil, but coming back I realized just how unique, how extraordinary the people are, the individuals are, the international flavor, the sense of caring. I worked with the United Nations as the creative director of the first world humanitarian summit in Istanbul. I became really allied to that humanitarian spirit, and our ‘One Night for One Drop’ show is a fusion of that sublime. We have the humanitarian spirit with extraordinary circus acts and performances, so it’s a real privilege, and I’m very proud to work with everybody.” ‘A LOGISTICAL NIGHTMARE’ ------------------------ Krista masterminds the entire, complicated logistics of the production, including maneuvering a cast that’s scattered around the world. She explained: “Basically, we had our cast assembled yesterday (Monday), so we now have a rehearsal schedule this month, December, January and all of February, just 16 weeks. “We’re working with casts from seven shows, all of which have a two- week dark period during that time, so we have to respect people going home, then our guest artists, plus three major holidays. Some of them are coming in December, and they won’t come back for another seven weeks. “We really have a logistical nightmare. This is not producing a show; it’s producing a jigsaw puzzle. I take away all the headaches of the creative directors and give them all the space they need to write the show and direct it. I give them the tools, the place and the artistic inspiration so that they have the freedom to create it. “I make sure all the pieces fall into place perfectly. I didn’t just age the first year I did this; honestly, I had nothing left in me. But I watched the ‘One Drop’ shows that followed on video while I was away overseas. It broke my heart not be here for them. There’s nothing like seeing it first hand in the seat. It’s pain and punishment, but I had to return to do this one. “It’s radically different, but there’s a momentum to it already. I think we’re ready, it’s delicate to say, we’re ready to laugh even though this is a very serious cause. It’s a delicate dance between moving people and entertaining people, and I think the concept that Nicky and Letitia have this year is going to move and entertain but in ways that are unique and extraordinary. “So, in that way, they’re flying thousands of feet higher looking at the planet. Of course water is a huge part of that, but they’re really daring in terms of all that’s happening, and what is universal is the idea to try to right Earth’s wrongs. ‘A HUGE CHALLENGE’ ------------------ “It’s a huge challenge. We’ve had the walk for water, we had the water in the show at ‘O,’ and we have to have a spectacle, not a brochure, to make the message resonate. It’s amazing when you think I’ll have 300-plus people all volunteering extraordinary amounts of time for a one-night production. “The budget is minuscule; they don’t get paid, and they’ll never perform it more than the one occasion. It’s no cabaret, I assure you. It’s an extraordinary commitment, the very best. You will see that commitment this time. As Nicky said, ‘The blood, sweat and tears — no apologies.’ “In the old circuses, the elite performer helped put up the tent, and we’re going to see a part of that, that community of spirit of putting something together, a show within a show. It’s going to be really fun. We went around to all the Cirque shows in Las Vegas and presented it to all the artists, the entire staff, to see who wanted to be involved. “From the makeup people, the wardrobe costumers to the performers, they all rushed to the stage. They now want to be involved with something they can celebrate. The cause itself is not something to celebrate because people are dying every 90 seconds due to lack of water or sanitation while we are in our plush seats. “That is simply not acceptable. But we reconcile it with the show that makes people question the situation on the really important basis of how they can help solve it. The show fulfils the mission. Laetitia and Nicky had the vision to introduce classical ballet into their production, so we have incorporated some of the dancers with Nevada Ballet Theatre. “Cirque has a great partnership with Nevada Ballet from nine years ago with ‘Choreographers Showcase,’ which this month is Nov. 13, 19 and 20 at ‘Mystere’ Theater. This is the first time we have the local community involved in our production: Nevada Ballet is part of our family. “The first year when I did it, there were 230 people. That was crazy. We had trucks outside, we were using hallways, corridors and banquet rooms for makeup. This year we are at 60 onstage performers. I would say half are from active Cirque shows here, and the other half are guest artists, a mix of former Cirque stars, new Cirque stars and ballet dancers. “Many of the guest artists were with Cirque previously or on tour elsewhere, but we know of them all. We’ll add A-list talent and singers as we get closer. There’s also a creative team of 30, all the designers, lighting designers, sound designer, assistants, and out of them 25 are currently working with Cirque du Soleil, so most of the creative team is from here, too. “When we have a meeting, it fills our entire conference room. The communication is all about setting goals. We already have a beautiful storyboard and a mood board that takes us through, picture by picture, scene by scene, tableau by tableau. The rigging team knows what they have to do and how to set up. “As tickets go on sale and rehearsals start, the paint comes out now, and we make our masterpiece.” { SOURCE: Robin Leach, LVRJ | https://goo.gl/CvYASJ, https://goo.gl/X8rf6q } ------------------------------------------------------------ "Casting Q&A's - Meet an Artist, Part 3 of 6" Edited By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) ------------------------------------------------------------ Ever wonder what it would be like to become a Cirque du Soleil artist? Of course you have! Who hasn’t? Wonder no longer! Through a series of interviews on their casting website, Cirque du Soleil invites us to get to know some of their performers (past and present), and discover how each of them went from a career as an athlete, circus performer, instrumentalist, singer, dancer, actor, clown, or in another specialty to becoming a Cirque performer. They’re fantastic reads if you’ve had the pleasure, and if you haven’t, well, don’t despair. We’ve collected all 30 artist interviews for you to peruse in this series, which, due to the page count, we’ll publish in six parts. In September, we began with Q&A's from Anthony Gatto, Claudel Doucet, Denise Stefanie Gonzalez, Eric Scribner, and Eve Castelo Branco. We continued last month with Hassan El Hajjami (Hip-hop & Breakdance), Jean-François Houle (Bandleaders), Jeanne Dioman Gbou (Ethnic & Traditional dance), Julia Lopatkina (Acrobatic gymnastics), and Kristin Allen (Gymnastics). And now here in Part three: Lionel Hamel (Stringed instruments), Lisa Skinner (Artistic gymnastics), Marco De Santi (Extreme sports), Melissa Urbano (Martial arts), and Michael Joseph Hachey (Stringed instruments). # # # LIONEL HAMEL Canada | Guitar, Singer, Computer programmer Q. WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT PRIOR TO JOINING CIRQUE DU SOLEIL? Guitar, voice and sound engineer for Dralion and Solstrom. 15 years of music for Radio Canada’s "L’onde de choc musique et son" Q. PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR ARTISTIC BACKGROUND BEFORE JOINING CIRQUE. I did music for TV shows, commercials and movies and toured with Sylvain Cossette, Marc Dupré, Sono, Zébulon and Marc Déry. Q. WHEN DID YOU JOIN CIRQUE DU SOLEIL? I began in 2004. Q. WHAT KIND OF AN EXPERIENCE WAS YOUR AUDITION? It was very good… cool and relaxed. Q. HOW DID YOUR INTEGRATION GO IN THE SHOW? My integration took nearly 3 years, but everything is very good now. Q. WHAT DO YOU LIKE THE MOST ABOUT BEING PART OF CIRQUE DU SOLEIL? I love having the possibility to grow with such a great company. Q. HOW DID THE TRANSITION GO BETWEEN YOUR FORMER CAREER TO YOUR CURRENT CIRQUE CAREER? It has been very good so far. Q. HOW IS IN LAS VEGAS? Expensive! * * * LISA SKINNER Australia | Artistic Gymnastics - Power Track Q. WHEN DID YOU JOIN CIRQUE DU SOLEIL? I began in April 2006. Q. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CONTACT WITH THE ORGANIZATION? I bumped into a member of Cirque’s Casting department while competing in Athens in 2004. Q. WHAT KIND OF AN EXPERIENCE WAS YOUR AUDITION? Unlike any other! It was a comprehensive and intense blend of acrobatics and artistry, fantasy and reality, and everything in between. You never knew what to expect each day! Q. HOW DID YOUR INTEGRATION GO IN THE SHOW? Quite fast yet quite smooth. One minute I was watching the show and the next I was in the show! As soon as I arrived everyone was so incredibly welcoming and extremely helpful. Q. HOW DOES BEING PART OF A CIRQUE DU SOLEIL SHOW ALLOW YOU TO EXPRESS YOURSELF IN YOUR DISCIPLINE? You really get to show off what you do best. It’s an amazing feeling to be able to perform in front of an audience that is in awe of every little move you make! Q. WHAT DO YOU LIKE THE MOST ABOUT BEING PART OF CIRQUE DU SOLEIL? I love waking up in the morning and really looking forward to going to work every day. In fact, it doesn’t even fell like work to me! Q. HOW DID THE TRANSITION GO BETWEEN YOUR FORMER CAREER TO YOUR CURRENT CIRQUE CAREER? The transition was fine. I think it’s fantastic that Cirque provides the opportunity to turn the acrobatic and artistic skills that people have spent so much effort perfecting into a career. Q. WHY WOULD YOU RECOMMEND AN ARTIST TO JOIN CIRQUE? It’s an amazing experience you’ll never forget or regret. Q. HOW IS LIFE ON TOUR? Unreal! * * * MARCO DE SANTI Brazil | Rollerblading Q. WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST ARTISTIC OR ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENT PRIOR TO JOINING CIRQUE DU SOLEIL? Gold Medal in Latin American XGAMES in 2002 & 2003, Ranked #2 in the World in 2004; Silver Medal for XGAMES 2004; Gold Medal in Asian XGAMES 2004 Q. PLEASE TELL US ABOUT BACKGROUND PREVIOUS TO JOINING CIRQUE: I was a competitive professional in-line skater. And when I wasn’t on skates I liked to learn tricks like back flips, handstands, and various other types of flips. Q. WHEN DID YOU JOIN CIRQUE DU SOLEIL? I started in September 2005, in Montreal for the creation of LOVE. Good times! Q. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CONTACT WITH THE ORGANIZATION? In 2000 I did an audition at a skate park in Brazil. Then Cirque invited me (and some of my friends) to a second audition where I had to imitate really funny characters while skating. Q. WHAT KIND OF AN EXPERIENCE WAS YOUR AUDITION? In my audition, I had to do a lot of crazy acting that I had never done before and never thought I would have to do. The training at Cirque was crazy from a skater’s perspective… I felt like I was a Ninja. Also, we did free running, trampoline and acting. Q. HOW DID YOUR INTEGRATION GO IN MONTREAL AND IN THE SHOW? I really felt like I was in the right place surrounded by a lot of energetic people with different talents. Also, I really learned a lot as a performer and improved my skating abilities as well. Q. HOW DOES BEING PART OF A CIRQUE DU SOLEIL SHOW ALLOW YOU TO EXPRESS YOURSELF IN YOUR DISCIPLINE? In skating competitions I had to perform, but it’s definitely not like acting. Here I can do whatever—be silly and have fun on stage. Q. WHAT DO YOU LIKE THE MOST ABOUT BEING PART OF CIRQUE DU SOLEIL? I love being around so many good people with different talents and to be able to learn and grow as an acrobat. Q. HOW DID THE TRANSITION GO BETWEEN YOUR FORMER CAREER TO YOUR CURRENT CIRQUE CAREER? I miss competing but this is a new and different challenge—I’m competing with myself and pushing my own limits. Q. WHY WOULD YOU RECOMMEND AN ARTIST TO JOIN CIRQUE? Cirque is an amazing company to work for and will open doors for your future! Q. HOW IS LIFE IN LAS VEGAS? Las Vegas is open 24 hours so you can have fun any time of the day! Q. ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US? Cirque is much more fun than I ever thought it would be. And as an artist, you are contributing to making an incredible show that much better! * * * MELISSA URBANO Australia | Wushu Q. WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENT PRIOR TO JOINING? I won 4 karate World Championship titles in 2009 and in 2013 in different events in Point Fighting, Traditional and Extreme Forms. Q. PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR ATHLETIC BACKGROUND PREVIOUS TO JOINING CIRQUE? I started karate at the age of 6 and competed professionally at a high level at the age of 17. One year earlier, I got into acrobatics, which complemented my martial arts skills. I began teaching different skills to people of all ages at martial arts seminars. I was managing 3 martial arts schools in my hometown, Melbourne. Getting into stunt work and training specifically for film fighting lead me to perform in some short films and having interest in KÀ. Q. WHEN DID YOU JOIN CIRQUE DU SOLEIL? In September 2013 Q. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CONTACT WITH THE ORGANIZATION? My husband Phil Kismartoni and his brother Peter where already working as performers in KÀ. This show was the first Cirque show I ever saw and I was blown away by it. I never imagine that I could be a part of something so extraordinary at the time. Q. WHAT KIND OF AN EXPERIENCE WAS YOUR AUDITION? I was visiting my husband in Las Vegas after competing at the ISKA US Open World Championships in Orlando (FL), when the Casting team emailed my husband to check if I was interested in doing an audition. I was leaving to go home to Australia the following day, but since I was interested they were able to arrange a specific audition on my way to the airport. Just after landing in Australia, I got a call from them announcing me that I had been selected. Not long after, I was back in Las Vegas to start my dream job. Q. HOW DID YOUR INTEGRATION GO IN THE SHOW? At times, it was nerve-racking to learn acrobatics acts and to be performing at 60 feet in the air was something completely new to me. I never thought I would learn so much, thanks to that the integrating was a success. Q. HOW DOES BEING PART OF A CIRQUE DU SOLEIL SHOW ALLOW YOU TO EXPRESS YOURSELF IN YOUR DISCIPLINE? In KÀ, a fight scene is not just kicks and punches. There is a story to be told. Character and intentions are vital to bring a scene to life; therefore it allows us to express ourselves on a deeper level. Q. WHAT DO YOU LIKE THE MOST ABOUT BEING PART OF CIRQUE DU SOLEIL? It feels very much like a family environment, which helps since a lot of us are so far from home. I also love to perform and inspire audiences. Q. HOW DID THE TRANSITION GO BETWEEN YOUR FORMER CAREER TO YOUR CURRENT CIRQUE CAREER? It was a big change from running a martial arts school, coaching and competing to performing on stage 2 shows per night, 5 days a week. By working with high level performers form all around the world, my skills improved, I learn a lot about entertainment and also about other cultures. Q. WHY WOULD YOU RECOMMEND AN ARTIST TO JOIN CIRQUE? The experience of performing on stage with a strong team working together to entertain an international audience is a unique feeling. Performing a live show every day is challenging but at the end of a representation when you hear the applause, it is very rewarding. Q. HOW IS LIFE IN LAS VEGAS? I love my life here. I am happy and healthy, I have a dream job and I get to perform on stage with my husband every night. Besides the bright lights and casinos, there are many outdoor adventures nearby. * * * MICHAEL JOSEPH HACHEY United States | Strings/Bass Guitar Bass/Double bass Q. YOUR BIGGEST ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT IN YOUR PRE-CIRQUE CAREER? Performing in Neil Berg’s Broadway review show “Holiday On Broadway”. Q. TELL US ABOUT YOUR ARTISTIC BACKGROUND BEFORE JOINING CIRQUE. I started playing the French horn at age 11, which gave me an orchestral background. Soon after, I discovered bass through friends and community programs, and began performing as an upright and electric bassist playing many different styles in many different groups. Q. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CONTACT WITH THE ORGANIZATION? I joined Cirque du Soleil in 2011. I was actively searching for jobs and found an open call for an audition for bass players on Craigslist. I recorded a couple of songs and sent in my video demo. I waited patiently for over 2 years and finally received a call from a Talent Scout seeking me to practice the rockabilly style of upright playing in order to prepare for a live audition in Las Vegas for the Viva ELVIS show. Q. HOW WAS THE AUDITION EXPERIENCE? In the live audition, I was treated like royalty. I met a few members of the Cirque family and everyone had big smiles on their faces the whole time I was playing. Just auditioning was a really rewarding experience. Everyone was so receptive. It was amazing. Q. WHAT WAS IT LIKE INTEGRATING INTO THE SHOW? It was a pretty easy process making the transition into the show. Even from day one, everyone on the team was very helpful and welcoming. The main idea is to concentrate on your art and what you are bringing to the show. The band and the entire cast came to me with open arms when I arrived. Q. IS WORKING AT CIRQUE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU HAD IMAGINED? It wasn’t exactly like I was thinking… I thought I was going to be hidden behind a curtain with a music stand. However, one of the greatest things about Cirque is how live musicians are incorporated into their shows. It’s so special to have the interaction between artists and musicians; getting cues, reading what’s going on in the show and getting to play into it. Cirque really respects live musicians and performers. Q. HOW HAS BEING PART OF A CIRQUE DU SOLEIL SHOW ALLOWED YOU TO EXPRESS YOURSELF IN YOUR DISCIPLINE? For me, performing with Cirque du Soleil as a musician has been unique and very different from anything I have ever done before. I really enjoy this style of work and the schedule of performances. I feel as if I have a character in the show, and I get to have a personality on stage. It’s challenging and rewarding. Seeing this whole other world of circus arts, dance and acrobatics is incredibly inspiring and exciting to be a part of. Q. WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT BEING PART OF CIRQUE DU SOLEIL? Being a part of the family and learning from everyone around me. They are all specialists and they really are the best at what they do. I have learned so much from the diverse cast. Q. WHY WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THAT AN ARTIST JOIN CIRQUE? We get to share our musical voice while having the chance to work with the best people in the business. From the sound crew to the technicians to the artists, everyone brings their specialty to the table to collectively make the show an amazing experience. Cirque offers a unique show experience unlike anything out there today. Q. WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ADVICE OR SUGGESTION TO YOUNG MUSICIANS? Hold on to your passion for music and your art, whatever it may be. Give Cirque a chance and go for an audition; you never know if your unique talents will fit perfectly in a show. Cirque du Soleil is actively looking for talented musicians too, not just acrobats and dancers. After over two years of waiting, I was sure that they had forgotten about me. But Cirque and Casting have shown me that they really do look at every applicant and I was finally chosen for a show. If you are a specialist with a unique background in music and you are passionate about what you do, send in your application. Q. WHAT OPPORTUNITIES HAS CIRQUE GIVEN YOU? Cirque gave me a tremendous opportunity to make a fulfilling career out of my unique skills as a musician. Becoming a part of this family has been such a rewarding experience for me. As a musician, it really is unlike anything else! # # # Stay tuned for more pieces of this series coming soon! In Part Four: Miho Kono (Synchronized swimming), Miro Lacasse (Physical Actors), Noriko Takahashi (Diverse abilities), Odmaa Bayartsogt (Other disciplines), and Oleksandr Pylypenko (Athletes). In Part Five: Paulo Lorador (Balancing), PJ Bogart (Diving), Raphaël Sanchez (Keyboards), Ross Gibson (Tumbling), and Sabú Alegría (Wheels). And in the final installment: Suo Liu (Martial arts), Tumelo “Michael" Moloi (Other dance styles), Vanessa Convery (Jazz & Tap dance), Zara Tellander (Female vocals), and Zeng jiao Jian (Martial arts). ======================================================================= COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER ======================================================================= Fascination! Newsletter Volume 16, Number 11 (Issue #154) - November 2016 "Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (C) 2001-2016 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.10.2016 } =======================================================================