The Latest Issues of Fascination! Newsletter
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Issue #204: JAN 2021
10 January 2021 4:46 PM | No Comments
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Featured Stories
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“What Ifs and If Onlys, Part 5 of 7”
Wonder what Cirque du Soleil announced but didn’t quite come to fruition? Come with us as we rediscover and share what Cirque du Soleil announced but then quietly disappeared over the years. In this segment we Ease on... -
“The Cirque Sound: La Nouba”
What defines Cirque du Soleil musically? Most fans would be surprised to know that most of these defining Cirque sounds are actually factory presets from Roland, Korg, E-MU and more! We continue now with La Nouba… -
“What Ifs and If Onlys, Part 4 of 7”
Wonder what Cirque du Soleil announced but didn’t quite come to fruition? Come with us as we rediscover and share what Cirque du Soleil announced but then quietly disappeared over the years. In this segment we take a... -
“The Cirque Sound: Saltimbanco”
What defines Cirque du Soleil musically? Most fans would be surprised to know that most of these defining Cirque sounds are actually factory presets from Roland, Korg, E-MU and more! We continue now with Saltimbanco…
Latest Headlines
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Moody’s assigns Caa1 CFR to Cirque du Soleil; outlook negative
Moody's Investors Service, ("Moody's") assigned a Caa1 corporate family rating (CFR) and a Caa1-PD probability of default rating to Cirque du Soleil Holding USA NewCo, Inc. ("Cirque du Soleil"). At the same time, Moody's assigned a B2 rating to its $316 million senior secured first lien term loan due November 2025 and a Caa2 rating to its $300 million second lien term loan due November 2027. Cirque du Soleil Canada Inc. is a co-borrower. The outlook is negative. -
Cirque Remains Committed to Entertainment in Las Vegas
About a year ago, Cirque du Soleil’s aquatic landmark “O” shifted to a seven-night schedule, a first for the dream-like epic that originally opened with Bellagio in October of 1998. After passing the 10,000-show mark last September, the production hired new artists and increased the cast to 117 from 77 in preparation for what should have been its biggest year yet. Last week, Cirque du Soleil President and CEO Daniel Lamarre said “O” will likely be the first Cirque show to reopen on the Las Vegas Strip in 2021. -
“Under the Sky” Delayed Until Spring 2022
For the second year in a row, the Cirque du Soleil is delaying its show under the big top at the Old Port. The world premiere of Under the Same Sky, originally scheduled for April 23, 2020, then pushed to April 2021 by the COVID-19 pandemic, has been postponed until spring 2022. The Cirque said when the pandemic forced its productions to shut down Under the Same Sky was still in production, so there is still work to do before it can be presented, explained public relations director Caroline Couillard. -
Las Vegas Weekly Reflects on Zumanity
If you make the right choices, one night in Las Vegas can change your life. “People say the craziest things to me. One woman from somewhere in the Midwest sent me a message years ago, saying our show completely changed her sexually,” says Christopher Kenney. -
LVRJ: Cirque enlists Murren, looks to 2021 return
Cirque du Soleil has made plenty of news away from the stage in 2020, the numbing reality of shutting down all of its shows as COVID took hold in March. But Las Vegas’ predominant production company is now talking about when it can come back to the stage. The company has thus emerged from bankruptcy protection and is surveying its future. -
Cirque Expects to be Back Flying High by 2022
With the sale of Cirque du Soleil successfully concluded, president and CEO Daniel Lamarre believes shows will gradually begin reopening in 2021, but that the Montreal-based circus will only be fully back in operation in 2022. In a phone interview Tuesday afternoon, Lamarre said he’s optimistic but admitted it all depends on when a COVID-19 vaccine becomes widely available. -
Cirque Revival Includes Return of U.S. Shows Next Year
Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group emerged from court protection with new owners, a focus on the world’s biggest cities and a plan to open U.S. shows as early as next summer. Cirque’s Las Vegas-based shows and a new production at Walt Disney Co.’s Florida resort are likely to resume first. -
Cirque Closes ZUMANITY
Cirque du Soleil’s innovative, mischievous and joyful “Zumanity,” the resident headlining production at the New York-New York hotel and casino for nearly 17 years, will not reopen. Cirque informed the cast and crew and made the announcement today, ending the long run of one of the most beautifully diverse adults-only shows on the Las Vegas Strip. -
The Beatles’ company banked over £50 million last year.
Apple Corps Limited’s annual accounts showed a turnover of £50,244,899 for the 12 months ending in January, the equivalent of £137,657 a day, despite the group having gone their separate ways more than 50 years ago. According to the Daily Mirror newspaper, of the figure, surviving members Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Ringo Starr, along with John Lennon’s widow Yoko Ono and George Harrison’s widow Olivia, received £6.1 million each. -
Cirque Lenders’ Takeover Plan Approved by Quebec Judge
A Quebec judge approved a plan giving lenders of Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group control of the live performance company as it prepares to relaunch some of its shows. “The transaction has been green-lighted,” Cirque spokeswoman Caroline Couillard said in an emailed message. “All parties can move forward, finalize and sign contracts and paperwork.” -
Cirque Launches All-New CirqueConnect Digital Experience
Cirque du Soleil is proud to unveil its exciting fall programming along with a brand-new lookfor its CirqueConnect content hub. Featuring an enhanced library of titles, the newly revamped CirqueConnect platform will provide fans with inspiring freshly-produced never-before-seen series and exclusive content. -
After localite’s Cirque du Soleil world tour, a new book
Germantown resident Thom Wall learned to juggle three objects when he was 10 years old, growing up in St. Louis, Missouri. A classmate showed him how to juggle rocks during recess! “He made it seem like magic,” said Thom last week. “Even though he told me it was easy, it took me weeks to figure out. I really had no aptitude at all. I eventually checked a book out from the library, Dave Finnigan’s 'The Complete Juggler,' and I went through it cover to cover. I started attending a weekly juggling meetup. That’s where I first learned about the juggling community, and I was hooked, all of it thanks to a little luck and a book.” -
Mitch Garber to step down as chairman of Cirque du Soleil
Mitch Garber announced on Monday that he will be stepping down as chairman of the board of the Cirque du Soleil. This comes on the heels of an ownership change at the financially troubled circus company. Last month, a group of creditors won control of the Montreal-based company. The creditors’ group represents holders of about $760 million in Cirque du Soleil debt. One of the main companies in the group is Toronto-based Catalyst Capital Group. -
Cirque’s new owners eye next leap: the home audience
Toronto private equity firm Catalyst Capital Group Inc. scooped up Cirque du Soleil’s debt this past spring at barely half its face value. Now, it’s betting it can restore the famed circus troupe to its past glory by imposing greater financial discipline and bringing its live entertainment to your screens at home. -
Cirque du Soleil Creditors Win Control; TPG, Fosun Wiped Out
Lenders to Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group won control of the company in a court-supervised restructuring. The bid by the creditors’ group, which represents holders of about $760 million in Cirque debt and includes Toronto-based Catalyst Capital Group Inc., must still receive the approval of a Canadian court. Lenders are planning to inject $375 million of new capital into the Montreal-based company to restart its shows.