======================================================================= ______ _ __ _ __ / ____/___ ___________(_)___ ____ _/ /_(_)___ ____ / / / /_ / __ '/ ___/ ___/ / __ \/ __ '/ __/ / __ \/ __ \/ / / __/ / /_/ (__ ) /__ / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /_/ / / / /_/ /_/ \__,_/____/\___/_/_/ /_/\__,_/\__/_/\____/_/ /_(_) 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 20, NUMBER 1 January 2020 ISSUE #192 ======================================================================= Bonne année and welcome to the latest edition of Fascination, the Unofficial Cirque du Soleil Newsletter. Although it's been a rather slow news month, let's jump right in... * * * ACCIDENT AT "O" * * * On January 5, 2020, during a performance of Cirque du Soleil's "O" at Bellagio, an artist who is part of the Russian Swing act fell. As a precautionary measure and in accordance with our emergency response protocols, we stopped the show to allow the emergency intervention team to safely bring the artist backstage where he was immediately taken in good care by the show's medical team. As always in the case of an accident, the artist will continue to be monitored by the "O" medical and coaching teams to determine when he can return to his activities. * * * R.U.N TO CLOSE AFTER APRIL 2020? * * * According to VitalVegas.com, a source claims R.U.N at the Luxor looks to be closing after April 2020. Here's what they have to say about it: "R.U.N." has received scathing reviews since its debut, with many declaring it the "worst show ever in Las Vegas." On TripAdvisor, the show has received 115 "terrible" ratings, and 31 "excellent" ratings, although a good deal of the "excellent" ratings are of questionable origin. For example, many use the same or similar terminology ("immersive!"), and are written by first-time reviewers using generic profile photos. Another common theme among the dubious raves are claims audience disappointment with the show is due to it not being a "typical Cirque show." We can't disagree, as typical Cirque shows are "enjoyable" and "entertaining" and tend to not feature torture sequences. There has been no official announcement or confirmation of the closure of R.U.N by Cirque du Soleil or Luxor. A source shared an internally-distributed schedule of upcoming performances of "R.U.N.," which abruptly ends after its April dates. There's been speculation that because of the show's $62 million price tag, it would be disastrous to simply pull the plug on R.U.N There's a chance the show could close temporarily for an overhaul to try and salvage it. There's also a chance Cirque has realized it misread the market and will cut its losses to stop the bleeding. While it's no fun when a show closes and performers and crew members lose their gigs, it's also no fun when customers feel ripped off after seeing a Las Vegas show, especially one from a respected company like Cirque du Soleil. R.U.N was a noble, but misguided and poorly executed, attempt to reach a new audience for Cirque. Unfortunately, there's no evidence that audience actually exists. Although the show could be closing after April 2020, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that Cirque and/or MGM has decided not to put show tickets greater than 90 days on sale at this time. Mystère currently only has tickets on sale through April 2020 and there's no speculation about its future. That being said, all other Cirque shows at MGM properties DO have tickets on sale through to the end of 2020 so... I guess we'll have to wait and see. Don't forget - the 8th annual edition of One Night for One Drop will be held on Friday March 27, 2020 at the Luxor Hotel & Casino, featuring a "thrilling" performance of R.U.N - so it should stick around until then! * * * LAST, BUT NOT LEAST... * * * - Alegría: In a New Light has a new artist performing a hand balancing act on a rotational basis. This update comes with a change to the artist's costume (using a similar outfit that's used in Hand-to- Hand), and instead of the song "Taruka" being performed, "Vai Vedrai" is used instead. - On 1/6/2020, Paramour celebrated its 300th show in Hamburg. More? Keep reading! /----------------------------------------------------\ | | | Join us on the web at: | | < www.cirquefascination.com > | | | | Realy Simple Syndication (RSS) Feed (News Only): | | < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?feed=rss2 > | | | \----------------------------------------------------/ - Ricky "Richasi" Russo =========== CONTENTS =========== o) Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings * La Presse -- General News & Highlights * Q&A -- Quick Chats & Press Interviews o) Itinéraire -- Tour/Show Information * BigTop Shows -- Under the Grand Chapiteau * Arena Shows -- In Stadium-like venues * Resident Shows -- Performed en Le Théâtre o) Outreach -- Updates from Cirque's Social Widgets * Webseries -- Official Online Featurettes * Videos -- Official Peeks & Noted Fan Finds o) Fascination! Features * "A Look into R.U.N - Cirque's First Thriller" Texts from the Press Kit * REVIEW /// "R.U.N stumbles a bit, but finishes the race as a fun and unique experience!" by: Eric Nowack - Chicago, Illinois (USA) o) Copyright & Disclaimer ======================================================================= CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS ======================================================================= *************************************************************** LA PRESSE -- General News & Highlights *************************************************************** ---------------------------------------------------------- One Drop Recognized as Top Non-Profit in Canada {Dec.11.2019} ---------------------------------------------------------- International water foundation One Drop was named one of the Top 10 International Impact Charities in Canada for 2019 for ‘making a difference' by Charity Intelligence, an organization that conducts independent research and develops in-depth reports in the philanthropic sector. As part of this recognition, One Drop was acknowledged for delivering high-impact projects overseas and for its high return per each dollar invested in its safe water access initiatives worldwide. One Drop was also recognized last year by Charity Intelligence as one of the Top 10 Impact Charities of 2018 for Canada. "We are thrilled that One Drop has climbed this year into one of the 10 international leading charities in Canada. One Drop's mission is to ensure sustainable access to safe water and sanitation for the most vulnerable communities. It is aligned with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 6: to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030," said Véronique Doyon, One Drop Chief Program Officer. Established in 2007 by Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté, the One Drop Foundation currently has 13 ongoing projects in Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia (India) and Africa. One Drop's unique approach to international development is intrinsically linked to the arts, leveraging its knowledge from Cirque du Soleil in the creation of targeted initiatives using Social Art for Behaviour Change. Through locally inspired social art activities such as theater, murals, videos and exhibitions, One Drop fosters positive change and empowers communities with the ultimate goal of ensuring the longevity of its projects. Charity Intelligence reviews and rates over 750 Canadian charities and the Top 10 recently released are the organizations that have the highest measurable impact, delivering returns of seven times for every dollar donated, compared with average returns of 1-2 times on the dollar. Charity Intelligence's reports are independent – charities do not pay for ratings or accreditation. Through rigorous and independent research, Charity Intelligence aims to assist Canada's dynamic charitable sector in being more transparent, accountable and focused on results. For more information about One Drop's safe water initiatives visit: www.onedrop.org. { SOURCE: CISION } ---------------------------------------------------------- Behind-the-scenes of VOLTA in Atlanta {Dec.18.2019} ---------------------------------------------------------- The first rule of Cirque du Soleil: Everything is clockwork. The second rule: Don't chew gum around the costumes. It's that initial directive that is on display on a recent Thursday inside the Big Top (aka the Grand Chapiteau) at Atlantic Station, where Cirque's "Volta" is readying for a 4:30 p.m. performance. "In an office, you can make a mistake, send an email and it's fixed. Here, there are no mistakes," says Steven Ross, the briskly professional and obliging senior publicist for the show as he lopes around the front of the circular stage that the "Volta" cast of 50 will soon take. Just 10 minutes before the audience enters, ushers huddle near the blue plastic seats, chatting. A Cirque crowd entertainer — you know, the one you pray will keep walking past you as he scouts the aisles looking for a willing participant — hops around in striped knee socks, practicing wiggly moves. A few hundred feet away, behind the stage in the Artistic Tent, one acrobat is flipping on a trampoline. Joey Arrigo, the performer who plays blue-haired protagonist Waz, is hugging his elbows in a stretch. Another cast member sits at a makeup table, applying thick, painted brows. More performers casually fall into splits and other unnatural poses atop gym mats that line the floor, always in motion. They are oblivious to everyone and everything except, of course, the clock. At exactly 4 p.m., the show ritual of "handing the house" takes place — when the artistic team radios the head usher that the show can now commence. "Let's open!" yells the head usher known as Vladi (short for Vladislava), and moments later, patrons swaddled in coats amble in clasping boxes of popcorn and "Volta" merchandise purchased in the lobby of the Big Top. But let's back up for a moment." VOLTA SURPRISED US ------------------ Ross is genuine when he explains that Atlanta has become one of the most fertile markets for Cirque du Soleil shows. "Volta," which began in 2017, arrived at the Atlantic Station Big Top (constructed specifically for Cirque shows) Oct. 10. It will close in Atlanta on Jan. 5 and commandeer its next city — Los Angeles — on Jan. 18 before moving on to Costa Mesa, California; Denver and Portland, Oregon. By November, the run in Atlanta of "Volta" was extended — a frequent occurrence for Cirque Big Top shows here, but not necessarily in other cities. "To stay on for three months is really long," Ross says. "The people of Atlanta welcome us with open arms. When you see the audiences, you see the difference by the way people react. We're very humbled by it." When Cirque comes to town, it's like operating a small city, evidenced by the rows of white trailers packed around the outside of the tents. There are 150 people on tour, and the show spends about $2 million on staff lodging and other life necessities. Ross says the typical economic impact for a city when a Cirque show sticks around for several months is about $18 million since people travel from throughout the state (and nearby ones), stay in hotels and eat in area restaurants. Cirque also hires about 200 locals, many of whom work in the cast and crew kitchen. The makeshift cafeteria — actually four trailers converted into a large room with tables — is headed by four full-time chefs who provide food every day starting at 8 a.m. and through intermission of the evening performance. Catering to cultural tastes and dietary preferences is an understandable challenge with a cast featuring 25 nationalities who collectively speak 16 languages. The hot food options always include one lean meat, one vegetarian and one "comfort food." Some of the choices on this day, scribbled on a white board, are vegan black bean stew and stuffed peppers with eggs. Most of the performers wait until the matinee intermission or the hour between shows on double- performance days to consume a main meal. THE HEARTBEAT OF VOLTA ---------------------- The tagline for the show is "find your free," and while that fits perfectly into the terminally vague descriptors of all Cirque productions, it makes sense for this particular show (though it's also heavy on sports, with a dazzling BMX bike routine competing with an electrifying double-dutch jump rope sequence vying against a gasp- inducing multi-trampoline spectacle as the most memorable performance). "It's all about accepting yourself and being open to everyone. It's a message anyone can relate to," says Ben Todd, the band leader and drummer for the show. It's just after 3 p.m. that same afternoon and Todd, a Twizzler-thin Australian with an easy grin and kind eyes under facial makeup reminiscent of Tim Curry in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," cheerfully chats about his life in Cirque and the music that powers "Volta." (He saw his first show, "Saltimbanco," in Australia's Adelaide when he was 11 and joined Cirque for "Corteo" when he was 19.) Todd, 30, usually arrives about three hours before a show and returns by about 10:45 p.m. to his Midtown hotel, where he lives with his wife Amanda, a stage manager with "Volta," whom he's known since elementary school in Australia. "Volta" is only dark on Mondays, so despite being in Atlanta for more than two months, free time is scarce — though the couple has enjoyed scouting out Krog Street Market and Ponce City Market. "Like anything, the routine can get to you. But everyone here is constantly trying to better themselves," Todd says. A drummer since the age of 3 — his father is also a professional sticksman — Todd always wanted to be involved in the creation of the show. Anthony Gonzalez of French-American electronic music project M83 is the composer and musical director of "Volta." But, says Todd, "We got to work closely with (Anthony). It's his vision and his ideas. Anthony is writing more like pop songs. A lot of other Cirque shows are written in a more formula way. That's what makes the show sound different." IN THE POCKET ------------- Two music pits flank the "Volta" stage, with Todd and guitarist / keyboardist William Lawrence in one and singer / violinist Camilla Bäckman, singer Eric DeShan and keyboardist Michael Gonzalez pressed into the other. It's one of the smallest bands for a Cirque production, and the music is about 40 percent live to 60 percent pre-recorded because of the layered demands of Gonzalez's compositions. With five minutes until show time, Todd settles into his drum nook, a Plexiglas border and brown door the only things separating him from Englishman Lawrence, who, unlike most musicians in Cirque shows, will make brief appearances on stage, first ripping out a guitar solo in a black and gold ensemble that looks like Broadway meshed with Prince's closet, before scampering back into the pit. Even though Todd is sequestered behind slats, he also must wear a costume — a loose-fitting grey patterned outfit and hat. Both Todd and Lawrence have monitors to watch the show, laptops that run the music programs and, for Lawrence, a dim red light to illuminate his keyboards in the otherwise shadowy pit. Neither reads music as "Volta" unfolds. As Todd points out, "After 900 shows, you pretty much have it committed (to memory)." Asked if he ever gets to actually enjoy the production, Todd grins. "Yeah. Sometimes." At 4:35 p.m., the houselights dim and the command comes through the musicians' headphones: "Music – go!" A click track — which many drummers use to keep time — tick tocks in the earphones. Todd's eyes lock onto the monitor to watch the performers, and the first thumps of a drumbeat introduces the opening scene, the "Mr. Wow Show." Lawrence, back from his stage turn and now clad in a rainbow-colored outfit, taps his right foot and nods his head while playing his guitar as Todd slams through a drum solo during the vigorous trampoline number, "Rise & Shine." During the 25-minute intermission, Lawrence heads backstage and slowly rides an exercise bike to keep loose. Around him, some acrobats practice their routines and shirtless, muscled men engage in yet another workout as Migos' "Walk It Talk It" blares through the Artistic Tent. The second act is highlighted by the BMX routine accompanied by the adrenalized song, "Momentum." At 6:25 p.m., as the cast circles the stage to an audience ovation, Todd and Lawrence zip out of their musical cave to join them. Todd waves his drumsticks and Lawrence his guitar as the group takes a well-earned bow. Just like clockwork. { SOURCE: Melissa Ruggieri, Atlanta Journal Constitution } ---------------------------------------------------------- Axel is an arena rock show with aerial theatrics {Dec.19.2019} ---------------------------------------------------------- Coming out of the Bell Centre Thursday night after the premiere of Axel, the Cirque du Soleil's latest ice show, I had but one question: Where was Duff McKagan? When I spoke with Axel writer and stage director Fernand Rainville in September at a sneak preview of Axel, he said the idea behind the new Cirque creation was to re-create the big loud excitement of an arena rock show. There is a definite rock vibe to Axel and something of a Guns N' Roses vibe. First off, it's called Axel and the title character is a rocker who skates around the ice with a guitar slung over his shoulder as he belts out a few rock tunes. So yes, it's hard not to think of Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose. Then at one point, the guitarist in the live five-piece band whips off a blazing guitar-hero solo, and given that he is wearing a big flashy black hat, it's impossible not to think he's channeling his inner Slash. That's what had me thinking the only guy missing was Gunners bassist McKagan. The soundtrack doesn't include Sweet Child o' Mine but it does feature a few major rock and pop hits, kicking off with a lengthy version of Tears for Fears' Mad World, Rihanna's Diamonds, Radiohead's Creep, the Bee Gees' You Should Be Dancing and House of Pain's Jump. Hip hop anthem Jump is the centrepiece of the finale, with a slew of performers bungee-jumping high in the air in an exuberant number. But Axel isn't just a rock show. It's a little hard to figure out exactly what it is. There is of course lots of skating, but the choreography is the most uninspired part of the show. You go to the Cirque du Soleil for acrobatics and it's the eye-catching aerial theatrics that make the biggest impression here. There's a beautiful moment with one of the musicians playing the cello on the ice as a woman does some stunning moves on the trapeze. Just as impressive is a sequence early in the second half with a performer creating his own unique poetry as he climbs a ladder at centre ice, a ladder that seemingly magically stays up even though it has no structure to lean on. As usual with the Cirque du Soleil, the only way you'd have a clue what the heck is going is if you're lucky enough to be a journalist and have a copy of the press notes. Those notes talk about how Axel, a young musician with a passion for drawing sketches, falls for the mysterious Lei, and apparently she's the leader of a group of rebellious youngsters called The Syndicates. The bad-guy is Vï, who might well remind you of The Joker. But the story is in typical Cirque fashion fairly opaque. Philippe Brault's original music evokes a host of different moods and works better in my view than the big hits. The visual design is mighty impressive, as is the use of video, with the ice surface used as a canvas. But one of the biggest problems is that there's lack of cohesion here in part because the title character, played by Australian musician Jayden Sierra, is often shunted aside, playing a supporting role in his own story. { SOURCE: Brendan Kelly, Montreal Gazette } ---------------------------------------------------------- REVIEW /// Cirque du Soleil Chases the Holiday Spirit {Dec.19.2019} ---------------------------------------------------------- The acrobats are all glamour and athleticism, the skaters all speed and daring. But in "'Twas the Night Before…," Cirque du Soleil's festive yet fumbling entry into the seasonal entertainment market, Santa's silly reindeer hit the sweet spot. Of the several ingredients necessary to the making of a holiday classic — artistry with a sprinkling of magic, familiarity balanced with adventure — Cirque skimps on the requisite warmth, which the reindeer (embodied by human performers) radiate. And when they briefly alight on the stage of the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden to play their leaping reindeer games, they bring something else largely missing from a show that is touted as a twist on Clement Clarke Moore's poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" yet bears little resemblance to it. Because we know these characters by name from that verse — Dasher, Dancer and the gang — we are instantly glad to see them. Spectacle, not story, is of course the strength of Cirque du Soleil, and "'Twas" is a perfectly diverting show. But this supposed adaptation would be less baffling if it made more than vague gestures in the direction of the poem's narrative, or really any narrative at all. "The Nutcracker," for all its plot weirdness, is a comparative marvel of clarity and character development. Written and directed by James Hadley, and performed on a sparkly set (by Genevieve Lizotte) that's lushly curtained with garlands, "'Twas" contains a faint "Nutcracker" echo in its ostensibly central character, Isabella (Michele Clark), a girl whisked off to a dreamscape where fantastical events unfold. But Isabella has about as much discernible storytelling purpose as the elves whose dance numbers (choreographed by Vinh Nguyen Kinjaz) feel like filler, and the juggling clown (Francis Gadbois) who comes across as a bizarro version of Santa Claus. What Cirque seems to be aiming for is the kind of production that could be an annual event. What it's come up with, though, is a standard Cirque show in holiday garb. Too formulaic for its own good, it's as fundamentally different from the company's usual product as red and green M&Ms are from the year-round kind. Still, with its richly saturated lighting (by Nicolas Brion) and shimmering costumes (by James Lavoie), "'Twas" is fun to look at, and its soundtrack of percussive Christmas carols is contagiously upbeat. Standout acts include Nicole Faubert and Guillaume Paquin in a romantic aerial duet that's both highly polished and strikingly human (acrobatic choreography is by Edesia Moreno); Katharine Arnold, nearly contortionistic in an aerial number with a cart; and, in the kind of almost ice-dancing number that ideally there would be more of in a winter show, Rosie Axon and Adam Jukes, twirling thrillingly fast on in-line roller skates. Adorability-wise, the reindeer are the hands-down winners. In golden jockey costumes with satiny underbellies, they have their names emblazoned on their backs. Diving through hoops at increasing heights, they're comical and impressive — and it's charming somehow that Prancer (Jinge Wang), never the starriest member of Santa's team, is the best of all. In that number, which tweaks a standard Cirque feature just enough to fit a Christmas narrative, the show at last captures our affection. More of that, please, and "'Twas" might become the classic it wants to be. { SOURCE: Laura Collins-Hughes, New York Times } ---------------------------------------------------------- More Layoffs at Cirque du Soleil {Dec.27.2019} ---------------------------------------------------------- A recent video from Montreal City News discusses a minor downsizing move on Cirque du Soleil‘s part, citing reorganization and productivity as the main impetus for the laying off of 53 employees. Perhaps of equal interest are the statistics shared in the video. According to the reporter, Cirque du Soleil employs 4000 people, with 1600 of them located in Quebec. 1400 of the employees are artists, and in 2019 the company produced 19 shows worldwide. Check out the video at Montreal City News: https://montreal.citynews.ca/video/2019/12/16/ cirque-du-soleil-job-cuts-2/ { SOURCE: Circus Talk, Montreal City News } ---------------------------------------------------------- DJ Guy Laliberte to Bottom-line Coachella 2020 {Jan.03.2020} ---------------------------------------------------------- Music aficionados like to focus on who headlines big festivals like the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which announced the lineup for its 2020 edition Thursday night. And so it's not surprising to see that much of the social media chatter so far has focused on the top-of-the-bill acts over the festival's two three-day weekends in April: namely reunited rap- rockers Rage Against the Machine, Houston rapper Travis Scott and reclusive R&B star Frank Ocean. But what caught our eyes were two words, in tiny type, on the bottom line of the festival's Day 3 lineup: Guy Laliberte. Yes, that Guy Laliberte - the one who founded Cirque du Soleil in 1984 and who has in recent years shifted his focus to his career as a DJ - is making his Coachella debut in 2020. Laliberte, who sold his majority stake in Cirque du Soleil for a reported $1.5 billion in 2015, has been DJ-ing professionally for the past two years. Last year, he opened the PY1 Pyramid, an "innovative pyramid-shaped venue" in the Port of Montreal, where he has already plied his new trade. The first weekend of Coachella is already sold out. Tickets for the second weekend (April 17, 18 and 19, with Laliberte performing on the 19th) are on pre-sale here. Laliberte has been in the headlines for non-DJ reasons as of late: he was arrested in November for allegedly growing cannabis in Tahiti. { SOURCE: CTV News } ---------------------------------------------------------- First Visit Inside Revamped Cirque Big Top at WDW {Jan.07.2020} ---------------------------------------------------------- Cirque du Soleil's new Disney Springs show, "Drawn to Life," opens in March, and its theater is abuzz with activity. The set is nearly done; the performers have arrived and are rehearsing in their new home. On Monday night, Mtthew Palm from the Orlando Sentinel visited the distinctive tentlike structure on the west side of Disney Springs for the first time since the long-running "La Nouba" closed two years ago. During a briefing with members of the creative team, here's what he learned about five key aspects of "Drawn to Life," the first Disney- Cirque collaboration: 1. THE STORY What we knew: "Drawn to Life" centers on 12-year-old Julie. Her father, a Disney animator, has died. As she looks for his last gift to her, through his art of animation she finds her own voice. What I learned: Julie's late father has a name, Tom, and the decision to inject a sad note right off the bat wasn't taken lightly. But it was deemed important to the richness of the show. "Count the number of Disney movies where there is a missing parent," said creative director Fabrice Becker. "You have to create that feeling to then have beauty and hope. We really wanted to make that emotional connection. It's a very aspirational show." Another story point: "Drawn to Life" has more of a literal storyline than "La Nouba" and as such won't feature interludes of clowning between the acrobatic and other acts. "The humor is brought by the characters," said show writer and director Michel Laprise. "I think the audience prefers that." Like "La Nouba," "Drawn to Life" will run about 90 minutes with no intermission. 2. THE SET What we knew: Renderings showed that the entire stage would resemble an animator's drafting table. What I learned: Decorated in a beige and bronze palette, the stage includes an oversized crank-turn pencil sharpener and a decorative urn for pencils that towers over the average human. The neutral tones by set designer Stephane Roy let Philippe Guillotel's colorful costumes pop. Two fanciful paintbrush costumes were on display, with headdresses of vivid yellow, deep blue and bright purple. Gone are the moving beltways in the stage floor, used to great effect in "La Nouba." But the gold-leafed stage suggests new surprises. Grooves and holes are cut into the floor as are openings that will let sound emerge from speakers below. There's still no official word on what Disney characters will be featured in "Drawn to Life," but those speaker openings look like duck feet. 3. THE TECHNOLOGY What we knew: Based on rehearsal video that showed various forms of acrobatics and aerial performance, it was clear the stage would have to be able to move the necessary apparatus around. "We have so much technology," Laprise confirmed Monday, "but everything is hidden." What I learned: "Drawn to Life" uses a new technique of digital projecting, in which a projection appears on a performer who is moving across the stage. Imagine the precision that must take. Laprise calls it projecting "a character on a character" and says "We are creating a new artform. It never existed before." Not everything will use projections, though. Laprise praised the show's artistic depiction of a multiplane camera, a key tool in animated filmmaking. "There are moving parts that look handpainted," he said. "It's quite audacious for our companies to do this." 4. THE BUILDING What we knew: The Cirque building has been behind a construction wall for quite some time. What I learned: The audience will sit in new chairs of a deep blue color in the newly carpeted theater. In fact, theatergoers will see changes from the moment they arrive. The lobby and refreshment areas also have been redesigned to complement the show and its homage to Disney animation, Disney officials said. 5. THE "MAGIC" What we knew: The creative team has repeatedly stressed the deep nature of the collaboration between Cirque du Soleil and Disney. What I learned: Knowing that children will be a key component of the audience, the show creators plan to let youngsters draw with Julie before the action begins. "Logistically, it's a beautiful challenge," Laprise quipped. Expect some surprises from the familiar Disney characters, in how they appear and what they do. "Disney allowed us to break a few boundaries with the characters — but in a respectful way," Becker said. "The characters appear from Julie's point of view. You could say it's the same for any kid in the audience." * * * Orlando Sentinel theater writer Matthew J. Palm Matt was invited to tour the newly renovated big top on the west side of Disney Springs. He talks with theme park reporter Dewayne Bevil about the reimagined stage, "a new art form" Cirque is perfecting, and how "Drawn to Life" may weave in Disney characters and melodies in the podcast below... https://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/theme-park-rangers- podcast/os-ne-s6-disney-inspired-cirque-du-soleil-show-at-tpr-podcast- ep-32-20200109-j73onwu5tfeeddaytmcj7drlxe-story.html { SOURCE: Orlando Sentinel } *************************************************************** Q&A -- Quick Chats & Press Interviews *************************************************************** ---------------------------------------------------------- "'Cirque is our home': Meet the real-life circus family" {Dec.07.2019} ---------------------------------------------------------- Can you imagine having the opportunity to travel the world with a famous circus – and taking your family with you? For Vitali Tomanov, it's a reality. Moscow-born Vitali and his brother Roman are the ‘Siamese Twins', who perform in Cirque du Soleil's Kurios – Cabinet of Curiosities. Kurios premiered in 2014, and has since been performed around the world, including Canada, the US, Japan and Singapore. Vitali's wife, Olga, and their children, Elizabeth and Pavel, follow Vitali – who has been a circus performer since he was 16 – joining him at every destination. Even though there are hardships to life on the road, Vitali believes it's important for his children to be exposed to new environments. "The kids can see lots of cultures, new people and areas. When I was a kid, I never saw this. It's a good opportunity for them to see the whole world and not just continue seeing the same thing," says the 37- year-old. "It was a hard decision but we're glad we did it because right now we will appreciate it and we're staying together as a family." While Elizabeth, 11, and Pavel, 8, aren't part of the show, Vitali shows them the ropes of circus performing in his free time. The children also have the opportunity to train alongside other talented artists in Cirque du Soleil. "It takes a long time to get to the level where the kids are at. Even doing one pull-up, it will take years of work in order to do it. It's not as easy as it looks," Vitali says. "We're pretty much looking at it like physical training because every kid, at all ages, should do some. When they're not in school, we try to create our own school that would include this physical ability and training." In addition to their training, Olga home-schools the children. "We're going to keep travelling to different countries so we need to have the option of home-schooling," Olga tells New Idea. "I teach them mentally and Vitali teaches them physically. Besides that, we are just normal parents … we try to be normal parents!" Even though Kurios hasn't changed since its premiere, Vitali still loves what he does and finds that with each show, he still learns something new. "Each routine is always the same, the character is always the same, [but the company is] always trying to find new things for us, so it's not going to be boring," he explains. "Like when you try to do the same thing every day, you get tired of it. It's six years we've been doing this and I'm still not tired." { SOURCE: New Idea } ======================================================================= ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION ======================================================================= o) BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau {Alegria, Amaluna, Bazzar, Koozå, Kurios, Luzia, Totem, Volta, and Cirque 2020} o) ARENA - In Stadium-like venues {OVO, Crystal, Corteo, AXEL, Messi10, 'Twas The Night Before} o) RESIDENT - Performed en Le Théâtre {Mystère, "O", Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE, MJ ONE, JOYA, Paramour, X: The Land of Fantasy, and R.U.N} 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 ------------------------------------ Alegría-In a New Light: Miami, FL -- Dec 13, 2020 to Feb 17 2020 Houston, TX -- Feb 29, 2020 to Apr 12, 2020 Austin, TX -- Apr 22, 2020 to May 25, 2020 Chicago, IL -- Jun 5, 2020 to Jun 28, 2020 Washington, DC -- Jul 23, 2020 to Aug 30, 2020 Vancouver, BC -- TBA Amaluna: San Francisco, CA -- Nov 3, 2019 to Jan 12, 2020 Sacramento, CA -- Jan 22, 2020 to Feb 23, 2020 Hong Kong, CN -- Apr 2, 2020 to Apr 26, 2020 Bazzar: Punta Cana, DO -- Jan 29, 2020 to Feb 23, 2020 Doha, QA -- Apr 25, 2020 to May 4, 2020 Cirque 2020: Montreal, QC -- Apr 23, 2020 to Jun 21, 2020 Koozå: Seville, ES -- Jan 15, 2020 to Mar 8, 2020 Lyon, FR — Mar 20, 2020 to Apr 26, 2020 Tel Aviv, IL -- Jun 4, 2020 to Jun 30, 2020 Zurich, CH -- Sep 4, 2020 to Sep 27, 2020 Kurios: Brisbane, AU -- Jan 10, 2020 to Feb 23, 2020 Melbourne, AU -- Mar 12, 2020 to Apr 26, 2020 Adelaide, AU -- May 29, 2020 to Jun 7, 2020 Perth, AU -- Jul 15, 2020 to Aug 2, 2020 Luzia: London, UK -- Jan 12, 2020 to Mar 1, 2020 Moscow, RU -- Mar 19, 2020 to Apr 12, 2020 Gran Canaria, ES -- Jul 7, 2020 to Aug 23, 2020 Valencia, ES -- Sep 11, 2020 to Sep 27, 2020 Totem: Düsseldorf, DE -- Dec 18, 2019 to Feb 2, 2020 Munich, DE -- Feb 12, 2020 to Mar 22, 2020 Rome, IT -- Apr 1, 2020 to Apr 19, 2020 Milan, IT -- May 21, 2020 to Jun 21, 2020 Prague, CZ -- Jul 17, 2020 to Aug 2, 2020 VOLTA: Los Angeles, CA -- Jan 18, 2020 to Mar 8, 2020 Costa Mesa, CA -- Mar 18, 2020 - Apr 19, 2020 Denver, CO -- Apr 30, 2020 to Jun 7, 2020 Portland, OR -- Jun 18, 2020 to Aug 2, 2020 ------------------------------------ ARENA - In Stadium-Like Venues ------------------------------------ OVO: Charlotte, NC -- Jan 8, 2020 to Jan 12, 2020 Tallahassee, FL -- Jan 17, 2020 to Jan 19, 2020 Pittsburgh, PA -- Jan 23, 2020 to Jan 26, 2020 Albany, NY -- Jan 29, 2020 to Feb 2, 2020 Phoenix, AZ -- Feb 20, 2020 to Feb 23, 2020 Boise, ID -- Feb 27, 2020 to Mar 1, 2020 San Diego, CA -- Mar 5, 2020 to Mar 8, 2020 El Paso, TX -- Mar 12, 2020 to Mar 15, 2020 Edinburg, TX -- Mar 19, 2020 to Mar 22, 2020 Lafayette, LA -- Mar 25, 2020 to Mar 29, 2020 Greensboro, NC -- Apr 2, 2020 to Apr 5, 2020 Savannah, GA -- Apr 8, 2020 to Apr 12, 2020 Knoxville, TN -- Apr 15, 2020 to Apr 19, 2020 Frisco, TX -- Apr 23, 2020 to Apr 26, 2020 Fort Worth, TX -- Apr 30, 2020 to May 3, 2020 Bloomington, IL -- May 7, 2020 to May 10, 2020 Louisville, KY -- May 13, 2020 to May 17, 2020 CRYSTAL - A BREAKTHROUGH ICE EXPERIENCE: Riga, LV -- Jan 15, 2020 to Jan 19, 2020 Krakow, PL -- Jan 23, 2020 to Jan 26, 2020 Gdansk, PL -- Jan 30, 2020 to Feb 2, 2020 Minsk, BY -- Feb 6, 2020 to Feb 9, 2020 Kiev, UA -- Feb 13, 2020 to Feb 16, 2020 Sheffield, UK -- Mar 6, 2020 to Mar 8, 2020 Glasgow, UK -- Mar 11, 2020 to Mar 15, 2020 Aberdeen, UK -- Mar 19, 2020 to Mar 22, 2020 Belfast, UK -- Mar 25, 2020 to Mar 29, 2020 Manchester, UK -- Apr 1, 2020 to Apr 5, 2020 Birmingham, UK -- Apr 8, 2020 to Apr 12, 2020 Nottingham, UK -- Apr 15, 2020 to Apr 19, 2020 Amhurst, MA -- May 15, 2020 to May 17, 2020 Trenton, NJ -- May 20, 2020 to May 23, 2020 St. Catharines, ON -- May 27, 2020 to May 31, 2020 Providence, RI -- Jun 3 to Jun 7, 2020 Hartford, CT -- Jun 10 to Jun 14, 2020 Bridgeport, CT -- Jun 17 to Jun 21, 2020 Cleveland, OH -- Jun 24 to Jun 28, 2020 Ottawa, ON -- Jul 2 to Jul 5, 2020 North Charleston, SC -- Jul 22 to Jul 26, 2020 Paris, FR -- Sep 1, 2020 to Sep 6, 2020 Lausanne, CH -- Sep 9, 2020 to Sep 13, 2020 Hanover, DE -- Sep 16, 2020 to Sep 20, 2020 Leipzig, DE -- Sep 23, 2020 to Sep 27, 2020 Stuttgart, DE -- Oct 7, 2020 to Oct 11, 2020 Nuremberg, DE -- Oct 14, 2020 to Oct 18, 2020 Frankfurt, DE -- Nov 13, 2020 to Nov 21, 2020 Cologne, DE -- Nov 25, 2020 to Nov 29, 2020 CORTEO: Granada, ES -- Jan 15, 2020 to Jan 19, 2020 Zargoza, ES -- Jan 22, 2020 to Jan 26, 2020 Vitoria-Gasteiz, ES -- Jan 29, 2020 to Feb 2, 2020 Santiago de Compostela, ES -- Feb 5, 2020 to Feb 9, 2020 Santander, ES -- Feb 12, 2020 to Feb 16, 2020 Bordeaux, FR -- Feb 21, 2020 to Feb 23, 2020 Antwerp, BE -- Mar 13, 2020 to Mar 22, 2020 Vienna, AT -- Mar 25, 2020 to Mar 29, 2020 Montpellier, FR -- Apr 2, 2020 to Apr 5, 2020 Aix-en-Provence, FR -- Apr 8, 2020 to Apr 12, 2020 Lille, FR -- Apr 16, 2020 to Apr 19, 2020 Copenhagen, DE -- Apr 23, 2020 to Apr 26, 2020 Herning, DE -- Apr 29, 2020 to May 3, 2020 Stockholm, SE -- May 7, 2020 to May 10, 2020 Gothenburg, SE -- May 13, 2020 to May 17, 2020 Leeds, UK -- Jun 18, 2020 to Jun 21, 2020 London, UK -- Jun 24, 2020 to Jul 5, 2020 Dublin, IR -- Jul 8, 2020 to Jul 12, 2020 Palma de Mallorca, ES -- Aug 7, 2020 to Aug 16, 2020 Nice, FR -- Aug 20, 2020 to Aug 22, 2020 Trondheim, NO -- Sep 18, 2020 to Sep 20, 2020 Helsinki, FI -- Oct 1, 2020 to Oct 4, 2020 Turku, FI -- Nov 18, 2020 to Nov 22, 2020 Vilnius, LT -- Nov 26, 2020 to Nov 29, 2020 Toulouse, FR -- Dec 17, 2020 to Dec 20, 2020 Pamplona, ES -- Dec 25, 2020 to Jan 3, 2021 AXEL: Milwaukee, WI -- Jan 9, 2020 to Jan 12, 2020 Tulsa, OK -- Jan 16, 2020 to Jan 19, 2020 Cincinnati, OH -- Jan 23, 2020 to Jan 26, 2020 Kansas City, MO -- Jan 30, 2020 to Feb 2, 2020 Nashville, TN -- Feb 6, 2020 to Feb 9, 2020 Greeneville, SC -- Feb 13, 2020 to Feb 16, 2020 Bakersfield, CA -- Mar 12, 2020 to Mar 15, 2020 Prescott Valley, AZ -- Mar 19, 2020 to Mar 21, 2020 San Jose, CA -- Mar 24, 2020 to Mar 28, 2020 Las Vegas, NV -- Apr 3, 2020 to Apr 5, 2020 Everett, WA -- Apr 9, 2020 to Apr 12, 2020 Tucson, AZ -- Apr 17, 2020 to Apr 19, 2020 Rio Rancho, NM -- Apr 23, 2020 to Apr 26, 2020 Eugene, OR -- May 14, 2020 to May 17, 2020 Spokane, WA -- May 21, 2020 to May 24, 2020 Victoria, BC -- May 28, 2020 to May 31, 2020 Abbotsford, BC -- Jun 4, 2020 to Jun 7, 2020 Kelowna, BC -- Jun 11, 2020 to Jun 14, 2020 Kamloops, BC -- Jun 18, 2020 to Jun 21, 2020 Prince George, BC -- Jun 25, 2020 to Jun 28, 2020 Edmonton, AB -- Jul 2, 2020 to Jul 5, 2020 Saskatoon, SK -- Jul 9, 2020 to Jul 12, 2020 Lethbridge, AB -- Jul 16, 2020 to Jul 19, 2020 Regina, SK -- Jul 23, 2020 to Jul 26, 2020 Medicine Hat, AB -- Jul 30, 2020 to Aug 2, 2020 Messi10: Doha, QA -- Feb 27, 2020 to Mar 7, 2020 Buenos Aires, AR -- Jun 11, 2020 to Jul 5, 2020 --------------------------------- 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 2020 Dark Dates: - January 5 thru 17, 2020 - February 2, 2020 - March 11, 2020 - May 14 thru 22. 2020 - July 22, 2020 - September 17 thru 25, 2020 - November 18, 2020 "O": Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark: Monday/Tuesday NOTE: Starting January 2020, "O" performs 7 Days a Week Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 9:30pm Zumanity: Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark Wednesday/Thursday 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 LOVE: Location: Mirage, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm MICHAEL JACKSON ONE: Location: Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Thursday through Monday - Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 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: Stage Theater New Flora | Hamburg, Germany Performs: One/Two Shows Nightly... X: THE LAND OF FANTASY Location: Hangzhou, China R.U.N: Location: Luxor Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Wednesday through Sunday - Dark: Monday/Tuesday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm DRAWN TO LIFE (Disney 2020): Location: Walt Disney World Resort (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday - Dark: Sunday/Monday Two Shows Nightly - 5:30pm and 8:30pm NOTE: Preview Shows from March 20th through April 16th perform only 1 day a week, at 5:30pm. ======================================================================= OUTREACH - UPDATES FROM CIRQUE's SOCIAL WIDGETS ======================================================================= o) ALEGRIA: A WIND OF CHANGE Retelling the story of Alegría in a new light 10 years later. Join Cirque du Soleil backstage and behind the scenes and find out how this classic came to be. - Episode 1: "The Story Behind the Remake" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgMs3j1jG9I - Episode 2: "The Story Behind the Stage" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pj43TXHprU - Episode 3: "The Story Behind the Music" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTzeUJWGWQY - Episode 4: "The Story Behind the Costumes & Makeup" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NROglQ_p0bg o) OTHER VIDEOS - TWAS THE NIGHT: The Snow Act https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA3HK3iVHWQ - TWAS THE NIGHT: The Making Of... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2mKNMWdW5E - TWAS THE NIGHT Deck the Halls https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKgeKghtses - AXEL: Top of the World Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxJYxI-g7O0 - AXEL: Exclusive Backstage Tour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0Lmk608pLY - AXEL: Day in the Life of the Diabolo Artist https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqDEqY9pnt8 - AXEL: Story Behind the New Russian Swing Act https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqwoh3jcjOI - AXEL: Gala Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fToPogj8Kog - AXEL: Meet Ice Dancers Karina Manta and Joe Johnson https://www.facebook.com/cirquejobs/videos/722854878205911/ - AXEL: Meet Meet Armenian cellist and vocalist Arpenik Hakobyan https://www.facebook.com/CirqueduSoleilAXEL/videos/585241108969769/ - AXEL: Meet Ice Freestyler Abadi Al-Obaidai https://www.facebook.com/CirqueduSoleilAXEL/videos/590607571704504/ - AXEL: The Human Performance of Set Design https://www.facebook.com/cirquejobs/videos/532179307360996/ - KOOZA: 16 Papillion Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0xh0DkGJ80 - CORTEO: Meet Violinist Stéphane Allard https://www.facebook.com/CirqueduSoleilCasting/videos/504483130140723/ - JOYA: 5th Anniversary Celebrations https://www.facebook.com/JOYA/videos/518990115354637/ - JOYA: Meet the Stage Manager, Alessandra Viza https://www.facebook.com/JOYA/videos/502972556980162/ - KA: The NEW Icarian Games Act! https://www.facebook.com/KA/videos/2446547148894428/ https://www.facebook.com/KA/videos/459531344750987/ - ALEGRIA: The Daily Routine of an Aerial High Bar Artist https://www.facebook.com/CirqueduSoleilCasting/videos/524521648269886/ - AMALUNA: Stepping onto the Stage https://www.facebook.com/cirquejobs/videos/2682180158529554/ - KURIOS: On Sydney's Channel 9 Morning Show https://www.facebook.com/kuriosbycirquedusoleil/videos/610848846148197/ - TOTEM: Spin You Right Round https://www.facebook.com/Totem/videos/1196483187217589/ - MESSI10: The Creative Process https://www.facebook.com/cirquejobs/videos/2871153509563900/ ======================================================================= FASCINATION! FEATURES ======================================================================= o) "A Look into R.U.N - Cirque's First Thriller" Texts from the Press Kit o) REVIEW /// "R.U.N stumbles a bit, but finishes the race as a fun and unique experience!" by: Eric Nowack - Chicago, Illinois (USA) ------------------------------------------------------------ "A Look into R.U.N - Cirque's First Thriller" Texts from the Press Kit ------------------------------------------------------------ HE TOOK HER HEART. IT'LL COST HIM BLOOD. Are you ready for another dose of dreamlike impressionism and whimsical flights of fancy? Then you're in the wrong joint. R.U.N is what happens when the stuntmen send the acrobats out for coffee then change the locks behind them. It's a race through the darkest parts of a Las Vegas that isn't quite our own, one back-alley brawl at a time. A lean 75 minutes of throw downs, pyrotechnics, scraps, car chases, donnybrooks, motorcycle tricks, livewires, and, in case you hadn't noticed, a whole mess of fighting. Robert Rodriguez, the genius behind Sin City, From Dusk Till Dawn and Alita: Battle Angel, writes this graphic novel come to life. Tyler Bates, who's scored more movies than Gene Siskel, comes in to do the soundtrack. And tying it all together is Masked Singer creative director Michael Schwandt, who sews up all the interwoven stunts, live video, explosive special effects, throbbing rock and electronic and, of course, clowns. Nah, just making sure you're paying attention. No clowns. What is on the menu, though, is a nasty little tale of love, rage and betrayal in what marks a major departure for Cirque du Soleil: not only is this the first all-action spectacular in the company's 35 years, but it's fueled for the first time by a ticking clock of a plot that propels the story from chapter to chapter. In other words, don't plan on picking up where you left off after any impromptu bathroom breaks. You're just going to have to hold it. You should've thought of that before we hit the throttle. PERFORMANCE SPACE ----------------- One foot across the threshold. Hairs on the back of your neck standing up. It's dim and familiar. You've been places like this. They're the places that snap you to attention, always glancing over your shoulder. Take a long walk through a back-alley worthy of every seedy movie you ever told your mother you never saw. Lowlife characters in doorways, tattoo parlors, oozing neon and abandoned vehicles, all swallowed in a sea of graffiti. This is the Blackjax and Streetkingz's world. Settle in. Relax. Take some pics of your new tattoo and send them home to mom. Come out on the other side of the alley and you're in the lobby, as cavernous as any massive nightclub and twice as sexy. Did one of the gangs set this place up? Probably. You need somewhere to launder those ill-gotten gains. Doesn't matter. The drinks are stiff and the night is young. You've got a good feeling about this. The music is pumping inside the theatre, the sounds of the DJ pulsing through the walls and rattling the towering graffiti murals. It's time to go inside. Sitting in your seat and watching the show is great and all, if that's what you're into. Finding yourself in the middle of the show is a damn sight better. After your journey through the alleyway, you enter the theater, where the 70-foot high, 200-foot long stage doesn't stop at the footlights or the rafters, but instead just offers a mere suggestion of where the show in front of you might take place. Could be above the stage. Could be in your lap. Please wear nice pants. The action envelops the audience, with massive end-to-end screens wrapping around the stage. R.U.N is a mixed-media show, and to get there it had to blend pre-recorded content, live projected video, and traditional sets and performance. "When you walk into our show, it's more dangerous, dramatic," says Bruce Rodgers, who designed both the show's set and the lobby. "You're not in a comfort zone. We're the visual opposite of other Cirque du Soleil shows from the get-go. Your emotional anticipation is different. I'm super excited as a set designer amid all those other great set designers that this is the one that's breaking all the rules." Tying together the sets and the video is a bold, expressive lighting palate that took its cues from both the heavy metal and electronic soundtrack, but also from the show's graphic novel aesthetic. "It's hard to translate a graphic novel into light. It's like taking a chalk line and outlining everything. Manipulating every image to be comic book-ish," lighting d esigner David Finn said. "We're looking to be really intense. Tyler's music is intense. We're being in-your-face with a lot of stuff." VIDEO & PROJECTION ------------------ Almost two tons of American muscle races through the Nevada Desert, live on stage. Well, the car is live. The desert, not so much. Oh sure, that was the idea at first, but sweeping it back outside every night was getting old, fast. With content led by Olivier Goulet and Projection Co-designer Johnny Ranger, 4U2C, Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group's own Creative Design Studio, created a massive video library for the production, including the Mojave during the Rev scene, where the desert slices and twists through the projected landscape behind the on-stage action to create the illusion of movement. It combines into one of the most visceral chapters of R.U.N, a key example of how all the design elements come together to create a world of miles-wide depth and miles-per-hour velocity. "We wanted to make it more encompassing for the audience," Goulet said. "All visual elements of the show, including set, lighting and projections are truly working as one. We're making this experience a visual feast where storyline and performers all come together in context." And then there's the Camerawoman. It's always more fun when someone's watching, right? Of the show, but not quite a part of it, The Camerawoman is there to record every knuckle sandwich in loving detail. And she's tenacious, following the action wherever it leads – down with the fights or up into the rafters -- to bring live video to massive screens that envelop the stage. That footage is textured live, and often split up into panels… there's that graphic novel feel again. Live video, action movie, graphic novel, show…it's all there, at the same time. STUNTS & FX ----------- If you're not living dangerously, are you even alive? Yes, and typically, for much longer. But still. R.U.N is a stunt show at the heart of it, which might mean starting from zero considering how other productions are steeped so heavily in acrobatics. For performance coordinator Rob Bollinger, though, it was a homecoming. Bollinger started his career in stunt work and brought that experience to bear on creating R.U.N's kinetic action and frenetic pace. It started with the story, where Bollinger drew on the gritty, industrial tableau to create a blend of fighting styles among the Streetkingz and Blackjax. You might see some mixed martial arts, wushu or straight-up pro-wrestling action during the show's multiple street fights. And it's not just fighting. R.U.N's stunt performers also do high falls, aerial work and body burns, while dodging pyrotechnics, flames and explosions. All in a day's work, right? R.U.N's blend of live video and live action forced the stunts to be tighter than they'd be in a movie, where the camera couldn't always hide the tricks. If it looked good on film, it still had to look good to members of the audience at any spot in the theater – and be forgiving enough on performers that they could repeat it 10 times a week. "I want it to be a real stunt show, for you to feel the impact, feel the gravity, feel all the elements that we have when you're doing a real stunt show," Bollinger said. "And then understanding that film is just one or two takes, but here it's ‘I have to do it eight more times a week.' How can we make it doable and repeatable, yet still be wowed? I think certain stunts have an acrobatic nature to them, so we're not completely departing from what we know and what we do, but it's certainly in a different context." WRITING ------- Desperado. Planet Terror. Sin City. If you're putting together a gritty neo-noir action thriller, you should get the best. And Robert Rodriguez is the best. Since exploding onto the freewheeling 1990s indie movie scene with El Mariachi, Rodriguez has written and directed over a dozen features, but he's never before tackled a live production show. That changed with R.U.N. "It's very different writing for the stage; there's lots of things to consider," he said. "You can't have traditional dialogue, so we're using a voice-over device. But even with that, a lot has to be conveyed, and so you have to set up situations and offer story in paced-out doses. The rest has to be conveyed through movement and staging. I knew it would be a great opportunity to see behind the curtain on all that it entails to put a big show together, in all areas including on a production level." Rodriguez's hard-boiled dialogue drives the voice-over, and in turn the story of R.U.N., drawing the audience into this seamy underworld full of high-stakes action, set in a dusty desert landscape. Which should sound familiar to Rodriguez fans. Those desert showdowns, he says, heighten the sense of infinite possibilities – a Wild West where anything can happen. It's that kind of anything-goes atmosphere that allows Rodriguez the latitude to find the narrative between these kinetic stunt pieces. Which was a unique challenge in scripting a show like R.U.N. "I love working within parameters," he said. "I find it just as creative if not more creative then when you are totally free. There was already a rough story in place and all of the set pieces when I got contacted. They were looking for a story thread that could tie it all together. Which is really fun to try and reverse engineer a story by doing a minimal of moving things around. I felt it would be more genre specific to have several story twists, so the characters evolved in order to accommodate that, without really changing the structure or set pieces." THE MUSIC --------- "There's no doubt that this show is steeped in an aesthetic of a graphic novel. It's creating a world that really feels unique unto itself." — Tyler Bates, Composer This isn't R.U.N composer Tyler Bates' first rodeo with eye-popping action. Bates has collaborated with influential rock artists such as Marilyn Manson and Bush, and has scored films like Guardians of the Galaxy, 300, and the John Wick franchise among many more in TV, film and beyond. He brings that low-down, dirty rock and electronic sound to R.U.N. "When this show begins the objective is to pull you into our own reality and our own rules. Some of the films I work on embody that same characteristic, like John Wick. Once you begin watching one of those movies, I think the music helps to set the rules and illustrate what the world of the characters actually is. I think we're approaching this show with a similar mindset." Music isn't just the soundtrack here, it's a key part of the world- building. As you enter the lobby, you hear the DJ spinning in the next room. Move on to the theater, and she has the crowd moving before the show. She even pops up later in key scenes to blister the action with tunes worthy of a full-on club. As well as Bates' original music, R.U.N also finds space for multiple takes on existing rock and pop songs, with a cover of twenty one pilots' "Jumpsuit" sung by Gavin Rossdale; Beyonce's "Haunted" as performed by Eivør; and New Order's "Blue Monday" performed by HEALTH. "Musically, it's so different," show director Michael Schwandt said. "The integration of the songs, like ‘Jumpsuit,' is just such a huge treat for people who are fans of Gavin Rossdale and alternative music. The first scene, Boom Brawl, is so powerful and bold, it almost feels like a Marilyn Manson concert. It will wake people up and jolt them. Musically, it has such a strong identity. We're tapping into so many different areas, and it all feels exciting and edgy and current." Plus, it's exactly the kind of music that sounds great for people to get punched to, and that's really all that matters. COSTUMES & CHARACTERS --------------------- Rock ‘n' roll, motorcycles, race cars and industrial landscapes in the seedy underbelly of a sketchy city. If they're right about "dress for the job you want," then this whole crew is ready to print up new business cards for the reckless, unhinged street thug industry. R.U.N is a world of gangland mayhem in a Las Vegas not entirely unlike our own. And if you've spent any time in the real Las Vegas lately, you might have noticed one or two people who stood out. Way out. Those people are the inspiration for these characters. After all, that's the world they inhabit – they're children of the night, and the music they make is loud. The Streetkingz are brash and hip-hop, with abstract, colorful tattoos. The look of the Blackjax is influenced by the classic gangsters of the 1940s and ‘50s, but with a modern feel. The tattoos for that crew are more representational, and heavy in reds and blacks. Makeup designer Nathalie Gagné, a 25-year veteran of Cirque du Soleil, sketched dozens of tattoos en route to creating the look of each gang. That wasn't the only new test for her, though. She had two considerations that ran counter to her two decades with the company: makeup that could stand up to fire instead of water; and makeup that revealed and reveled in the humans underneath. "We have a tendency to do more exotic characters," she said. "For this show we're looking at faces, light. It's the eyes and the lips, the skin. That's the big difference." Gagné wasn't the only one who had to deal with all the fire in R.U.N, either. Costume designer Kym Barrett had to tackle all that heat – plus the abundance of free-falls in the show – without the benefit of being able to frequently send performers off to change. That means that clothing had to allow for free movement but keep everyone carefully fireproofed and padded for the high-energy stunts throughout the show, without looking like they were riding the ladder truck to a five-alarm fire. "A lot of what you want to do is show as much real skin as possible because it makes it much more connective to the audience," Barrett said. "When we don't want them to be covered up so much, we had to generate fireproof tattoo-printed body stockings which not only protect them from the fire but cover up their pads. Trying to streamline people and make them look sexy and young and be able to move really well, it's difficult when you're trying to pad people so much." o) ME -- Am I brave, stupid, both, neither, or just plain crazy? You'll have to figure that one out for yourself. You meet me when I bust into a gangland wedding at just the wrong time. The bride's side? Goons. The groom's side? Thugs. Sounds about right. I'm the kind of guy who collects enemies and contusions in equal measure. o) THE GROOM -- You hate to judge a man by how he acts on his worst day. For the Groom, though, they're all the worst days. And that was before I went and stuck my nose in and made things a thousand times worse. The Groom is two parts hate to four parts vengeance, and he's not letting anything get in the way — not me, not his gang, not a wall of pure fire. o) THE BRIDE -- Ah, our damsel who causes distress. The Bride could be caught between me and the Groom. She could be just another piece of the gangland puzzle. Where do her loyalties really lie, and what's she willing to do to get what she wants? Also, who did she hire to cater the reception? Because from the look of things, she is not getting her deposit back. o) THE STREETKINZ -- Is there such a thing as a "good" gang? Probably not, and the Streetkingz aren't going to try to convince you otherwise. My crew is always there to back me up when I find myself surrounded. Their gear may be shiny and colorful, but they're anything but sunshine and roses. o) THE BLACKJAX -- The Blackjax make my squad look like a barbershop quartet on a warm Sunday afternoon. The Groom's mob is full of thugs, heavies, muscle and henchmen in suits. And those are the nicer ones. When it gets down to business, the Blackjax get nasty. o) THE PROFESSIONAL -- Single-minded and relentless, once the Professional gets started, he won't stop until one of us is dead. Or he falls over. Or both. This dude could slip on a banana peel and still stick a knife between your ribs on the way down. Seems like a loser, till you try to lose him. If you want to survive the Professional, you're going to need more than luck, because he has it all. o) THE DOCTOR -- This guy. Oof. Your happy place might not involve a pair of clamps and some jumper cables, but The Doctor begs to differ. He also begs to get you alone in a dark room with nothing but some vice grips and a power drill. His credo is: First, do all of the harm. Not the guy you invite to the company picnic, you know? THE EXPERIENCE -------------- The desert wind blows hot and stiff. Somewhere outside of Las Vegas – or a place near enough like it as makes no difference – stands a small chapel. Guests, organ music, anticipation, the works. It's someone's wedding day. A man walks inside, and he ain't here to toss rice. In a flash he's out the door and clutching a necklace. Into the getaway car and the chase is on, racing through city streets and out into the audience. Before you're done picking at your popcorn, half of these thugs are picking their teeth up off the floor as two gangs erupt in a full-on riot, going at each other tooth-and-nail for their very survival. That's just the start of a night of flying motorcycles, savage fighting, fierce loving, folks on fire, free-falls, free-for-alls, and fireballs. It's a living, breathing, graphic novel that's nonstop tire-peeling, fist-flinging and double-crossing action. Cut forward to the last chapter, you'll finally see the Bride's true colors. Then you'll understand why that wedding had to be stopped. If you need to know all the nasty details, there's only one way to find out. Like everything else in this world, it all comes down to that cold, hard cash. Like the man said: Buy the ticket, take the ride. Are. You. In? Let's see... ------------------------------------------------------------ REVIEW /// "R.U.N stumbles a bit, but finishes the race as a fun and unique experience!" by: Eric Nowack - Chicago, Illinois (USA) ------------------------------------------------------------ My girlfriend and I went to see R.U.N on Sunday, Dec 22nd. We went to the 7pm and 9:30pm shows to see it from different views and to make sure I could to give it a proper review. With R.U.N, you have to go in with an open mind because this is not like the traditional Cirque shows. I wish they did a better job with the marketing because I feel a lot of people go into this still thinking they are going to see a bunch of circus acts mixed in with stunts and fighting, which isn't the case. Also, the theater wasn't made specifically for this show which hinders the creativity a bit but Cirque does a good job with what they have to work with. To start off, I'd like to address some of the criticism from other reviewers and what I thought were some minor problems I specifically had before going into the positives. A lot of people seem to have a problem with how loud the music is. Some say it was so loud that they had to use earplugs. I am not doubting them, but I would like to say that I believe Cirque listened to that feedback and corrected this. Both my girlfriend and I didn't find the music to be that loud and she has more sensitive hearing than me. The volume level sounded like any other Vegas Cirque show such as O and Ka. I've heard louder sound when seeing movies in Imax. Another complaint is how fake the fights look. When I first watched the original video Cirque put out from the opening scene, yes...there were some bad moments. With that said, I think the performers have gotten more comfortable with the timing of punches, kicks, etc because while you can still occasionally see the hits not connecting, it all looked pretty good and they moved much quicker instead of being slow with their moves. Remember, this isn't like watching a movie where you can hide stuff with camera angles. The fighting will never look 100% legit. One other thing I noticed in reviews is that people say it's more like watching a movie than a live show. Some even say that 70% of the show is video. I don't think that they were paying much attention to their surroundings. There are three main videos if I remember correctly. The very beginning which introduces the main characters and sets up the story. That goes on for maybe 4 minutes or so. After the warehouse fight, we get the opening credits which is about 2 minutes. Then there are end credits. That's all of the main video. Any other time video is being played, it's shot live. Certain situations happen on the sides of the theater or in the middle walkway. So instead of having to turn around to look, you can easily watch the screen in front of you. What's cool about this and a positive for me is that if you choose to watch the screen during these live portions, they add props and the way the action is shot makes it feel like you're watching a real movie going on simultaneously. So you as the viewer can choose which way you want to see it. This happens only a couple times during the show. From what I can remember, it's when "Me" is searching for "The Dancer" to get the necklace. Then this happens during the Torture scene. With this part, you don't need to watch the upper portion of the stage to see the video since the action is right there on stage, but again, the way the background props are set up and the way it's shot, it is pretty cool to watch the video. It came in handy seeing the show twice, that way I could check out both the action on stage and watch the videos the second time around. To conclude on this part, I'd say there are maybe 7 minutes total of video that you have to watch without anything else going on. The rest of the times video is being shown, it's being filmed live and you can choose to either watch the performers or the video if you don't feel like turning your head. Alright, now here are my personal negatives of the show. They are very minor, but still things that could be fixed. First one is some of the lighting. There are parts during the show where the light is so blinding, you can't see what's going on or you just have to look away/cover your eyes. This was much worse sitting up close. First show, we were maybe 4th row from the stage, center. This happened about four or five times. Luckily it only lasted a few seconds or so each time, but still annoying. The second time we were in the 1st row center, right by the middle walkway. It happened less sitting in these seats, but still had blinding light maybe two times or so. Sitting closer is much worse and I hope they can fix this. One part I can remember was during the first fight towards the end when "Me" and "Groom" are fighting on the moving platform. There are lights right above if I remember correctly that are constantly on. For most of this part, I had to cover my eyes or squint to see. The only other negative is that a couple scenes feel like they go on a bit too long. I really enjoyed the car chase, but even for me it felt longer than it needed to be. The other scene when "Me" and "Bride" are under the water. They play a quick video showing the characters floating and then fades to the performers on wires floating around. This part looked a bit silly and again, went on too long. I'd say leave the video portion and cut the performers floating around. Now, if they can make the performers floating look more realistic, then I say cut out the video and leave the live performance in. This scene doesn't need both. Now for all of the positives! I've been a Cirque fan going on 25 years and have seen most of their shows with the exception of maybe three. As much as I enjoy their shows, I've always wanted to see Cirque try something different or unique. Get out of their comfort zone. They did this with Zumanity and it's now one of my favorite shows. So I was excited to see R.U.N since it's new territory for Cirque. The negative reviews were starting to worry me, but I always go into a new show with an open mind and it helped that I knew this wouldn't be the usual Cirque show. After seeing it twice and having some time to think about it, I really enjoyed R.U.N! The opening video introducing the characters and setting up the story was pretty cool for the simple fact they filmed the performers doing this and then added a filter to make it look like a comic/graphic novel come to life. Some people hate the fact that it's video, but you have to keep in mind that this theater wasn't built for a Cirque show like all of the others. There would be no way they could pull this off in the theater, so I was perfectly fine with the video. After the intro, "Me" crashes out of a window and comes into the audience, which was a pretty neat transition from video to the live performance. He then proceeds to fight some of the rival gang members before ziplining into the fireworks factory where the first brawl takes place. The brawl, as I mentioned earlier, was a lot of fun to watch and got me pumped for the show. Again, it feels like the performers are more comfortable now with their moves and it made the fights look more realistic. Everyone had high energy and it was overall enjoyable. Opening credits....not much to say about that since it's just some pictures and names fading in and out. I can get this out of the way though and say that the music here and during the rest of the show was really good. Some music is original and some were not. Still, I think the music they chose works well with the show. The DJ wasn't performing that night which was disappointing, but in her place was the guitarist who was great! Next scene opens with "Me" hunting down "The Dancer" to get the necklace. Yes, the necklace is important but I'm trying not to spoil much. This part I really liked because this is where you can choose to watch the performers or the video on stage. A camera operator follows the performers around so it's all happening live. What's cool about this is that it's fun watching the performers, but there are little set details you won't notice unless you watch the video as well. Example, you see the performer open a door and go into a room where he is attacked. Cool, but if you watch the video, you can see that they made it look like a trashy apartment and "Me" is searching for the necklace under junk. It looked just like a movie happening at the same time. I really appreciate that and found it unique. The following scene is a flashback showing how both gangs got along before things go wrong. The dancing was hit and miss for me and felt like it dragged a bit. While some danced, others were spray painting on the walls which was done with projections, which was neat. Then we get our first motor bike act which had the drivers performing stunts on the ground. Pretty fun and entertaining to watch. Next comes the controversial torture scene. First I'd like to address all of the people that say it's too violent and doesn't fit in with the show. It's an action/thriller! It's going to be violent! Honestly the torture parts didn't bother me at all. There is no blood or gore and I've seen equal or a bit worse in PG13 movies. The reason I enjoyed this act so much is that Cirque got creative and found a way to add sideshow acts into the story. So for people complaining there is no circus acts in the show, this part is your circus act. Sideshow acts have always been a part of circus but it's not really appreciated which is sad. It's still performance art, it came from the circus, and you have to be skilled, not to mention brave. I'm happy to see sideshow acts get some recognition, especially in a big show like this. Anyways, there are two Doctors in rotation for this act and I had the pleasure of seeing Auzzy in the role. He was great and very talented along with the other performers who get set on fire and have their arm broken. This was one of my favorite and most memorable acts of the show. The car chase comes next and I have to say it was more fun to see this in person than the small video clip online. There is much more that goes on and I love how they integrate performers and the car with the video background. As mentioned earlier though, this act feels like it goes on a bit too long. My girlfriend said it best in that it feels like one of those video game levels you keep dying in over and over until you learn every turn perfectly. Still, another highlight of the show and a favorite of mine. The two characters, "Me" and "Bride" have crashed into the river. There is a quick video of them under water and then it fades to the performers hanging from wires pretending to swim. The way it's presented and the movements kind of make the scene goofy. If they can't get the swimming movements to be more real or at least subtle, I say cut that and leave the video in. If they can improve the performers swimming, then get rid of the video and keep the live performance. One of my least favorite parts but it has potential to be a beautiful scene. The matrix run was pretty cool. You have "Me" running in cyberspace and the way he ran with the harness along with the video projection was fun to watch, though a bit silly at times because the performer had to do arm movements outside of the wires attached to his waist. So when he faced sideways or ran up/down, it looked good. Running towards the audience or away resulted in the performer looking like he really had to find a bathroom. The final battle which is the last motor bike act where they do tricks off ramps was a lot of fun but I can see how some reviewers were put off by it because in between jumps, nothing happens and you can't see the cyclist get ready for the jump because it's all happening back stage. I think in between the jumps, they should have the "Punk Ninjas" (at least that's what I'm calling them) dance or do some more moves with their bo-staffs. Overall, good end to the show and fun to watch. So that's my thoughts on R.U.N. I know it's a long read, but I wanted to make sure I touched on everything. I'll end this review trying to answer if you should see this or not. My girlfriend and I loved the show, but not everyone will. If you want to see a Cirque du Soleil show with acrobatics, circus acts, and weird costumes, then this isn't for you. If you are a fan but looking for something unique, fun, and have an open mind, then give R.U.N a shot. ======================================================================= COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER ======================================================================= Fascination! Newsletter Volume 20, Number 1 (Issue #192) - January 2020 "Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (C) 2001-2020 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., All Rights Reserved. No copyright infringement intended. { Jan.10.2020 } =======================================================================