======================================================================= ______ _ __ _ __ / ____/___ ___________(_)___ ____ _/ /_(_)___ ____ / / / /_ / __ `/ ___/ ___/ / __ \/ __ `/ __/ / __ \/ __ \/ / / __/ / /_/ (__ ) /__ / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /_/ / / / /_/ /_/ \__,_/____/\___/_/_/ /_/\__,_/\__/_/\____/_/ /_(_) T h e U n o f f i c i a l C i r q u e d u S o l e i l N e w s l e t t e r ------------------------------------------------------------ http://www.CirqueFascination.com ------------------------------------------------------------ ======================================================================= VOLUME 14, NUMBER 5 May 2014 ISSUE #124 ======================================================================= Welcome to the latest edition of Fascination, the Unofficial Cirque du Soleil Newsletter. Well, we knew it was coming sooner or later, didn't we? Since our last issue it was announced to the artists (an official public announcement has yet been made) that DRALION, after 10 years of touring the world under the Grand Chapiteau and another four in arenas, would retire sometime in January 2015. I'm sure something with corporate speak detailing a few reasons will be announced soon enough; however, the show's closing is probably a combination of exausting venues for the show, needing talent elsewhere, and a need to trim costs. Its closing doesn't surprise me, though. I've been expecting an announcement for some weeks now - it was a tossup between Quidam (older than Dralion) or Dralion (went arena before Quidam). I'm glad its Dralion instead of Quidam, but, that means time is running out for Dragone's last touring show with the Cirque - it'll be up for retirement next, and that makes me sad. Some of you might ask, then, why not put out a special edition DVD like a friend of mine asked... my response? Although we might wish to have one, it doesn't really benefit Cirque financially. Few would purchase it, making the cost of creating a new piece of media too high. But that doesn't mean we wouldn't enjoy seeing a re-edit of what Cirque shot back in 1999, re-published digitally, but we won't hold our breaths. If Cirque couldn't or wouldn't do that for Saltimbanco, I doubt they'll do so for Dralion. Amidst the news that a show is closing, we've had an announcement of a new one - JOYÀ - the Riviera Maya show in Mexico. JOYÀ combines culinary and performing arts in an intimate theater setting to engage the audience’s five senses. Drawing on Mexico’s history and heritage, JOYÀ tells the story of an alchemist and his granddaughter embarking on a transformative quest to uncover the secrets of life. Through their wonderfully disorienting journey they will discover a hidden gem in the mangrove, passing along the poetry of love and life to future generations. The name JOYÀ is rooted in the Spanish “joya” meaning jewel or pearl, and alludes to a person or event of great value. Through the performance, the alchemist’s granddaughter will discover joy and wisdom by sharing an extraordinary experience in an unlikely place. Stage Director Martin Genest and Culinary Designer Alexis Bostelmann of Grupo Vidanta, who created the culinary experience, will begin preview performances of JOYÀ on November 8, 2014, and it will Premiere on November 21, 2014. We'll have more on the announcement in our next issue! More importantly, in this issue we offer up our glimpse into KURIOS - Cabinet des Curiosités, Michele Laprise's masterpiece of steampunk and circus. What does all that mean? See our review of the show within! We also have updates to Cirque's touring schedule, a sampling of their posts to Facebook, and all the news posted for the past month. So, let's get started! Join us on the web at: < www.cirquefascination.com > Realy Simple Syndication (RSS) Feed (News Only): < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?feed=rss2 > - Ricky "Richasi" Russo =========== CONTENTS =========== o) Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings o) Itinéraire -- Tour/Show Information * BigTop Shows -- Under the Grand Chapiteau * Arena Shows -- In Stadium-like venues * Resident Shows -- Performed en Le Théâtre o) Outreach -- Updates from Cirque's Social Widgets * Club Cirque -- This Month at CirqueClub * Didyaknow? -- Facts About Cirque * Networking -- Posts on Facebook, G+, & YouTube o) Fascination! Features * "KURIOS: Reality is Relative!" By: Ricky & Nicole Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) * "Cirque du Soleil's Highest Grossing Shows" Special Reprint from TheRichest.com o) Subscription Information o) Copyright & Disclaimer ======================================================================= CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS ======================================================================= LePage Receives Glenn Gould Award {Apr.01.2014} ----------------------------------------------------- Robert Lepage (KÀ / Totem) received only the 10th Glenn Gould Award that’s been handed out. The prize is dubbed the “Nobel Prize of the Arts.” The winner gets $50,000 Cdn and a statue designed by Canadian artist Ruth Abernethy, who is the sculptor behind the Oscar Peterson bronze outside the National Arts Centre on Elgin Street. Lepage joins luminaries such as Leonard Cohen (2011), Dr. José Antonio Abreu (2008), the founder of El Sistema, Venezuela’s free music education program for children and youth, Pierre Boulez (2002), Yo-Yo Ma (1999), Oscar Peterson (1993) and Yehudi Menuhin (1990). On Monday at Rideau Hall, Lepage received his award. He was fêted by Gov. Gen. David Johnston and other dignitaries, then honoured with a string of performances, one of which included an excerpt from KÀ, one of the Cirque du Soleil shows Lepage helped create. The other is Totem. “The great advantage of the circus and the reason it is so popular is really the ideal combination of art and sport,” Lepage says. It’s the ideal art form in a certain way if you want to be accessible.” The Gould Prize is given every few years to an individual who “has enriched the human condition through the arts.” Lepage called the award humbling. { SOURCE: Ottawa Citizen | http://goo.gl/GHS63M } A Glimpse of KURIOS, Video #4 {Apr.03.2014} ----------------------------------------------------- A new “Glimpse into KURIOS” video was released today – featuring a rather interesting looking device (cross between a gramophone and typewriter) punching out Morse Code: -.- ..- .-. .. — … KURIOS. THE LATEST VIDEO: LINK /// < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=4637 > See the other three videos here: #3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90oDu8U99Nc #2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlSlqwI2E2k #1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y-p2OylNRE { SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil, YouTube } New Cirque Boutique at Dorval Airport! {Apr.04.2014} ----------------------------------------------------- The expansion and spiff-up of Dorval’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport continued apace Thursday with the latest addition of retailers, including a Cirque du Soleil boutique and an Archibald Microbrasserie restaurant, in the commercial space. # # # Pierrette Hade, area manager for French firm LS Travel Retail North America, which owns the Cirque du Soleil shop, said that another will open at the airport next month. The existing one sells Cirque paraphernalia, including fancy- ball cat masks and skin-tight multicolor tunics similar to the one worn by the contortionist who gave a performance at the launch ceremony. Prices for the masks ranged from $59 to $299, while the tunics were $99. Hade said that “the Cirque started here in Montreal and this gives it a lot of visibility for travelers.” The merchandise at Cirque stores is mostly made by the Cirque in Montreal, but are not items that are related to any specific show, she added. Just before the ceremony began, about 30 airport blue-collar maintenance workers banged drums and shouted slogans during a demonstration. { SOURCE: Montreal Gazette | http://goo.gl/zQocM1 } Ubisoft Partners with Cirque & Coeur de Pirate for “Child of Light” {Apr.09.2014} ----------------------------------------------------- Ubisoft announced partnerships with Canadian artist Coeur de Pirate to produce the game’s original soundtrack and Cirque du Soleil Media to enhance the sense of theatricality in the game. To fit the mystical atmosphere of Lemuria, Coeur de Pirate composed an intimate and nostalgic soundtrack. With the support of The Bratislava Symphony Orchestra, the Montreal-based artist was also able to recreate the epic and operatic ambiance of in- game fight sequences. “Music is one of the most important ways to communicate emotion to players,” said Patrick Plourde, Creative Director, Ubisoft. “The music of Coeur de Pirate is fresh, romantic and optimistic, a perfect match for what we wanted to express with Child of Light. I am extremely honored that she wanted to join us on this adventure.” “My experience with Ubisoft was great. I was there from the beginning, so they didn’t have so much material for me to work with at first, which gave me complete freedom. Then, when I first saw the images, I really felt I could create something great with them” said Coeur de Pirate, songstress and Child of Light’s music composer. “I remember seeing for the first time the music on the images. This is wonderful to see something come to life like this.” By collaborating with Cirque du Soleil Media, the Ubisoft Montreal team was able to benefit from a world class experience in theatrical realization and costume design, providing a real stage direction point of view to the game’s creation. It was the perfect match to expand Child of Light’s universe and design. “Videogames invite players to be immersed in virtual worlds and no one is better at creating immersive and magical experiences than the artists of the Cirque du Soleil,” said Patrick Plourde. “So to be able to collaborate with them to achieve Child of Light’s ambition to create a playable poem was a dream come true.” “One of the most important aspects of our business philosophy is to assess the creative challenge a project may present,” said Jacques Méthé, President, Cirque du Soleil Media. “Ubisoft is a leader in the gaming industry and throughout the years, they have acquired worldwide success with an impressive portfolio of original brands. We are proud of our collaboration with Ubisoft who share similar artistic values.” Child of Light is a reimagining of classic fairytales set against a picturesque background inspired by the watercolor artworks of The Golden Age of Illustration. As a playable poem, Child of Light puts players in the shoes of Aurora, a young princess who must win back the sun, the moon and the stars held captive by the mysterious Queen of the Night. Child of Light will be available to download on April 30, 2014 on Xbox LIVE for the Xbox 360 and XboxOne, the PlayStation Network for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation4, the eShop from Nintendo for the Wii U, and PC Digital, at the price of £11.99. A boxed Deluxe Edition will also be available in retail on PS3 & PS4 as a cross-buy and on PC and includes a unique artbook, Igniculus key ring and other exclusive content. Check out the video here: LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/embed/W-rTXUxDkE8 > { SOURCE: Ubisoft } Mastering the Impossible, Episode 4: THE GRID {Apr.10.2014} ----------------------------------------------------- With artists performing hundreds of feet above the stage, Cirque du Soleil understands how important focus, trust and relationships are. Xerox works behind the scenes with Cirque du Soleil, ensuring the safety of everyone during the performance. We present to you your own Backstage Pass to Cirque du Soleil for an exclusive look at what it takes to fly! Check out the video here: LINK /// < http://youtu.be/l7exuyKjaqk > { SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil, Xerox } MJ ONE Wins THEA Award {Apr.10.2014} ----------------------------------------------------- Michael Jackson ONE won a THEA Award for Outstanding Achievement – Event Spectacular for 2014! They are the third Cirque du Soleil show to win this award, the others being KÀ and “O”! # # # Michael Jackson: ONE, Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas – “reaches beyond the proscenium to immerse audiences visually, sonically and emotionally” # # # AOA – Event Spectacular: Michael Jackson: ONE, Mandalay Bay Hotel, Las Vegas This live entertainment spectacle represents an electrifying achievement for Cirque du Soleil, who have found a new creative recipe for today’s electic, media-centered audiences. In ONE they’ve fused Cirque’s traditional energy with the iconic power of the King of Pop. The two make a perfect marriage; Michael was a longtime fan of Cirque’s magic, and many of his musical themes lend themselves to eclectic spectacle. Michael Jackson: ONE dazzles at every turn, alternating between multisensory overload and lingering poetry. The show’s creators have deconstructed Michael Jackson into his essential components, both physical and emotional. A single white glove… a fedora hat… a pair of sparkle-spatted shoes… each becomes a springboard to a segment of the show that grows from that single artifact into a mind-blowing series of images. Jackson’s eternal themes find physical expression as well: the healing of Love… the power of Belief… the glory of Unity… these grand ideas combine with Michael’s iconic visuals to remind us of his essential goodness and eternal optimism, even in the face of unspoken sorrows and a life lived in the camera’s glare. Innovative? Yes. The show introduces a number of first-time performance technologies, including a crazy acrobatic performed on neon green elastic straps, and a manic number in which performers hurl themselves belly-first to the stage floor, then to spring high into the air like crickets. Mapped projection certainly isn’t new, but ONE kicks it into warp drive, wrapping the entire stage, proscenium and theater walls in a dizzying barrage of images that adroitly capture the essence of each song. And while Michael himself is present throughout the show via multiscreen projection and clever costume references, when the moment finally comes (as it must) for The Gloved One to appear in a holographic-style Pepper’s Ghost illusion, it’s done with such lyrical elegance and musical precision that Michael becomes a golden sparkling spirit, blessing the show’s dancers with his magic. Michael Jackson: ONE qualifies as themed entertainment because despite the somewhat traditional stage format, it reaches beyond the proscenium to immerse audiences visually, sonically and emotionally. [Cirque has been honored with Thea Awards in the past - in 1998 for the “O” show, and again in 2005 for the stage technology of “Ka”.] { SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil; TEA Connect } Montreal Gazette: “Kurios: A Glimpse for the Curious” {Apr.12.2014} ----------------------------------------------------- Nouveau circus is about to go “Steampunk” antique with Kurios, Cirque du Soleil’s latest tent show scheduled to open April 24 at the Old Port in Montreal. The look is late 19th century and the locale is a faux village installed at the Paris Exhibition of 1900. The performers arrive by train (of the steam locomotive era), gramophones circle the playing area like ghosts, and a pre-Wright brothers airplane soars above the crowd. All of this was seen within the tantalizing 15-minute glimpse of the show allowed to members of the local media on Friday morning. Since most Cirque shows run at least two hours, many more wonders are in store. Kurios is directed by Cirque insider Michel Laprise. Although it’s his first kick at the can, he knows the rules of the game. From what was revealed on Friday, Stéphane Roy’s set and Philippe Guillotel’s costumes are a retro fashion parade, eccentric to the max. (The accordion man outfit is a hoot.) The music composed by Raphael Beau and musical director is ear- pleasing. And the acts, like a high-flying juggler, are playful and innovative. The fact that there are about half a dozen fewer performers than usual due to Cirque budget cuts isn’t likely to be noticed by casual observers. All of Cirque du Soleil’s tent shows premiere here. Montrealers are going to be the first to see Kurios before it sets out on its odyssey around the world. Kurios was slated to run from April 24 to June 29. But holdover dates have just been added, from July 2 to 13th (These tickets are available first to Cirque Club members. But it doesn’t cost anything to join up. Check out a video preview here: LINK /// < http://youtu.be/pZd3gogy9dw > { SOURCE: Montreal Gazette | http://goo.gl/1q8fkp } Global News: “Kurios: steampunk meets rolla bolla” {Apr.12.2014} ----------------------------------------------------- Cirque du Soleil unveiled Kurios: Cabinet of Curiosities, its 35th production Friday morning to the media, and initial reviews are positive. “It dazzles,” said Pat Donnelly, the theatre critic for the Montreal Gazette. “It’s got a lot of razzle dazzle from what I saw. And some acts that have never been done anywhere before.” One of the production’s centrepieces is a high-flying performance of what is known as rolla bolla, a balancing act that involves flat surfaces and cylinders. Cirque du Soleil added a twist – performing rolla bolla tens of meters in the air. Fans of steampunk shouldn’t miss this show, as it contains an aesthetic that deals with the world before the advent of electricity. “Steampunk is both a reference to the past and a projection into the future,” Laprise said. There are visual quirks like batwing airplanes and locomotives with human engines. “What’s interesting is that it’s got a time and a place,” Donnelly said. “It’s got a time and a place, it takes its inspiration from the Paris Exhibition of 1900.” The show is set to premiere on April 24 at the Old Port. From there it will move to Quebec City, then Toronto and onto its North American tour. { SOURCE: Global News | http://goo.gl/AeOUOM } How Cirque Manages Marketing with Podio {Apr.13.2014} ----------------------------------------------------- How Cirque du Soleil Manages Marketing with Podio Posted by Michael Dean, 16 May, 2013 | Podio Blog Here’s a story about what happens in Vegas that doesn’t have to stay in Vegas! Meet the Cirque du Soleil marketing team from Las Vegas and see how they use Podio to run their marketing processes – specifically, how they handle creative jobs. You can get started managing marketing on Podio as well with our new App Pack built to do just that: Marketing Management – free in the Podio App Market. CHECK OUT THE VIDEO: LINK /// < http://youtu.be/cWAbucaDx3s > Before finding Podio, the team at Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas was using the familiar combo of documents and emails to handle job traffic. This was not without its issues. “It was very hard to manage the jobs that I had open because there wasn’t a centralized location where we were storing all of our jobs. So I could have opened up 10 jobs in one day, and two days later I was having to go through my emails to figure out what I had opened and what was still out there and what I had to follow up on,” explained Megan Pechin, assistant marketing manager. Cirque du Soleil knew there was a better way. Andy Levey, senior manager of new media and analytics, and his team found the solution in Podio. “What attracted us to Podio was that it put everything in one place, and it was something you could fully customize,” said Andy. “It wasn’t just a project management system – it was a project management system for our needs. No two projects are the same, and it’s really cool as the project manager to build in different aspects of that in different apps on the Podio platform itself.” Of the apps created for their marketing processes – including ones for managing large projects and tracking social media content on a calendar – the Jobs app is the main hub of activity for the team on Podio. Everyone from graphic designers to project managers to executives can request and follow the progress of creative jobs in one place and on any device. Senior graphic designer Jason Isaac described how the increased transparency of workflows in Podio over email has enabled team leaders to get a much faster and more complete overview of projects. “It’s allowed us visibility throughout the company with people that would not normally have the time to do it,” said Jason. “[They can see] what the artwork looks like, or we’re talking about the new creative or the program or the T-shirt give away or the different initiatives that are going on. They can see what it looks like in real time. “Is it in the art department? Is it in the marketing department? Is it at the vendor? Which vendor is printing it? Who signed off on it? When it was signed off on?” said Jason. “They can get so granular, or they can really step back and get that bird’s-eye view of everything that’s going on.” Following the success of Podio within the marketing department, members of the sales and PR teams have now begun working with the marketing team on Podio to manage the production of assets like presentations and trade show material: “It’s been very seamless for them, and we’ve actually began the processes of mapping out how Podio can fit their specific needs,” explained Jason. “It’s mainly connecting into the marketing department at this point in time. Talk to me in two months and I guarantee you that won’t be the case – it will be more than that.” I hope you’ll find this example of marketing on Podio inspiring. Perhaps you’re already using Podio in your company for another function like CRM or recruiting, but you would like to get the marketing department on board, too. For that, the new Podio Marketing Management apps are a great place to start. { SOURCE: Podio Blog | http://goo.gl/20LVIB } Criss Angel returns to BELIEVE! {Apr.16.2014} ----------------------------------------------------- Robin Leach catches up with Criss Angel who, having recovered from shoulder surgery, returns to his headliner show BELIEVE at the Luxor on Tuesday. # # # Shoulder surgeons and rehab specialists have given their OK for Magician of the Century Criss Angel to restart his Luxor headliner show “Believe” at the Luxor on Tuesday. “It will have a whole new look,” Criss told me. “We’ve got new music, lighting and costumes, and the entire cast and crew are excited to return.” Cirque du Soleil’s “Believe” went on hiatus for 10 weeks while Criss recuperated from January shoulder surgery in L.A. for torn muscles that separated during a Times Square hanging escape stunt for his Spike TV series also titled “Believe.” Criss will not be permitted to do the upside-down straightjacket escape over the audience’s heads when “Believe” returns Tuesday. His apprentice, 22-year-old Krystyn Lambert, will perform the stunt. However, Criss is adding material for the show’s return. “Our opening is completely new. Then we’re adding my version of Lance Burton’s signature ‘Oscar With Swords’ illusion. He’s never given the rights to anybody before, but he allowed me to ‘Angel-ize’ it. “I pay homage to Lance, who is held in the highest regard and twice awarded Magician of the Year. He performed more than 5,000 shows for over 5 million people next door at the Monte Carlo. “Also for the first time in the past five years of ‘Believe,’ I will go right into the audience to perform close-up magic. I wanted to make it more intimate, interesting and exciting with the audience 360 degrees surrounding me. We’ll have a video camera on the close-ups to show on our big screens. “Next comes the most revolutionary levitation you’ll ever see. This will be its year. It’s the most complicated thing I’ve ever undertaken in my career. It’s already taken years to develop, but we’re planning it for later this year.” During the injury recovery break, Criss, who had seven screws inserted into his right arm and bolted in place with a reinforced protective sling, staged “Magic Jam.” He hosted other magicians in a variety format on the “Believe” stage: Nathan Burton, Russ Merlin, Jason Byrne, Armando Vera, mentalist Banachek and Krystyn. “We all had a lot of fun,” Criss told me. “It was a great experience for all of us. They were many unsung heroes, and it gave them their own starring platform. We are very proud of what we achieved. It was hugely successful, and Star Pulse named us the Best Variety Show on the Strip. A new version simply titled ‘Criss Angel Presents Magic” will be ready in the New Year for engagements planned to tour America and Europe.” In the week between the end of “Magic Jam” and getting “Believe” ready again, Criss was honored as one of the Vegas Dozen. He attended Saturday’s Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley rematch and while at The Jacksons’ “Rocktellz & Cocktails” in Planet Hollywood met Carlos Santana and Boyz II Men. “Now we’re back to 10 new shows a week and operating full speed ahead,” he summed up. “I can’t say enough wonderful things and thanks for what my doctors were able to do for me. That was real magic.” { SOURCE: Las Vegas Sun | http://goo.gl/MOziCx } Thinking Out Loud: “On the Academics of Circus” {Apr.16.2014} ----------------------------------------------------- A Booker Prize-winning author, a popular CBC Radio host, an award-winning advertising veteran and author and a former Cirque de Soleil exec came to the Concordia University in March to share their insights on the creative process. The guests were joined by four dynamic Concordia professors as part of the Thinking Out Loud conversation series, held in partnership with The Globe and Mail. Episode Two: “On the Academics of the Circus” How can one practice art as research and study art as process without losing sight of the initial artistic impulse? Lyn Heward, former director of creation at the Cirque du Soleil, is joined on stage by Louis Patrick Leroux, associate professor in Concordia University’s departments of English and Études françaises. They discussed the Cirque’s history, how a circus is choreographed and more. Watch the video (1hr 22min): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuJhm9KT9qU { SOURCE: Concordia University } Mastering the Impossible, Episode 5: COSTUMES {Apr.17.2014} ----------------------------------------------------- As a business that individually tailors 20,000 costumes a year, Cirque du Soleil knows a thing or two about customization. Much like Cirque du Soleil, Xerox understands every business is unique and a one-size-fits-all solution just won’t do. It’s a perfect fit! Here’s your Backstage Pass to see how wonder sewed into the fabric of Cirque du Soleil. VIDEO THE VIDEO HERE: LINK /// < http://youtu.be/JglB5Zv_9u4 > { SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil, Xerox } Montreal Gazette: “Nouveau Cirque Switches Gears” {Apr.18.2014} ----------------------------------------------------- Screaming anachronisms and a cocky science fiction attitude make for a Steampunk world under the Big Top down at the Old Port, where the Cirque du Soleil’s latest tent show, Kurios — Cabinet of Curiosities, is being prepared for its April 24 opening. The presence of gramophones and the Sherlock Holmes-era costumes suggest a period piece and the setting is inspired by the Paris Exhibition of 1900. Yet high-tech nouveau cirque remains the name of the game in the Cirque du Soleil’s 35th production, directed by Michel Laprise. A brief excerpt presented to journalists last week revealed a distinct pseudo-Victorian bent. Eccentric characters included an accordion man with pleated arms and legs, a woman straight off the set of My Fair Lady, and a clown in an towering hat carrying a toddler-sized woman in his oversized stomach. Steampunk means a mash-up of old and new, a genre of science fiction with roots in the 19th century. The word, with its allusion to punk rock, appears to have been coined around 1987, by science fiction author K.W. Jeter, as he searched for a hip term to describe works by authors like himself who were influenced by the likes of H.G. Wells and Mary Shelley. No longer confined to literature, the term Steampunk is used across the arts and within the world of fashion. While talking with members of the Kurios creative team, this hybrid word kept popping up in the conversation, as did the title of the movie Hugo, directed by Martin Scorsese. “My first source of inspiration was the second half of the 19th century,” director Laprise said. “Because it was an era when everything was possible. This era became the inspiration for this show because I think we need optimism. I’m a happy camper. Nice things happen to me. I think we live in a world of abundance. And we have to remind ourselves of that.” Much was invented then, like the phonograph, “which allowed you to have a whole symphony in your living room,” he said. “It all gave a lot of access to culture to people. And the development of the railway system allowed them to visit each other more often.” Set designer Stéphane Roy, now working on his sixth Cirque du Soleil show, mentioned Fellini’s La Strada as another influence for his copper-toned clockwork set with its startling steam engine and quirky props. Author Jules Verne (Around the World in Eighty Days) was important, too, he said. Kurios differs from other Cirque du Soleil shows, he said, because “in this one you’re somewhere, you’re in a house, you’re in a room, in a space where things are happening.” This home is packed with curios. When the numbers appear, “it’s as if a jewel box is being opened,” he added. They focused on the 1900 Paris Exhibition, which honoured the achievements of the 19th century, because, “it was when everything was invented for new communication and transportation,” Roy said. “Trains, planes, electricity, telegrams. It was a moment in the history of mankind when communication just went bang, everything was exploding.” If there are hints of the Cirque’s ill-fated Iris — which is said to have lost about $50 million for the company in Los Angeles — it’s not only because of thematic similarity. (Iris evoked the history of film and talkies were the talk of the Paris Exhibition of 1900.) There are also shared performers (six of them) and Iris costume designer Philippe Guillotel, who also worked on the Beatles Cirque show Love, is back. Modernizing 19th-century costumes for acrobats meant facilitating movement. “In that epoch they must have had a hard time doing circus and sport,” Guillotel said. All of his costumes are made of the same material, printed in various ways. And yes, that spiral skirt on the coquettish girl is very similar to one seen in Iris. “It’s the same performer with the same personage,” he said. “So it was difficult to do something different.” Production manager Gabriel Pinkstone, another Cirque veteran, described Kurios as a complex show. “Michel is a director who enjoys a lot of detail, a lot of subtext,” she said. “We have a lot of elements that are mechanical because of the Steampunk inspiration. It’s complex dramaturgically as well because there are a lot of ideas that are difficult to express without words, like the idea of travelling to another reality.” One of the most dangerous acts, she said, is the flying rola bola. The acrobat balances on stacked cylinders while flying on a swing. There’s also an “invisible” circus within the circus. “It’s a bit like reverse puppetry,” she explained. Although its $27-million budget sounds substantial, Kurios is being launched just over a year after Cirque du Soleil was forced to lay off more than 400 employees. Pinkstone said spending constraints included working with a smaller number of artists (46 instead of 52) and using fewer trucks for transportation between cities. “Instead of 18 trucks, we have 16. So they’re not major changes, we’re just being a little more efficient here and there.” Also, an on-site school is no longer part of the Cirque tent show deal for performers with children. But Kurios families have been given a break, with classes provided until July 2015. And the catering truck survived the cuts. “We can’t live without the food truck,” she said. “The kitchen is the epicentre of touring life. Basically everything happens in the kitchen.” # # # Some interesting take-away’s from this article: - Inspirations for KURIOS: Paris Exhibition of 1900, Martin corsese’s HUGO and Fellini’s La Strada. - Budget of $27 million. - 46 artists - 16 trucks (instead of 18) - Families getting break until July 2015. { SOURCE: Montreal Gazette | http://goo.gl/2TZ1mN } Montreal Gazette: “Behind the Scenes at KURIOS” {Apr.18.2014} ----------------------------------------------------- Behind every Cirque du Soleil show, there’s a village bustling with activity. Kurios — The Cabinet of Curiosities is no exception. During a recent backstage visit down at the Old Port, we spoke with a juggler, a percussionist, a conductor, and Michel Laprise, director of Kurios. Entering the lounge and workout room behind the stage, we walked past Colombian acrobat James Gonzalez Corre, who was balancing on a board on top of a cylinder while standing on a swing. Others were stretching their muscles or testing equipment. Percussionist Christa Mercey, from Elmira, Ont., offered a look inside the show’s tiny “percussion pit” filled with multiple tools to set the beat. On the way, I spotted four Siberian contortionists rehearsing their act and took a sneak peak at the invisible man, or rather the costume that suggests his presence. In Kurios, Mercey, a graduate of the University of Toronto (in percussion performance), plays the role of Bella Donna in a group act that combines drumming (on various objects, like suitcases, chairs and tables) with juggling. This is Mercey’s first circus, but she’s no stranger to the road. “For the last eight years, I’ve been on tour with a group called Scrap Arts Music from Vancouver,” she said. “I toured all over the world with them.” As Bella Donna, she wears a side-angled Victorian hat that requires multiple pins to stay in place. Juggler Gabriel Beaudoin said he spent nine years training for his craft, five at the École de cirque de Québec in Quebec City, then four at the École nationale de cirque in Montreal. Joining the circus wasn’t his childhood dream, Beaudoin said. “I just wanted to find a passion. That’s what my parents wanted me to do, too. Circus is a good mix of everything. It’s athletic, it’s also really creative. It’s a mix of art and sport. That’s what I needed.” At 21, Beaudoin is the youngest performer in Kurios. Now he has a two-year contract that’s going to take him around the world. Of 46 performers in this cast, 14 are Russian, six Ukrainian, and one is from Belarus. The man who plays the central character of Le Chercheur (Antonio Moreno) refused an interview, indicating he spoke neither French nor English, only Spanish. In the narrative of Kurios, as told by Laprise, Le Chercheur, a scientist, is on a quest. He creates a machine to travel into another dimension to find the place where the possible and the impossible meet. Only his plan backfires. “The reverse happens,” Laprise explained, “And we have people from the other dimension who come into his world and they transform his world into poetry.” It’s the mystical side of Kurios that appeals to conductor Marc Sohier, as well as the music itself, composed by Raphaël Beau and two guys named Bill and Bob. Sohier spent 14 years touring as band leader for the Cirque’s Saltimbanco. “I did 3,600 shows, everywhere on the planet, almost,” he said. What he likes about Kurios is that there’s a move away from synthesizers and soundtracks. “The style of the music is electro-swing from the beginning of the century,” he said. “It’s a bit jazzy. Nice music for musicians because you play for real. They want real stuff now, acoustic instruments. There’s violin, cello, accordion, acoustic guitar, banjo and a real drum instead of an electronic one.” And it all adds up to a circus named Kurios. # # # Some interesting take-away’s from this article: - 4 Siberian contortionists - Character: “Bella Donna” - Drumming & Juggling Act - Lead Character: “Le Chercheur” - Marc Sohier, band leader for Saltimbanco, is on this tour. - In the narrative of Kurios, as told by Laprise, Le Chercheur, a scientist, is on a quest. He creates a machine to travel into another dimension to find the place where the possible and the impossible meet. Only his plan backfires. “The reverse happens,” Laprise explained, “And we have people from the other dimension who come into his world and they transform his world into poetry.” { SOURCE: Montreal Gazette | http://goo.gl/pZwVqE } A Glimpse of KURIOS, Video #7 {Apr.20.2014} ----------------------------------------------------- Check out the latest glimpse into Cirque du Soleil's Cabinet of Curiosities: SEE THE VIDEO HERE: LINK /// < http://youtu.be/q9N2PnknKHE > { SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil } Cirque du Soleil’s “City of Rock”? {Apr.22.2014} ----------------------------------------------------- Currently, it’s a dusty lot populated by clusters of rocks and islands of weeds with a plywood fence hiding its drabness from the bright lights of the Strip. A little over a year from now, promoters say, it will be transformed into the City of Rock, a permanent, 33-acre, open-air concert venue with a capacity of 80,000 at the southwest corner of Sahara Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard. The grounds will serve as the home of the Rock in Rio music festival, which makes its American debut here on two consecutive weekends in May 2015, with different acts each week. “I would like it to be the Super Bowl of music festivals,” says Rock in Rio founder Roberto Medina in a Skyloft suite at the MGM Grand on Monday, where new details emerged surrounding the previously announced event. One of the biggest music festival brands in the world, Rock in Rio current encompasses shows in Brazil, Spain and Portugal. At last year’s festival in Rio, where Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Metallica, Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi and dozens of other acts performed, all 600,000 tickets were sold out in four hours, according to event organizers. All Rock in Rio concerts are centered in the City of Rock grounds built specifically for each site. The Vegas City of Rock, which will cost $40 million to construct, will consist of a circular layout with various themed streets corresponding with American, British and Brazilian cultures. There will be five stages, including an electronic and an indie stage. MGM Resorts, with Cirque du Soleil and investment firm The Yucaipa Companies, will oversee construction of the new venue, which is committed to hosting the bi-annual event in 2015, 2017 and 2019. “We are going to create the infrastructure and grounds enabling this thing to happen,” says Bill Hornbuckle, president and chief marketing officer at MGM Resorts International. “It’ll be fully astro-turfed, there will be paving and other infrastructure in play — electric, sewage, etc. — so that when this event comes and goes, the balance of the time it can be used for other festivals — jazz, country, food.” Hornbuckle says that he could see the grounds hosting one-off sporting events like boxing and UFC cards and Major League Soccer games. According to Hornbuckle, the plan is to grow the festival to eight days by 2019, where it would take place over two four-day weekends with one weekend centered around rock artists and the other weekend around pop performers. The partnership between MGM Resorts and Rock in Rio was facilitated by Cirque du Soleil, who came became familiar with Rock in Rio while touring their shows in Brazil. “When (Rock in Rio) told us they were looking at breaking into the North American market, we said, ‘OK, we have the perfect city for you and we have a great partner to introduce you to,’” says Jerry Nadal, senior vice president, resident shows division at Cirque du Soleil. “It was kind of a no-brainer for us. We think it’s the next wave of entertainment out there.” There won’t be Cirque acts performing at Rock in Rio, but the company will supply production support culled from among their 2,000 Vegas-based employees as well as marketing and sales assistance. Though no artists have been announced for Rock in Rio yet, Medina says that there already have been 10,000 tickets reserved for the concerts on the event’s website (www.rockinrio.com) since they began promoting the shows last month in a series of newspaper advertisements. Tickets will officially go on sale in January. In the meantime, there will be a promotional event in New York City’s Times Square in September where, according to Medina, a major act will perform and where details of the lineup will most likely emerge. Medina also says that there will be a major media campaign to promote the festival. “We already have $30 million invested in communications in the U.S.,” he notes in Portuguese, speaking through a translator. Hornbuckle says that the City of Rock grounds will take about 45 days to set up and another 30 days to tear down after the event is over, with the venue’s infrastructure remaining in place, and hopes that Rock in Rio will help revive the stagnant north end of The Strip, benefiting adjacent properties like Circus Circus and, in future years, the new SLS Las Vegas hotel and casino, which is scheduled to open over Labor Day weekend. “I think the happiest guy in town today is Sam Nazarian,” he says of the founder and CEO of the SBE Entertainment Group, which owns SLS Las Vegas in partnership with San Francisco-based private equity firm Stockbridge Capital Group. “It’s going to help Circus Circus, it’s going to help that whole end of the Strip, because it’s had a couple of tough years as we all know.” Referring to Medina’s background in advertising — he owns one of the largest ad firms in Brazil — Hornbuckle sees Rock in Rio as a vehicle to promote Vegas as a whole. “At the core of their company, these guys are marketeers,” he says. “They’ll spend $25 (million), $30 million promoting this event globally. The net beneficiary of that is the brand of Las Vegas. Yeah, MGM Resorts will benefit highly from that, but at its core, this is a Las Vegas sell.” { SOURCE: Las Vegas Review-Journal | http://goo.gl/oH3maf } Robin Leach Q&A w/Jerry Nadal – “City of Rock” {Apr.22.2014} ----------------------------------------------------- Rock in Rio, one of the world’s largest music festivals, is set for Las Vegas in May 2015 and is a partnership among MGM Resorts International, Cirque du Soleil, billionaire Ron Burkle (who owns the Fresh & Easy grocery store chain here) and Roberto Medina, who founded the headliner concerts 30 years ago. MGM plans to transform 33 acres of prime real estate near Sahara Avenue and its property Circus Circus into a permanent City of Rock open-air concert venue to host the first Rock in Rio USA with a daily capacity of 80,000 people to view five stages. Jerry Nadal, senior vice president, resident shows division, Cirque du Soleil, told Robin Leach of the Las Vegas Sun that Rock in Rio first approached Cirque to get involved and then they jointly pitched to MGM. “It was about a year from start to finish. We’re going to continue exploring ways for MGM and Cirque to use the venue space when Rock in Rio isn’t here.” Jerry talked with Mr. Leach about Cirque’s new partnership: Q. I guess you’re charged with the extraordinary logistics of this? When this comes in, we’re going to be helping from consumer- segment standpoints to marketing standpoints and just working with Rock in Rio on the overall experience. Q. Do I describe Cirque as the manager of the enterprise? No, I think we each have our roles to play; certainly with MGM, and we’re investing, as well, with the venue. I think we all bring our piece of expertise to the pie. Q. Will Cirque have a position within this magic City of Rock? I don’t know that you’re going to see Cirque performances, per se. Really it’s going to be Rock in Rio from the music-festival standpoint. We’re going to look at working with them on the customer experience. They certainly have the layout of the site. The way the site will work with the five stages and what the experience is. We may be involved with some of the experiential pieces of it, but certainly we’re just going be looking for now at how we can fill the site 80,000 people a day for the four days of the festival. Q. In dealing with the minutiae of the marketing, do you use the Cirque ticketing system at MGM for this event? We’ll probably be on the MGM platform for the ticketing when that goes live in January when we start selling. Q. Will Cirque have performers there as part of the entertainment? At this point, no, there will be no Cirque performers on the site. We’re working with Rock in Rio to get them understanding where the entertainment is coming from, what people are looking for, how we’re going to sell tickets going forward, helping them with their sales. Q. Personally, what do Cirque and you think about Rock in Rio? I think they’re great. You look at their track record; they’re just about as old as Cirque du Soleil. They came out of the game with the very first festival at almost 1.4 million people, and I think what they do and the size of the scale they do it at, is completely complementary with us from looking at how you continually change what people think. We’ve been part of the landscape here for 21 years now, and this is revolutionary for us. We’re in the nightclubs now, we’ve changed the shows over the years where our audience tastes are going. We think that certainly audiences are looking for an experience. They want to participate, they want to be involved, they don’t just want a standard show. I think the whole music festival experience puts us in the same big scale. Q. Might Cirque use this space of the venue at other times of the year when it’s not Rock in Rio? Well, I think that when Rock in Rio is not on the site, then that definitely leaves some opportunities for other things to go on the site. I’m sure we’ll be in discussion with MGM about what else we might bring there. Q. Have Cirque people been to Brazil to see Rock in Rio? Yes, Cirque people have. We’ve had our creative people going to all the festivals that they’ve had over the last couple of years. This is a win win for everybody involved, especially a win-win for rock fans. { SOURCE: Las Vegas Sun | http://goo.gl/BoIMU2 } TOTEM Voices Comes to HULU/HULU+ {Apr.23.2014} ----------------------------------------------------- As part of their Earth week celebrations, Hulu exclusively launched TOTEM Voices web-series! Happy viewing! “TOTEM VOICES” is an original 8 episode web-docuseries introducing select artists from Cirque du Soleil: TOTEM at the beginning of their touring experience with the troupe. Each 8-10 minute episode introduces you to an artist candidly sharing a slice of the their life. Directed by Francis Legault, “TOTEM VOICES” offers a rare personal, perhaps surprising yet authentic look, at the artists embodying the characters who inhabit the imaginary world of TOTEM: Joe, Christian, Denise and Massimo, Pippo, Alya, Dmitry, Louis-David and Rosalie share in turn their joy, challenges and triumphs. EPISODE 1 – JOE: Introducing Joe, a young acrobat from New York. Joe shares how he overcame his demons as a former drug addict to how he came to impersonate the Crystal Man in TOTEM from Cirque du Soleil. [11 minutes | http://www.hulu.com/watch/584945] EPISODE 2 – DENISE AND MASSIMO: Introducing Denise and Massimo, the Roller Skates Duo in TOTEM from Cirque du Soleil. From their caravan in Italy, these lovebirds share their life passion – the stage and their love for one another. [9 minutes | http://www.hulu.com/watch/584948] EPISODE 3 – CHRISTIAN: Introducing Christian, a Huron-Wendat native from Wendake. Christian describes the importance of his deep roots of his native land and the parallels between touring life and the semi-sedentary life of his people. [8 minutes | http://www.hulu.com/watch/584949] EPISODE 4 – PIPPO: Introducing Pippo, the Italian clown in TOTEM from Cirque du Soleil. With humor and a touch of emotion, Pippo shares one of the most important moments in his life and describes some of the highs and lows of his profession. [10 minutes | http://www.hulu.com/watch/584944] EPISODE 5 – ALYA: Introducing Alya, an artist from the Rings Trio in TOTEM from Cirque du Soleil . Alya talks about how she feels as an aging performer and the challenges she faces as a mother on tour. [10 minutes | http://www.hulu.com/watch/584943] EPISODE 6 – DMITRY: Introducing Dmitry, a Perch Flyer in TOTEM from Cirque du Soleil. Actually born on tour, Dmitry shares an endearing moment with his mother and father (also a performer and coach on TOTEM). [8 min | http://www.hulu.com/watch/584947] EPISODE 7 – LOUIS-DAVID & ROASLIE: Introducing Louis-David and Rosalie, the Fixed Trapeze Duo in TOTEM from Cirque du Soleil. These two young acrobats, barely out of the Montreal-based National Circus School, share their thoughts on joining Cirque du Soleil. [8 minutes | http://www.hulu.com/watch/584946] EPISODE 8 – THE TROUPE: From the athletic world to the stage, the artists of TOTEM describe their journey to performing at Cirque du Soleil. [7 minutes | http://www.hulu.com/watch/584950] Catch all these episodes here! LINK ///< http://www.hulu.com/cirque-du-soleil-totem-voices > { SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil, Hulu | http://cirk.me/1mvIka7 } Mastering the Impossible, Episode 6: Artist and Coach {Apr.24.2014} ----------------------------------------------------- No matter how well you know your business, sometimes we all need a little bit of guidance. For Cirque du Soleil, it means coaches working with artists day in and day out. For Xerox, it means working with partners and customers like Cirque du Soleil — simplifying the way work gets done so they can focus on the essential. Here’s your Backstage Pass to Cirque du Soleil for an exclusive look at how they do it. Check out Video #6 here: LINK /// < http://youtu.be/bPRQNqTpF5M > { SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil, Xerox } ======================================================================= ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION ======================================================================= o) BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau {Amaluna, Corteo, Koozå, OVO, Totem & Kurios} o) ARENA - In Stadium-like venues {Quidam, Dralion, MJ Immortal & Varekai} o) RESIDENT - Performed en Le Théâtre {Mystère, "O", La Nouba, Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE, Believe, Zarkana & Michael Jackson ONE} NOTE: .) While we make every effort to provide complete and accurate touring dates and locations available, the information in this section is subject to change without notice. As such, the Fascination! Newsletter does not accept responsibility for the accuracy of these listings. For current, up-to-the-moment information on Cirque's whereabouts, please visit Cirque's website: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/ >. ------------------------------------ BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau ------------------------------------ Amaluna: New York, NY -- Mar 20, 2014 to May 18, 2014 Boston, MA -- May 29, 2014 to Jul 6, 2014 Washington, DC -- Jul 31, 2014 to Sep 21, 2014 Atlanta, GA -- Oct 3, 2014 to Nov 30, 2014 Corteo: Còrdoba, AR -- May 3, 2014 to May 25, 2014 Buenos Aires, BR - Jun 6, 2014 to Aug 3, 2014 Santiago, CL -- Aug 19, 2014 to Oct 5, 2014 Koozå: Vienna, AT -- May 9, 2014 to Jun 15, 2014 Port Aventura, ES -- Jul 11, 2014 to Aug 30, 2014 Warsaw, PL -- Sep 17, 2014 to Oct 19, 2014 Düsseldorf, DE -- Nov 6, 2014 to Nov 30, 2014 Kurios: Montreal, QC -- Apr 24, 2014 to Jul 13, 2014 Quebec City, QC -- Jul 24, 2014 to Aug 17, 2014 Toronto, ON -- Aug 28, 2014 to Oct 5, 2014 San Francisco, CA -- Nov 13, 2014 to Jan 18, 2015 Ovo: Tokyo, JP -- Feb 12, 2014 to Jun 29, 2014 Osaka, JP -- Jul 17, 2014 to Nov 2, 2014 Nagoya, JP -- Nov 20, 2014 to Feb 1, 2015 Fukuoka, JP -- Feb 20, 2015 to Apr 5, 2015 Sendai, JP -- Apr 23, 2015 to Jun 7, 2015 Totem: Portland, OR -- Mar 27, 2014 to May 4, 2014 Vancouver, BC -- May 15, 2014 to Jul 6, 2014 Auckland, NZ -- Aug 22, 2014 to Sep 28, 2014 Syndey, AU -- Oct 28, 2014 to Nov 30, 2014 Melbourne, AU -- Jan 21, 2015 to Feb 15, 2015 Brisbane, AU -- Apr 10, 2015 to Apr 26, 2015 Adelaide, AU -- Jun 11, 2015 to Jul 5, 2015 Perth, AU -- Jul 31, 2015 to Aug 16, 2015 ------------------------------------ ARENA - In Stadium-Like Venues ------------------------------------ Quidam: Rouen, FR -- Apr 30, 2014 to May 4, 2014 Berlin, DE -- May 7, 2014 to May 11, 2014 Nuremberg, DE -- May 14, 2014 to May 18, 2014 Hanover, DE -- May 21, 2014 to May 25, 2014 Bremen, DE -- May 29, 2014 to Jun 1, 2014 Hamburg, DE -- Jun 4, 2014 to Jun 8, 2014 Luxembourg, LU -- Jun 11, 2014 to Jun 15, 2014 Tel Aviv, IL -- Aug 7, 2014 to Aug 16, 2014 Zurich, CH -- Oct 16, 2014 to Oct 19, 2014 Paris, FR -- Dec 2, 2014 to Dec 7, 2014 Lille, FR -- Dec 10, 2014 to Dec 14, 2014 Lisbon, PT -- Dec 18, 2014 to Dec 28, 2014 Dralion: Malmö, SE -- May 1, 2014 to May 4, 2014 Glasgow, UK -- May 7, 2014 to May 11, 2014 Sheffield, UK -- May 14, 2014 to May 18, 2014 Birmingham, UK -- May 22, 2014 to May 25, 2014 Dublin, IE -- May 28, 2014 to Jun 1, 2014 London, UK -- Jun 4, 2014 to Jun 8, 2014 Manchester, UK -- Jun 11, 2014 to Jun 15, 2014 San Sebastian, ES -- Jul 3, 2014 to Jul 6, 2014 Santiago de Compostela, ES -- Jul 10, 2014 to Jul 20, 2014 Granada, ES -- Jul 23, 2014 to Jul 27, 2014 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, ES -- Aug 2, 2014 to Aug 10, 2014 Bilbao, ES -- Aug 17, 2014 to Aug 24, 2014 Palma de Mallorca, ES -- Aug 28, 2014 to Sep 6, 2014 Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour: Lexington, KY -- May 2, 2014 to May 3, 2014 Huntsville, AL -- May 6, 2014 to May 7, 2014 Duluth, GA -- May 10, 2014 to May 11, 2014 Gainesville, FL -- May 13, 2014 to May 14, 2014 Charleston, SC -- May 16, 2014 to May 17, 2014 Tampa, FL -- May 20, 2014 to May 21, 2014 Sunrise, FL -- May 23, 2014 to May 24, 2014 San Juan, PR -- Jun 11, 2014 to Jun 15, 2014 Lincoln, NE -- Jun 24, 2014 to Jun 25, 2014 Hoffman Estates, IL -- Jun 27, 2014 to Jun 28, 2014 Auburn Hills, MI -- Jul 1, 2014 to Jul 2, 2014 Salt Lake City, UT -- Jul 8, 2014 to Jul 9, 2014 Rio Rancho, NM -- Jul 11, 2014 to Jul 12, 2014 Topeka, KS -- Jul 18, 2014 to Jul 19, 2014 Oklahoma City, OK -- Jul 22, 2014 to Jul 23, 2014 Lafayette, LA -- Jul 29, 2014 to Jul 30, 2014 Varekai: Loveland, CO -- May 1, 2014 to May 4, 2014 Broomfield, CO -- May 7, 2014 to May 11, 2014 Kansas City, MO -- May 14, 2014 to May 18, 2014 Oshawa, ON -- May 21, 2014 to May 25, 2014 Lonson, ON -- May 28, 2014 to Jun 1, 2014 Bridgeport, CT -- Jun 4, 2014 to Jun 8, 2014 Hartford, CT -- Jun 11, 2014 to Jun 15, 2014 Bangor, ME -- Jun 18, 2014 to Jun 22, 2014 Manchester, NH -- Jun 25, 2014 to Jun 29, 2014 Providence, RI -- Jul 1, 2014 to Jul 6, 2014 Indianapolis, IN -- Jul 24, 2014 to Jul 27, 2014 Cleveland, OH -- Aug 6, 2014 to Aug 10, 2014 Erie, PA -- Aug 13, 2014 to Aug 17, 2014 Atlantic City, NJ - Aug 20, 2014 to Aug 24, 2014 Newark, NJ -- Aug 27, 2014 to Aug 31, 2014 Portland, ME -- Sep 3, 2014 to Sep 7, 2014 Estero, FL -- Sep 24, 2014 to Sep 28, 2014 --------------------------------- RESIDENT - en Le Théâtre --------------------------------- Mystère: Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark: Thursday/Friday Two shows Nightly - 7:00pm & 9:30pm 2014 Dark Dates: o May 8 - 16 o July 9 - 11 o September 4 - 12 o November 5 - 7 Added performances in 2014: o April 18 o December 26 "O": Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark: Monday/Tuesday Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:00pm 2014 Dark Dates: o June 8 o August 4 - 12 o October 5 o December 1 - 16 Added performances in 2014: o June 3 o December 29 La Nouba: Location: Walt Disney World, Orlando (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday Two shows Nightly - 6:00pm and 9:00pm 2014 Dark Dates: o May 11 - 25 o July 20 - 22 o September 14 - 22 o November 2 - 5 o December 7 - 9 Zumanity: Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark Wednesday/Thursday Two Shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:00pm 2014 Dark Dates: o June 13 o August 20-September 4 o October 21 o December 10-18 KÀ: Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark Sunday/Monday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 2014 Dark Dates: o May 18-26 o July 19 o September 21-29 o December 2 Added performances in 2014: o August 31 o December 28 LOVE: Location: Mirage, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Thursday through Monday, Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 2014 Dark Dates: o June 5 o July 29 - August 6 o October 2 o December 2 - 17 Added performances in 2014: o August 12 o December 31 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. 2014 Dark Dates: o June 15 - 30 o September 1 - 8 o November 9 - 17 ZARKANA: Location: Aria, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark: Wednesday/Thursday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 2014 Dark Dates: o May 14 - 22 o July 15 o September 3 - 11 o November 4 Added performances in 2014: o June 26 o August 7 MICHAEL JACKSON ONE: Location: Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark: Thursday/Friday Two Shows Nightly: 7:00pm and 10:00pm 2014 Dark Dates: o May 21 - 23 o July 24 - 31 o September 24 - 26 o November 13 - 28 Added performances in 2014: o August 29 o December 26 JOYÀ: Location: Riviera Maya, Mexico Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday One/Two Shows Nightly: 9:00pm (Weekdays) 7:00pm & 10:15pm (Fri, Sat & Holidays) Premiere will be held on Saturday, November 8th at 9:00pm Prices: o) VIP Show Dinner & Champagne [RED] — $MXN 2,970.00 o) Show Dinner and Champagne [BLUE] — $MXN 2,178.00 o) Show and Champagne [GREEN] — $MXN 1,452.00 o) Show Only [ORANGE] — $MXN $1,056 o) High Stools (Show Only) [PURPLE] — $MXN 858.000 ======================================================================= OUTREACH - UPDATES FROM CIRQUE's SOCIAL WIDGETS ======================================================================= o) Club Cirque -- This Month at CirqueClub o) Didyaknow? –- Facts About Cirque o) Networking -- Posts on Facebook, G+, & YouTube --------------------------------------- CLUB CIRQUE: This Month at CirqueClub --------------------------------------- “Artist on her relationship with her mom” {Apr.24.2014} ---------------------------------------------- Tina Cannon, from the Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour, shares a truly unique relationship with her Mother. With Mother’s Day around the corner, she kindly accepted to answer our questions. Read it through to the end to see her touching note to her mom! Q. What makes your relationship with your Mother so unique? My mom and I are extremely close. We are best friends. I can tell her anything, anytime, no matter what. She has always been there for me and supported me 100% in all my endeavours. She has been my greatest cheerleader in life. She has also been an incredible example of generosity, kindness, determination, dedication, commitment and unconditional love. Q. Has being away on tour changed your relationship with your Mother? Tour has not changed my relationship with my mom. I have lived away from home since I was 18. So being away from my mother has been the norm for many years now and we have remained extremely close. In some ways I think it has made us even closer throughout the years. We don’t take the time we have together for granted. We hold those moments dearly in both hands and appreciate every second. Only now as I get older, it has become harder to leave her each time. Q. Which personality trait did you inherit from your Mother? My mom is the true “entertainer”. While she never performed on a stage, TV or had the life of an artist, she was the type of person who should have had her own sitcom. It would have been a hit! She has this charm, wit and comedic timing that when she starts telling a story, you can’t help but be sucked in and listen, and then of course, end up rolling in laughter. While I don’t think I am nearly as funny as my mom, I inherited her love for entertainment and performing in front of people, only my medium is dance instead of humour. Q. With Mother’s day around the corner, what would you like to say to her? Mom, Because of your incredible example and support, I am where I am today. I could not have done it without you. I admire you. I respect you. I treasure you…. all that you are and all that you do. Thank you for being such a beautiful woman, loving wife, caring friend, and nurturing mother. I am truly grateful and love you with all my heart! Your daughter, Tina “Kooza in the Streets of Amsterdam” {Apr.25.2014} ---------------------------------------------- During their recent visit to Amsterdam, KOOZA’s cast and crew merrily strolled down the picturesque streets and famous canals. Feast your eyes on our photo gallery showing highlights of their gallivanting. Check out many more pictures at CirqueClub’s gallery! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/WzVi0c > { SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil } --------------------------------------- DIDYAKNOW?: Facts About Cirque --------------------------------------- o) Did you know that 14,400 pieces of fireworks are used to illuminate BELIEVE yearly. Now that’s what we call an explosive show! o) Did you know the giant wooden balls used in the Dralion act weigh close to 300 pounds each and are made of crushed English walnut shells? o) Did you know that 22 miles of bungee cords are used Mystère? That’s equal to about 387 football fields! o) Did you know that Tony, the Firefly in OVO, has the World Record of juggling with 4, 5 and 6 diabolos? o) Did you know that The 11 sections of the VW Bug Crash/Breakaway Car in LOVE has no internal parts and are all held together with magnets? --------------------------------------------------- NETWORKING: Cirque on Facebook, YouTube & Twitter --------------------------------------------------- {Compiled by Keith Johnson} ---[ AMALUNA ]--- {Apr.01} We closed the NASDAQ today! No, this was not an April Fool's Joke, our performers really took over the stock market! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/73p5xS > {Apr.05} Amaluna’s very own singer, Jen Aubry, sang the national anthem to open today's Mets v Reds game at Citi Field. What a voice!! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/FKeQau > {Apr.12} One of our fans shared this beautiful sunset photo last night at Amaluna! Thank you, Rodolfo, for sharing! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/aXK5Zj > {Apr.19} Can you believe these amazing women have been doing their thing for TWO whole years?! HAPPY 2nd ANNIVERSARY! Today we celebrate love, friendship, passion, dedication and an extraordinary amount of talent - both on and off the stage. We are extremely proud of you all, and a HUGE thank you to our fans for supporting us for a wonderful two years! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/1oxyJT > {Apr.24} A HUGE congratulations to Amaluna's Director, Diane Paulus, for today being announced as one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2014! We are so proud of you! ---[ BELIEVE ]--- {Apr.17} CRISS ANGEL BeLIEve Visits Vegas.com and MGM Resorts Intl. Call Center (5 photos) - Criss Angel and the artists of BeLIEve gave a few call centers a mind blowing visit yesterday! Check out their shocking reactions! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/fjRrwO > ---[ DRALION ]--- {Apr.17} Dralion is gearing up for springtime in Sweden. Only two weeks to go until our premiere in Malmö! See you soon! — with Janeth Merida and Ohanis Cristina Braca Lamus. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/bS6XSs > {Apr.22} This is how Dralion started its journey and today we celebrate 15 years of touring success! Thanks for keeping us going. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/cuHuWl > ---[ KÀ ]--- {Apr.03} Are you feeling a lot like this? Don’t worry. Friday is just around the corner. — with Jennifer Haight. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/9A2G1I > {Apr.09} “Hey everyone! Check out my catch of the day!” “Oh yeah? I caught two gill-friends!” — with Marylene Hickok and Gabryel Nogueira. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/UP0n0i > {Apr.24} KÀ invites you to take a sneak peek of the KÀ Theatre every Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Come see what makes the KÀ Theatre epic and experience the blockbuster production, $165 million in the making. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/xInvjO > {Apr.25} We invite you to stop by today from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for an inside look at our theatre! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/Wy9LFj > {Apr.25} Here’s a photo from today’s open house at the KÀ Theatre! Come see the theatre every Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and find out what makes the KÀ Theatre epic! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/jgweyi > {Apr.28} Have you stopped by the KÀ Theatre lobby recently? We’ve removed the lobby glass opening to give you a closer look at the epic adventures that await you. Come see for yourself! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/RQP31F > ---[ KOOZA ]--- {Apr.03} KOOZA performers on Amsterdam canals. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/AFDmcH > {Apr.05} PR event in the streets and canals of Amsterdam (16 photos) LINK /// < http://goo.gl/S0Omej > April 21} How cool is this aerial picture of our site in Amsterdam? LINK /// < http://goo.gl/T2nHzr > ---[ KURIOS ]--- {Apr.02} Relics, magically and mysteriously, tap into your heart and soul, capturing your spirit of curiosity in one word. LINK /// < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N6kTVt9hcM > {Apr.11} Conference de Presse à Montréal Kurios - Cabinet des Curiosités (13 photos) -an ingenious blend of unusual curiosity acts and stunning acrobatic prowess! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/p5Qluh > ---[ MJ IMMORTAL ]--- {Apr.04} The Face of FOX43 visited the tour for an in-depth look behind the scenes in anticipation of our shows tonight and tomorrow night at Norfolk Scope! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/80sNd8 > {Apr.17} Acrobats Harvey Donnelly and Vincent Deplanche practicing the "Over Under" - in slow motion no less! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/poeNtI > {Apr.22} We aim to protect and celebrate the Earth everyday, but especially today - Happy Earth Day! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/tr2Od0 > ---[ MJ ONE ]--- {Apr.07} The UV drawings revealed on the artists in this act were inspired by the real dragon tattoos traditionally worn by the Yakuza. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/Luhzlz > {Apr.18} Happy International Juggler’s Day to Smarty Pants and our renowned jugglers from China! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/vCiyZK > ---[ MYSTERE ]--- {Apr.01} Today may be a day of fooling around, but Moha-Samedi expects you to take him seriously! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/H7Xz4a > {Apr.07} This is what adventure entails. The plunge may be intimidating, but the thrill is more rewarding. Are you ready? LINK /// < http://goo.gl/kxg0VZ > {Apr.23} Mystère had some Easter fun over the weekend as Spermatos in bunny ears took over the theatre to pass out colored Easter "eggs" (clown noses!) -- a lucky few contained a meet and greet with the cast right after the show! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/NgWkJf > LINK /// < http://goo.gl/cc4sKq > ---[ "O" ]--- {Apr.01} What goes up when the rain comes down? An umbrella. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/vmAisQ > {Apr.04} An ode to an inner desire that is fragile, inaccessible, and filled with grace. Aurora. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/F3xadl > {Apr.09} Be amazed by the spectacular things you discover when you look up. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/AHvQA2 > {Apr.30} Float upon a world that evokes the imagination. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/rRlGaW > ---[ OVO ]--- {Apr.08} This morning, a curious ant decided to explore the artistic tent and see what her colleagues we up to. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/3wzdEI > LINK /// < http://goo.gl/IM88tq > LINK /// < http://goo.gl/6sLh2b > {Apr.22} Yesterday, the Ladybug, the Foreigner, Master Flipo and OVO Special Supporter, LiLiCo, planted a tree to celebrate Earth Day. This tree will follow OVO until the end of the Japanese tour. What did you guys do to celebrate earth day? LINK /// < http://goo.gl/PfplMD > LINK /// < http://goo.gl/pzYT55 > ---[ THE BEATLES LOVE ]--- {Apr.01} The Fool is definitely up to no good today. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/Tq9o4W > {Apr.03} That feeling you get when you find out they like someone else. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/ybvrK9 > {Apr.30} While this aerial act tells a tale of loss and love, can you guess what the song from this act is written about? (Hint: It has to do with potholes in Blackburn, Lancashire.) (Answer: “A Day in the Life”) LINK /// < http://goo.gl/1zYt08 > ---[ TOTEM ]--- {Apr.01} We just pre-taped an interview on Kink.fm with Sarah Tessier, Trapezist, and Umi Miya, High Bar artist! Listen to us tomorrow morning Portland! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/4T3soz > {Apr.08} We are bringing TOTEM characters to Portland iconic locations for a photo series with The Oregonian! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/wTE4jl > LINK /// < http://goo.gl/m4D3PK > {Apr.10} We are pre-setting for Carapace training while KATU News from Portland is live from the Big Top! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/3ixRsD > {Apr.12} The Oregonian takes performers of TOTEM outside the big top to a diversity of locations around Portland. Six settings, shot in two days over a couple weeks. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/eICzPN > Graffiti Graveyard Gallery: http://cirk.me/1eyRKw6 Arch Angel Mural Gallery: http://cirk.me/1nlB94a Eastbank Esplanade Gallery: http://cirk.me/1lhNwgl Cathedral City Park Gallery: http://cirk.me/QlmcUX {Apr.22} We are in Vancouver, Canada this morning for media promotion with our Hoop Dance and Hand-to-Hand acts! Catch us from May 15 at Concord Pacific Place!! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/U1gpO2 > {Apr.23} TOTEM Vancouver Press Conference (18 photos) - Hoop Dancer Eric Hernandez, Hand-to-Hand artists Alevtyna Titarenko and Gael Ouisse, Head of Wardrobe Amanda Balius and Artistic Director Neelanthi Vadivel met the Vancouver press on Tuesday, April 22, 2014 to offer a sneak peek of TOTEM opening at Concord Pacific Place on May 15, 2014. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/5ZuMe3 > {Apr.25} We shot a new introduction for our TV Ad yesterday for our upcoming tour stops on another continent... LINK /// < http://goo.gl/Npbg23 > LINK /// < http://goo.gl/WKbpwk > LINK /// < http://goo.gl/nlHI1G > ---[ VAREKAI ]--- {Apr.02} Today we had lots of fun #backstageCirque at #Varekai with some ex-MSU basketball athletes and WILX reporter Amanda Malkowski, showing them what it takes to be a Cirque athlete! I think they would agree that it was quite the challenge! We'll be in Lansing until Sunday! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/10Ssot > LINK /// < http://goo.gl/i5zx5P > LINK /// < http://goo.gl/dhU2kq > {Apr.05} Icarus being tempted by the 'sun' LINK /// < http://goo.gl/LNHNGa {Apr.09} #Varekai made a special appearance at The Dogwoods Arts Festival Luncheon to help welcome guests and announce our arrival in Knoxville. Be sure to check us out at the Thompson Boling only until Sunday! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/7QZn7d > {Apr.24} Today is Varekai's birthday! Happy 12th Birthday #Varekai!! In 12 years, you have visited over 90 cities and performed for more than 8.7 million people on 5 continents and brought wonder and delight to people's lives! Congrats to all and a big thank you to Magpies Bakery and Cake Artist Sarah Jones for this AMAZING anniversary cake! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/bLY9xE > ---[ ZARKANA ]--- {Apr.01} The Movers have a few jokes that call for dusting, especially for today. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/4U17do > {Apr.09} Watch the Jovians perform outlandish stunts that are out of this world! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/UaS71G > {Apr.18} Our renowned juggler for Zarkana helps bring the theater to life twice a day, five days a week. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/GBv1hR > {Apr.24} Zarkana Photo Shoot (5 photos) - Something exciting is happening at Zarkana, and we wanted you to be the first to experience it! Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at a photo shoot we did with entertainment photographer, Michael Muller! LINK /// < http://goo.gl/gvFaEm > ---[ ZUMANITY ]--- {Apr.08} For 10 years, as many as 1,261 visitors during each show has grasped our chain of sensual fantasies. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/wbMRgS > {Apr.30} Everybody has a type -- and Zumanity has all of them. LINK /// < http://goo.gl/R0HmjZ > ======================================================================= FASCINATION! FEATURES ======================================================================= o) "KURIOS: Reality is Relative!" By: Ricky & Nicole Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) o) "Cirque du Soleil's Highest Grossing Shows" Special Reprint from TheRichest.com ---------------------------------------------------------- "KURIOS: Reality is Relative!" By: Ricky Russo w/Nicole Russo – Atlanta, Georgia (USA) ---------------------------------------------------------- Those of you who’ve met me know I am a champion for experiencing the premiere of a new Cirque du Soleil show amongst the hometown crowd. There's absolutely no substitute for being in the stands of the Grand Chapiteau with a couple-thousand Québécois, clapping and stomping to the show's beat, having a marvelous time celebrating the birth of a new show together. It’s a magical, enlightening sentiment you can’t get anywhere else - except in Cirque’s hometown. Traveling to Montreal for premiere weekend has provided many indelible memories for me. My inaugural experience with this brand of euphoria came with witnessing Varekai’s birth in 2002. I knew from the moment I stepped foot on the cobblestoned streets of the venerable old port that this was how you celebrated Cirque du Soleil, and I wanted to be a part of it from then on. Therefore, I repeated the experienced with about a hundred other fans by co-organizing (and attending) CirqueCon 2005 for Corteo's premiere, met friends here again for 2007's Koozå, 2009's OVO, 2010's Totem (for CirqueCon 2010), and 2012's premiere of Amaluna. This year I joined “The Cirquesters”, a rag-tag band of passionate fans and friends that have stuck together in the wake of CirqueCon’s hiatus, the fan-gathering where most of us met. We aren’t your average fan of Cirque du Soleil, of course. Didn’t I say passionate? Being together again was good fun! And as a special treat, my wife chose to accompany me for the very first time, so she too got to experience the excitement of premiere. So, how did she like KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities? She loved it – and so did I! Allow us now to take you into the wondrous world of KURIOS – CABINET DES CURIOSITÉS using various Cirque Press Room materials and a bit of our own observations... /// 11:06... THE CIRQUE MEETS STEAMPUNK --------------------------------------- From the moment Cirque du Soleil began to tease KURIOS - CABINET DES CURIOSITÉS we could feel the new creation would be something different. Just how different we wouldn’t know until the Montreal Gazette commented that “things are getting curious and curiouser at the Cirque,” the morning Cirque du Soleil revealed the unusual moniker and scenic elements for its newest touring production. The unveiling only compounded the teasing “glimpses” we were offered via YouTube in the days leading up to and after that reveal. And through them we understood the show existed in a world heavily influenced by Steampunk, but little did we know just how much of an influence the genre would have on the show’s overall aesthetic. And that’s not a bad thing! Steampunk is defined as a sub-genre of science fiction that typically features steam-powered machinery, especially in a setting inspired by industrialized Western civilization during the 19th century. Works in this genre are often set in an alternative history of the British Victorian era or American "Wild West", in a post-apocalyptic future during which steam power has regained mainstream use, or in a fantasy world that similarly employs steam power. Steampunk perhaps most recognizably features anachronistic technologies or retro-futuristic inventions as people in the 19th century might have envisioned them, and is likewise rooted in the era's perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, and art. Such technology may include fictional machines like those found in the printed works of H. G. Wells (“The Time Machine”, “War of the Worlds”, “The Island of Doctor Moreau”), Jules Verne (“Journey to the Center of the Earth”, “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea”, and “Around the World in Eighty Days”), and Mary Shelley (“Frankenstein”), the modern authors Philip Pullman, Scott Westerfeld, Stephen Hunt and China Miéville, or filmed works of Fritz Lang (“Metropolis”). Although many works now considered seminal to the genre were published in the 1960s and 1970s, the term steampunk originated in the late 1980s as a tongue in cheek variant of cyberpunk. It seems to have been coined by science fiction author K. W. Jeter, who was trying to find a general term for works by Tim Powers (The Anubis Gates, 1983); James Blaylock (Homunculus, 1986); and himself (Morlock Night, 1979, and Infernal Devices, 1987) — all of which took place in a 19th-century (usually Victorian) setting and imitated conventions of such actual Victorian speculative fiction as H. G. Wells' The Time Machine. Other examples of Steampunk contain alternative history-style presentations of such technology as lighter-than-air airships, analog computers, or such digital mechanical computers as Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine. Steampunk may also incorporate additional elements from the genres of fantasy, horror, historical fiction, alternate history, or other branches of speculative fiction, making it often a hybrid genre. Michele Laprise, the show's Writer and Director, chose this period and genre for inspiration because "it was a phenomenal time for humanity. People were travelling, they were dreaming of other worlds." And their lives were changing too, he pointed out, through the use of electricity, distances were shrinking as rail travel expanded and became faster, and people were able to communicate with each other quickly through the invention of the telegraph. "People were enthusiastic and they had the feeling that everything was possible," he said. "If people take that from our show, that everything in life, with your imagination, can become more interesting, can bring you close to another person, then I think we'll have succeeded." All systems go! Let the journey begin! /// 11:07... THE SITE, SET & STAGE ---------------------------------- “Are you ready to visit the Valley of the Possible Impossibles? Where dreams are on standby, waiting to be ushered into the now? Abandoned dreams... collective dreams... mad, mad, mad utopian dreams? The unconscious into the conscious? Duality? Oneness?” – KURIOS Programme Book. The journey begins the moment you step onto the cobblestone-lined pathways of the Jacques Cartier Pier in the Vieux Port of Montreal, where Cirque du Soleil has staked its creations since the dawn of its recorded time (except for 1999’s Dralion, which was set up on the lawn of their headquarters building in the City). Surrounded on all sides by either water or history the striped big top calls out to fans and friends alike. An archway with the show’s image a few paces in – a new feature this year - beckons us forward. An interesting looking contraption between the two entrance doorways summons us in even further. It’s a bicycle-like contrivance upon second glance, with its mechanics firmly attached to a whirligig of some creation. Activating it with your own power sets the gears affixed into rotational motion, awarding the curios rider with a green clown nose courtesy of DES JARDINS, one of Cirque du Soleil’s principle sponsors, from a chute just to the rider’s left. Further inside, a little spheroid item cordoned off just to the right of Door #2, catches our attention. From a distance it appears to be a representation of the porthole shown to us in one of the “Glimpse of KURIOS” videos the creators circulated across its social media platforms. Upon closer inspection, it was much, much more than that: it was a house – in miniature! Included in this miniature house is an armchair, a chandelier as well as other essentials of a Victorian home. Whose house is it I wonder? Why it’s Mini Lili, and she’s at home! (We’ll learn more about her, and the house, a little later on...) Brought a little into the world of KURIOS then, it was time... Entering the Grand Chapiteau is always a treat. It's an oasis within the trappings of the real world in which we live, allowing ourselves to be instantly transported elsewhere, even if for a brief period of time. But when you step foot inside the big top of a new show for the first time, it's nothing short of magical. Parting through the canvas flaps and climbing the steps into the seating area for the first time, your heart begins to race... your breathing becomes shallow... thoughts begin to transform and expectations run rampant, which only serves to fuel your euphoria and heighten the excitement further. It becomes difficult not to imagine what wonders await you as you reach the crest of the stairwell, craning your neck forward to get just a glimpse of what lays beyond. And then, viola! You're transported once again into another wondrous realm more fantastical than the last! C'est manifique! The set design of KURIOS puts the spectator in a well-defined place: the curio cabinet of a Seeker filled with unusual objects collected on his travels. Set in what could be called a retro-future, in this parallel reality it is the steam engine and not the internal combustion engine that reigns supreme, evoking the start of the industrialization era, but as if science and technology had evolved differently and progress had taken on a more human dimension. “It’s like Jules Verne meets [Nicola Tesla] in an alternate reality, out of time,” explains Set Designer Stéphane Roy. Roy, now working on his sixth Cirque du Soleil show, mentioned in an interview with the Montreal Gazette that Fellini's La Strada was an influence for his "copper-toned clockwork set, with its startling steam engine and quirky props." The 1900 Paris Exhibition, which honored the achievements of the 19th century, was important, too, because “it was when everything was invented for new communication and transportation,” Roy said. “Trains, planes, electricity, telegrams. It was a moment in the history of mankind when communication just went bang, everything was exploding.” Kurios differs from other Cirque du Soleil shows, he said, because “in this one you’re somewhere, you’re in a house, you’re in a room, in a space where things are happening.” This home is packed with curios. When the numbers appear, “it’s as if a jewel box is being opened,” he added. The performance space is dominated by two structures, referred to as "cabinets". One explores the topic of sound and the other the topic of electricity. Built by the Seeker using scraps and pieces collected over time, the two large towers also serve as “wave sensors” made from miscellaneous components such as gramophones, old typewriters, electrical bulbs and turbines. The two cabinets are attached to the main arch – another "wave sensor" – that dominates the stage. The opening at the center, at the back of the stage, evokes the mouth of a railroad tunnel through a mountain; it is mainly through this opening that artists move in and out of the spotlight and that equipment and props are taken on and off the stage. Above it sit the musicians. For greater emphasis on the performance, every act in the show is presented on an independent structure – a module or a promontory – integrated into the set design. The stage itself was lowered 35 cm and a bank was installed all around its lip (the bank is a 60-cm-wide raised walkway on which two rails are installed for transporting various props). Presented on their separate, distinct structures, the acts in the show represent the curios that jump to life inside the Seeker’s workshop. “It’s not only a stage,” Roy said. “You’re inside somebody’s mind. It’s kind of crazy!” Production manager Gabriel Pinkstone, another Cirque veteran, described Kurios as a complex show. “Michel is a director who enjoys a lot of detail, a lot of subtext,” she said. “We have a lot of elements that are mechanical because of the Steampunk inspiration. It’s complex dramaturgically as well because there are a lot of ideas that are difficult to express without words, like the idea of travelling to another reality.” /// 11:08... COSTUMES & CHARACTERS ---------------------------------- "What wonderfully strange collection of creatures! It is as if I have awakened in the middle of a dream. They speak a strange language. Some kind of code. Gibberish. Gobbledygook. Must investigate further..." -- The Seeker A fitting tribute to the power of the human imagination, the costumes of KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities are the result of a visual exploration of the beginnings of science, of the discoveries and inventions that led to the industrial revolution of the 19th Century – from the steam locomotive to electrical power to electromagnetic waves. They embody and celebrate the advancements of science, but in an imaginary, parallel world. While the visual references may seem self-evident, the show’s curious yet familiar characters and costumes transport the audience to a time suspended somewhere between past and future, in an alternate reality, as if science had evolved without the internal combustion engine and as if the golden age of the steam engine had continued on, uninterrupted. The costumes of KURIOS - Cabinet of Curiosities are the result of unusual blends and odd associations: e.g. the attire of the Seeker’s Assistants (the Kurios) – oddball half-human, half-mechanical characters built from scraps and recycled parts by their ingenuous and ingenious creator. Costume Designer Philippe Guillotel explored unusual shapes that have affinities with the costumes of the Bauhaus or of Alfred Jarry’s Father Ubu to create startling and often amusing characters (a.k.a "The Visitors"). o) Mr. Microcosmos --- The “bigger is better” ethos that drives the retro-futuristic aesthetic of the show is on the opposite side of the spectrum of the miniaturization that characterizes the electronic era. A case in point is the costume of the potbellied Mr. Microcosmos. “He’s like a mechanical Obelix [from the cartoon characters Asterix & Obelix], but instead of holding a tiny dog in his arms, he lugs around a small lady in his belly wherever he goes, and he’s hardly aware of it,” says Guillotel. o) Mr. Microcosmos carries Mini Lili, his intuitive counterpart, inside his costume using a sling not unlike a baby carrier. Antanina Satsura, the artist who plays Mini Lili, is one- meter tall and weighs 18 kg. She lives inside her host’s overcoat. Through the door in Mr. Microcosmos’ belly, we can see the furnished interior of Mini Lili’s quarters, which include an armchair, a chandelier as well as other essentials of a Victorian home. o) Nico the Accordion Man --- He is called NICO, short of Nick 'o Time, as he always appears confused or late and out of place. Is he a man, or an accordion? He's curious, clumsy, but endearing. What's the big picture here? Nico’s accordion costume allows him to bend way down or stand way up so he can be at eye level with absolutely everyone. His pants are folded like a piece of origami from an unwoven textile (like the material normally used in shoe lining) and are inspired by the darkrooms that were part of early cameras. o) Klara the telegraph of the invisible --- She is called Klara, as in clear reception. She's half-woman, half-antenna, and appears to have built-in radar - perhaps to receive messages from other worlds, life systems? A transmitter of the invisible. Her shoes make odd Morse code-like sounds... are these messages from the other side? Klara wears an antenna skirt made of hula-hoop-type rings. By swiveling round and pointing her apparatus in various directions, she can receive invisible electromagnetic waves. Her hoop skirt is inspired by Fritz Lang’s Metropolis and is shaped like early parabolic antennas. The print on her leotard evokes electrical circuits and connections. /// 11:09... STORY & THEME -------------------------- "I am the chairman of dreams! Take me to a new realm of the imagination. The cradle of a new civilization perhaps. So many years building it, so much time refining. I am ready now. I shall be an inter-stellar pioneeer. All systems go!" -- The Seeker There's an existential question we've all asked ourselves at one time or another, for one reason or another - there must be something more, beyond all this; there can't just be this, can there? But what if you could alter reality at will? In an alternate yet familiar past, in a place where wonders abound for those who trust their imagination, a Seeker (Le Chercheur) is convinced that there exists a hidden, invisible world – a place where the craziest ideas and the grandest dreams lay waiting, and in order to glimpse the marvels that lie just below the surface, he reckons we must first learn to close our eyes. Very inquisitive about these possibilities - curious even – the Seeker builds towering gadgets and powerful gizmos, bringing to life automatons of all shapes, sizes and functions in order to fuel his lofty investigations. And after hours and hours and hours of labor, he’s come up with a few tantalizing answers to his questions: Yes! There is more to behold! In the narrative, as told by Laprise, Le Chercheur, a scientist, is on a quest. He creates a machine to travel into another dimension to find the place where the possible and the impossible meet. Only his plan backfires. “The reverse happens,” Laprise explains, “And we have people from the other dimension who come into his world and they transform his world into poetry.” In his larger-than-life curio cabinet, a collection of otherworldly characters suddenly steps into his makeshift mechanical world. When the outlandish, benevolent characters turn his world upside down with a touch of poetry and humor in an attempt to ignite the Seeker’s imagination, his curios jump to life one by one before his very eyes. What if by engaging our imagination and opening our minds we could unlock the door to a world of wonders, a bridge to a new dimension, a magnetic portal to an invisible world? KURIOS immerses you in this mysterious and fascinating realm that disorients your senses and challenges your perceptions, leaving you to wonder: “Is it real, or just a figment of my imagination?” Step into the curio cabinet of an ambitious inventor who defies the laws of time, space and dimension in order to reinvent everything around him! And suddenly, the visible becomes invisible, perspectives are transformed, and the world is literally turned upside down in a place that’s as beautiful as it is mysterious! /// 11:10... EXPERIENCE (ACTS) ------------------------------ “What utter strangeness. Down is up. Up is down. Gravity ceases to exist. Antigravity. Antimatter. They hang from the ceiling as if it were nothing. As if they were giant bats. Everything I have ever scientifically understood has been turned on its head. What a sheer expandable delight!” –- The Seeker. Having settled in our seats now, and taken in the elaborately-themed, yet simply-constructed set, we begin to notice the goings-on on the stage and surrounding space. We find the two "cabinets" stationed stage-right and stage-left. To their immediate sides are two columns - the "wave sensors" (satellite dishes and other radar gathering machines) - which appear to have been built out of scraps. A time piece on the far wall, which just a moment ago read 11:07, now turns with a loud chime to 11:08. A number of Victrola-inspired gadgets surround the stage's thrust, which the Seeker buzzes around testing, calibrating. On another contraption, a cross between a gramophone and typewriter, he punches in a code, and then turns the lever to send his communication. Satisfied his message sent and received, he continues to ready his conveyance - a specially built chair standing 3.5 meters tall - for the journey he is preparing to take. Meanwhile, his Kurios robots are running amok in the audience, passing out pillows and blankets, and putting baby crib mobiles atop other’s heads. The clock on the wall turns over another minute, now reading 11:09. At 11:10, as the lights dim, you can sense the tension in the air - a shock of electric excitement permeates as any previous vociferations at the announcement the show is about to begin comes to a sharp end. Then a gentleman, using a rather interesting hybrid accordion- keyboarded contraption (with no less than three phonograph speakers attached to it), steps to the front of the stage, and through the manipulation of his contraption, announces the name of the spectacle... KURIOS – CABINET DES CURIOSITÉS! PROLOGUE The sound of a train whistle off in the distance pierces the darkness next, immediately followed by the powerful beam of a bright, white light – the train’s headlight! As music begins to play (a funky fusion of jazz and electro-swing), the train peeks over the hill, and in an opening reminiscent of La Nouba's Festival of Characters, Alegría's "Milonga" Opening, and Varekai's Musician's Walk, artists spill into the big top. These are “The Travelers” (a miniature train atop their heads); they are accompanied by the show’s musicians: Marc Sohier (Canada) - bandleader, bass, double bass; Michael Levin (USA) - cello, keyboards, Guitar; Paul Lazar (France) – Violins; Lidia Kaminska (Poland) - Accordion, Keyboard; Christopher "Kit" Chatham (USA) – Drums; Antoine Berthiaume (Canada) – Guitar; Christa Mercey (Canada) – Percussion), and Singer Eirini Tornesaki (Greece). The train chugs through the big top - from one side to the other – on a journey we know not where... Or do we? Just where we’ll have to wait and see! Once the train disappears around a bend in the tracks, our attention is returned to the Seeker (Anton Valen, from Spain), who is busy in his workshop making final adjustments to his equipment - connecting the chair to the electric dynamos, calibrating his sensitive aural receivers, checking the wave sensors for analogous readings, and sending one last communication: -.- ..- .-. .. --- ... (K-U-R-I-O-S). Set, and ready to go, the Seeker hops into his chair. As the clock on the wall strikes 11:11, he flips the switch, sending his mechanical whirligigs into motion. But something unexpected happens... instead of transporting him to another world, it seems this other realm is about to come to him! He hops out of his chair in shock, as the items in his workshop begin to spring into motion, taking on a life of their own. Twin manikins, which had up until then been standing off to the side lifeless, dance and flit about as if touched by madness. The Seeker’s robots begin to swirl and twirl in confusion while electricity sparks through the lab’s wave sensors, opening a portal high above them. Through this wormhole descends the portly Mr. Microcosmos (played by Karl L'Ecuyer, from Canada – previously a Cricket of OVO), Klara (Ekaterina Pirogovskaya, Russia – fans might remember her as “Violet” from IRIS) and Nico (played by Nico Baixas from Spain) - a.k.a. "The Visitors" – wearing intra-dimensional masks. They remove their masks (discarding them into the belly of Mr. Microcosmos) and then turn their attention aft as Mr. Microcosmo's belly and coat unfolds into a locomotive (the very same from earlier; its structure, which extends out over a distance of 19-meters, is all aluminum. The outer shell is made out of mostly vinyl canvas with fiberglass mosquito screen used for windows.), which pulls right into the Seeker's Workshop, out of which emerges a swarm of travelers from the 19th Century... CHARIVARI ("CHAOS SYNCHRO") Percussionist Christa Mercey, a graduate of the University of Toronto (in percussion performance), plays the role of Bella Donna (complete with a side-angled Victorian hat that makes it look as if she’s stepped out of “My Fair Lady”) in this group act that combines drumming (on various objects, like suitcases, chairs and tables) with juggling. She’s accompanied by Kit Chatam, the show’s drummer, and Gabriel Beaudoin, an accomplished juggler who spent nine years training for his craft, five at the École de Cirque de Québec in Quebec City, then four at the École Nationale de Cirque in Montreal. Together with help of “The Travelers”, a mélange of movement nothing less than a feast for the senses takes place before us. Everything is in continuous motion as Christa walks over chairs placed in her path, suitcases and tables become beat-boxes for both she and Kit, and all the while Gabriel juggles an ever increasing number of clubs. And when he flies up into the air – still juggling his clubs – we realize there’s no stopping this train! It really is synchronized chaos and it’s fantastic! RUSSIAN CRADLE DUO A giant leather chest is left behind as the Travelers bid us an enthusiastic adieu. It opens to reveal, encased in sumptuous Moroccan cushions, two characters that emerge from the box like Fabergé jewels, evoking a pair of wax dolls. (The cut of their costumes is inspired by early sportswear and vintage circus attire, and they seem almost out of place in this steampunky world until the doll context is understood. The materials, however, are quite modern and highly sophisticated - velour effects and imitation leather cuts in gold.) The dolls (Ukranian performers Roman and Lena Tereshchenko) then spring to life before our eyes to perform a rousing and dangerous Russian Cradle routine. The cradle (also known as aerial cradle or casting cradle) is a an apparatus composed of one or two gantries equipped with platforms grounded at variable heights facing forward, upon which stands a carrier attached to the platform at the waist. The aerialist being propelled is referred to as a flyer, while the one doing the tossing and catching is referred to as a carrier (or catcher). The flyer usually starts and ends standing on the frame above the catcher. The flyer swings holding on to the catcher's hands, performs releases at the top of the swing, and is re-caught in mid-air. In addition to the technical aspects of their performance, the Tereshchenko’s sprinkle a bit of lovers flair to the mix, making theirs a touching performance. AERIAL BICYCLE In a performance similar to Aerial Hoops (as seen in various Cirque du Soleil productions), the “Chandelier Lady” – Anne Weissbecker (France) – takes to the skies in her two-wheeled cycle to perform a wonderful routine of strength and movement. INVISIBLE CIRCUS KURIOS’s resident clown – David-Alexandre Després from Canada – takes the stage, literally, with a routine some have come to love to hate: the Invisible Circus. The routine itself is rather pedantic – four invisible artists take the stage to perform a high-wire with unicycle act, a trapeze routine, teeterboard jumping (Rita & Cheetah), a high- dive into a bowl of water (Giuseppe), and leaping through a hoop set afire (Felippe, the lion), but it is humorous enough, and sure to please the kids in the audience. CONTORTION A huge mechanical hand, weighing 340 kilograms and measuring 4.6- meters by 2.1-meters crawls upstage next. Operated by two artists using a pedal and gear mechanism, the all-fiberglass hand is an automaton built from various parts that look like wood, metal, marble and iron. Atop the structure four bendable ladies from, uhm, Russia (Ayagma Tsybenova, Lillia Zhambalova, Bayarma Zodboeva, Imin Tsydendambaeva), practice the extreme physical discipline known as Contortion. Clothed to appear as Eels, they fold and contort their bodies into various mind-bending poses. Appearing in their third Cirque du Soleil show - having first appeared in Banana Shpeel and later IRIS - these ladies perform a stimulating routine fans of these two previous shows will undoubtedly remember. Consequently, in the Set Designer’s mind, the Seeker built the hand with rare objects collected on his travels: a wooden finger found in Sienna during the Renaissance, a nail picked up in a Greek temple, and so on. And the mechanical hand represents a paragon of the do-it- yourself ethos and evokes the richness and the materials from the era of the greatest scientific discoveries. BALANCING ON CHAIRS The metal hand is replaced with a dinner table, set with all the finery, replete with guests taking in a meal and conversation. Although what they are conversing about is unknown to us, it quickly becomes apparent that one of the dinner guests is boasting about his ability to catch the chandelier one of the magicians has set aloft by balancing the chairs around the dinner table. Fans of Cirque du Soleil will recognize this equilibrist as none other than Cuban-born Carlos Rokardy, formerly of La Nouba and Viva Elvis. His routine here is similar to his performance in both shows, building chairs ever higher to catch the floating chandelier. Only – look up – he’s not alone! This number is referred to as the “upside-down dinner scene” for a reason, for above Rokardy, another dinner is taking place with another balancer stacking chairs – only in reverse! Counterweights were attached to parts of the costume worn by the artist hanging from the chandelier to create the impression that gravity has been reversed. These counterweights work like roly-poly toys – tilting dolls that have a weight inside the bottom and wobble back to an upright position when pushed. It’s a fantastic twist to what’s become a Cirque du Soleil staple performance. ROLA BOLA Rola Bola is one of this production's centerpieces. "It's the only act of rola bola aerial of its kind in the world," said Michel Laprise in an interview with the Montreal Gazette. "When I was presented that act by Casting I said: 'we do everything to get this guy.'" And so they did. The "guy" is James Eulises Gonzalez Correa, a native of Colombia who has performed all over the world. And his act is simply breathtaking. Gonzalez personifies The Aviator (you can spot him throughout various scenes wearing a gold-lined, translucent aqua-colored overcoat, aviator goggles and appropriate leather head-gear. And in the opening of the show, flinging far-traveling paper airplanes into the crowd), man’s dream and ambition of achieving mechanical flight; he makes his approach upstage (quite literally) in a boxy winged aircraft of his own design. As he lands, he transforms his aircraft into a performance space where he first balances upon a bowling ball, then ever- increasing (and rotating) cylinders. And just when you think he couldn’t up the difficulty, he returns to the air, all the while balancing on his rolas... Invented in 1898 by Vasque, a Frenchman, the Rola Bola discipline consists of standing and balancing on an unstable assembly of boards supported by cylinders roughly 25 centimeters in diameter. The system is a lever similar to a see-saw that the performer stands on, usually with the left and right foot at opposite ends of the board. The performer must then stay balanced enough to keep the board's edges from touching the stage and to keep from falling off the apparatus. INTERMISSION The Seeker joins us briefly once again, riding a rocket-fueled version of his chair into the higher elevations. Where he (and we) will end up next is for discovery after Intermission! ACRO NET Now up high above the ground, the Seeker (and by extension us) catch a glimpse of the mischievous behaviors that occur in the heavens of this retro-futuristic realm. On a sea of clouds, friendly rainbows cast fishing lines into a sea stocked with spirited fry. The “fish” creatures utilize specialized trampoline techniques, and double- bouncing skills to send members of their “school” sailing high. A play on the dynamics of a typical backyard trampoline, requiring two people-one person jumping, the other person(s) standing near the outer springs, ready to initiate the double bounce at the appropriate moment. At a certain point in the air (timing is crucial, but relative to the individuals taking part), the person standing off to the side stomps down near the landing area of the trampoline just as the jumper comes in. The initial stomp and landing results in more force being applied downward than the jumper is able to initiate on his/her own. When successful, the jumper will be propelled significantly higher than usual. Exuberant, fun-filled leaps ensue, delighting the audience as these “fish” dance atop the cloud-waves. With a humorous nudge to modern technology, a few performers grab wakeboarding handles and leap into the air, appearing as if they are speeding through the surf behind a speedboat, flailing and kicking. Yet, as all fun beach days must, this winds down to an end, and the net begins to sag to the stage surface, and our new friends return to their other form as fish, flopping on dry land. Consequently, the costumes are an illusion to the way film director Georges Méliès imagined Martians; hence you’ll find a number of these performers - Victor Degtyarev (Russia), Arnaud Gaizergues (France), Nathan Dennis (Australia), Karl L'Ecuyer (Canada), Mathieu Hubener (France), Ryan Murray (USA) - with the scales as well as fin and fishtail grafts. CLOWN ACT – ANIMAL MIME While the Acro Net is being secured away by a handful of stage-hands (which are quite noticeable Cirque, fix that), our intrepid comedian/mime is working the stands looking for an unsuspecting audience member to be his date for the evening. Once selected, he ushers her to the front of the stage, dropping her at his “front door”, and waits inside on his two-seater couch for her to ring his doorbell. Once welcomed inside and seated on the couch, he becomes “smitten” and nervous as if he’s a young man on his first date. He fidgets helplessly, and then remembers dancing is the popular thing and goes to turn on his radio. It shocks him as he does so, sending him into a whirlwind of electronica-induced dance moves and Velociraptor impersonations (he really sells those Velociraptor stomps!) After a few moments the odd behavior wears off and he returns to her side on the couch, unawares anything is wrong. A moment or two passes and he then remembers that he has yet to offer her a beverage, so he rises once again to get one. While he is “out of the room”, she is “visited” by his “pet bird” – played by him. While the bird is busy head bobbing, whistles and attempts to woo her, the “cat” catches the bird, turning it into nothing more than a handful of feathers. The cat then takes what he feels his is rightful place on the couch, preening and kneading – generally making the audience member slightly uncomfortable. What follows is a predictable, but hilarious, exhibit of cat behavior from ignoring its owner to using the litter box, but when he “coughs up a furball” the entire big top dissolves into sheer hysteria! The icing on the cake is a laser pointer’s light pointed at the chest of the already uncomfortable audience member with a cat ready to pounce! The routine ends when the cat, stretched out on the back of the couch, falls off the back, heralding the return of our now human mime with drinks in hand. HAND PUPPETRY The tempo slows following the energetic Acro Net performance with a scene denoted as “Hands Continent”. The mechanical hand seen earlier returns accompanied by a hot-air balloon reminiscent of The Cloud from Varekai. The hot-air balloon used in this scene is made of fabric and has a built-in blower system. The gondola is made of metal and tulle. It serves as a projection screen 4.3-meters in diameter, which Nico the Accordion Man uses to show us his fantastic finger puppetry. Using his fingers as the puppets legs for walking, Nico takes us along a smaller-scale (literally and figuratively) journey of friendship and success. Our small puppet companion begins to travel, meeting a partner along the way. The two travel together, overcoming small obstacles, reminiscent of the first half of the show. As the puppet show progresses, our “two-legged” protagonist portrays another type of journey, presumably held very close to the hearts of all Cirque du Soleil performers - a journey from humble beginnings within their respective specialist (in this case, dance), through trials, and resulting in a coveted role in a circus show. From then on, the puppet act extends into the audience via a small hot-air balloon carrying our protagonist. The camera, now hand-held, leads the balloon into the audience, where our puppet friend settles into a relaxing life in a beach setting - atop the (un?)fortunate head of a probably-balding audience member. Complete with beach towel, umbrella, and his long-traveled companion, arm-in-arm, our small character interacts with the audience in what very much resembles something you would expect from Blue Man Group- quirky, and successfully breaking the 4th wall in a way only a stage show can. AERIAL STRAPS In a performance that would have most definitely been The Atherton Twins’ had they stuck with the show, two brothers (Roman and Vitali Tomanov, from the US) perform an amazing new Aerial Straps routine in their stead. Consisting of two thin parallel straps several meters in length, along which the acrobat rolls and unrolls using the wrists and arms to execute rises, falls and acrobatics, all the while suspended. The aerial straps artists perform on a gigantic “drop of mercury” made entirely of fiberglass and covered in silver leaf. This character, made of two conjoined twins, is named Jean-Claude (presumably, “Jean” and “Claude”), have been visible throughout the entire show so far, joined at the hips. Their gait is well-practiced, almost an optical illusion, as their legs swing in opposing, yet, synchronous patterns. They move fluidly about the stage, adept and elegant; however, during the aerial act, the two brothers part, sailing in opposing directions from each other, separate entities for the first time in their lives. They land, and stop to admire their legs, being able to see the other side of their bodies as never before. The act continues as a celebration of freedom, but soon evidence of unrest becomes apparent. A hint of competition or disagreement begins between the two brothers - perhaps they worked better as a team after all. More flying follows, fantastic acrobatic feats of strength and coordination, until both brothers land, side-by- side again, back on the mercury drop, their own small “Microcosmos”. Wrapping their arms around each other’s backs, they seem to choose to become conjoined again, returning to their state of teamwork and agreement. BANQUINE Last, but certainly not least, is one of Cirque du Soleil’s best acrobatic numbers in my opinion, the Banquine! For those unawares, Banquine is an acrobatic discipline normally executed at ground level by two carries who, using their arms, catapult a flyer to stand on the interlaced hands of the carriers, a position called banquette. The impetus allows the flyer to perform acrobatic leaps and return to the starting point, the ground, or the banquette of a second team of carriers. It seems simple enough but Cirque du Soleil has elevated this discipline into an art form, as seen in Quidam and Journey of Man; Banquine returned to the Cirque fold in ZED and Viva Elvis, and can currently be seen in ZARKANA at Aria in Las Vegas. Fans of Cirque du Soleil will recognize the names of many of the performers here - Nikolay Astashkin (Russia), Andrii Bondarenko (Ukrane), Ekaterina Evdokimova (Russia), Roman Kenzhayev (Kazakhstan), Elena Kolesnikova (Russia), Sergey Kudryavstev (Russia), Anton Lyapunov (Ukrane), Andrey Nikitin (Russia), Serguei Okhai (Ukrane), Roman Polishchuk (Ukrane), Alexy Starodubtsev (Russia) and Igor Strizhanov (Russia) – as the team that performed in ZED and later Viva Elvis. And perhaps that is why the music and choreography accompanying this act has a somewhat Elvis-slant to it. In either case you can’t go wrong with Banquine no matter what form it’s presented in. It’s a wonderful way to end the show! /// 11:12... ALL ABOARD! ------------------------ We, Nicole and I, had a fantastic time in Montreal, even if the weather was a bit of a downer. It was great flying into New York and road-tripping with Doug and Mary Metzger, staying overnight at their little getaway in Lake Placid. And it was equally gratifying to see all our Cirque-y friends again once we rolled in to Montreal: Heather Smith & Jim Strain, Chris Gullick & Todd Krause, Gena Colton, Quiche Lorraine (as she likes to be known by), Mark Wyrick (who I met here in Montreal in 2002), Vince Kramer, and of course, Rodolfo Elizondo. As for the show, well, what can we say? We really liked it a lot! We certainly had our doubts before arriving, and even as we entered the Big Top, but the moment we saw the set and stage many of those doubts were set aside, and were definitely squashed when KURIOS’ train pulled into station at the beginning of the show. Michel Laprise has certainly outdone himself; Guy Laliberté, and all of Cirque du Soleil even, should be proud. And being a home-grown director (the first who’s risen in the organization to direct), I’m sure it means even more to him that this show is the success it is, from all accounts. We’ll definitely be following KURIOS’s path in the future, hoping to catch another ride on that train again soon! ---------------------------------------------------------- "Cirque du Soleil's Highest Grossing Shows" Special Reprint – TheRichest.com ---------------------------------------------------------- Now here’s an interesting article from TheRichest.com – a top 10 of Cirque du Soleil’s highest grossing shows. # # # Guy Laliberté is the man behind the fantasy, who turned circus acts into magic and acrobatics into fairy tales when he laid the foundations of Cirque du Soleil. Accordionist by trade, a specialist in walking on stilts, and fire eater, Laliberté and a group of 20 Montreal performing artists founded Canada’s most successful export product back in 1984. Just as their slogans says, “we reinvent the circus,” Cirque du Soleil created a new niche, focusing on a new type of audience, where clowns became sophisticated and their numbers elaborated, all the while increasing the public’s comfort. Furthermore, they added theater elements, each show with its own storyline and musical score, dedicated exclusively to the most skillful of human talents. Their shows thrilled over 40 million people from over 100 countries. What’s even more spectacular is that in just 20 years, Cirque du Soleil grossed much more than other famous companies cashed within a century. The value of the enterprise exceeds $2 billion. Their state- of-the art headquarters in Montreal alone is worth $60 million. Cirque du Soleil makes over $800 million a year in ticket sales, exceeding $1 billion in both 2012 and 2013. With over 4,000 employees, including over 1,000 professional circus artists, their shows’ dizzying heights, impeccable costumes, glamour, and distinctive refinement, a unique blend of acrobatics and theater, gave birth to the most expensive cirque extravaganza on Earth. 10. Zarkana: Grossing An Average $30 million Per Year What started as a touring show in 2011 was converted into a permanent Las Vegas circus performance in 2012 and immediately began cashing in millions. Cirque du Soleil’s Zarkana is the company’s third most expensive show to attend, and one of their biggest productions to date. Characterized by a unique set that is constantly moving, allowing the performers to shine, it features amazing visual effects, as images are projected onto LED screens, creating remarkable illusions of fire and snakes blending in with the artists’ acrobatic talents. With the average ticket price of just over $200, Zarkana cashes in around $30 million in sales per year. 9. Varekai: Grossing An Average $30 Million Per Year Directed by theater director Dominic Champagne, Varekai premiered in 2002 in Montreal as a touring show. The storyline revolves around the Greek myth of Icarus, slightly altered to fit the spectacular acrobatic performances. The show, Varekai meaning “wherever” in the Roman language, is self-described as an “acrobatic tribute to the nomadic soul.” It cost $66 million to stage, and the set includes a forest with 300 trees, stage, catwalk, and lookout. The cast of 58 performers and the live music performed by seven musicians and two singers have thrilled over 6 million spectators so far. With tickets selling for around $70, Varekai grosses an average $160,000 per show, earning $30 million per year. 8. Kooza: Grossing An Average $33 Million Per Year Premiered in Montreal in 2007, Kooza signifies Cirque du Soleil’s return to their origins, combining two priceless circus traditions, acrobatic performances and the art of clowning, all revolving around the main character, called The Innocent, who is in an endless search for a place where he can fit in. Kooza is Sanskrit for “treasure box,” and runs along ten acrobatic acts, written and directed by Davis Shiner, boasting colorful traditional circus inspired costumes. The touring show sells tickets for $70 per adult and makes an average $205,000 per show, grossing around $33 million per year. 7. Dralion: Grossing An Average $40 Million Per Year Based on the immortal East meet West theme, Dralion is based on various elements of traditional Chinese circus and contemporary Western circus. The name of the show is actually a portmanteau of “dragon” and “lion,” symbolizing the junction between the two worlds. There are over 1,500 wardrobe pieces, vibrant colored costumes inspired by traditional Indian, Chinese, and African clothing. Dralion started as a touring show in 1999. In 2010, it was converted into a format suitable for arenas. With an average ticket price of $88 per adult, each show cashes in an average $305,000. More than 8 million spectators worldwide have seen the performance, which cost a whopping $24 million to stage. 6. The Beatles Love, Grossing An A $60 Million Per Year One of Las Vegas’ most beloved resident shows, Love premiered in 2006 at The Mirage. A cast of 60 international artists make the adored Beatles music shine through their awe-inspiring choreography. The Love Theater at The Mirage was built specially to host the show, which cost $100 million to stage. Revolving around the Beatles’ musical legacy, with re-imagined music, it follows the group’s journey to stardom. With average ticket prices hitting $200, Love grosses an average $60 million a year. 5. La Nouba: Grossing An Average $70 Million Per Year Performed in a custom-built freestanding theater at Downtown Disney in the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, La Nouba is a spectacular contemporary circus performance. The name is inspired from the French “faire la nouba”, meaning “to party” and that’s exactly what the show is all about. Self-described as “dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment,” inspired by the Disney World itself, featuring over 1,200 lighting fixtures for each show, it counted its 7,000th performance in 2013. With an average ticket price of $200 per adult, the avant-garde circus show makes around $70 million a year in sales. 4. Alegria: Grossing An Average $80 Million Per Year Directed by Pierre Parisien, featuring an eclectic mix of music styles, Cirque du Soleil’s Alegria revolves around two central themes: power and contrast. With darker music and lighting than other shows, it transmits a feeling of obscurity. Premiered in 1994, Alegria counted over 5,000 performances under its name, becoming one of the most popular touring shows ever. It cost more than $3 million to stage. In 2009, it was adapted for the arena and continues to tour America and Europe. Over 10 million spectators in over 65 cities throughout the world witnessed the performance, grossing an average $1.3 million per show. With an average ticket price of $100 per adult, it makes around $90 million in sales per year. 3. Michael Jackson ONE: Grossing Over $100 Million In 2013 With an average ticket price of $260 per adult, Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson ONE is the company’s most expensive show to date. A stunning theatrical performance, it premiered in 2013 at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, where the Michael Jackson Theater was specially remodeled to accommodate the performance. More theatrical, the second Michael Jackson inspired Cirque du Soleil show is written and directed by Jamie King, and is a transformative adventure, a theatrical evocation of the pop singer’s creative genius performed on a soundtrack that includes 25 Michael Jackson tunes. Since its debut in May 2013, the show grossed over $100 million, making it one of the highest earning resident shows in America. 2. O: Grossing Over $100 Million Per Year Perhaps Cirque du Soleil’s most spectacular resident show, O premiered in October 1998 at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The rather unusual name of the show, O is pronounced as “eau,” which is French for water. Counting over 6,000 performances to date, the aquatic themed show revolves around a 1.5 million gallon pool and features remarkable synchronized swimming, high dive, and fire dancing. A cast of 85 acrobats give life to the performance housed by the fabulous O Theater, designed like a 14th century European opera house that can seat 1,800 spectators. One of the most popular shows in Las Vegas, O grossed over $1 billion since its debut in 1998, and sells tickets for an average price of $226 per adult. 1. Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour: $160 Million Per Year A unique combination of Michael Jackson’s music and Cirque du Soleil’s spectacular acrobatic performances, Michael Jackson: The Immortal Tour recreates the rock concert experience in one of the world’s most successful touring shows, which premiered in 2011 in Montreal. Jointly owned by Cirque du Soleil and The Michael Jackson Company, the show pays a tribute to the late singer, but unlike Michael Jackson ONE, which focuses on the Pop King’s music, it is less theatrical and more like a concert, with 49 international dancers giving life to a stunning choreography. The highest grossing Cirque du Soleil show, and one of the highest grossing touring shows of all time, it sold over 100 million tickets since its debut. With an average ticket price of $150 per adult, it generated over $500 million in sales, grossing $140 million in 2011 and $160 million in 2012, with a revenue of approximately $3 million per show. # # # If the figures are correct here, this article is very telling. Normally one does not see or hear about earnings from Cirque, especially broken down by show (although we’ve seen and shared a list of earnings on touring shows a while back; see Issue #115). While this article does not cite sources, it’s easy enough to get a ball park earning figure based on an average cost of ticket and number of seats to be sold per show, etc. etc. What I find telling about this top 10 list is that shows like Mystere, Zumanty, KA and BELIEVE are nowhere to be seen. Is this because that data was not available on these shows or are they really earning less than ZARKANA? And if Alegria was really #4 on the earnings list, why on earth did Cirque decide to close the show? If anything it makes double what Dralion makes in a year – close Dralion early, revamp Alegria and keep it going! As an intrepid follower of Cirque du Soleil, we have a few issues with the writer's information. For example, an average ticket cost for La Nouba is no where near $200, not with the highest adult ticket reaching just $150 USD. Even if you convert that to Canadian Dollars. (Although the base prices we have do not include entertainment fees, sales taxes or other service charges.) Alas, interesting information indeed! { SOURCE: The Richest.com | http://goo.gl/BplkhN } ======================================================================= COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER ======================================================================= Fascination! Newsletter Volume 14, Number 5 (Issue #124) - May 2014 "Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (c) 2001-2014 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. { May.08.2014 } =======================================================================