======================================================================= ______ _ __ _ __ / ____/___ ___________(_)___ ____ _/ /_(_)___ ____ / / / /_ / __ `/ ___/ ___/ / __ \/ __ `/ __/ / __ \/ __ \/ / / __/ / /_/ (__ ) /__ / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /_/ / / / /_/ /_/ \__,_/____/\___/_/_/ /_/\__,_/\__/_/\____/_/ /_(_) T h e U n o f f i c i a l C i r q u e d u S o l e i l N e w s l e t t e r ------------------------------------------------------------ E X P A N D E D I S S U E ------------------------------------------------------------ ======================================================================= VOLUME 10, NUMBER 9 September 2010 ISSUE #80e ======================================================================= =========== CONTENTS =========== o) Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings o) Itinéraire -- Tour/Show Information * Arena Shows -- In Stadium-like venues * BigTop Shows -- Under the Grand Chapiteau * Resident Shows -- Performed en Le Théâtre * Venue Shows -- Venue & Seasonal Productions o) Outreach -- Updates from Cirque's Social Widgets * Club Cirque -- This Month at CirqueClub * Networking -- Cirque on Facebook, YouTube & Flickr o) Compartments -- A Peek Behind the Curtain * Didyaknow? -- Facts About Cirque * Historia -- Cirque du Soleil's History o) Fascination! Features *) "Memory of the Circus: Inside the Cirque du Soleil Library/Archives (Part 2 of 2)" By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA) *) "My Thoughts on VIVA ELVIS" By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA) o) Subscription Information o) Copyright & Disclaimer ======================================================================= CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS ======================================================================= Varekai going to Taiwan [EXPANDED] {Aug.04.2010} ----------------------------------------------- On Jan. 20, 2011, the circus will be coming to Taipei. Cirque du Soleil will be holding its "Varekai" show in a special tent near Taipei's Nangang Exhibition Hall. Following the success of "Alegria" in 2009, "Varekai" is the second Cirque du Soleil show to be performed in Taipei. After stopping in 12 different countries and 52 metropolitan cities, "Varekai" has been performed over 2,500 shows in front of over five million people. Still, this stop in Taipei holds more meaning for the Taiwanese as the show's opening will coincide with Chinese New Year. To maximize the enjoyment of “Varekai,” Cirque due Soleil, together with their promoter, the United Daily News Group (UDN), will hold 45 shows in the troupe's specially designed tent. With over 2,000 seats in their tent and seating for 320 in their VIP section, Cirque du Soleil is expecting to host a variety of parties during next year's holiday season. According to the organizers, companies throughout Taiwan have already been inquiring about how to purchase seating to “Varekai” for their Chinese New Year parties. “Varekai” means “wherever” from the Romany language of the gypsies. The mystical story follows Icarus as he explores the mysterious forest world at the summit of a volcano. Featuring mythical creatures, bizarre characters and exotic fruits, the show illuminates unique costumes that reveal the brilliance that Cirque du Soleil is known for. The stunning bamboo forest set is intricately designed to include 3D animations and movable trees for the performers to interact with. The costume and set design are not the only things that separate Cirque du Soleil from other circuses in the world. The death- defying stunts and harrowing performances are what leave audiences speechless. “Varekai” is no different — the show spectacularly unveils a multitude of super-human acts from graceful hand balancing to spine tingling body skating. Each act is sure to leave audience members exclaiming, “Wow, did I just see that!?” {SOURCE: China Post} Viva ELVIS: The Album in November {Aug.05.2010} ----------------------------------------------- VIVA ELVIS- THE ALBUM TO BE RELEASED NOVEMBER 2010 Legacy Recordings Celebrates Elvis' 75 th Birthday Year with a New Studio Work Inspired by Viva ELVIS by Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas * * * * * Legacy Recordings, in cooperation with Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. and Viva ELVIS by Cirque du Soleil at ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas , proudly announces the release of Viva ELVIS - The Album , a 21st century celebration of Elvis and his music, featuring the voice of the King in a whole new context. Viva ELVIS - The Album will be available everywhere this November. For more information, please visit www.vivaelvis.com. The undisputed King of Rock 'n' Roll, Elvis Presley remains one of the most iconic and powerful forces in popular culture. "Before Elvis," said John Lennon, "there was nothing." After Elvis, the world looked and sounded different. With a swivel of his hips and the power of his voice, Elvis broke down barriers and shattered the status quo, revolutionizing the worlds of music, film and fashion while signaling a seismic shift in gender, class, race, and generational relationships. The Elvis revolution continues with Viva ELVIS - The Album . The postmodern studio masterwork invokes the spirit and essence of Elvis from a contemporary perspective while furthering the revolutionary impulses of Elvis' sound. Viva ELVIS - The Album re-imagines the king's own vocal performances in a broad variety of new musical settings. This new sound echoes Elvis' own versatility and ability to master all music genres, from Delta blues to rockabilly, from raw soul to gospel, from Southern folk to Vegas pop, while incorporating elements of garage rock, punk, urban and hip-hop. "Viva ELVIS is a tantalizing musical experience," said Adam Block, Senior Vice President/General Manager, Legacy Recordings. "It's so creative and so contemporary, it effortlessly places Elvis in a current context that appeals to fans of all ages and all kinds of music. There's a freshness, a newness to these songs that grabs you and shakes you and ultimately testifies to the remarkable artist Elvis remains to this very day." "What would the songs of Elvis be like if he were doing them for the first time today?," asks the album's producer and arranger Erich van Tourneau, Musical Director and Arranger for Viva ELVIS by Cirque du Soleil . "We set out to evoke the soul and spirit of Elvis Presley while building a bridge between his music and future generations of fans." When working on the music for Viva ELVIS, van Tourneau - aided by Hugo Bombardier, Assistant Producer and Assistant Arranger on Viva ELVIS - The Album - spent more than 3,000 hours reviewing countless albums, films, concert recordings, interviews and home recordings of Elvis. More than 17,000 samples of Elvis' songs- the raw material for the show- were made during the process. Working with tens of thousands of samples of Elvis' voice, van Tourneau and Bombardier often wove several sequences and sounds into the same songs, sometimes changing details such as the key and tempo. In creating Viva ELVIS - The Album , van Tourneau was looking to accentuate and boost the emotional charge of the songs with the incorporation of ragga, punk or hip-hop elements into classic recordings. In all cases, however, the goal was to respect and understand the essence of the original recordings. In celebration of all eras of Elvis' musical genius, Viva ELVIS - The Album includes songs from Elvis' rise to fame in the '50s, his movie soundtracks, his triumphant return to the stage in the "'68 Special," and his ground-breaking appearances in Las Vegas. "Burning Love," "Suspicious Minds," "Blue Suede Shoes" and "It's Now or Never" are among the songs that have been re-imagined and transformed for Viva ELVIS - The Album . The first opportunity to hear a sample from this ground-breaking album will take place during Elvis Week in Memphis on Saturday, August 14, during the event "Conversations on Elvis." Viva ELVIS by Cirque du Soleil , a harmonious fusion of dance, acrobatics and live music, opened earlier this year in a specially designed 1,800 seat theater at ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas . A tribute to the life and music of Elvis Presley, Viva ELVIS focuses on the essential humanity of the one superstar whose name will forever be linked with the history of Las Vegas : Elvis Presley. Significant moments in his life- intimate, playful and grandiose- blend with timeless songs that remain as relevant today as when they first hit the top of the charts. Viva ELVIS - The Album is a 21st century venue for rock's first and biggest superstar. The King's Music Lives! {SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil} Meet the Cirque Trend Forcasting Team {Aug.12.2010} ----------------------------------------------- "Inspiration doesn't just happen at your desk. It's a 24/7 job," says Melissa Thompson of the Cirque du Soleil in-house 'think tank.' And she should know. Because together with Zahra Peal and Brigitte Mezzetta, she's part of the trend-forecasting team that identifies new potential creators and inspirations for future shows. From their colourful corner of our Montreal head office-a light- filled space where couches, comfort and creativity abound-these dépisteurs créatifs are always on the lookout for inspiring innovations that could influence a show and lead to new ideas. "We see as much as we can," Zahra says, referring to the theatre, dance festivals, eccentric events and exhibits that are part of their regular scouting trips around town. And from blogs and books to magazines and more, they read everything they can get their hands on. "Our job is to find the creative gems and tangents that might otherwise be overlooked," Melissa explains. "Ideas that might be way out in left field, but that are quite magical when introduced into the context of a show." "We're always building up our library of research," Melissa adds, "and we're always looking for the element of surprise." When the team gets a request to help develop a show, it spends up to a month brainstorming and looking for ideas, tangents and trends in design, art, architecture, fashion, food design, sound, and the list goes on. "The process is organic," Melissa explains. "And the parameters of the project become clearer over time." Eventually, the team presents its research in packages that feature tantalizing images, quotes and questions intended to provoke a discussion. With their complementary backgrounds in visual arts, industrial and graphic design, the three creation scouts have an unparalleled perspective on global culture. And although they're humble about their contributions, they admit they have a meaningful influence. "Our goal is to support and inspire," Zahra says. "And the real challenge is to keep surprising people. That's important, because ultimately it's what Cirque is all about." We invite you to get to know our family of talent scouts. Who knows? You just may meet one of them in the near future. Click here to get to know more about them: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/jobs/casting/ team/talentscout.aspx > Please note that Cirque du Soleil does not accept unsolicited project proposals. {SOURCE: CirqueClub} Singing with Cirque - Interview with Nicola Dawn [EXPANDED] {Aug.18.2010} ------------------------------------------------------------ Have you considered that vocal work can include Cirque du Soleil? Nicola Dawn, currently on an Arena Tour of Saltimbanco, shares with vocalists what it is like to sing in this unique company... Q. Did you ever think you might end up singing with Cirque du Soleil? I actually think it was inevitable for me to end up doing this. When I first started my career I always loved to be involved in new musicals so I had the opportunity to put my own stamp on the performance and make it live in 'my way'. I was drawn to Cirque because of their fresh and active approach to performance and integration of the individual artist's abilities. Unfortunately, this has become quite rare in Musical Theatre today. Q. What are the disciplines that help you to stay on top of your voice when touring? I have lots of warm drinks and don't over-do it warming up. I don't drink alcohol the night before a performance. But my main goal is to be my best every show and give 150%. This gives me a level of commitment that means I'm supporting properly when I sing. The problems start when you don't support. Q. You've worked extensively within film, television and stage – how has your Cirque work uniquely challenged you? There is a freedom within my performance at Cirque that I wouldn't be allowed to have in other genres of the industry....unless you're a huge star. Cirque encourages artists to experiment and bring something new to each and every performance. But freedom can be a paradox: it's great to have it, but it's a big challenge to control it as an individual. You can feel very exposed and vulnerable if you don't make clear decisions and choices in your work. It's learning to deal with that level of vulnerability that is my personal challenge. Q. Do Cirque's singers work with coaches? Just in rehearsal or during the run? Yes, we work with coaches when we are first introduced to a new project or show. We can also request to see a coach to get their input if we feel we need it during a long run. When a new singer is integrated into a long running show the coach will teach her the role at HQ and then accompany her/him for the first few weeks on tour to make sure all is smooth and harmonious. Q. What kind of microphone do you typically use: handheld, headset, or lav or headworn? We use a headset, which hooks over the ears and comes round the cheek. Q. How do you monitor your sound? We use in ear monitors and we have a monitor engineer overseeing our mix from song to song. No sound is directed at the stage.? Q. When you rehearse are you able to listen to recordings of what you've done to improve, or just feedback from people listening? We can request that a recording is done of the show either from the sound board for the show mix or from the monitor board for our in-ear mixes. They also film every show for reference for all the artists, Artistic team and Stage Management team. Q. As you look to the future, what avenues do you see for your voice beyond Cirque du Soleil? I've recently recorded an album with my husband who is a producer; this is available on itunes and selling well. Further down the line I think I might like to get involved in the casting process at Cirque. It's a fascinating part of the industry for me, working out how to get the most from your "auditionees" and getting a glimpse of the amazing talent that is out there around the globe. Nicola Dawn began her career in Musical Theatre as an actress/singer; she's performed lead roles in London's West End in productions of Copacabana, Fame, The Sound of Music, Aspects of Love, Taboo, When Harry met Barry and The Thing About Men. She's worked for various Rep Theatres across the UK and has done her fair share of commercials! She has also supplied vocals for several films and TV series. In 2006,Nicola also made an appearance on the ITV1 talent contest The X Factor as a member of the close harmony group finalists, The Unconventionals, with Louis Walsh as their mentor. She is currently a featured vocalist with Cirque du Soleil in their production of Saltimbanco. {SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil} Inspire a New Season of Creativity {Aug.19.2010} ----------------------------------------------- Join the live video chat with one of the Cirque du Soleil creation directors who inspire - Sharpen your pencils. And mark your calendar. Because here's your chance to chat live with one of the Cirque du Soleil creation directors! Simply submit your questions to our creation director now, and you'll get the chance to have your questions answered*. To join the discussion in either English or French, simply register to this live-webcast event and you'll receive a reminder with all the details: On September 15, 2010 From 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm ( EDT -Montreal/ New-York time) From 9:00 am to 10 am ( Los Angeles / Vancouver time) From 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm ( London , UK time) From 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm ( Barcelona , ES time) CHANTAL TREMBLAY, Creation Director < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/ovo/show/ creators/chantal-tremblay.aspx > From 1995 to 2001, Chantal acted as the Artistic Director of Alegría, La Nouba and Mystère. Building on these early achievements, she has been appointed Creation Director of the 2006 show The Beatles LOVE, the 2009 show OVO and of an upcoming 2011 project. "My role as Creation Director is to reach out in every direction to connect all the varied aspects of the production, to frame the approach of the creators, to support them throughout the process of creation and maintain the focus on the artistic intention of the show." - Chantal Tremblay Submit your questions to our creation director now! REGISTER < http://promo-www.cirquedusoleil.com/ back-to-school-2010/form-en.html > * Of all the submissions we receive, we'll select the most inspired and put them to our expert. "O" Celebrates 10 Millionth Guest! {Aug.23.2010} ----------------------------------------------- "O" celebrated its 10 millionth audience member to be transported into its dreamlike world. Before the opening curtain on the night of the show's 5,626th performance on Wednesday, August 4th, Kathy Smogowicz from Connecticut was brought on stage by the show's two clowns and awarded the honour and prizes. The prize consisted of a roundtrip airfare for two to Las Vegas from anywhere in the Continental U.S., two tickets to a Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas production of the winner's choice, a two- night stay at the Bellagio, a prix-fixe dinner for two at the Bellagio and photos with the artists after the show. See the original article with pictures at CirqueClub (Must be a member of CirqueClub - it's free!) {SOURCE: Cirque Club} OVO Reaches the 500-show mark! {Aug.25.2010} ----------------------------------------------- The 8:00 p.m. performance of OVO in Boston on August 14 was a very special event for the OVO team, as it marked their 500th show. That day, the whole troupe celebrated this milestone around a huge cake specially baked for the occasion! Since April 23, 2009, OVO has reached some impressive numbers: o) 8 cities o) 10,470 km or 6,505 miles o) 1,056 beds in 576 apartments o) 682 plane tickets o) Over 6,000 coffee pots o) More than 50,000 meals o) 350,000 gallons of diesel o) 57,234 Tapis Rouge clients o) 14,956 OVO shirts o) 156,195 buckets of popcorn o) 41,792 packs of M&Ms o) 732 Cirquadors o) 4 OVO babies. . . And 2 more on the way! o) 2,300 taped-up ankles o) 3,530 physiotherapy treatments o) 4,250 pounds of confetti o) And more than 1,000,000 spectators! {SOURCE: CirqueClub} SHPEEL in San Francisco {Aug.25.2010} ----------------------------------------------- According to Broadway Mania and San Francisco Broadway World, Cirque du Soleil will present a special engagement of Banana Shpeel at San Francisco's Golden Gate Theatre from Saturday, October 16th through Sunday, November 14th. Tickets will go on sale to the general public in September. Advance online tickets will be available to Cirque Club members prior to the public on-sale, with the exact date to be announced online soon. {SOURCE: Broadway Mania; SanFran Broadway World} Saltimbanco Announces Australian Tour {Aug.26.2010} ----------------------------------------------- Cirque du Soleil announced today that it will return to Australia in 2011 for a national tour of Saltimbanco. The Saltimbanco tour will commence in Perth on April 21 2011 and travel on to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide with limited seasons of one to three weeks in each city. For the first time, Cirque du Soleil will perform in Hobart, Newcastle and Wollongong. Tickets for Saltimbanco will go on sale nationally on Monday October 18 2010 for all cities. CIRQUE DU SOLEIL - SALTIMBANCO 2011 AUSTRALIAN TOUR Perth: From April 21 2011 - Challenge Stadium Adelaide: From May 12 2011 - Adelaide Entertainment Centre Melbourne: From May 25 2011 - Rod Laver Arena Hobart: June 15 to 19 2011 - Derwent Entertainment Centre Brisbane: From July 8 2011 - Brisbane Entertainment Centre Newcastle: July 20 to 24 2011 - Newcastle Entertainment Centre Sydney: From July 27 2011 - ACER Arena Wollongong: August 17 to 21 2011 - WIN Entertainment Centre {SOURCE: eTravel Blackboard.com} LOVE in Liverpool? [EXPANDED] {Aug.27.2010} ----------------------------------------------- Well... almost. Beatles fans are flocking to Liverpool's Hard Day's Night Hotel to get snaps of the illustrious £1/4m Cirque du Soleil LOVE Show costumes. Familiar costumes including Sgt Pepper, Lucy in the Sky, Eleanor Rigby and Father McKenzie, created by French designer Phillipe Guillotel, are on show in the hotel shop's windows for the Mathew Street Festival, which starts on Saturday. Sandra Fox, head of wardrobe for LOVE, said: "Cirque du Soleil has the biggest costume workshop in the world so the scope for creating characters and outfits for the LOVE show was phenomenal. "Phillipe paid tribute to the creativity of The Beatles with his designs, making sure that the character costumes represent direct images from Beatles songs. As you will see, the costumes are just out of this world - so imaginative and inspired." The costumes have been brought to Liverpool by Aigburth-born Pamela Devine, who has worked for Cirque du Soleil as director of sales for the last ten years. She said: "Growing up in Liverpool I have always been extremely fond of The Beatles, so to work with Cirque du Soleil on a show which celebrates their musical legacy was fantastic. Bringing the costumes back to Liverpool, the birthplace of The Beatles, seemed like a natural choice and what better location than the world’s first and only Beatles-inspired hotel?" And Jonathan Davies, director of the Hard Days Night Hotel, hopes that they will be a big hit with Beatles fans. Mr Davies said: “We feel very privileged to be able to host these costumes in our hotel shop, and are both delighted and honoured that Pamela chose to contact us about the opportunity. To be timed to coincide with the Mathew Street Festival hopefully means that fans of the Fab Four will really be able to enjoy and appreciate the display.” One Beatles' enthusiast said: "The costumes are just amazing. They are so extravagant. The Sgt Pepper suit has always been my favourite. I wish I had something like that in my wardrobe." Just around the corner from the world's most famous club 'The Cavern', the characters of Beatles fame can be seen until Monday. {SOURCE: Click Liverpool} Cirque at FIBA? {Aug.30.2010} ----------------------------------------------- According to WorldBulletin.net, Cirque du Soleil was in attendance at the FIBA 2010 World Basketball Championships (the largest basketball event of the planet) as part of the inauguration ceremony. The inaugural ceremony of the 2010 World Basketball Championship was broadcast live simultaneously by TV stations of 172 countries. During the ceremony, world-wide known dance and show group Cirque du Soleil displayed a special performance, followed by concerts by Turkish musicians Fatih Erkoc, Muslum Gurses and Sezen Aksu, as well as Italian tenor Alessandro Safina and Greek singer Haris Alexiou. Turkish dance group Fire of Anatolia also staged its major production "Troia" as part of the ceremony. {SOURCE: WorldBulletin.net} PBS: Flowers in the Desert {Aug.30.2010} ----------------------------------------------- Carol Cling of the Las Vegas Review-Journal has an interesting bit about Cirque du Soleil this morning, the company and its Las Vegas productions are going to feature in a PBS special airing this Dececmber. # # # Titled "Cirque du Soleil: Flowers in the Desert," the two-hour show will focus on Cirque's permanent Las Vegas extravaganzas, according to Jennifer Kowalczyk, director of communications for Mountain Lake PBS of Plattsburgh, N.Y., which is producing the show. "Cirque hasn't been on PBS for years," she notes - but this special, shot in high-definition digital video, will change all that. Most of the program's Cirque footage already has been taped, Kowalczyk explains, but this week's shoot will concentrate on behind-the-scenes footage at several Cirque shows - along with pledge-break material. Although specific shows to be featured hadn't been determined by deadline (Bellagio's "O," MGM Grand's "Ka," Mirage's "Love" and Aria's "Viva Elvis" are reported possibilities), this week's shoot also is expected to feature background footage of the Strip - including views shot from the top of the Trump hotel. {SOURCE: Las Vegas Review-Journal} An Interview with LOVE's Melena Rounis [EXPANDED] {Aug.31.2010} ------------------------------------------------- Melena Rounis is a local BC dancer, who is the definition of persistence. When she faced rejection at auditions, she pushed harder. When she encountered success, she continued to strive. This persistence has landed her a role in Cirque Du Soleil's Grammy award winning production of "LOVE" in Las Vegas. Melena's success is manifesting in multiple ways. In addition to performing in the world's largest theatre that was custom-made for "LOVE", she is making cameos on shows, such as "Dancing with the Stars." Melena also takes time to give back to her community. Over the holidays, she taught dance workshops in Vancouver, Nanaimo and Las Vegas. These workshops raised funds for foodbanks in each location. We caught up with Melena to discuss persistence, success, and the reality of being a professional dancer in Las Vegas. Q. Can you describe the reality of being a professional dancer? The reality of being a professional dancer is that it can be a very hard lifestyle. You have to be fully committed to it... just like any other athlete or artist. You have to constantly strive to improve. Dancers are performers, but performance work is not always consistent. Many dancers will resort to working a 'normal' job on the side. There are many late night rehearsals and/or early mornings. You have to deal with a lots of rejection. You will hear "no" a hundred times before you hear that one "yes".... but when you do hear that "yes", it is the greatest feeling. When you work a steady performance job, the struggle there is to not get bored with what you are doing and to keep inspired. To the audience you should always appear as though this is the most exciting performance you've ever done, even if it's the 700th time you've done it! Q. What has been your greatest point of struggle and your greatest source of inspiration? My greatest point of struggle was trying to get a work permit to live and work in America! Not an easy feat!! Up until I booked LOVE, I can't even tell you the amount of time and money I spent traveling back and forth to Los Angeles and New York just to train and network. Training around talented people from all over the world was definitely the inspiration that kept me going. It kept me hungry (literally at times, ha) but it just made me want it so much more every time I went. Now that I am fortunate enough to have a full time steady job with "Cirque du Soleil", my source of inspiration is the audience and their appreciation for what we do night after night. When I see people in the audience at the end of our show hugging, smiling, crying, and saying "thank you thank you so much", I feel inspired and motivated to continue entertaining people. Q. Over the holidays, you facilitated dance workshops that raised money for the foodbank in Vancouver and Las Vegas. What was the result of this? When raising money for charity, do you think it is important to engage people with something fun like dance? Over the holidays I decided to create a charity fundraiser called "STEP UP & DANCE!" It was quite successful, and I hope that it will become more successful in the years to come. In Las Vegas I raised the equivalent of about 2000 meals for the homeless in Nevada. I believe it is important when raising money for charity to engage people with something that is beneficial to them, in addition to benefitting the cause. Why not have fun and do something healthy and social for yourself while helping out a good cause? Q. You dance with Cirque Du Soleil in Las Vegas. What does an average day with Cirque Du Soliel look like for you? I dance in The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil and my experience so far has been amazing. I work with some crazy talented people...some of whom are ex-olympians. Everyone is so dedicated and loves what they do, so it is enjoyable to go to work everyday. An average day for me at LOVE usually consists of a training or staging around 3 or 4pm as we are always improving on the show. We do a half hour of pilates, a strength training session with one of our personal trainers, or a 25 minute run on the treadmill and physical therapy. It takes me about 50 minutes to put on my make up, and then we do 2.5 hour shows. I will usually stay after the shows are done at 11pm to stretch for a bit or do preventative icing. I'm usually out of there by midnight, five days a week just like any other job. Q. As a resident in Las Vegas, you are exposed to elements of culture that many tourists don't see. Do you notice a massive gap between the glitzy rich and the poor? Living and working in Las Vegas exposes me to more than what a tourist can catch in a few days of vacation. Las Vegas has a notable gap between the rich and the poor. This is one of the reasons I decided to start my fundraiser. The Las Vegas strip is now home to seven Cirque shows, 19 of the world's 25 largest hotels by room count and has numerous restaurants, magicians, show girls, musicals, shopping and more. There is an overwhelming amount of people who make a living off of working on the strip. There is also an overwhelming amount of people in Las Vegas who cannot afford to pay their bills and feed a family. Approximately 250 000 people out of the 2 million here struggle with hunger and 48% of children in the Clark County School District receive free and reduced-price meals. With numbers like this, it seemed more than obvious to me that there needed to be more people doing their part to help this situation. Q. Do you think that you will continue to engage people with dance for other social causes? I definitely think I will continue to engage people with dance for other social causes. I hope to inspire more entertainers to create their own events for social causes they feel strongly about. It is such a rewarding feeling. { SOURCE: Vancouver Observer } ======================================================================= ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION ======================================================================= o) BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau {Corteo, Koozå, OVO, Quidam, Totem & Varekai} o) ARENA - In Stadium-like venues {Saltimbanco, Alegría, Quidam & Dralion} o) RESIDENT - Performed en Le Théâtre {Mystère, "O", La Nouba, Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE, ZAIA, ZED, Believe & VIVA Elvis} o) VENUE - Venue & Seasonal productions {Wintuk & Banana Shpeel} NOTE: .) While we make every effort to provide complete and accurate touring dates and locations available, the information in this section is subject to change without notice. As such, the Fascination! Newsletter does not accept responsibility for the accuracy of these listings. .) Dates so marked (*) are not official until released by Cirque du Soleil. For current, up-to-the-moment information on Cirque's whereabouts, please visit our website: < http://www.CirqueFascination.com/ >. ------------------------------------ BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau ------------------------------------ Online at: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=39 > Corteo: Kazan, Russia -- Aug 21, 2010 to Sep 26, 2010 Moscow, Russia -- Oct 9, 2010 to Dec 12, 2010 Brussels, BE -- Jan 2, 2011 to TBA Vienna, AT -- Feb 11, 2011 to TBA Madrid, ES -- Apr 2, 2011 to TBA Valencia, ES -- Jun 16, 2011 to TBA Alicante, ES -- Jul 28, 2011 to TBA Sevilla, ES -- Sep 8, 2011 to TBA Paris, FR -- TBA Koozå: Vancouver, BC -- Jul 22, 2010 to Sep 5, 2010 Calgary, AB -- Sep 16, 2010 to Oct 24, 2010 Miami, FL -- Nov 12, 2010 to Dec 5, 2010 Tokyo, JPN -- Feb 2, 2011 to Apr 12, 2011 Ovo: Boston, MA -- Jul 22, 2010 to Aug 29, 2010 Washington, DC -- Sep 9, 2010 to Oct 24, 2010 Atlanta, GA -- Nov 4, 2010 to Dec 31, 2010 Dallas, TX -- Jan 28, 2011 to TBA Houston, TX -- Mar 10, 2011 to TBA Cincinnati, OH -- Apr 22, 2011 to TBA Chicago, IL -- Jun 30, 2011 to TBA Seattle, WA -- Nov 17, 2011 to TBA Quidam: Santiago, CL -- Jul 11, 2010 to Aug 15, 2010 Lima, PE -- Sep 3, 2010 to Sep 26, 2010 Bogota, CO -- Oct 9, 2010 to Nov 21, 2010 NOTE: Begins Arena Tour after Bogota! Totem: Québec City, QC -- Jul 22, 2010 to Aug 29, 2010 Amsterdam, NL -- Oct 7, 2010 to Nov 21, 2010 (*) London, UK -- Jan 5, 2011 to Jan 30, 2011 (*) Charlotte, NC -- Mar 3, 2011 to TBA Baltimore, MD -- Apr 7, 2011 to TBA Pittsburgh, PA -- May 12, 2011 to TBA Montreal, QC -- Jun 16, 2011 to TBA Toronto, ON -- Aug 4, 2011 to TBA San Francisco, CA -- Oct 21, 2011 to TBA Varekai: Oostende, BE -- Jul 29, 2010 to Aug 29, 2010 Zurich, CH -- Sep 17, 2010 to Oct 24, 2010 Barcelona, ES -- Nov 5, 2010 to Dec 5, 2010 Taipei, TW -- Jan 20, 2011 to TBA ------------------------------------ ARENA - In Stadium-Like Venues ------------------------------------ Online at: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=1831 > Saltimbanco: Berlin, DE -- Sep 1, 2010 to Sep 4, 2010 Munich, DE -- Sep 8, 2010 to Sep 12, 2010 Milan, IT -- Sep 15, 2010 to Sep 18, 2010 Zaragoza, ES -- Sep 22, 2010 to Sep 26, 2010 Granada, ES -- Sep 29, 2010 to Oct 3, 2010 Madrid, ES -- Oct 6, 2010 to Oct 10, 2010 Lisbon, PT -- Oct 13, 2010 to Oct 24, 2010 Prague, CZ -- Nov 12, 2010 to Nov 14, 2010 Zagreb, HR -- Nov 17, 2010 to Nov 21, 2010 Basel, CH -- Dec 1, 2010 to Dec 5, 2010 Budapest, HU -- Dec 8, 2010 to Dec 12, 2010 Nurnberg, DE -- Dec 15, 2010 to Dec 19, 2010 Lille, FR -- Jan 5, 2011 to TBA Paris, FR -- Jan 12, 2011 to TBA Johannesburg, ZA -- Mar 9, 2011 to Mar 20, 2011 Cape Town, ZA -- Mar 23, 2011 to Apr 3, 2011 Antwerp, BE -- TBA Perth, AU -- Apr 21, 2011 to TBA Adelaide, AU -- May 12, 2011 to TBA Melbourne, AU -- May 25, 2011 to TBA Hobart, AU -- Jun 15, 2011 to Jun 19, 2011 Brisbane, AU -- Jul 8, 2011 to TBA Newcastle, AU -- Jul 20, 2011 to Jul 24, 2011 Sydney, AU -- Jul 27, 2011 to TBA Wollongong, AU -- Aug 17, 2011 to Aug 21, 2011 Auckland, NZ -- Aug 25, 2011 to TBA Alegría: Kamloops, BC -- Sep 1, 2010 to Sep 5, 2010 Victoria, BC -- Sep 8, 2010 to Sep 12, 2010 Tacoma, WA -- Sep 15, 2010 to Sep 19, 2010 Spokane, WA -- Sep 22, 2010 to Sep 26, 2010 Honolulu, HI -- Oct 15, 2010 to Oct 31, 2010 Boise, ID -- Nov 4, 2010 to Nov 7, 2010 Houston, TX -- Nov 10, 2010 to Nov 14, 2010 Phoenix, AZ -- Nov 17, 2010 to Nov 21, 2010 Tucson, AZ -- Nov 24, 2010 to Nov 28, 2010 El Paso, TX -- Dec 1, 2010 to Dec 5, 2010 Oklahoma City, OK -- Dec 23, 2010 to Dec 26, 2010 Wichita, KS -- Dec 29, 2010 to Jan 2, 2011 Baton Rouge, LA -- Jan 5, 2011 to Jan 9, 2011 Colorado Springs, CO -- Jan 12, 2011 to Jan 16, 2011 Broomfield, CO -- Jan 19, 2011 to Jan 23, 2011 Loveland, CO -- Jan 26, 2011 to Jan 30, 2011 Laredo, TX -- Feb 2, 2011 to Feb 6, 2011 Hidalgo, TX -- Feb 9, 2011 to Feb 13, 2011 Corpus Christi, TX -- Feb 16, 2011 to Feb 20, 2011 Tulsa, OK -- Feb 23, 2011 to Feb 27, 2011 North Charleston, SC -- Mar 17, 2011 to TBA Knoxville, TN -- Mar 23, 2011 to TBA Charlotesville, VA -- Mar 30, 2011 to TBA Atlantic City, NJ -- Apr 6, 2011 to TBA Greensboro, NC -- Apr 13, 2011 to TBA Biloxi, MS -- Apr 20, 2011 to TBA Southaver, MS -- Apr 27, 2011 to TBA Roanoke, VA -- May 4, 2011 to TBA Columbia, SC -- May 11, 2011 to TBA Louisville, KY -- Jun 9, 2011 to TBA Nashville, TN -- Jun 15, 2011 to TBA Tampa, FL -- Jun 22, 2011 to TBA Jacksonville, FL -- Jun 29, 2011 to TBA Raleigh, NC -- Jul 6, 2011 to TBA Duluth, GA -- Jul 13, 2011 to TBA Sunrise, FL -- Jul 20, 2011 to TBA Charlotte, NC -- Aug 3, 2011 to TBA Estero, FL -- Aug 10, 2011 to TBA Quidam: Kingson, ON -- Dec 11, 2010 to Dec 14, 2010 Montréal, QC -- Dec 18, 2010 to Dec 30, 2010 Quebec, QC -- Jan 4, 2011 to Jan 9, 2011 Chicoutimi, QC -- Jan 12, 2011 to Jan 16, 2011 Vancouver, BC -- Mar 9, 2011 to Mar 20, 2011 Everett, WA -- Mar 16, 2011 to Mar 20, 2011 San Jose, CA -- Mar 24, 2011 to Mar 27, 2011 San Diego, CA -- Mar 30, 2011 to Apr 3, 2011 San Francisco, CA -- Apr 6, 2011 to TBA Long Beach, CA -- Apr 20, 2011 to Apr 24, 2011 Ontario, Ca -- Apr 27, 2011 to May 1, 2011 Reno, NV -- May 4, 2011 to TBA Dralion: Trenton, NJ -- Oct 20, 2010 to Oct 24, 2010 Buffalo, NY -- Oct 27, 2010 to Oct 31, 2010 Reading, PA -- Nov 2, 2010 to Nov 7, 2010 Youngstown, OH -- Nov 10, 2010 to Nov 14, 2010 Windsow, ON -- Nov 17, 2010 to NOv 21, 2010 Oshawa, ON -- Nov 24, 2010 to Nov 28, 2010 Worcester, MA -- Dec 16, 2010 to Dec 19, 2010 Philadelphia, PA -- Dec 21, 2010 to Jan 2, 2011 Boston, MA -- Jan 5, 2011 to Jan 9, 2011 St. Louis, MO -- Jan 19, 2011 to Jan 23, 2011 Peoria, IL -- Apr 22, 2011 to Apr 24, 2011 Cypress, TX -- Nov 17, 2011 to TBA Beaumont, TX -- Nov 23, 2011 to TBA --------------------------------- RESIDENT - en Le Théâtre --------------------------------- NOTE: (*) Prices are in United States Dollars (USD) unless otherwise noted. (*) Ticket prices exclude the 10% Live Entertainment Tax, the $7.50 per-ticket processing fee, and sales tax where applicable. Online at: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=40 > Mystère: Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark: Thursday/Friday Two shows Nightly - 7:00pm & 9:30pm 2010 Ticket Prices (adult) / (child 5-12): o Category 1: $109.00 / $54.50 o Category 2: $99.00 / $49.50 o Category 3: $79.00 / $39.50 o Category 4: $69.00 / $34.50 o Category 5: $60.00 / $30.00 (Limited View) 2010 Dark Dates: o September 4 - 8 o November 3 "O": Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark: Monday/Tuesday Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm 2010 Ticket Prices: o Orchestra: $150.00 o Loggia: $130.00 o Balcony: $99.00 o Limited View: $93.50 2010 Dark Dates: o October 10 o December 8 - 21 La Nouba: Location: Walt Disney World, Orlando (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday Two shows Nightly - 6:00pm and 9:00pm 2010 Ticket Prices (adults) / (child 3-9): o Category 0: $120.00 / $97.00 o Category 1: $105.00 / $85.00 o Category 2: $85.00 / $69.00 o Category 3: $69.00 / $56.00 o Category 4: $55.00 / $45.00 2010 Dark Dates: o September 21 - 24 o November 16 Zumanity: Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Friday through Tuesday Dark: Wednesday & Thursday Two Shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:00pm 2010 Ticket Prices (18+ Only!): o Duo Sofas: $135.00 o Orchestra Seats: $99.00 o Upper Orchestra Seats: $79.00 o Balcony Seats: $69.00 o Cabaret Stools: $69.00 2010 Dark Dates: o September 14 o October 12 - 13 o November 30 o December 1 - 14 2010 Added Performances: o September 16th o October 14th o November 29th o December 30th KÀ: Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark Sunday/Monday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 2010 Ticket Prices (adult) / (child 5-12): o Category 1: $150.00 / $75.00 o Category 2: $125.00 / $62.50 o Category 3: $99.00 / $49.50 o Category 4: $69.00 / $34.50 2010 Dark Dates o September 7 - 11 o November 16 - 17 LOVE: Location: Mirage, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Thursday through Monday, Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 2010 Ticket Prices: o Lower Orchestra: $150.00 o Upper Orchestra: $130.00 o Lower Balcony: $99.00 o Middle Balcony: $93.50 2010 Dark Dates: o October 7 o December 3 - 13 ZAIA: Location: Venetian, Macao (China) Performs: Every Day, Dark: Wednesday One to Two Shows Daily - Times Vary 2010 Ticket Prices (adult) / (child 2-11): o VIP Seating: MOP$ 1288 / MOP$ 1288 o Reserve A: MOP$ 788 / MOP$ 394 o Reserve B: MOP$ 588 / MOP$ 294 o Reserve C: MOP$ 388 / MOP$ 194 ZED: Location: Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo (Japan) Performs: Varies One to Two Shows Daily - Showtimes vary 2010 Ticket Prices (Non-Peek / Peek Time): o Category 1 ("Premium"): ¥15,000 / ¥16,000 o Category 2 ("Stage-Side"): ¥12,500 / ¥13,500 o Category 2 ("Center"): ¥12,500 / ¥13,500 o Category 3 ("Wide View"): ¥9,500 / ¥10,500 o Category 4 ("Value"): ¥7,500 / ¥7,800 BELIEVE: Location: Luxor, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark: Wednesday/Thursday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 10:00pm NOTE: Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Children under the age of five are not permitted into the theater. 2010 Ticket Prices (all): o Category 1: $160.00 o Category 2: $125.00 o Category 3: $99.00 o Category 4: $79.00 o Category 5: $59.00 2010 Dark Dates: o October 12 - 16 VIVA ELVIS: Location: Aria, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 2010 Ticket Prices (Previews / Regular) o Category 1: $149.38 / $175.00 o Category 2: $128.75 / $150.00 o Category 3: $108.13 / $125.00 o Category 4: $86.68 / $99.00 2010 Dark Dates: o September 14 - 16 o November 17 - 25 -------------------------------------- VENUE - Venue & Seasonal Productions -------------------------------------- Online at: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=251 > Wintuk: Location: Madison Square Garden, New York City (USA) Show Schedule: Performances are held November 17, 2010 through January 2, 2011 from Wednesdays through Sundays. There are no performances on Monday and Tuesday (with the exception of December 21, 27 and 28, 2010). Ticket prices range from from $30 to $220 based on category and performance date. Please see the Cirque du Soleil website for ticket details: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/wintuk/tickets/schedule.aspx > Banana Shpeel: Banana Shpeel is going on tour! Check out the show at these locations: Toronto, ON -- Sep 14, 2010 to Oct 10, 2010 San Francisco, CA -- Oct 16, 2010 to Nov 14, 2010 Orange County, CA -- Dec 7, 2010 to Dec 26, 2010 ======================================================================= OUTREACH - UPDATES FROM CIRQUE'S SOCIAL WIDGETS ======================================================================= --- [ "O" ] --- {Aug.30} On July 17th, 3 artists from "O" went to Napa, California to help celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Far Niente winery. This video gives a glimpse into the beautiful night and the great Contortion performance! VIDEO [7:53] /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FXczHd2JpQ > {Aug.24} We had a great time at The Grove in L.A. today! We'll have more photos and video soon, but here's a look at what today's performance looked like! FOTO [15] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php? aid=202009&id=26000574416&ref=mf > {Aug.12} Ever wonder what happens in the theater during the dark? Here's a glimpse into all the hard work that goes on - even when the show doesn't perform! Just posted pictures of what the "O" stage looks like during our week-long dark! 8 feet (of the 17-foot pool) is drained during this time. This leads us to the age-old question is the pool half empty or half full? FOTO [3] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php? aid=199382&id=26000574416&ref=mf > ---[ ALEGRIA ]--- {Aug.31} In Kamloops, BC, until Sunday, September 5! If you want to know more about what the production is all about... LINK /// < http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_thompson_nicola/ kamloopsthisweek/news/101594298.html > {Aug.27} Great behind the scene interviews with Tim Smith, Artistic Director, and Alexandr Dobrynin, Artist/Flying man. VIDEO [2:16] /// < http://www.chbcnews.ca/video/index.html? releasePID=L_2JgwL16Ed2VEXPzK59_1SC7klhGX9s > {Aug.13} Curious to see more of what is going on @ Rexall Place (Edmonton) until August 22? Take a look at this vibrant photo gallery! LINK /// < http://www.edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/ Gallery+Cirque+Soleil+Preparations/3387384/story.html > {Aug.04} Tonight, Wednesday August 4 @ 7:30PM! Premiere in Saskatoon at the Credit Union Center! LINK /// < http://www.thestarphoenix.com/entertainment/ Join+Cirque/3356541/story.html%20 > ---[ CRISS ANGEL BELIEVE ]--- {Aug.24} Hey Believe fans! We had a fantastic time at The Grove today and we hope if you came, that you did, too! If not, we'll have more pictures and video for you soon, but here's a peek at the antics are ushers got up to on the stage today! FOTO [14] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php? aid=204182&id=18869703598&ref=mf > {Aug.05} Did you miss our MindFreak premiere party last night at Liquidity at Luxor? Don't worry - see a full recap below including exclusive photos from the event! LINK /// < http://www.vegasdeluxe.com/blogs/luxe- life/2010/aug/05/exclusive-photos-fans- swarm-criss-angels-emmindfre/ > {Aug.03} Did you see Criss on last night's episode of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno? If you missed it, see below! VIDEO [7:59] /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2c_2zLRLoY > ---[ DRALION ]--- {Aug.20} Did you know artists learn how to put their own make-up on? Watch Hiroi, trampo wall athlete, in action! VIDEO [0:39] /// < http://www.facebook.com/video/ video.php?v=436848285352&ref=mf > {Aug.18} The cast just arrived in Montreal to rehearse for the upcoming North America Arena Tour FOTO [9] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php? aid=481610&id=39340140194&ref=mf > ---[ KA ]--- {Aug.24} We had a great time performing at The Grove in L.A. today and although we'll have more videos and photos for you soon, we couldn't wait to post at least a glimpse of what went on today! Here we are performing! FOTO [11] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php? aid=245545&id=31527171928&ref=mf . {Aug.21} So we read somewhere this week that Las Vegas is the most stressful city to live in in the U.S. 1. Boo! 2. BOOOOO!! Well, we decided to try to help de-stress some of the hard-working Las Vegas residents who sell tickets to KÀ by stopping by a few call-centers here in town. Ever wonder what KÀ would look like performed in a cubicle? Well wonder no more! KÀ Goes Corporate Casual! FOTO [45] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php? aid=245101&id=31527171928&ref=mf > {Aug.14} Hello KÀ fans! Please join us in bidding a fond KÀ-family farewell to artist Nicolle Liquorish, who recently retired from the show after performing with Cirque du Soleil for 17 years! Nicolle started with the creation of Saltimbanco, then joined Quidam and KÀ. Pictured with Nicolle are Cirque du Soleil CEO Daniel Lamarre and KÀ Artistic Director Marie-Hélène Gagnon. Thank you for sharing your talent with us, Nicolle! LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php? pid=6361587&fbid=473755756928&id=31527171928 > {Aug.10} Hopefully you all remember the fantastic behind-the-scenes special G4 put together earlier this year, and as part of that TV special one lucky viewer won a trip to Vegas to see KÀ and meet a few of our artists! Here are the lucky winners! (Hope you guys had fun!) LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php? pid=6327334&fbid=472298616928&id=31527171928 > {Aug.07} We absolutely have to share some fan art submitted by KÀ superfan Kathy Tran. Enjoy! (Thank you, Kathy!!!) LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php? pid=6287985&fbid=471125191928&id=31527171928 > ---[ LA NOUBA ]--- {Aug.30} Starting on Monday, August 30, La Nouba will be taking part in a cutting edge marketing opportunity via Layar which is a free mobile application. It provides real-time digital information about a person's surroundings simply by pointing a mobile phone in different directions. The Layar Augmented Reality Browser uses the camera on a mobile phone, along with GPS and compass technology to blend computer-generated information into real- time images on the mobile display. La Nouba will be the first Cirque production to use this technology to increase awareness about its show. The technology will be used at two Orlando malls, the Florida Mall and Premium Outlets. Guests will be directed to download the application and point their smart phones to designated areas within the mall and characters will become visible on the screen. For example if the phone is pointed toward the ceiling, the guest may see an aerial ballet or trapeze artist. If they point it in between buildings, they may see a tight rope walker or an acrobatic performer. The Layar Reality Browser is available for iPhone 3GS and mobile devices that use the Android operating system. The promotion with La Nouba will run at the Florida Mall and Premium Outlets until November 30, 2010. {Aug.17} The Florida resident discount starts today! To purchase the $50 tickets online, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com! (The boutique is also offering a discount to Floridians, no ticket purchase necessary.) See you soon! {Aug.13} Each summer Miami Children's Hospital holds a special week-long sleep away camp for their young cancer patients. The kids enjoy a wide range of activities including three days in Orlando and for the past few years we have had the pleasure of meeting them after a show. Their energy, enthusiasm and humor continue to inspire us. Meet and Greet with Summer Campers from Miami Children's Hospital! FOTO [5] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php? aid=192475&id=16315569901&ref=mf > ---[ MYSTERE ]--- {Aug.24} Well, our event at The Grove has wrapped and we had a fantastic time! We'll have more photos and video for you soon, but here's a look at what our performance looked like today! FOTO [16] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php? aid=237813&id=18155469918&ref=mf > {Aug.17} Hey Mystère fans, check out what we saw at LEGOLAND's mini Vegas! (Check right in the center of the picture if you can't figure out why we'd be excited!) LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php? pid=6251923&fbid=453307779918&id=18155469918 > {Aug.14} Hello Mystère fans! Please join us in congratulating trapeze artist Olga Poema, and her catcher Pedro Farfan, from our sister show ZED in Tokyo for being the first female artist at Cirque du Soleil to perform a triple somersault! Speaking of flying, stay tuned here for some exciting changes coming to our Highbar act. Have a fantastic day! LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php? pid=6216866&fbid=452119154918&id=18155469918 > {Aug.10} Recently we hosted some guests who had purchased their tickets through our local public radio station, and as part of their donation to the station had the chance to take a quick photo with some Mystère characters before the show. Thanks for supporting our friends at KNPR! FOTO [1] /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php? pid=6179663&fbid=450709169918&id=18155469918 > {Aug.07} Hi Mystère fans! It's Superfriend Saturday, and we need your help! Mystère will perform its 8,000th show in October and we're hoping to reach 8,000 Facebook fans by then. We just passed 7,000 so just a little ways to go! Tell your friends, co-workers and complete strangers and help us get there! As they say across the pond, you're ace! FOTO [1] /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php? pid=6143792&fbid=449556604918&id=18155469918 > ---[ THE BEATLES LOVE ]--- {Aug.30} Check out this video of the Beatles' performing in San Fran! | Beatles' Last Concert Candlestick Park (VIDEO) 44 Years Ago Today! LINK /// < http://www.postchronicle.com/news/original/ article_212320127.shtml > {Aug.27} Here's a little Friday treat for you, LOVE fans! Check out this video LOVE dancer Cameron McKinlay made behind the scenes at the NHL Awards! And just think, by the time you're done watching it, you'll be that much closer to Friday NIGHT! VIDEO [7:09] /// < http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php ?v=426546587675&ref=mf > {Aug.27} Behind-the-scenes at our 3D spot shoot! FOTO [9] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php ?aid=192107&id=14653468665&ref=mf > {Aug.23} There was a lot of LOVE at The Grove today and we had a fantastic time out there! We'll have more photos and videos of the event soon, but here's a quick look at what we got up to in L.A.! FOTO [9] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php ?aid=190988&id=14653468665&ref=mf > {Aug.20} LOVE Skater Soars to Glory at European In-Line Skating Championships! | LOVE skater Marco De Santi showed off his mad skills on July 31, at this year's Red Bull European in-line skating championships in Moscow. This competition was by invitation only to twelve in-line skaters from around the world, with six skaters making it to the final round. LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/notes/the-beatles-love-by- cirque-du-soleil/love-skater-soars-to-glory-at- european-in-line-skating-championships/461460355179. {Aug.20} Tonight at 7 p.m. we celebrate our 2,000th performance of LOVE! Thanks for all your great support and here's to many, many more! {Aug.17} We are shooting a new commerical for LOVE in 3D today and Wednesday! A first for Cirque du Soleil, which is beyond exciting. Before the end of this year, you'll see parts of acts like "Help" and "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" like you've never seen before...in 3D!!! ---[ VIVA ELVIS ]--- {Aug.27} Viva ELVIS at Miss Universe 2010! FOTO [15] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php ?aid=193248&id=167136344108&ref=mf > {Aug.25} For those of you who missed our performance on the Miss Universe Pageant, here's a link to the video. Photos will be posted shortly! VIDEO [10:52] /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66fSS15gR7s > {Aug.24} Hey Viva ELVIS fans! We had a great time out at The Grove in L.A. today and we'll have more photos and video for you soon, but here's a quick look at how we looked performing out there under the California sun! FOTO [11] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php ?aid=191474&id=167136344108&ref=mf > ---[ WINTUK ]--- {Aug.31} Check out the Wintuk Promotional Team photos from NYC Summer Streets, August 21! Be sure to catch the team this weekend for a chance to win cool Wintuk Prizes at the following locations: Saturday & Sunday, September 4 & 5, at the NY Aquarium and on Labor Day at the Riverdale Street Fair FOTO [4] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php ?aid=475966&id=98244255320&ref=mf > {Aug.11} Here's a picture from the demo with our make up artist, Eleni Uranis, for BlogHer over the weekend! We had a blast! FOTO [1] /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php ?pid=13796191&fbid=10150237168665321&id=98244255320 > ---[ ZAIA ]--- {Aug.24} Watch how good Benji was in teaching his students to do make-up VIDEO [0:51] /// < http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php ?v=147113608643119&ref=mf > {Aug.24} ZAIA artists share their tricks in make-up workshop with winners from Young Post's Summer Gallergy Competition last Saturday ! FOTO [5] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php ?aid=200837&id=34277887388&ref=mf > {Aug.16} Roman Tamanov, our strap artist was on the cover page of Young Post last week ! LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php ?pid=4746003&fbid=428135122388&id=34277887388 > {Aug.06} Watch our artist Romina performed at Dim Sum TV new programme launch in Hong Kong . VIDEO [2:56] /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21rsVxRAonM > ---[ ZED ]--- {Aug.02} On August 2nd Olga Poema did a triple Somersault in the show, being the first female artist at Cirque du Soleil to perform this amazing trick! FOTO [16] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php ?aid=257612&id=41326571163&ref=mf > ---[ ZUMANITY ]--- {Aug.20} Our Fabulous Edie Hosts Instinct Magazine MAGIC Event! FOTO [7] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php ?aid=202541&id=13931088846&ref=mf > ======================================================================= COMPARTMENTS -- A PEEK BEHIND THE CURTAIN ======================================================================= o) DIDYAKNOW - Facts at a Glance about Cirque o) HISTORIA - Cirque du Soleil History --------------------------------- DIDYAKNOW? - Facts About Cirque --------------------------------- o) The practice of foot juggling was transformed in 1840, when Richard R. Carlisle Risley got the idea of replacing objects propelled in the air with ... a child! o) More than 300 lbs. of dry ice are needed for each performance of Dralion. o) Five hundred stakes, each measuring five feet in length, are used to set up the big top. o) The pool speakers in "O" have a total capacity of 12,000 watts. o) Roughly 250 pulleys are used in the Zumanity theatre o) It takes six hours of work to make acrobatic shoes and forty-five hours to make clown shoes. o) The Studio, Cirque's International Headquarters in Montreal, was inaugurated on February 20, 1997. o) During an engagement, an additional 150 Cirquadors (local staff) are hired. o) More than 70 48-foot trucks with 1,000 tons of equipment are needed to transport Corteo from one city to the next. o) The Quidam big top and other infrastructures occupy an area of 16,000 square metres. o) Over 60 technicians work behind the scenes during a performance of Mystère. o) Every seat in the KÀ Theatre has two speakers built into its headrest which allows sound effects to be targeted, manipulated and customized to any of 16 seating zones. ------------------------------------ HISTORIA: Cirque du Soleil History ------------------------------------ * Sep.01.2003 -- Tapis Rouge CD released (BMG/CDS Musique) * Sep.01.2003 -- "Parade of Colors" Book Published * Sep.01.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Berlin, DE * Sep.01.2010 -- Alegría Arena opened Kamloops, BC * Sep.02.2009 -- Alegría Arena opened Albany, NY * Sep.03.1987 -- Le Cirque Réinventé opened Las Angeles * Sep.03.1993 -- Saltimbanco opened Boston * Sep.03.2009 -- Ovo opened Toronto, ON * Sep.03.2010 -- Quidam opened Lima, PE * Sep.04.2002 -- Saltimbanco opened Brussels * Sep.04.2008 -- Koozå opened Boston * Sep.05.2005 -- Cirque held 5th Run Away with Cirque du Soleil 5k Run and 1 Mile Fun Walk at Paseo Verde Park in Henderson * Sep.06.2005 -- "O" CD released in US (CDS Musique) * Sep.06.2005 -- La Nouba CD released in US (CDS Musique) * Sep.06.2005 -- Mystère (Live) CD released in US (CDS Musique) * Sep.08.1985 -- 1984 Tour opened Montréal * Sep.08.1989 -- Cirque Réinventé opened Santa Monica * Sep.08.1995 -- Alegría opened Boston * Sep.08.2005 -- Dralion opened Zurich * Sep.08.2006 -- Corteo opened Boston * Sep.08.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Munich, DE * Sep.08.2010 -- Alegría Arena opened Victoria, BC * Sep.09.1988 -- Cirque Réinventé opened Washington DC * Sep.09.1993 -- Saltimbanco opened in Boston * Sep.09.1999 -- Saltimbanco opened in Perth * Sep.09.2005 -- Quidam opened Singapore * Sep.09.2009 -- Alegría Arena opened Syracuse, NY * Sep.09.2009 -- Name of CirqueVaudeville Released [Banana Shpeel] * Sep.09.2010 -- OVO opened Washington, DC * Sep.11.1990 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened San Jose * Sep.11.2008 -- Quidam opened Barcelona, Spain * Sep.12.1986 -- Le Magie Continue opened Toronto * Sep.12.1997 -- Alegría opened Vienna * Sep.12.2003 -- Varekai opened Los Angeles * Sep.12.2005 -- Zumanity celebrated its 1000th performance * Sep.13.1991 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened Chicago * Sep.13.1996 -- Saltimbanco opened Zurich * Sep.14.2001 -- Quidam opened Zurich * Sep.14.2007 -- Alegría opened Curitiba, Brazil * Sep.14.2010 -- Banana Shpeel opened San Francisco, CA * Sep.15.1995 -- Saltimbanco opened Düsseldorf * Sep.15.2002 -- Fire Within premiered in Canada [7:00pm EST/Global TV] * Sep.15.2005 -- Name of "Cirque MGM" released - KÀ * Sep.15.2008 -- Mystère celebrated 7,000th performance [9:30pm] * Sep.15.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Milan, IT * Sep.15.2010 -- Alegría Arena opened Tacoma, WA * Sep.16.2004 -- Varekai opened Washington DC * Sep.16.2008 -- Corteo opened Ottawa * Sep.16.2009 -- Alegría Arena opened Amherst, NY * Sep.16.2010 -- Koozå opened Calgary, AB * Sep.17.1998 -- Alegría opened Zurich * Sep.17.1998 -- Quidam opened McLean * Sep.17.2009 -- Saltimbanco Arena Tour Begins in Europe * Sep.17.2009 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Stockholm, SE * Sep.17.2009 -- Dralion opened Monterrey, Mexico * Sep.17.2010 -- Varekai opened Zurich, CH * Sep.18.2009 -- Quidam opened Brasilia, Brazil * Sep.19.2002 -- Varekai opened Philadelphia * Sep.19.2003 -- Saltimbanco opened Zurich * Sep.20.1989 -- Cirque Réinventé opened Santa Monica * Sep.20.2001 -- Saltimbanco opened Yokohama * Sep.20.2003 -- Zumanity Gala Premiere (Previews End) * Sep.21.2001 -- Saltimbanco opened in Yokohama * Sep.21.2001 -- Alegría celebrated 2,500th performance [Brisbane] * Sep.21.2003 -- Cirque wins Outstanding Nonfiction Program award * Sep.21.2004 -- "Le Best of..." CD Released (CDS Musique) * Sep.22.2002 -- Cirque lost Emmys (nominated Jul.18.2002) Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special - Alegría Outstanding Choreography for 74th Academy Awards - Debra Brown * Sep.22.2005 -- Varekai opened Hartford * Sep.22.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Zargoza, ES * Sep.22.2010 -- Alegría Arena opened Spokane, WA * Sep.23.1999 -- Dralion opened in Santa Monica * Sep.23.2009 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Helsinki, FI * Sep.23.2009 -- Alegría Arena opened Rochester, NY * Sep.24.2008 -- Cirque2009 tickets go on sale! * Sep.25.2005 -- Corteo opened Minneapolis * Sep.25.1996 -- Quidam opened in Santa Monica * Sep.25.2002 -- Cirquedusoleil.com won four awards for its website: "Best of Show", "Experience", "Content & Information", "Experimental" * Sep.25.2008 -- Varekai opened Vienna, Austria * Sep.26.2002 -- Quidam opened Cleveland * Sep.27.1994 -- Alegría CD released in Canada (RCA/Victor) * Sep.27.2001 -- Dralion opened in Philadelphia * Sep.27.2003 -- Cirque du Soleil HQ Open House * Sep.28.2003 -- Cirque du Soleil HQ Open House * Sep.28.2006 -- Quidam opened St. Louis * Sep.29.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Granada, ES * Sep.30.1997 -- Quidam opened Denver * Sep.30.2009 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Turku, FI * Sep.30.2009 -- Alegría Arena opened State College, PA * Sep.30.2009 -- Guy Laliberté, Cosmonaut! ======================================================================= FASCINATION! FEATURES ======================================================================= Within... o) "Memory of the Circus: Inside the Cirque du Soleil Library/Archives (Part 2 of 2)" By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA) o) "My Thoughts on VIVA ELVIS" By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA) -------------------------------------------------------------- "Memory of the Circus: Inside the Cirque du Soleil Library/Archives (Part 2 of 2)" By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA) -------------------------------------------------------------- When we last left our intrepid adventurers, they were exploring the Cirque du Soleil Centre for Research and Documentation (the "Library") at the Cirque IHQ. Join them now as their adventure continues... Stéphane takes us back further, to a third, unoccupied room. The quiet of the main Library fades to total silence here. These are the archives, the historical documents collection. Here is the reason we were denied admittance on our prior visits. He goes over to a vertical file cabinet against a wall. "We have the programs here," he says, opening one of the drawers. Inside are multiple labeled hanging folders, each containing one or two copies. This particular drawer has copies of the Dralion program, the various editions creating an interesting case of visual multiplicity, each the same yet different. There is one copy here from each edition of each Cirque program ever produced, a total of 234 (so far). He searches the drawers for one in particular. "For instance, this is the program for 'La Fête Foraine'..." He pulls out a small program, in nearly perfect condition. This is an artifact from the genesis of all that Cirque du Soleil has become, the first Laliberté-managed local arts festival from July, 1982. Careful handling reveals the content reflects a small arts fair, with advertising taking up the left-hand pages and festival information on the right-hand pages (all in French, of course). One could perhaps describe the experience as similar to holding the first draft of the very first Steven King novel, or holding Bruce Springsteen's first guitar. Another shelf houses thick binders. Slight slivers of paper occasionally peek out from within, hints of what look to be a costume drawing here, a diagram for a stage or prop design there. "These are the bibles, the first drafts of each show is concentrated in these binders." Some of them show their age and usage, but they all serve as direct connections back to the initial spark of the directors and creative teams' visions. Elsewhere in the room is their collection of 530 Cirque show posters. In another section of the room are a series of fire-proof vertical file cabinets. These house Cirque's collection of over 200,000 photographs (in slides, traditional photos and low and hi-res digital photographs on CD/DVD). But not all the photographs are contained here, as photos from the early 80's have been moved into a special climate-controlled vault offsite for preservation, as they have done with much of the archival material from Cirque's early years. He opens one drawer and randomly pulls out an 8.5" x 11" page of slides. Each slide looks to be about 1.5" square. This page is from Saltimbanco; one crisp well-lit image shows a Baroque in performance cavorting on the stage. Interestingly, though they have photos dating back to 1982, they aren't necessarily free to use them. "The older shows are more problematic," Stéphane says. "The first one was problematic because rights weren't so clear and a photographer just came and took pictures." In some cases, getting rights is still an issue. Dominating a third of this room are a set of high-density mobile storage cabinets. Several tall wheeled carriages holding materials run over tracks set in the floor. Turning a hand crank attached to each cartridge creates an aisle just where needed, saving up to half the space such shelving would take if you had an aisle between each carriage. This is where they keep visual media - promotional shooting, b-roll, promotional roll, "that kind of stuff." The cabinets aren't totally full, and the shelves are spaced wide apart horizontally to account for the different heights of the various formats stored. "We have two different format sizes," he says, which results in wasted space. "So we will probably go with a different drawer structure." But where is all the video material used to create the DVDs, and the nightly recordings of shows? With 25 years of material these racks should be filled to the brim! It turns out this collection doesn't include the material used to create show DVDs. "There is also part of Cirque du Soleil that is called Cirque du Soleil Image (EE-maj). They are dedicated to the production of films, and in fact they have their own archive. But they are outside the building, for security purposes." The materials here are used mostly by the company audio-visual department, which is on the other side of the wall from the Library. But where are the videos of the shows kept? Yes, every performance of every show is taped, but not stored here. "They are stored outside the circus but we keep an average of one per month here, for casting, studio, training and insurance purposes." The rest of the show video records are kept offsite for about 10 years and are recycled. As Cirque has grown, so has the Library. It continues to acquire historical material, but hasn't shed any. "From the beginning we [have] never put anything in the garbage. Even though we have a conservation calendar, in Excel, that gives us a snapshot of when we [can] throw [something] away, we [haven't] because people want to keep their stuff." With 20 shows doing almost a billion dollars in sales each year, you can imagine the amount of paperwork a company like Cirque amasses each business year, including: * Historical records - programs, posters, film and video, pictures * Business records - invoices, vouchers, checks, ticket receipts, transportation records * Financial records - balance sheets, profit and loss statements, show budgeting and financial information * Human Resource records - applications, employee and payroll information "There is a concern about money and space," explains Stéphane, "So we have some big decisions to make. For historical records it's obvious, but it's more problematic regarding business records. The [quantity of] business records is so huge; a lot of boxes, a lot of things." Not only is space a concern, so is protecting the assets the Library already has. Referring to the photographic collection, Stéphane comments, "At some point we'll have to digitize all of that stuff. It's a lot, more than 200,000 [images]." The material consists mostly of slides but also includes many photographs. "We know in less than five years we [will] have to digitize everything, because the new stuff is all digital. It's an obligation." Including the oldest material, sitting outside the IHQ in that special vault. "Our founder is really concerned about that. He understands that it is important. Because he is getting older also (laughs) and he is sensitive to the history aspect of the company. So there's a big budget for it." As we emerge from the historical documents section and re-enter the main Library, it's easy to imagine - a creator looking for inspiration, a costume designer or researcher searching for that perfect graphic design, a prop designer seeking information on cultural symbols, or an artist desiring to find the core of their character - sitting in one of these plush chairs, or at the nearby large dark-hued table pouring over one of the libraries volumes. As our time with Stéphane draws to a close, we talk a bit more about how the Library sees its mission in the company. From a purely business standpoint it's a business library with a mission to serve its clients, which include creation teams, production teams and the costume studio/workshop, as well as the marketing, legal affairs, finance and internal communication departments. "Any departments can appeal for our services!" he says. But being the creative endeavor it is, the Cirque du Soleil Centre for Research and Documentation serves another, broader purpose. "Like I said, they always start with images. And from that they create storyboards. And from there they create different shows. It's the images that give the first spark for every production." Images and ideas that often starts right here. My sincere thanks go to: Mr. Stéphane Zummo, for so graciously spending time with us, The staff of the Cirque du Soleil Centre for Research and Documentation, Chantal Côte, Corporate PR Manager, And my wife LouAnna for putting up with my sometimes obsessive hobby. -------------------------------------------------------------- "My Thoughts on VIVA ELVIA" By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA) -------------------------------------------------------------- It seems I may have to eat my own words. A few weeks back I took it upon myself to spend a few moments examining the evolution of Cirque du Soleil and relayed my thoughts to anyone who would listen... okay, who am I kidding - I went on a brief tirade... based on the reactions of some long-time fans who decided to "turn their backs" on the company following the debut of TOTEM (yet another touring show), of BANANA SHPEEL in New York City (and its subsequent flop), and the announced collaboration with Michael Jackson (another music-based show). The reason for the dissent was, of course, because Cirque du Soleil had stepped outside their creative core and was no longer the Cirque most remembered and enjoyed. Although I spent a few moments then examining Cirque's evolution, came to terms with the knowledge that every company, just like every person, must continue to evolve to remain fresh and relevant, and that while I may feel saddened by the fact that I may never again experience the Cirque of old (a.k.a. the "Dragone Era"), I was not going to turn my back on the company - not just then. Why? If TOTEM and BANANA SHPEEL had taught me anything it was to expect the unexpected; to enjoy the shows for what they were not for what I wished them to be. Sage advice from a long-time fan of Cirque du Soleil, wouldn't you say? A lot has changed since I've written those words. Back then I hadn't seen VIVA ELVIS. I have now. Sorry Cirque, but after taking in the 7:00pm performance on Friday, August 20th, I have to borrow a few of Elvis' lyrics... I'll try not to be cruel but one night with you got me all shook up... You ain't nothin' but a hound dog. THE SHOW ========== Viva ELVIS is billed as a harmonious fusion of dance, acrobatics and live music; a tribute to the life and music of Elvis Presley. Nostalgia, modernity and raw emotion provide the backdrop for his immortal voice and the exhilaration and beauty of his music. Created in the image of The King of Rock 'n' Roll - powerful, sexy, whimsical, truly unique and larger than life - the show highlights an American icon who transformed popular music and whose image embodies the freedom, excitement and turbulence of his era. Significant moments in his life - intimate, playful and grandiose - blend with the timeless songs that remain as relevant today as when they first hit the top of the charts. Viva ELVIS focuses on the essential humanity of the one superstar whose name will forever be linked with the history of Las Vegas and the entire world of entertainment - Elvis Presley - through the following scenes: BLUE SUEDE SHOES One of the seminal songs that propelled Elvis to fame, Blue Suede Shoes opens the show with raucous abandon, featuring a dynamic ensemble of 30 dancers and 24 acrobats boogying, bouncing and flying through the air. A giant jukebox adorns the stage until a giant blue suede shoe rolls on. The eight-piece band and four female singers energize a showcase filled with Elvis imagery, colorful graphics and vintage footage of euphoric fans. DON'T BE CRUEL This number pays tribute to Elvis' fantastic recording career and the sheer volume of his work. Twenty-four dancers take the stage for the classic song, featuring glittering images of flying gold records on eight LED panels, and six enormous RCA and Sun gold records lowered from the rafters. ONE NIGHT WITH YOU An epic-sized guitar, a symbol of Elvis' love of music and his larger- than-life persona, serves as an imaginary playground for Elvis and his twin brother Jesse Garon, who died at birth. The song is a duet between a female singer at a piano and Elvis himself. ALL SHOOK UP Gospel music was at the very core of Elvis' artistry. This powerful rendition of an Elvis classic, performed by one of the singers in a rich setting of colorful stained glass imagery, lends the dance number a Southern revival feel. SAVED Elvis loved singing gospel more than any other musical genre. In fact, each of his three Grammys was for a gospel recording. This euphoric number combines dance with acrobatics. GOT A LOT OF LIVIN' TO DO Full of thrills and daring feats this is a trampoline number inspired by street acrobatics and Elvis' fascination with comic books, amusement parks and superheroes. Seven acrobats in stylized superhero costumes defy gravity in a stunning cavalcade of synchronized jumps, leaps and bounces. HEARTBREAK HOTEL A ballad of love, sorrow and separation, Heartbreak Hotel features four dance couples - the men dressed as army officers and the women wearing airmail envelope dresses. They are torn between loyalty to country and their emotional ties to their loved ones. LOVE ME TENDER A duet sung by Elvis and a female singer is underscored by a montage of still photographs and newsreel footage of Elvis' two years in the army. RETURN TO SENDER Boot camp as performance art - a large ensemble cast of dancers, acrobats and marching band musicians puts on a dizzying array of hip hop moves, and high-bar calisthenics. Backed by a gigantic American flag made of whimsical stars and stripes, the sharp, compelling movements are emblematic of precision, pride and patriotism - all highly distinctive characteristics of Elvis himself. ARE YOU LONESOME TONIGHT This aerial pas-de-deux features a soldier and his girlfriend in a dreamy ode to their love and devotion - and their efforts to stay together during his tour of duty by writing to each other. WESTERN SCENE Musicians gather around a campfire in a reference to the style and camaraderie of the '68 Comeback Special, and perform a medley of songs on acoustic instruments while two cowboys spin their guns and twirl their lassos in a playful routine. BURNING LOVE A cascade of movie clips pays homage to Elvis' Hollywood career. The live band rocks the house and punctuates classic dialogue delivered by the King. BOSSA NOVA A young guy triumphantly shows off at a party by building a tower of eight chairs and topping it off with a one-arm handstand. KING CREOLE New Orleans sets the tone for this lusty rendition of the title song from one of Elvis' best-loved films. It's Reggae, it's Calypso, it's Cajun, and above all it is fun as a female singer is accompanied by Elvis in a visual feast of stop-action film clips and dance. JAILHOUSE ROCK Jailhouse Rock marked the pinnacle of Elvis' movie career. It's also the centerpiece of Viva ELVIS. A dramatic, mysterious entrance gives way to a high-octane dance and acrobatic fusion performed to the pulsating beat of the familiar anthem. In a tribute to the original film sequence, the iconic prison set is dramatically updated in a number that flips the world upside down. IT'S NOW OR NEVER The sensuality of the tango and the sophistication of a lounge song connect with the audacity of an innovative pole performance featuring eight female performers and the four men they seduce. CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE Home movies of Elvis and Priscilla's courtship lead into footage of their marriage ceremony. A singer performs a duet with Elvis atop a replica of their wedding cake to accompany graceful ballet dancers and roller-skaters. LOVE ME/DON'T Two seven-foot hoops - scale replicas of Elvis and Priscilla's engagement rings - descend from the grid for two couples to perform a sensual cerceaux act to a rocking arrangement of Love Me. A female singer and guitarist join the party for Don't. VIVA LAS VEGAS Showgirls wearing colorful plumes parade down the central staircase of a spectacular stage set framed by two gold Elvis statues. All the other cast members are wearing shimmering reinterpretations of classic Elvis jumpsuits as a medley of songs pays tribute to the glitz and sparkle of Elvis' Vegas years. SUSPICIOUS MINDS Suspicious Minds opens with a soulful riff and builds to a thunderous finish. A couple caught in a trap of passion and anger express their feelings for each other in an energetic acrobatic dance. Once the duo is reconciled, the set fills with performers emerging at the top of the staircase in fringed jumpsuits, recreating Elvis' signature stage moves. HOUND DOG The entire cast brings the show to an unforgettable finale with a dynamic, modern celebration of the song that marked Elvis' rise to fame. THOUGHTS ========== One of the disappointments I had regarding the show was the lack of Elvis's music. "But wait a minute," you say. "Isn't this Elvis's show?" Well yes, and no. What I was hoping for was something akin to THE BEATLES LOVE just down the street at The Mirage: a complete integration of inspirational or thought-provoking (a.k.a. psychedelic in the case of The Beatles) scenes that cleverly tied the landscape shown to us together with the band's (or Elvis himself in this case) iconic music. I didn't think we'd be getting an entire live band... In THE BEATLES LOVE, it's the Beatles' own music you hear piped across the multitude of speakers, only remixed slightly; in VIVA ELVIS, a live-band plays his music while a female singer (wait, not ELVIS?) belts out his tunes. Occasionally a track of Elvis' vocals will accompany the singer, but it's just not enough in our humble opinions. We came to hear ELVIS! Another "problem" I noticed was the show's scale. Although blurring the lines between scenery elements, acrobatic equipment and props in the show was a deliberate choice by designer Mark Fisher, it's too much in our opinion. The design of the Elvis Theater has a conventional proscenium layout reminiscent of an opera house. The stage is wide and the backstage area and wings are vast. They have to accommodate the large-scale set elements and the need for speed in changing scenes imposed by the rapid pace of the show. The sides and the rear of the stage are fixed areas while the center is composed of 16 platforms, separated into 12 sections which can rise to a height of ten feet. Depending on the scene, the platforms may at various times in the show support performers, singers, dancers or set elements. The widest platform measures 18 feet by 80 feet and is raised by four powerful motors 26 feet below the stage. It's humongous; most of the time the performers, singers, and musicians on it become lost in it or in what is going on around them. A good example of this comes in the show's trampoline piece - GOT A LOT OF LIVIN' TO DO - the trampoline/wall piece covers the entirety of the stage and yet only 5 people perform on it (the press-release says seven, but I only got five in my performance). It swallowed the performers whole! There's also just not much to the number. After numerous Fast-Tracks, Power-Tracks, and Trampoline-Walls presented in other Cirque du Soleil shows, I expected much, much more than jumping and diving between the sections. It didn't deliver. In fact, I was instantly reminded of OVO's Trampo-Wall routine - epic in scale (for a touring show) just grossly under skilled. Another strong example occurred during the show's chair-balancing skit - BOSSA NOVA. Here a young man builds a tower of eight chairs then does a hand-stand when he's done. Trouble was: I didn't even know the act was progressing until about half-way through! The visuals on the ever-moving LCD screens kept my attention firmly affixed on them rather than on what was actually occurring on stage. This is a huge mistake, in my opinion. The screens should help enhance the mood (like they do in THE BEATLES LOVE) not become the main attractions themselves. Furthermore, although I enjoyed the way the number was presented (the song married quite nicely to the action on stage), having seen balancing-on-chairs in a variety of forms (notably in Nouvelle Experience, La Nouba and Koozå), was it necessary to present another iteration of the number? And if so, wouldn't it have been more prudent to increase the skill set? It was a plain old chair balancing routine... Talk about a heartbreak hotel... And don't get me started on JAILHOUSE ROCK - who thought it would be a good idea to fill the entire stage with a jailhouse set piece then just march back and forth across it for minutes on end? Sure, the upside-down bit was interesting but in the end just showed there wasn't much to do. Or ONE NIGHT WITH YOU - where a huge guitar piece descends from the rafters and two performers... climb over and around it? What? Where's the performance? Where's the Cirque? So wasteful. Or WESTERN SCENE - gun twirling and lassos... seriously? If I hadn't seen lassos in ZED I would have laughed this number right off the stage - wait, I did... in ZED there was actually some presentation and mystique to it. And what's with the force-perspective statues of Elvis? Be that as it may there was one bright-spot in the show for me - RETURN TO SENDER - a skillful gymnastics routine performed on high- bars set against an American Flag of boxer shorts. It had the skill, the whimsy and best of all, ELVIS himself singing his own song. It just wasn't enough to save the show. * * * In conclusion, I have nothing but the utmost respect for all the performers, musicians, stage personnel and creators that poured their heart and soul into bringing VIVA ELVIS to fruition. The talent is there; unfortunately it's just underutilized. In the end VIVA ELVIS is not my cup of tea. And much like ZUMANITY, it's another side of Cirque du Soleil that I just can't quite appreciate. No, I take that back. I can appreciate ZUMANITY for what it is (it's just not the highlight of any trip to Las Vegas), and TOTEM and BANANA SHPEEL for what they try to be. I'm just not sure I can extend that thought to VIVA ELVIS. I didn't enjoy it. I couldn't even take my own advice and enjoy it for what it was trying to be. For the first time in a long time I was bored. (KÀ's performance the previous night notwithstanding - but that's a story for another time) I'm returning this one to sender; I have no plans to see VIVA ELVIS again. So I'll eat my words now and be on my way. I am still curious about Hollywood 2011, Radio City 2011, and Dubai if that show ever sees the light of day; and, of course, what new touring productions may come out of Montreal in the near future. But my thoughts now can be summed up by the immortal words of Marlin the Fish: "Good feelings gone." I am much more skeptical now. I have a suspicious mind. I guess for now I'll just keep swimming, just keep swimming... ======================================================================= SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION ======================================================================= Fascination! is a monthly publication, available through subscription via Yahoo! Groups or on the World Wide Web in text format at the newsletter's website: < http://www.CirqueFascination.com/ >. To subscribe, please send an email to: < CirqueFascination- subscribe@yahoogroups.com >. To unsubscribe, please send an email to: < CirqueFascination-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com >. To Subscribe via Realy Simple Syndication (RSS) Feed (News) use the following: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?feed=rss2 >. To view back issues, or other online Newsletter content, please visit us at: < http://www.CirqueFascination.com/ >. Join us on the web at: < www.cirquefascination.com > Realy Simple Syndication (RSS) Feed (News Only): < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?feed=rss2 > Have a comment, question or concern? Email the Fascination! Newsletter staff at: < CirqueFasincation-owner@yahoogroups.com >. We are anxious to hear any and all comments! ======================================================================= COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER ======================================================================= Fascination! Newsletter Volume 10, Number 9 (Issue #80) - September 2010 "Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (c) 2001-2010 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. { Sep.08.2010 } =======================================================================