======================================================================= ______ _ __ _ __ / ____/___ ___________(_)___ ____ _/ /_(_)___ ____ / / / /_ / __ '/ ___/ ___/ / __ \/ __ '/ __/ / __ \/ __ \/ / / __/ / /_/ (__ ) /__ / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /_/ / / / /_/ /_/ \__,_/____/\___/_/_/ /_/\__,_/\__/_/\____/_/ /_(_) 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 18, NUMBER 10 October 2018 ISSUE #177 ======================================================================= Welcome to the latest edition of Fascination, the Unofficial Cirque du Soleil Newsletter. And it's jam-packed with news and features, so we better get started! * * * GRACIAS TOTALES SEP7IMO DIA! * * * Sep7imo Dia's final bow was on September 23rd. With a world premiere in Buenos Aires in March 2017, the show's final performances ended exactly where it all started. SEP7IMO DIA – NO DESCANSARÉ blended the wonder of Cirque du Soleil with the explosive pop-rock energy of Soda Stereo – Argentina’s musical icons – to immerse spectators in the band’s symbolism and poetry. In a breathtaking display of Cirque du Soleil’s signature artistry and physicality, SEP7IMO DIA conjured a world outside of time – a place where emotions ebb and flow like the tide, pulsing to the rhythm of the band’s emblematic songs. "Thank you to all the cities we visited - Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Lima, Santiago de Chile, Bogota, Monterrey, Guadalajara, Panama, San Jose, Guatemala, Miami, Los Angeles, Asuncion, Rosario, and Mar del Plata." Check out these last four videos about the show and its artists... o) Official 2018 Trailer for Sep7imo Dia LINK /// < https://youtu.be/JFJWWWBMf7o > o) Early Days of SODA STEREO Sep7imo Dia LINK /// < https://youtu.be/tvR3R69LHK8 > o) Emotional Final Days for Sep7imo Dia Artists LINK /// < https://youtu.be/-WetuJtDMM4 > o) Gracias Totales Soda Stereo! LINK /// < https://youtu.be/VjBBGhKA-ns > * * * KURIOS - AS A FATHOM EVENT! * * * Every breathtaking moment. Every larger-than-life detail. This is a whole new awe-inspiring way to experience Cirque du Soleil. For one night, Cirque du Soleil in Cinema transports its internationally acclaimed show KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities to the big screen. 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. Suddenly, the visible becomes invisible, perspectives are transformed, and the world is literally turned upside down. Immerse yourself in a spectacular cinematic experience through never-before-seen angles. Movie-going just got jaw-dropping! Tickets on sale October 4, 2018; in Theaters November 13th! * * * THE CREATIVE TEAM BEHIND NEW ALEGRIA ANNOUNCED * * * Cirque du Soleil is happy to introduce the creative team behind Alegría – The Return of an Icon, a revisit of one of its most iconic productions, which won over more than 14 million spectators. Strongly inspired by the original spirit of Alegría, the creative team’s mission will be to touch today’s audience by bringing to the stage a renewed vision of the show. Guided by Director of Creation Daniel Ross, the team behind Alegría – The Return of an Icon includes creators who have worked on the original show in 1994, along with new talent. Jean-Guy Legault, renowned for his bold, innovative productions, will oversee the stage direction. His work has been showcased at events and venues across Quebec, including the Just For Laughs Festival, Théâtre Denise- Pelletier, Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui, Théâtre du Rideau Vert and Théâtre du Nouveau Monde (TNM). His role will be to honour the memories of an entire generation of fans and recreate the emotions they felt, while making sure the show remains just as inspiring as it was 25 years ago. Jean-Phi Goncalves, renowned for his work as musical director for Série Hommage – the Cirque du Soleil tribute series presented every Summer in Trois-Rivières, will revisit the legendary soundtrack of Alegría originally composed by René Dupéré. Dominique Lemieux, the show’s original Costume Designer, and Nathalie Gagné, original Make-up Designer, will also join the team to dive back into the creation of their iconic work using modern techniques and innovations. “Our biggest challenge lies in finding a balance between respecting the essence of the original show, and reinterpreting it to meet the expectations of today’s audience,” said Daniel Ross, Director of Creation for Alegría – The Return of an Icon. “Together, we want to touch the hearts of the spectators and make them relive, or discover for the first time, the emotions that left their mark on millions of people.” And here's the entire team... o) Director of Creation — Daniel Ross o) Stage Director — Jean-Guy Legault o) Production Manager — Lucie Janvier o) Set & Props Designer — Anne-Séguin Poirier o) Composer — René Dupéré o) Musical Direction and Arrangements — Jean-Phi Goncalves o) Costume Designer — Dominique Lemieux o) Acrobatic Equipment Designer — Pierre Masse o) Associate Acrobatic Equipment Designer — Kevin Fauquembergue o) Acro Performance — Richard LePage o) Lighting Designer — Mikki Kunttu o) Sound Designers — Jacques Boucher et Jean-Michel Caron o) Make-Up Designer — Nathalie Gagné o) Technical Director — Christian Laflamme Alegría – The Return of an Icon will be presented under the Big Top, at the Quays of the Old Port of Montreal starting April 18, 2019, and at ZIBI’s site in Gatineau starting August 1, 2019. * * * NFL EXPERIENCE IN TIMES SQUARE CLOSES * * * After just 10 months and only two weeks into the new season, the Times Square-based NFL Experience — a 40,000-square-foot attraction featuring a 4-D roller-coaster theater — closed its doors on Sept. 30. More than 90 employees will lose their jobs, according to a state filing. “We unfortunately have to end our season early,” says a post on its social media accounts. The joint venture between the NFL and Cirque du Soleil did not “meet expectations,” said an employee at the location, which had a sandwich board outside the entrance on Wednesday announcing the closure and a 50-percent-off promotion on merchandise. “Despite our team’s dedicated efforts, we were simply unsuccessful at meeting the financial goals,” a Cirque du Soleil spokesperson said. The hefty admission price — $37 for adults and $29 for children — could have something to do with low attendance. Without providing a reason for the closure, the NFL said in a statement, “The innovative partnership between the NFL and Cirque du Soleil allowed us to provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience for football fans visiting New York City. While this endeavor is coming to an end, the NFL will continue to offer unique, interactive events for our fans in the US and around the world.” Industry experts were surprised by its swift demise, speculating that the NFL “never put its marketing muscle” behind the NFL Experience. * * * CIRQUE COMING TO MSC BELLISSIMA * * * MSC Cruises has partnered with Cirque du Soleil to offer a unique onboard entertainment experience: Cirque du Soleil at Sea. This long- term partnership, sees the world leader in artistic entertainment, Cirque du Soleil, create a total of eight original shows that will be exclusively available on MSC Cruises’ four Meraviglia generation ships. The first two shows debuted on MSC Meraviglia. Now Cirque du Soleil at Sea is coming to MSC Bellissima with 2 brand new shows beginning March 2019! Six nights per week, this entertainment experience takes place in a multi-million euro, custom-made entertainment and dining venue where guests will be able to enjoy dinner or cocktails and then watch the Cirque du Soleil at Sea performances. TEASER VIDEO: < https://vimeo.com/288159642 > * * * INSIDE THE ISSUE * * * There's a lot waiting for you in our FEATURES section this month. First, Keith Johnson, who was in attendance at VOLTA the night of the lift malfunction, brings us details of his "UH-MAZE-ING" experience he had that night. Next, we hear from Kerry Hennigan, a fan who flew all the way from Adelaide, Australia to partake in the celebrations surrounding Michael Jackson's 60th Birthday in Las Vegas - she gives us a fantastic review of the experience. Then, take a peek into Cirque du Soleil's newest Television production - the just announced BIG TOP ACADEMY - as we look at the show is about and its characters. And last, but certainly not least, continue our look back at classic critiques for Mystère. Okay, so let's go! /----------------------------------------------------\ | | | Join us on the web at: | | < www.cirquefascination.com > | | | | At CirqueCast: | | < http://www.cirquecast.com/ > | | | | Realy Simple Syndication (RSS) Feed (News Only): | | < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?feed=rss2 > | | | \----------------------------------------------------/ - Ricky "Richasi" Russo =========== CONTENTS =========== o) Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings * La Presse -- General News & Highlights * Q&A -- Quick Chats & Press Interviews o) Itinéraire -- Tour/Show Information * BigTop Shows -- Under the Grand Chapiteau * Arena Shows -- In Stadium-like venues * Resident Shows -- Performed en Le Théâtre o) Outreach -- Updates from Cirque's Social Widgets * Webseries -- Official Online Featurettes * Videos -- Official Peeks & Noted Fan Finds o) Fascination! Features * "Vegetable VOLTA!" By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA) * "Celebrating Michael's 60th Birthday" By: Kerry Hennigan - Adelaide, South Australia (AUS) * "Big Top Academy - It's About to Start!" Texts from the Press Release * "We're Off and Running II, Part 2 of 4: Mystère" By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) o) Copyright & Disclaimer ======================================================================= CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS ======================================================================= *************************************************************** LA PRESSE -- General News & Highlights *************************************************************** ------------------------------------------------------- Customers Refunded After Oil Soaks Crowd {Sep.09.2018} ------------------------------------------------------- It was a much anticipated private preview show for Cirque Du Soleil’s “Volta” Show, but only 30 minutes into it audience members were caught off guard when oil started soaking them. The mishap caused the show to get canceled mid-performance at Marymoor Park in Redmond. Sitting in the front row, Chase Costello and his wife expected to see a spectacle at the Cirque Du Soleil show, not be a part of it. It was a much anticipated private preview show for Cirque Du Soleil’s “Volta” Show, but only 30 minutes into it audience members were caught off guard when oil started soaking them. Thirty minutes into the Volta private preview show, liquid was seen spraying the crowd and soaking a lot of people. Cirque Du Soleil said a problem with the hydraulic system caused a hose to break loose and it sprayed a vegetable-based oil onto the stage and the audience. "It was everywhere, I mean it was all over us, in our hair on our clothes, on our shoes, it was nasty,” Costello said. “We were watching it and all-of-a-sudden, this big spray comes over us and the guy who was sitting next to us, he was a mechanic or something and he said this is oil." Cirque du Soleil said in a statement, “No one was injured by the incident and the oil posed no risk for the health of the guests or the employees. We apologize for this incident and will automatically reimburse all guests who had purchased tickets for the cancelled show.” “All my clothes are ruined,” Costello said. “Stuff happens and you know it is, what it is. I would like them to at least reimburse me for the damages.” Still, Costello said judging from the first 30 minutes he only got to watch, he'll give it another shot. “I would definitely go back and maybe not sit so close so it doesn’t happen again,” said Costello. Cirque Du Soleil said people who went to the 8 p.m. show on Friday will be refunded automatically within 48 hours. They will also be offered a 30 percent discount when rebooking their tickets to come see the show again in Seattle before November 4. The official opening premiere night of VOLTA will take place on Tuesday night, September 11. { SOURCE: KOMO News } ------------------------------------------------------- New Highlights of BAZZAR! {Sep.10.2018} ------------------------------------------------------- Welcome to Cirque du Soleil BAZZAR, an eclectic lab of infinite creativity where a joyful troupe of acrobats, dancers and musicians craft an awe-inspiring spectacle. Lead by their maestro, they band together to invent a whimsical one-of-a-kind universe. In a place where the unexpected is expected, the colourful group reimagines, rebuilds and reinvents vibrant scenes in an artistic, acrobatic game of order and disorder. Come and claim your place amidst this marketplace of merriment and creative camaraderie. You just might find that the end of the story is really only the beginning! [SEE ACCOMPANYING IMAGES HERE: http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=11991] Bike -- Click-click-click… One-two-three… Wheels turn again. Creative gears get moving. Superhuman roller-skaters, and circular acro-bike performer sparks a rhythmic feeling of rotation where everything connects. Fire -- A fire manipulator clears the stage in a brilliant display of fun and teamwork. Indian Pole -- For the first time in Cirque du Soleil history, performers display strength and technical feats in an act of mallakhamb. Maestro -- Frantic energy fills the performance lab as fans first meet the Maestro, and the wildly eclectic troupe they’ll join on this thrilling adventure. Rope -- Ropes intertwine as the Floating Woman begins to weave her world. Strikingly beautiful corde lisse performer attempts to free the Maestro from a moment of humorous entrapment. Finally, the ropes release! Joy overcomes! Trapeze -- A duo-trapeze act symbolizes trust and synchronicity. { SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil } ------------------------------------------------------- JOYÀ kicks off its Fifth Season with a Daring New Act {Sep.12.2018} ------------------------------------------------------- Cirque du Soleil’s first and only dinner show experience, created exclusively for Vidanta Riviera Maya, is set to launch its 5th season on September 18. The first Cirque du Soleil resident show in Mexico and the only one in the world to include a culinary experience, JOYÀ has achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success, captivating more than 700,000 spectators since its premiere in 2014. Vidanta Riviera Maya will celebrate the start of the fifth season of Cirque du Soleil JOYÀ on September 18 in the award-winning Cirque du Soleil Theater. In honor of the milestone, JOYÀ will introduce a one-of-a-kind flying trapeze act. This trapeze act will come to life this season as a new and exclusive number to Vidanta Riviera Maya. It will be performed by artist Darya Vintilova, a Cirque du Soleil veteran who holds notable awards around the world. The act adds a thrilling, state-of-the-art element to the show by incorporating versatile automated structures into the design of the rigging, allowing the artist to swiftly move in multiple directions. [CHECK OUT THE ACCOMPANYING IMAGE HERE: http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=11982 ] Always looking to offer new experiences for returning guests, Cirque du Soleil JOYÀ regularly refreshes specific elements of the show including costumes and music, in addition to other one-of-a-kind surprises. “As JOYÀ evolves and grows, so do we. We continue to challenge ourselves to create the best in live entertainment. For the fifth season of JOYÀ, we are thrilled to offer a unique trapeze act that once again pushes the creative and technological boundaries, leveraging the purpose-built venue and our highly skilled technicians to produce a trapeze act that will explore both the horizontal and vertical spaces,” said Joël Bergeron – Director, Artistic Quality at Cirque du Soleil’s Events and Special Projects Division. Cirque du Soleil JOYÀ has positioned itself as one of the top must-see attractions in Mexico, whose unique multisensory experience hosts up to 650 spectators per show. { SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil } ------------------------------------------------------- Laliberté to be taxed for $42M trip to space {Sep.14.2018} ------------------------------------------------------- The founder of Cirque du Soleil will be forced to pay hefty taxes for a highly publicized trip to space he took nearly a decade ago after a judge refuted his claim that it was for business purposes. The Tax Court of Canada has ruled that the trip to outer space by billionaire Quebec businessman Guy Laliberte in 2009 was a taxable benefit. At issue was a $41.8-million price tag for a trip the Cirque du Soleil’s founder had been reimbursed for as a business expense. The Canada Revenue Agency challenged that and Tax Court Justice Patrick Boyle wrote in a ruling Wednesday he believes a large portion of the travel cost to the International Space Station was indeed a taxable benefit. “I find that the motivating, essential and overwhelmingly primary purpose of the travel was personal,” Boyle wrote. “I find that the Appellant (Laliberte) is the person who made the decision to travel on his space trip and that his overarching reasons for that decision were personal.” The judge added 27 reasons to buttress his decision — The judge quoting Laliberte as calling himself a “space tourist” and saying that the trip was the fulfillment of a personal dream in media interviews. Boyle also wrote that Laliberte had publicly talked about his goal to visit space after watching Neil Armstrong walk on the moon and visiting Expo 67 as a child; there was no evidence Cirque du Soleil ever considered sending anyone else on the trip and there were never any plans for similar publicity stunts for brand awareness before or after the 2009 expedition; that Laliberte’s representative negotiated the flight agreement on behalf of Laliberte; and there was no suggestion that any benefit attributed to the Cirque du Soleil was contemplated ahead of the trip. A spokeswoman for Laliberte, the Cirque’s controlling shareholder in 2009 when he took a Soyuz capsule to the station, said Friday the billionaire was aware of the court decision and was considering his options. Laliberte was Canada’s first space tourist when he took the 12-day space trip as part of a “social and poetic mission” to raise awareness about water issues for his One Drop foundation. It included a two-hour feature program involving various artists such as Bono and Shakira as well as environmentalists David Suzuki and former U.S. vice-president Al Gore. The businessman first paid for the trip through a personal holding firm. Two months after his return, he was reimbursed by Creations Meandres, the company that controlled Cirque du Soleil, minus a self- assessed $4-million shareholder benefit. His accountants claimed it wasn’t a personal trip, but rather a “stunt marketing event” to promote the popularity of the circus as well as the foundation, and as such should be deductible as a marketing or promotional expense that far outweighed the trip’s cost. In response to this week’s ruling, a spokeswoman for Lune Rouge, an entrepreneurial firm Laliberte now heads, issued a statement: “Guy Laliberte already paid all the taxes associated with this project several years ago, upon receipt of the notice of assessment,” Anne Dongois wrote in an email Friday. “We have read the judgment, which recognizes that part of the cost of the project is attributable to business. A question remains with regards to the proportion that is business and the proportion that is to be considered for, potentially, personal benefit. Various options are currently evaluated.” In his decision, Boyle fixed the amount of the business-related portion of the trip to be about 10 percent or $4.2 million, meaning the remaining 90 percent of the trip’s cost — $37.6 million — was the amount of the benefit. “Simply put, there is a difference between a business trip which involves or includes personal enjoyment aspects, and a personal trip with business aspects, even significant ones, tacked on,” Boyle wrote. “I have found that this space trip falls into the latter category, and the tax consequences to the business income are considered and determined accordingly.” A Cirque du Soleil spokeswoman said the organization would have no comment. “As this is a personal matter for Guy, we will not be commenting,” Marie-Helene Lagace said in an email. Nicolas Simard, a tax law expert and partner at Fasken law firm in Montreal, said the law means the amount owed will have to be paid in full regardless of whether Laliberte appeals. The matter has been referred back to the minister of National Revenue for reassessment. It’s expected Laliberte will be required to pay nearly $20 million in taxes; however, he will still have the opportunity to appeal the decision. Simard said the lesson here is that tax agencies are conducting more and more audits, including those of family businesses. “Taxpayers have to be mindful of the expenses paid for or reimbursed by their corporations, like vehicles, time-shares and condos,” Simard said. “They have to be prepared to offer proper justification and offer books and records to demonstrate (they) did not personally benefit from an expense paid for by the corporation.” { SOURCE: Bloomberg Canada } ------------------------------------------------------- Cirque du Soleil to mark Saudi National Day {Sep.20.2018} ------------------------------------------------------- To mark Saudi National Day on the 23rd of September, the General Entertainment Authority presents one of the largest custom-made events by the world-renowned company Cirque du Soleil, organized by MBC Group. The record-breaking performance – which will feature Cirque du Soleil’s largest number of circus artists ever assembled for a special event – will get underway in a visually stunning world to celebrate the 88th Saudi National Day and a future ‘Beyond the Horizon’. The production exclusively designed for this occasion, will take place at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh in front of 27,000 attendees – making it one of the biggest Cirque du Soleil productions ever created for a customized event. A tailor-made 85 x 40-metre stage has been designed and constructed especially for the occasion. The production will blend the latest technological innovations in stagecraft, large-scale video projections, special effects, and fireworks with Cirque du Soleil’s signature style acrobatics. Intertwining storytelling with spectacular acrobatics, viewers can look forward to aerial silk, suspended pole, rotating ladder, German wheel, fire manipulation and trampowall specialists, a group of unicyclists, a troupe of contemporary and hip-hop dancers, electric motorcycles, and even a free-flying Hoverboard. “This upcoming Cirque du Soleil event will provide the Saudi audience with an enthralling international entertainment experience, mixed with locally-relevant content,” said Abdulrahman bin Nasser Al Khalifa, General Manager of Communications and official spokesperson of the General Entertainment Authority. Al Khalifa said the event is part of the Authority’s efforts to attract the largest entertainment and leisure companies to the Kingdom, adding that these efforts will support the local sector. Omar Al Radi, Head of Events at MBC Group commented: “Organizing such a phenomenal event is thanks to the ambitious vision of our country, which has instilled enthusiasm in the hearts of all of us, as we work on this extraordinary international event that is set to break records, and go beyond the international standards to celebrate the Saudi National Day like never before. We are proud to be part of Saudi National Day celebration and to be taking it to a global level as the show will be televised live with around 200,000,000 expected viewers from around the world” Show Synopsis: As the sun sets on the horizon, a tribe of nomads gather on the dessert dunes in search of an oasis when a raging sandstorm sweeps across their encampment. The desert dwellers are whisked off to a surreal world and the wheels of the future begin to revolve. The encampment turns into a magical oasis where waterfalls flow upwards, and when the great falcon spreads its wings, a new sun rises over the horizon. Set Design: The visual theme of the King Fahd International Stadium’s exterior is reminiscent of Bedouin tents. This design will be explored on stage as well, thus creating ‘a theatre within a theatre’ experience. The four elements will come into play with the tent structures and four enchanting mashrabiya-inspired lanterns to immerse the audience in a surreal realm where tradition inspires the future. { SOURCE: Digital Studio Me } ------------------------------------------------------- Cirque prepares show in King Fahd Stadium {Sep.22.2018} ------------------------------------------------------- To mark Saudi National Day on the 23rd of September, the General Entertainment Authority presents one of the largest custom-made events by the world-renowned company Cirque du Soleil, organized by MBC Group. The record-breaking performance – which will feature Cirque du Soleil’s largest number of circus artists ever assembled for a special event – will get underway in a visually stunning world to celebrate the 88th Saudi National Day and a future ‘Beyond the Horizon’. A joint press conference between the MBC Group, the General Entertainment Authority, and Cirque du Soleil was held at King Fahd Stadium on Thursday afternoon to answer media questions and give some details about Cirque du Soleil’s upcoming special performance, part of Saudi Arabia’s 88th National Day celebrations. The show is slated to be one of the biggest performed by the Cirque and their first in Saudi Arabia. It is a one-night-only, exclusive event, designed especially for this occasion. Daniel Fortin, vice president of Creation at Cirque du Soleil, teased the audience with a few details of the upcoming show. “With a cast and crew of over 300, this is one of the biggest shows we’ve ever done,” he said. “Without giving too much of the plot away, the story is centered around the sun, and takes place from sunset to sunrise. Everything from the costumes to the stage props was created as a homage to Saudi culture. You’ll see a lot of Bedouin influences in the staging and in the music. We drew inspiration from a variety of sources, such as traditional Bedouin tents, desert scenery, even the stadium itself.” The production exclusively designed for this occasion, will take place at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh in front of 27,000 attendees – making it one of the biggest Cirque du Soleil productions ever created for a customized event. A tailor-made 85 x 40-metre stage has been designed and constructed especially for the occasion. The show has been in development for six months, and the cast and crew have been preparing for the show at the King Fahd International Stadium since the beginning of August. The show will contain new technology, and 16 unprecedented acrobatic acts. However, Fortin refused to share too many details. “You’ll just have to see what we have planned at the show.” He said. “But I think you will be impressed. We’re doing things we’ve never done before.” * * * Show Synopsis: As the sun sets on the horizon, a tribe of nomads gather on the dessert dunes in search of an oasis when a raging sandstorm sweeps across their encampment. The desert dwellers are whisked off to a surreal world and the wheels of the future begin to revolve. The encampment turns into a magical oasis where waterfalls flow upwards, and when the great falcon spreads its wings, a new sun rises over the horizon. Acts/Presentations: The production will blend the latest technological innovations in stagecraft, large-scale video projections, special effects, and fireworks with Cirque du Soleil’s signature style acrobatics. Intertwining storytelling with spectacular acrobatics, viewers can look forward to aerial silk, suspended pole, rotating ladder, German wheel, fire manipulation and trampowall specialists, a group of unicyclists, a troupe of contemporary and hip-hop dancers, electric motorcycles, and even a free-flying Hoverboard. Set Design: The visual theme of the King Fahd International Stadium’s exterior is reminiscent of Bedouin tents. This design will be explored on stage as well, thus creating ‘a theatre within a theatre’ experience. The four elements will come into play with the tent structures and four enchanting mashrabiya-inspired lanterns to immerse the audience in a surreal realm where tradition inspires the future. * * * “This upcoming Cirque du Soleil event will provide the Saudi audience with an enthralling international entertainment experience, mixed with locally-relevant content,” said Abdulrahman bin Nasser Al Khalifa, General Manager of Communications and official spokesperson of the General Entertainment Authority. Al Khalifa said the event is part of the Authority’s efforts to attract the largest entertainment and leisure companies to the Kingdom, adding that these efforts will support the local sector. Omar Al Radi, Head of Events at MBC Group commented: “Organizing such a phenomenal event is thanks to the ambitious vision of our country, which has instilled enthusiasm in the hearts of all of us, as we work on this extraordinary international event that is set to break records, and go beyond the international standards to celebrate the Saudi National Day like never before. We are proud to be part of Saudi National Day celebration and to be taking it to a global level as the show will be televised live with around 200,000,000 expected viewers from around the world” Tickets to the show sold out in less than 48 hours after their release; an incredible feat as the show has allocated more than 27,000 seats for the performance. Abdulrahman Al Khalifa, spokesperson for the General Entertainment Authority, was pleased— but not entirely surprised— by the public’s reaction to news of the show. “We felt that variety in the types of events we brought to Saudi Arabia was important,” he said, “and we conducted a number of research workshops to determine what sort of events would be well-received by the public. Cirque du Soleil was mentioned frequently in our research, so we’re very happy to have had the opportunity to bring them here.” MBC head of events Omar Al Radi also expects a big response to the televising of the show, which he estimates will break records. “We’re broadcasting the show live on both our local and international channels, such as those in Europe and in America.” he said. “We’re expecting over 200 million views. Probably record-breaking numbers. MBC is proud to have been part of bringing this historic event to Saudi Arabia, and we can’t wait for you to see it.” { SOURCE: Arab News and Arab Industry.com } ------------------------------------------------------- It Goes From Bad to Worse For Franco Dragone {Sep.23.2018} ------------------------------------------------------- Franco Dragone, who became famous the world over with his Cirque du Soleil creations, is on the verge of bankruptcy. His real estate portfolio in Belgium has also been confiscated. The production company of the 65-year-old businessman from La Louvière, Productions du Dragone, has been facing financial problems for several years. In recent months, the situation has only become more difficult. A large number of employees, including communication staff and IT specialists, have been dismissed. Of the 31 employees at the beginning of this year, 19 are still working, half of whom have been given notice of dismissal. Although the management told the staff that it wanted to keep activity in La Louvière, the socialist trade union believes that a closure is imminent. The SudPresse newspapers also take into account the relocation of activities to the Canadian subsidiary in Montreal. MONEY LAUNDERING Fraud issues also play tricks on Dragone. At the end of 2015, Dragone was suspected of tax fraud and money laundering. The confiscation by the Belgian state of his real estate portfolio – said to involve several houses, apartments and land – takes place in the context of this fraud case. The court wants to prevent Dragone from taking the neighbourhood abroad. His name already appeared in the Panama Papers. Dragone, who is also suspected of tax constructions on the British Virgin Islands, would have had a law firm set up in that tax paradise to collect royalties on his shows at a favourable tax rate. If the businessman is convicted, it is a stain on a career that reads like a fairy tale. The creative genius from La Louvière was born in Cairano, Italy and emigrated with his parents to the industrial city at the age of 7. His father worked in the mines there. After his studies at the Royal Conservatory of Mons, Dragone went to Canada, where he met Guy Laliberté, the founder of Cirque du Soleil. This acquaintance resulted in a collaboration. Dragone directed ten major shows for the renowned circus company. SPECATCLE MAKER In 2000 he returned to La Louvière to set up his own production company. He wanted to give something back to the inhabitants of the city who made him who he was: a socially engaged, successful showmaker. There was no lack of beautiful deals. Dragone decorated a mega deal in China, shows in Paris Lido and the final show of the World Cup in Brazil. But the brilliant he was as an artist, the more disastrous he was as a businessman. The company had serious cash problems. In 2012, Yves Delacollette, the ex-CEO of Deutsche Bank Belgium, as yet another CEO, had to curb his costly artistry urge, but in 2015 it came to a break between the two. { SOURCE: de Tijd } ------------------------------------------------------- Cirque’s Director of Risk Mgmt Receives Top Honors {Sep.25.2018} ------------------------------------------------------- Michel Rodrigue, Cirque du Soleil’s director of risk management and insurance, has received this year’s Donald M. Stuart award, Canada’s highest honour for risk management. Based in Montreal, Cirque du Soleil is an entertainment company that produces spectacular theatrical shows famous for their high-risk daredevil and aerial acrobatics. The shows have been seen by more than 100 million spectators in over 300 cities around the world. “You can probably imagine that no two days at Cirque du Soleil are the same,” Rodrigue said after the award recipient was announced Monday at the RIMS Canada Conference in St. John’s, N.L. “Captivating audiences around the world, employing hundreds and partnering with thousands of vendors presents a wide-range of challenges, but there are also countless opportunities to be creative, to contribute to the success of new ventures and have a lot of fun. I am humbled to receive this prestigious award and thank everyone who has supported me through my risk management journey.” Rodrigue’s work encompasses identifying and assessing all of Cirque du Soleil’s worldwide operational risks. His role includes engaging both internal and external partners, supporting strategic planning and delivering efficient contractual, claims and insurance processes that align with the corporation’s business core and projects. RIMS Ontario Chapter (ORIMS) presented the award to Rodrigue. “Michel has successfully created a corporate culture at Cirque du Soleil that realizes risk management’s true value and its ability to support innovation,” said ORIMS president Valerie Fox, corporate EHS manager at NPL Canada, a division of Centuri Construction Group, Inc. “His career is marked with many outstanding achievements and includes his commitment to giving back to Canada’s risk management community. We proudly present him with this honour and thank him for all that he has done to support RIMS.” Rodrigue has been a member of RIMS and QRIMA (RIMS Quebec Chapter) since 2000. He joined QRIMA’s board of directors in 2000 and held various board positions including serving as its president from 2002- 04. He also served on RIMS Canada Council (RCC) from 2005-08. { SOURCE: Canadian Underwriter } ------------------------------------------------------- Tourism promotion will continue but Cirque du Soleil show ‘bad investment’ {Sep.25.2018} ------------------------------------------------------- Mexico’s next tourism secretary has pledged that promotion of the country’s tourist destinations will continue under the new administration amid concerns in the private sector that money currently allocated to marketing will be redirected to the Maya train project. “I know that there is nervousness about [tourism] promotion,” Miguel Torruco Marqués told the newspaper Milenio. “Yes, there will be [promotion], don’t worry. I’m the first to insist that promotion is essential to stay competitive in the international arena,” he added. President-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador has said that construction of the Maya train project, which will link cities including Cancún, Mérida, Campeche and Palenque, will be partially funded by the DNR tourist tax that foreigners pay when entering Mexico. Some of the money collected is currently used for tourism promotion. According to the Mexico Tourism Board (CPTM), which receives the funds, the DNR tax generates revenue of between 4.5 and 5 billion pesos (US $236.9 million and $263.2 million) annually. Torruco stressed, however, that the money for tourism promotion would be freed up through cuts to bureaucracy that the incoming government intends to make “Promotion will continue, we’re analyzing how we’re going to trim down the apparatuses of government, which are very obese . . .” he said. The future secretary said there will be no deputy directors of government departments during the incoming administration because of duplication of activities, and that staff cuts will extend to the Secretariat of Tourism (Sectur), the CPTM and the National Tourism Promotion Fund (Fonatur). But he also said that to ensure that Mexico’s tourism industry remains strong it is essential to launch large-scale tourism campaigns and attend tourism fairs around the world. While recognizing the need to spend money to attract foreign tourists, Torruco said that Sectur’s expenditure of US $45 million on the Cirque du Soleil production Luzia, A Waking Dream of Mexico was a “bad investment” because it hasn’t led to an increase in visitor numbers. The show, which opened in Canada in May 2016, is a homage to Mexico’s history, culture and traditions and one of its objectives was to inspire people to visit. Mexico is the sixth most visited country in the world, Tourism Secretary Enrique de la Madrid said in June, explaining that the upsurge in violent crime had not had an impact on visitor numbers. Almost 40 million foreign tourists came to Mexico last year, spending just over US $21.3 billion while they were in the country. { SOURCE: Mexico News Daily } *************************************************************** Q&A -- Quick Chats & Press Interviews *************************************************************** ------------------------------------------------------- Meet CRYSTAL’s Madeline Stammen {Sep.18.2018} ------------------------------------------------------- Illinois native Madeline Stammen, 24, began her competitive career at the age of 8. She excelled at ice dancing and freestyle skating at a highly competitive level until she was 18 years old. After competition, Stammen was hired for her first professional show on the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines performing in shows on the ship’s ice rinks. In 2016, while taking a six-month sabbatical from skating, Stammen auditioned for Cirque du Soleil: “Crystal” and landed the role of The Reflection, the alter ego of the titular character Crystal. She has since been alternating roles of The Reflection as well as main character Crystal. You can see her perform on Sept. 20-23 when the show comes to the Denny Sanford Premier Center. She answered several questions about the show recently. On what makes Cirque du Soleil’s Crystal so unique It’s new, it’s Cirque’s first ice show. They’ve never tackled ice or had to deal with figure skaters. I think it’s new especially because of the cultural theme between sports as far as figure skaters and acrobats. It’s a big playground, and they put us in together. Last summer, we spent a lot of time exploring and seeing what we could come up with together fusing our sports. So, it was a really cool, creative time. On her competitive skating career and her transformation to Crystal I had been participating professionally before this show, so I had already transitioned from competitor to performer. I did cruise ships for four years and a couple of stationary shows. That sort of primed me for this. I think the most different thing about this show was having an acrobatic element. All the other shows I did was just fully figure skating, so now all of a sudden you have chair balancers and acrobats, people who fly, people who race, and skaters and musicians as well. Just the combination of all these different types of talent is what makes this show really special. On working with former professional skaters and Crystal’s skating performance directors Kurt Browning and Benjamin Agosto We worked with them last summer. To be honest, I watched Ben Agosto on TV as a little girl and idolized him. When I found out I was going to be working with him, I was a little starstruck. I made him dance with me around the rink a couple of times and asked him to make a little girl’s dream come true. Working with Kurt was cool; he’s just an amazing storyteller. He has a really wildly creative brain that really helped bring this show to life, I think, especially the characters. The character I play and the other characters on the show, he really helped us developed those characters as well. On playing the roles of Crystal and Crystal’s reflection What’s nice is, I get to play both characters. Sometimes I’m the evil twin, and sometimes I’m the good guy. I’m switching back and forth, which is fun. Both characters are very complex. One is a leader in a way. Crystal’s reflection takes Crystal through this journey of self- discovery, so she’s more like the guide, or the white rabbit. And when I’m Crystal, it’s a much different experience. She’s more vulnerable and unknowing. Being able to experience both characters I think really helped me perform the other. On skating techniques and acrobatics I’m a figure skater, and I did ice dancing by trade as well; that’s the niche of my role. But I also perform in the straps act; I do a little bit of flying and aerial as well. I had never had to do anything super upper body before this contract. They wanted me to put on muscle on my shoulders and do pull-ups, which is something I never had to do. That was something new I had to learn because I was going to be flying in the air and using my arms in ways that I haven’t before. My favorite part to perform myself is the traps act because I get to fly, leave the ice, and I get to go high up in the air, which is really fun and liberating. On what the audience takes away from the show The thing that really speaks to me about Crystal is that she’s going on a journey of self-discovery. She doesn’t quite fit into society. There’s a little bit of everybody who feels that. There’s a message that it’s OK to be unique and to be yourself. On her continued employment with Cirque du Soleil I can see myself skating with Cirque for a while. I’m fulfilled on both ends of the spectrum as an athlete and an artist. That’s the magic of being in show business theater. That’s why I’m so happy here. It opens you up as an athlete to become an artist to innovate and do things that you’ve never seen. That’s what Cirque is. { SOURCE: Argus Leader } ------------------------------------------------------- LDI 2018 Speaker Spotlight: Jonathan Deans {Sep.19.2018} ------------------------------------------------------- As we gear up for the LDI Show, Live Design is profiling speakers in their Sound Tracks series of panels aimed at live sound engineers. This week they’re pleased to introduce you to keynote speaker Jonathan Deans, who will be discussing the state of sound design. Award-winning sound designer Jonathan Deans began his career in his native England and has been living and working in the U.S. for several decades. In addition to myriad productions on Broadway, Jonathan has designed 14 shows for Cirque du Soleil, including Michael Jackson’s ONE, LOVE, Ovo, Elvis, Believe, Corteo, Kooza, Wintuk, KA, Zumanity, La Nouba, O, Mystère, and Saltimbanco. His sound design work also includes: Jagged Little Pill, Red Velvet, Waitress, A Second Chance, Finding Neverland, Kiss me Kate (revival), Pippin (revival), Carrie (revival), La Cage Aux Folles (revival), Fosse, Parade, Ragtime, and others. Q. What was your first theatre sound gig? As a sound operator, it was the play Absurd Person Singular at Criterion Theater, West End. As a designer, it was Marilyn at the Adelphi Theater, West End. Before that, I was a child actor from the age of twelve. Q. What has most influenced the way you think about sound? It was working at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden when I heard and felt the music envelop me when sitting in the Gallery and upper sides of the Opera House. Q. What kind of technology is having the biggest impact on the way engineers in your field work right now? I don’t find that technology creates the impact; it’s the individuals who put the performances together that make the unique experience. Q. What can attendees expect to learn about in your keynote? To be individual and to wake up in the mornings feeling happy to go to work. Q. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given? To follow your own instinct and listen with your heart. Also, be reliable, punctual, respectful, and honest. Q. How about the worst? Do not become blindsided by individuals of fame and fortune, but instead listen to yourself. Also, be respectful and honest. Q. What are you most excited to check out at LDI? The students and attendees who are or will be driving the industry. * * * The 30th annual LDI Show takes place October 15-21 in Las Vegas. { SOURCE: Live Design } ======================================================================= ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION ======================================================================= o) BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau {Amaluna, Koozå, Kurios, Luzia, Totem & Volta} o) ARENA - In Stadium-like venues {TORUK, OVO, Séptimo Día, Crystal & Corteo} o) RESIDENT - Performed en Le Théâtre {Mystère, "O", Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE, MJ ONE & JOYA} NOTE: .) While we make every effort to provide complete and accurate touring dates and locations available, the information in this section is subject to change without notice. As such, the Fascination! Newsletter does not accept responsibility for the accuracy of these listings. For current, up-to-the-moment information on Cirque's whereabouts, please visit Cirque's website: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/ >, or for a more comprehensive tour listing, visit our Itinéraire section online at: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=6898 >. ------------------------------------ BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau ------------------------------------ Alegria-25th Anniversary: Montreal, QC -- Apr 18, 2019 to Jul 21, 2019 Gatineau, QC -- Jul 31, 2019 to Sep 1, 2019 Toronto, ON -- Sep 12, 2019 to Dec 1, 2019 Amaluna: Bogota, CO -- Oct 26, 2018 to Dec 16, 2018 Dallas, TX -- Jan 23, 2019 to Feb 17, 2019 Phoenix, AZ -- Mar 20, 2019 to Apr 19, 2019 Bazzar: Mumbai, IN -- Nov 15, 2018 to Dec 9, 2018 New Dehli, IN -- Dec 25, 2018 to Jan 6, 2019 Koozå: Seoul, SK -- Nov 3, 2018 to Dec 30, 2018 Auckland, NZ -- Feb 8, 2019 to Feb 24, 2019 Kurios: Osaka, JP -- Jul 28, 2018 to Nov 4, 2019 Nagoya, JP -- Nov 22, 2018 to Jan 27, 2019 Fukuoka, JP -- Feb 15, 2019 to Mar 31, 2019 Sendai, JP -- Apr 19, 2019 to May 29, 2019 Luzia: Monterrey, MX -- Oct 4, 2018 to Oct 27, 2018 Mexico City, MX -- Nov 8, 2018 to Dec 23, 2018 Houston, TX -- Jan 10, 2019 to Feb 3, 2019 Orlando, FL -- Mar 7, 2019 to Apr 21, 2019 Totem: Zurich, CH -- Sep 5, 2018 to Oct 14, 2018 Paris, FR -- Oct 25, 2018 to Dec 2, 2018 London, UK -- Jan 12, 2019 to Feb 9, 2019 Vienna, AT -- Mar 9, 2019 to Apr 7, 2019 VOLTA: Seattle, WA -- Sep 7, 2018 to Nov 4, 2018 San Francisco, CA -- Nov 15, 2018 to Feb 3, 2019 San Jose, CA -- Feb 13, 2019 to Mar 24, 2019 San Diego, CA -- Apr 3, 2019 to May 5, 2019 Chicago, IL -- May 18, 2019 to Jul 6, 2019 Denver, CO -- Jul 19, 2019 to Aug 25, 2019 Atlanta, GA -- Sep 13, 2019 to Nov 30, 2019 ------------------------------------ ARENA - In Stadium-Like Venues ------------------------------------ TORUK - The First Flight: Rotterdam, NL -- Oct 11, 2018 to Oct 14, 2018 Oberhausen, DE -- Oct 17, 2018 to Oct 21, 2018 Cologne, DE -- Oct 25, 2018 to Oct 28, 2018 Hamburg, DE -- Oct 31, 2018 to Nov 4, 2018 Berlin, DE -- Nov 7, 2018 to Nov 11, 2018 Turin, IT -- Nov 15, 2018 to Nov 18, 2018 Bologna, IT -- Nov 22, 2018 to Nov 25, 2018 Frankfurt, DE -- Nov 28, 2018 to Dec 3, 2018 Zagreb, HR -- Dec 7, 2018 to Dec 9, 2018 Barcelona, ES -- Jan 18, 2018 to Jan 27, 2018 Madrid, ES -- Jan 30, 2018 to Feb 3, 2018 Pamplona, ES -- Feb 6, 2019 to Feb 10, 2019 Milan, IT -- Feb 14, 2019 to Feb 19, 2019 Bratislava, SK -- Feb 28, 2019 to Mar 3, 2019 Moscow, RU -- Apr 19, 2019 to May 5, 2019 St. Petersburg, RU -- May 8, 2019 to May 12, 2019 Antwerp, BE -- Mar 14, 2019 to Mar 17, 2019 Helsinki, FI -- May 15, 2019 to May 19, 2019 Vilnius, LT -- May 22, 2019 to May 26, 2019 Prague, CZ -- May 31, 2018 to Jun 2, 2019 Munich, DE -- Jun 5, 2019 to Jun 9, 2019 OVO: Birmingham, UK -- Oct 3, 2018 to Oct 7, 2018 Dublin, IE -- Oct 10, 2018 to Oct 14, 2018 Belfast, IE -- Oct 17, 2018 to Oct 21, 2018 Lille, FR -- Nov 8, 2018 to Nov 11, 2018 Bordeaux, FR -- Nov 14, 2018 to Nov 18, 2018 Toulouse, FR -- Nov 21, 2018 to Nov 25, 2018 Montpellier, FR -- Nov 28, 2018 to Dec 2, 2018 Strasbourg, FR -- Dec 5, 2018 to Dec 9, 2018 Nantes, FR -- Dec 12, 2018 to Dec 16, 2018 A Coruna, ES -- Dec 21, 2018 to Dec 30, 2018 Lisbon, PT -- Jan 3, 2019 to Jan 13, 2019 Murica, ES -- Jan 16, 2019 to Jan 20, 2019 CRYSTAL - A BREAKTHROUGH ICE EXPERIENCE: Winnipeg, MB -- Oct 3, 2018 to Oct 7, 2018 Green Bay, WI -- Oct 11, 2018 to Oct 14, 2018 Des Moines, IA -- Oct 17, 2018 to Oct 21, 2018 Wichita, KS -- Oct 24, 2018 to Oct 28, 2018 Oklahoma City, OK -- Oct 31, 2018 to Nov 4, 2018 Tulsa, OK -- Nov 7, 2018 to Nov 11, 2018 Norfolk, VA -- Nov 29, 2018 to Dec 2, 2018 Washington, DC -- Dec 5, 2018 to Dec 9, 2018 Miami, FL -- Dec 13, 2018 to Dec 16, 2018 Tampa, FL -- Dec 19, 2018 to Dec 23, 2018 Baton Rouge, LA -- Jan 3, 2019 to Jan 6, 2019 Kansas City, MO -- Jan 16, 2019 to Jan 19, 2019 Columbus, OH -- Jan 23, 2019 to Jan 27, 2019 Milwaukee, WI -- Jan 30, 2019 to Feb 3, 2019 Regina, SK -- Feb 7, 2019 to Feb 10, 2019 Edmonton, AB -- Feb 13, 2019 to Feb 17, 2019 West Valley City, UT -- Mar 7, 2019 to Mar 10, 2019 Ontario, CA -- Mar 13, 2019 to Mar 17, 2019 Bakersfield, CA -- Mar 20, 2019 to Mar 24, 2019 Sacramento, CA -- Mar 27, 2019 to Mar 31, 2019 CORTEO: Victoria, BC -- Oct 4, 2018 to Oct 7, 2018 Vancouver, BC -- Oct 10, 2018 to Oct 14, 2018 Kelowna, BC -- Oct 17, 2018 to Oct 21, 2018 Kamloops, BC -- Oct 24, 2018 to Oct 28, 2018 Lethbridge, AB -- Oct 31, 2018 to Nov 4, 2018 Minneapolis, MN -- Nov 8, 2018 to Nov 11, 2018 Cleveland, OH -- Nov 15, 2018 to Nov 18, 2018 Quebec City, QC -- Dec 6, 2018 to Dec 9, 2018 Toronto, ON -- Dec 12, 2018 to Dec 16, 2018 Montreal, QC -- Dec 19, 2018 to Dec 30, 2018 Worchester, MA -- Jan 3, 2019 to Jan 6, 2019 Detroit, MI -- Jan 10, 2019 to Jan 13, 2019 Pittsburgh, PA -- Jan 16, 2019 to Jan 19, 2019 Evansville, IN -- Jan 23, 2019 to Jan 27, 2019 Memphis, TN -- Jan 31, 2019 to Feb 3, 2019 Raleigh, NC -- Feb 7, 2019 to Feb 10, 2019 Bossier City, LA -- Feb 14, 2019 to Feb 17, 2019 Cedar Park, TX -- Feb 20, 2019 to Feb 24, 2019 Portland, OR -- Mar 14, 2019 to Mar 17, 2019 --------------------------------- 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 Extra Performance Dates: o Mon, Dec 31, 2018 | 4:30 p.m. & 7:00 p.m. Single Show Dates (7:00pm Only): o Monday, Nov. 26, 2018 o Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018 2018 Dark Dates: o October 27 - 31, 2018 "O": Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark: Monday/Tuesday Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 9:30pm Special Performance Dates: o Tue, Oct 09 - 7:00pm & 9:30pm o Tue, Dec 11 - 9:30pm only o Mon, Dec 31 - 4:00pm & 6:30pm 2018 Dark Dates: o November 26 - December 11 o December 27 Zumanity: Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark Sunday/Monday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm KÀ: Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark Thursday/Friday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm LOVE: Location: Mirage, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 2018 Dark Dates: o October 20 o December 4 – 8, 11 – 15 MICHAEL JACKSON ONE: Location: Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Thursday through Monday - Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 2018 Dark Dates: o October 22 -25 o November 5 - 7 o December 11 - 13 JOYÀ: Location: Riviera Maya, Mexico Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday One/Two Shows Nightly: 9:00pm (Weekdays) 7:00pm & 10:15pm (Fri, Sat & Holidays) PARAMOUR: Location: Hamburg, Germany Begins April 9, 2019! ======================================================================= OUTREACH - UPDATES FROM CIRQUE's SOCIAL WIDGETS ======================================================================= o) WEBSERIES -- Official Online Featurettes o) VIDEOS -- Official Peeks & Noted Fan Finds --------------------------------------------------- WEBSERIES: Official Online Featurettes --------------------------------------------------- *) IMMERCIQUE, VR180 SERIES Welcome to IMMERCIRQUE, our NEW VR180 YouTube series where we take you on an immersive journey with our Cirque du Soleil artists as they prepare to perform for their act. o) EPISODE 1 - BAZZAR Aerial Rope Artist {Sep.26} In this first ever Cirque du Soleil VR 180 video, follow BAZZAR Aerial Rope Performer Lauren Joy Herley backstage in training, makeup, costume to get a glimpse of her everyday reality. LINK /// < https://youtu.be/tGzF9yawei4 > *) BAZZAR: BEHIND THE SCENES In this NEW YouTube series, 'BAZZAR: Behind The Scenes', discover the journey of how BAZZAR came to life. Tune in bi-weekly to follow us around from training at the Cirque du Soleil Headquarters to planning for our debut in India! o) EPISODE 3 - HIGH LEVEL PERFORMANCES {Sep.12} In episode 3, we explore the importance of attention to detail in Cirque du Soleil shows. LINK /// < https://youtu.be/lOjzhzUukkk > o) EPISODE 4 - COSTUMES, MAKEUP, MUSIC In episode 4, we explore all the work and details required behind in the teams in costume, makeup, and music. LINK /// < https://youtu.be/HluoqVmkvKI > *) ALEGRIA REUNION SERIES Alegría has brought laughter and wonder to over 14 million spectators in more than 255 cities across the globe from 1994 to 2013. Beloved by fans around the world, the iconic Alegría is coming back on tour in the Big Top. Meet some of the show's previous artists to share their timeless stories. TUNE IN WEEKLY to learn more about each of their experiences touring with Alegría. o) EPISODE 6 - Uliibayar Chimed {Sep.07} Meet Ulziibayar Chimed, a Contortionist on the show from 1996 - 2005. LINK /// < https://youtu.be/1hqPfRT8fIM > o) EPISODE 7 - Nikita Moiseev {Sep.14} Meet Nikita Moiseev as he talks about growing up with his family on the Alegria tour to then becoming a Cirque artist. He was an artist on the show from 2003 to 2009 as first the Little Tamir character and then a Russian Bar Flyer. LINK /// < https://youtu.be/40ZFYNrMH54 > *) MUSIC VIDEO w/LYRICS o) KA - "Battlefield" {Sep.25} Chourka Tur shalle teinen Tur shalle teinen Chourka-ya Chourka Kourente seiden Kourente seiden Chourka-ya Chourka! (3x) Chourka Tur shalle teinen Tur shalle teinen Chourka-ya Chourka! Chourka Kourente seiden Kourente leiden dimich Unti heden toulich Unti ruden shallen tar Mi, koudeman vurtei To, meilinen turei To, teileman kurdal Dar, kouvarein dourich Dar, mi runden talich Keil feiner tanz Keil mourti lanz Teil, raduvizein Teil, gurten tsulein Oun pfelle koudall Irkantu firezall Teil, raduvizein Teil, gurten tsulein Ah... Sholte vultan kourei Firten altevai Urschall stilen koudai Mourden simarai Scholte Sholte ultan kourei Firten altevei Urschall stilen koudai Mourden Simarai scholte Simarai scholte Scholte! Scholte! Scholte! LINK /// < https://youtu.be/xtft1BluUPw > --------------------------------------------------- VIDEOS: Official Peeks & Noted Fan Finds --------------------------------------------------- o) Alegria's Aerial Cube Act from 1994 LINK /// < https://youtu.be/IHq4UfUqpSA > o) Alegria's Shoulder-Pole Act from 1994 LINK /// < https://youtu.be/dy6Evo7mlkk > o) A History of MAC Cosmetics x Cirque du Soleil LINK /// < https://youtu.be/6uIKSMjVybI > o) "O" MUSIC VIDEO | "Terre Aride" (No Lyrics) LINK /// < https://youtu.be/1SdJn3JigIY > o) OVO: Official 2018 Trailer LINK /// < https://youtu.be/TD_R8NSQBgs > o) ALEGRIA Karaoke Video LINK /// < https://youtu.be/Vxx2euoc5zQ > o) Mouvement Alegria Karaoke au Québec LINK /// < https://youtu.be/ekmUhyghtPE > o) National Gymnastics Day 2018 LINK /// < https://youtu.be/T-lotqKBIzM > o) CirqueWay LIVE! Join us as our hosts; Jaclyn Forbes and Kyle Cragle, turn the ordinary into extraordinary with the help of our colleagues in Montreal and Las Vegas. LINK /// < https://youtu.be/rFHVnVZ5eM8 > o) CirqueWay - Turn the Ordinary Into Something Extraordinary LINK /// < https://youtu.be/3RJL_CzhjEU > o) LUZIA Music Video - "Tlaloc" (No Lyrics) LINK /// < https://youtu.be/TWmb_d7-eGg > o) What is 'A Choreographers' Showcase'?! LINK /// < https://youtu.be/Dshn1h4DpSU > o) BAZZAR Artists Get Ready for India Premiere! LINK /// < https://youtu.be/yRnzHfQMOIQ > ======================================================================= FASCINATION! FEATURES ======================================================================= o) "Vegetable VOLTA!" By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA) o) "Celebrating Michael's 60th Birthday" By: Kerry Hennigan - Adelaide, South Australia (AUS) o) "Big Top Academy - It's About to Start!" Texts from the Press Release o) "We're Off and Running II, Part 2 of 4: Mystère" By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) ------------------------------------------------------------ "Vegetable VOLTA!" By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA) ------------------------------------------------------------ This review was originally supposed to be about the entirety of The Volta Experience. The site, layout, merchandise, show, the whole enchilada. And if it wasn’t for our viewing being cancelled halfway through the first act, that’s what it would have been. My wife and I were reflecting recently about how many Cirque du Soleil shows we’ve seen since we became fans. We estimated more than 60 – less than some fans, more than others. While we’ve experienced delays during shows (once at KA during its early days because of the big stage), we’ve NEVER been at a show that had to cancel, which speaks to Cirque’s consistency. Until now. Cirque has maintained a fluid definition as to just what exactly constitutes a “performance” of a show. Since there are no “stars” an absence of an artist just means a substitution and the show goes on. Even whole “scenes” or “acts” (or pieces of technical wizardry) missing is no cause for refund; as far as Cirque is concerned you still got what they promised when you bought your ticket. Part of this is the “show must go on” theatrical tradition - every effort must be made to make or continue the performance for the paying patrons. But this also means when you go to a Cirque show (or, really, any circus-arts show), what you might think you’re getting (based on, say, publicity, online reviews or summaries) may not be what you actually get. (So, don’t get your heart set on seeing X performer, or Y act.) But a technical difficulty can throw a curve ball. We chose to see VOLTA at MaryMoor Park in Redmond, WA (outside Seattle) on Friday, September 7, 2018 at 8pm. We also got seats for my wife’s boss and their mutual friend, both new to Cirque. The evening was passable, cool but not yet rainy (though it would rain later that night). It had been two years since we had last visited a Cirque tent show – Luzia - and we were interested in any changes to the touring site, as well as the show itself. (Some of what we note below as “changes” might have happened some time ago, but we are just noticing them.) The first change came at the entrance to the site - a body wanding scan to start, then a bag check. This was new but handled professionally. There is the now-standard selfie spot in the center of the tent courtyard. And a new contraption, a set of percussion pads (with a pre-recorded backing track) that play sounds when struck – as well as cue various colored lights that play on the front of the tent surface. There were also new portable bathrooms. The prior style was double sided, with two steps up to the four stalls on each side, with more traditional toilets and full-length doors. This newer style was a hybrid of a porta-potty design with a smaller interior footprint, more plastic throughout, and one flush button instead of two that started a water-vacuum disposal system like an airplane toilet. I can’t say this was a step up from the prior system, but it did increase the number of stalls on each side of the tent to 21 from 16. The hand washing stations were an improvement though, with more conventional sinks using non-drinkable water. (Spoiler alert: This will become important later.) The tent (white with silver stripes, the newer type with all merchandise and concessions under one canvas roof, with a carpeted raised floor that was very nice to talk on) had some nice enhancements. Merchandise displays on the sides, food concessions (including a wine booth) in the center. But it is the merch we are always drawn to. A nice gold Cirque sun bracelet for $15.00. A striking blackshirt urging the wearer to do “wildly artistic / unordinary / audacious / outrageous things” and “go forth and Cirque” for $25.00. More emphasis on toys than we’ve seen previously – a Volta ramp playset, a featured section for the juggling balls, jump rope, and diabolos. We also saw for the first time (though it came out in December 2014) a picture book by Veronique Vial, “Backstage Cirque du Soleil” (Assouline, 978-16142829676, 2014, $75.00). This is an updating and expansion (232 pages here, 151 pages previously) of her first book of Cirque backstage photographs, “Wings – Backstage With Cirque du Soleil” (Tondo, 978-1892041104, 1999). It will be fun to look through. There was also a push for seat upgrades that begins immediately after you enter the tent. Right in front of each entrance were examples of two chairs – a blue plastic lightly padded “standard” seat next to a red thickly padded “premium” section 101-102 seat. There was a “Concierge” desk specifically dedicated to selling upgrade opportunities. You could upgrade your seat for as little as $10.00, depending on where your original seat was and where you wanted to sit. From what I could tell the upgrade price was cheaper in total than buying the seats new, but of course you are getting the seat selection available at the last minute. Another upgrade possibility was access to the VIP suite for $45.00 – which might be a value if you upgrade the minute the tent opens, not so much if it’s 20 minutes until the show starts. (And this show needs the extra push for more revenue; we have been inundated with discount offers (usually of 35%) from Groupon, Goldstar, and even Cirque itself, most recently offering 40% off!) Our seats (section 200, row M, the “plastic” variety) seemed a bit narrower than last time, as if they had shaved half an inch off the width of each seat to add more seats per row. (Or else, or more likely, we are getting bigger.) The sound booth, which has previously been a fixture in the middle of the 200 section, has been moved to the back of the tent next to lighting and automation, allowing for more seating. Not that they needed them – there were many empty seats on the sides, unusual for a Friday evening performance. The first real indication that this show was going to be different was something that didn’t happen - no pre-show animation. We were expecting (as has been the case at all the other Cirque shows we’ve seen) some characters to come out and interact with the audience, but there was nothing. There was the usual pre-show safety announcement – bienvenue to Cirque du Soleil! Then the lights went down, and the show started. I’ve always looked forward to animation and was sad to see it missing. Another decline by degrees I suppose. Now here is where I was going to go into our thoughts on the show. Volta has been going through a revamping of late, of which I wasn’t totally aware. The original concept of the blue-haired Waz being the MC of the show-within-a-show “Mr. Wow Show” has been abandoned. Now Waz is a contestant on that show, when his blue hair is discovered, and he is ostracized. I tend to think the idea of someone who had scaled the heights of stardom having insecurities and doubts (as represented by his blue feathered hair) had more gravitas as a dramatic device than some average Joe contestant that is discovered to be a freak. With this and some other rumored changed, we were looking forward to seeing how the show now stood as an artistic statement. The first half of the first act proceeded without incident. The Jump rope act was cool. The Unicycle Duo that came afterwards, and an act with Waz hanging from an aerial strap “lamp” was OK as well. It was at this point that one of the shows unique set pieces - three rectangular platforms - emerged from the floor. They each had a character on them; some unnamed “gray” characters on the (lowest height) stage right and (medium height) downstage platforms, and the female singer on the highest platform on stage left. Together the platforms created kind of a “U” shape. The dramatic lighting, eerie music and vocals, and most especially the fog blanketing the stage gave the moment impact. When the stage left platform (the lowest in height of the three) came to a stop, a surge of – something – blasted from underneath the stage close to the arm that was supporting the platform. In addition, small fountains of fluid erupted to the left and right of the arm. But shooting powerfully out of the center toward the audience was a stream of some fluid. It arced over the people in Section 102, reaching about half as high as the bottom of the manually operated spotlights attached to the downstage masts. The tail didn’t become visible until the head of this liquid snake (which looked to be about two inches in diameter) was about three-quarters of the way over Section 102. It then started to arc down and began to disperse, reminding me of that moment in Star Wars: The Force Awakens where the blast from StarKiller Base separates to decimate its victim planets. Slowly, gracefully, noiselessly, it descended onto the patrons sitting on the stage right side of the first half of Section 102. At first, I thought it was the liquid form of the stage smoke that had escaped. There was no warning on the ticket of a “splash zone” so it couldn’t be that. I’ve seen technical errors before, but this was nothing like that; Cirque du Soleil doesn’t make those kind of mistakes, does it? The reaction from the people who got doused was delayed but not happy. They looked at their clothes, each other. Some rubbed their eyes, lifted and shook their arms, stood up. Some headed for the exit. They looked wet! A few moments later, ushers came to the area to help people exit. Anywhere the fluid landed – chairs, aisles, the stage – glistened. It wasn’t water. Or stage smoke fluid. It was vegetable-based hydraulic fluid! (A bit of tech: Vegetable seed oil fluids can withstand higher temperatures, are bio-degradable and are non-toxic to fish, but it is more expensive than mineral-based fluid, though this was no consolation to the patrons who were doused.) The music continued to play, the platforms (and the characters stuck on them) stayed in place. After about 90 seconds, a pre-recorded female voice announced that the show would be “temporarily delayed” and to stay in our seats. Then the house lights came up though the music continued. The thick industrial smell of the hydraulic fluid final made its way to our nostrils. I was loving this. Even though I suspected it would be awhile, if ever, that the show would resume, it was thrilling to be there for an actual malfunction. This was REALLY COOL! The audience rustling and murmuring conversations raised the noise level. Members of the tech crew started coming to the stage with small flashlights. They were finding it hard to not slip; one tech moved to the front of the platform and had trouble keeping his foothold on the shiny fluid- covered surface. A few minutes later the same pre-recorded female voice announced the show would be delayed “for an indeterminate length of time” and to move out of the tent into the concessions area. The music stopped, and they brought a tall orange ladder onto the stage. The characters, who up to this point had remained motionless, started to gingerly make their way off the platforms. People started moving out of the tent slowly, the same way they would at the end of the show. We lingered, wanting to stay in the environment as long as we could. We finally joined the shuffling throng and began to leave the tent. The mash of the entirety of the Grand Chapiteau attendance milling about in the concession tent was tight; it was very hard to move around or see over anyone. I had a hard time finding the rest of my party, an experience I’m sure many others in the crowd had. People were noisy, restless, wondering. The female voice floated over our heads again. It now announced the show had been - cancelled. The sound of 1,800 people jammed into the concessions tent being disappointed was memorable; a descending sigh accepting the expected. But Cirque was ready. All the concessions tent people started handing out flyers (in English and French, of course) apologizing for the cancellation and saying tickets would be refunded. While that would be the least Cirque could do, it didn’t sit well with me that I would have to start the ticket buying process over from scratch, after several months of sales had snapped up many of the best tickets, and at regular price to boot. Disappointed and wanting to make the evening last a little bit longer, we shopped a bit more and finally left. As we were leaving, an ambulance and a fire truck arrived on the scene, no siren but with lights flashing; this was a chemical spill after all. They were let in through the service entrance. I did not hear if anyone was treated. Outside the tent we talked to a couple who had been on the receiving end of the fluid. The man was still wearing his oil-stained shirt, the woman’s blouse had been soaked so badly it couldn’t be worn. She had to purchase a Cirque hoodie (costing $55 she paid herself, there was no offer of replacement clothing from Cirque – a promotional opportunity missed? To my understanding there has been no offer of reimbursement since.). After they realized it was oil they left the tent of their own accord, rushing to the hand washing area to try to clear the oil off their hair/face/hands. The woman (like several others) had gotten it in her eyes, so eye flushing was important. There not being a safety eye wash in the patron area, they had to use the hand washing station water, which it should be noted is marked as NOT drinkable. It was lightly misty as we made our way to our car. People with pre- scheduled ride sharing reservations were stuck, they had to suddenly rebook or wait until their reserved car showed up some 90 minutes later. Several folks were nervously poking their phones hoping for a reservation – until one could arrive they were stuck outside the tent in the middle of a large suburban park in the rain. A few were asking about public bus transportation, available if you braved the quarter- mile either way walk out of the park, in the dark and the rain. Later the next day we got a “special advisory” email from Cirque: Dear Cirque du Soleil Guest, Following the incident that caused the cancellation of the 8:00pm performance of VOLTA in Redmond, Washington on Friday September 7th, Cirque du Soleil apologizes for the inconvenience and will automatically reimburse all guests who had purchased tickets for the cancelled show. Please allow up to 48 hours for the reimbursement. Tickets purchased through the Cirque du Soleil website or call center will be automatically refunded on the credit card used for the original purchase. For tickets purchased through one of our partners, please contact the original point of sale for refund. Guests who paid for on-site parking will be reimbursed upon proof of receipt and can be arranged by calling customer service at 1- 877-924-7783.** Those wishing to re-book tickets for all other Seattle performances of VOLTA through November 4 will be offered a 30% discount on their new purchase. They are invited to process a new booking on the Cirque du Soleil website using this link: Click here or by calling customer service at 1-877-924-7783. Cirque du Soleil apologizes for this incident and any inconvenience this cancellation may have caused. For all inquiries, the Cirque du Soleil customer service team is available to take your call at 1-877-924-7783. Best, Cirque du Soleil Your VOLTA customer experience team [**Marymoor Park charged $20.00 per vehicle, but fortunately provided a Volta-logo-d receipt. That and supplying your Volta ticket order (to reduce fraud) got patrons a refund.] The website mentioned in the email goes to the Cirque ticketing interface, but the prices are lower).Our schedule filled up in the meantime, but we finally decided to try again on another Friday evening, September 28. (I’m working on a more complete review, look for it next issue.) The incident later got coverage in the Seattle Times local newspaper and a couple of mentions (with post-incident cell phone video) on KOMO-4 ABC local news the next night. Another tik off the Cirque Bucket List! ------------------------------------------------------------ "Celebrating Michael's 60th Birthday" By: Kerry Hennigan - Adelaide, South Australia (AUS) ------------------------------------------------------------ On Wednesday 29 August 2018 the Estate of Michael Jackson and the Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil resident show held its annual celebration of the pop icon’s birthday in Las Vegas. This year would have been Michael’s 60th birthday, and the event was duly billed as the Michael Jackson Diamond Celebration. MJ fans from all over the world (including myself from Australia, my friends from Toronto, Canada, and others from Hong Kong) gathered on the afternoon of the 29th in the vicinity of the MJ ONE Theatre at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino for a “meet and greet” opportunity with Estate personnel and special guests, which included Michael’s costume designer Michael Bush (author of “The King of Style: Dressing Michael Jackson”) and musician Greg Phillinganes who worked with MJ over three decades and was the musical director for Cirque’s Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour (which I saw 14 times in 4 different countries… I think!) There were 3 birthday cakes, two of which were divided up for all the fans in the MJ One theatre lobby (I missed out on this, but being gluten intolerant, wouldn’t have been able to eat it anyway; but I’m told they were delicious). Most of the fans in attendance had tickets to attend the 7 pm or 9.30 pm MJ One shows. On presentation of our tickets at the theatre door we were issued with invitations to the after party which was being held outdoors at the Daylight Beach Club commencing after the 7 pm show. Before all of that though was the “intimate” Q&A with the Michael Jackson Estate personnel, for which special invitations had been issued to fans who had responded to the call for questions posted by the Estate’s on-line team earlier in the month. This was held in the bar area of RX Boiler Room restaurant in the Shoppes at Mandalay Place arcade. The submitted questions (or, a compilation thereof) were read out by an MC for Estate co-executor John Branca to answer. There were the inevitable calls for clarification or further information on some matters from those of us sitting in the books or standing at the bar tables around the bar, but Mr. Branca accommodated those as best he could in addition to the questions that had been prepared. The questions all pertained to further plans by the Estate for releasing new music, remastering videos, or opening a museum, and many other matters of interest or concern to fans. There were no questions relevant to either of the MJ Cirque shows that I recall, and really, their track-record reflects the success of that creative collaboration. (I did overhear some fans - both from within the US and from overseas - comment how excited they were because it was to be their first time attending the MJ One show.) After the meet and greet the action shifted back to the theatre lobby and boutique area at Mandalay Bay, which was where the pre-show red carpet parade of celebrities took place in front of a mass of media cameras. It was as “crazy” as the red carpet event I’d experienced at the official opening of MJ One back in 2013. First into view were representative members of the show’s cast, who were eventually followed by three of Michael’s siblings who took their time talking to the media down the opposite end of the red carpet from my vantage point. The priority for my friends and I was to see Michael’s eldest two children, Prince and Paris, who were announced as attending the event. Unfortunately the crush of the crowd was so intense, and show time drawing near, that we retreated to the MJ One theatre lobby and eventually to our seats inside the theatre. Somewhere in the middle of all that we did manage to grab something to eat at the nearby House of Blues restaurant across the casino floor. (High quality finger food had been offered around to the fans attending the Q&A in The Boiler Room, where there was also an open bar, but those of us with food allergies needed some digestible sustenance - and a chance to draw a breath in relative peace and quiet). Every year that I attend MJ One shows I noticed differences - although last year I missed out because the show was closed in the wake of the tragic mass shooting in the vicinity of the hotel. In December 2016, however, I thought the slightly shortened version of the show I saw had ramped up the beat - and the excitement - considerably from what I previously experienced, and it was superb. This year I was a little less ecstatic because the early numbers seem to be too much of a mash- up for any particular song/performance to create much of an impact (apart from leaving one breathless!). Once thing settled down into the longer performances - like Dirty Diana and Earth Song, it was just like “old times” watching the show. Earth Song is my favourite segment, given that I spend most of the time watching the footage of Michael on the big screen - my favourite MJ song from what is probably my favourite MJ era. The mature man and his message bring me to tears. The finale, as always, was a blast, with us clapping and stamping along with the cast as they came through the aisles. Finally, when the lights came up and people began to disperse, I spotted MJ One (and Immortal) director Jamie King walking out past our seats, and was able to speak to him and take photos. In addition to his work on the Estate/Cirque projects, Jamie is well-known to MJ fans for having toured as a dancer with Michael on the Dangerous World Tour after making his debut at MJ’s landmark Super Bowl half time performance in 1993. He has, of course, accrued a long and impressive list of credentials as a choreographer and director. Now it was time to head off to the after-party which was in its very early stages when we reached the Daylight Club. The music was already pumping, and the VIPs were already arriving. There were curtained cabanas cordoned off on one side of the poolside Club for their use, but not all the special guests confined themselves to the area. I encountered This Is It director and Michael Jackson’s long-time friend and tour director Kenny Ortega standing at one of the poolside bars and chatted with him. Later I brushed right past Greg Phillinganes as he was making his way through the crowd - but didn’t notice until one of my friends pointed him out to me. Sadly I we missed seeing the arrival of Prince and Paris Jackson. But really, after the hectic afternoon and evening we’d had, we “mature- age” fans were ready to head back to our respective hotel rooms. The Hong Kong gang stayed on and captured footage of Quinn Tivey, Elizabeth Taylor’s grandson, presenting Prince and Paris with a posthumous award for their father from the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. The award was in recognition of Michael Jackson’s many charitable contributions in both time and money, as well as the way he set up his Estate (which stipulates a percentage go to charities). In promoting the event the Estate had highlighted the collaboration with the ETAF as a way of honoring Michael’s humanitarian legacy. It was an announcement that was greeted with unanimous approval by MJ fans everywhere. The greater recognition of this part of the pop icon’s life, and the importance he placed on it, is of high priority to many of us. While I normally avoid visiting the American southwest during summer because of the usually high temperatures, this was one of the few occasions when I’ve suffered the heat for the sake of attending an extra special event. I’m pleased to say that the stars (in the firmament and on the planet) aligned to make it a night I’ll happily remember. ------------------------------------------------------------ "Big Top Academy - It's About to Start!" Texts from the Press Release ------------------------------------------------------------ GETTING INTO THE BEST CIRCUS SCHOOL IS ONLY THE BEGINNING “BIG TOP ACADEMY”, THE SHOW IS ABOUT TO START! PREMIERE OCTOBER 15TH Discovery Kids, the leading pay TV network for preschoolers in Latin America, and Cirque du Soleil Images, the multimedia production division of Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, announced the October 15th premiere of “BIG TOP ACADEMY,” an original live-action kids series by Apartment 11 Productions in association with TVOkids. Set in a fictitious circus arts boarding school, “BIG TOP ACADEMY” tells the story of an extraordinary group of young acrobats who dream of becoming professional circus artists. The series, the first ever live-action kids series for Cirque du Soleil, transports young viewers to the exciting and colourful circus universe. ABOUT BIG TOP ACADEMY --------------------- As the young group of students at BIG TOP ACADEMY strive towards personal excellence, they learn to work as a team and transcend their own limits. Fast-paced and high-energy, the series tells the story of eight students – Nicholas, Maxwell, April, Phoenix, Chase, Ella, Celeste and Axel – who hail from different walks of life and have a variety of skills: some are already circus artists, others come from ballet and gymnastics, while a few have no formal training at all. Heading up the school is the firm but friendly headmistress, Miss G., along with stern athletics director Sir Rayne and wacky teacher Ms. Martel. Miss G will mold the young students into the best circus artists they can be. At this prestigious school, the value of friendship is enhanced, the stakes are high, the risks are real, the rivalries are intense and the obstacles formidable. In the premiere episode, viewers are introduced to Nicholas Zolta, a student at BIG TOP ACADEMY whose father was a legendary circus artist who attended the school in his youth but disappeared a decade ago while attempting a daredevil circus stunt. As the school year unfolds, Nicholas will discover a web of mysteries that all seem to lead back to his father… and Sir Rayne, who seems to know more about Nicholas’s father than Nicholas himself! Helped by his new friends, Nicholas will have to solve this enigma if he hopes to make the school not only a place for people to become great circus artists, but also a home where everyone is accepted for who they are. MEET THE CHARACTERS ------------------- NICHOLAS -- As the son of famous daredevil Nicky Zolta, circus is in Nicholas’ blood. He eats, sleeps, and breathes circus, and wants nothing more than to follow in his father’s footsteps and attend the world’s best circus school, Big Top Academy. Yet, Nicholas has to keep his BTA audition a secret from his mother. Many years ago, Nicky Zolta disappeared while performing a daredevil circus stunt, and Lucy Zolta swore she’d never let her son follow in his father’s footsteps. But Lucy soon realizes that she can’t stop Nicholas from doing what he believes he was meant to do and allows him to attend Big Top Academy. Nicholas is thrilled to walk the same halls his father did before him and share his knowledge with his BFF, circus newbie Phoenix. A natural leader, Nicholas makes friends easily – but makes a dangerous enemy almost immediately in the form of Maxwell Rayne, son of sinister Sir Rayne, the school’s new Acrobatic Director. Sir Rayne has a keen interest in Nicholas and his family history… but why? What does Sir Rayne know that Nicholas doesn’t? Nicholas quickly learns his father’s legacy is both a blessing and a curse. Nicholas will discover his father had some big secrets, and the answers all seem to lead right back to Big Top Academy. Perhaps Nicholas’ gut feeling was right: his father might still be out there somewhere, and his disappearance may turn out to be the biggest stunt of them all! MAXWELL -- The son of decorated athlete Sir Rayne, Max is a competitive gymnast who’s been training for the Olympics his whole life. So he’s surprised when his father announces that he’s taken a job at a circus school and that Max is to attend the school – no ifs, ands, or buts. Sir Rayne has shown nothing but disdain for circus in the past, and Max has adopted his father’s strong opinions. Maxwell has no choice but to quickly shift gears and focus on being the best at circus school – but he’s not happy about it. And the first person whom he takes his frustrations out on is “golden boy” Nicholas Zolta. APRIL -- A goal-oriented perfectionist, April left her ballet dreams behind when she wasn’t accepted into the BOPS, an elite prima ballerina squad. Since then, she harbours the feeling that she might not be good enough to shine centre stage… Of course, she lets none of this show when she arrives at Big Top Academy. For April, this is the opportunity to start with a clean slate and prove to everyone that she’s a star. Yet, as she transforms from ballerina to circus artist, she will still have to deal with her toughest critic: herself. PHOENIX -- A skateboard girl who’s not afraid to speak her mind, Phoenix never thought she’d be auditioning for circus school. She’s a regular kid who goes to a regular school, hangs out with her best friend Nicholas at the skate park and helps out her parents at the diner they own. She’s never taken a circus class, let alone a gymnastic lesson! Besides, her working-class parents never had much money for those type of extracurricular activities. Everything Phoenix knows, she’s picked up on her own – basketball, skateboarding, parkour. So when she gets in to circus school, she has a lot of catching up to do, and she’ll do her best to fit in while remaining true to herself. She’ll learn that the circus embraces people from all walks of life and the things that make her unique – her street smarts, her bluntness, her aversion to everything “fancy” – will only help to make her a well-rounded circus artist. CHASE -- Son of a a busy mom with a mysterious career and an overbooked agenda, Chase is a rebel with a real knack for getting in trouble. He’s been to many schools around the world… and has been expelled from all of them. For Chase, circus school is just another stop… until he realizes it’s lot more fun than he thought. For once in his life, he doesn’t want to get kicked out of school. This place feels like home. But staying on the straight and narrow isn’t easy for Chase and he’s having a hard time resisting his inner rebel, especially when he finds out his roommate Nicholas is knee-deep in awesome BTA mysteries! As he gets wrapped up in helping Nicholas figure out the secrets of the school, Chase must try his best to avoid getting into trouble. But unbeknownst to Chase, someone’s keeping a close eye on him and reporting his every move back to his mom. No wonder the school’s Chef knew exactly what his favourite cereal was from the very first day! ELLA -- The youngest member of the travelling Piccolo Family Circus, Ella has been performing on stage with her family for as long as she can remember. They are constantly on the road and never spend more than a few nights in the same city, but Ella could not imagine her life any other way. Lately, ticket sales haven’t been going so great and, although her parents try to shield Ella from such concerns, she can sense that their family business is in serious trouble. Which is why she thinks this might be the perfect time to join her older sister, Celeste, at circus school. Her plan is to vlog all the cool, new things she’ll learn at circus school, popularizing the Piccolo name and hopefully boosting ticket sales. But first, she must get in and she won’t let anything get in her way: not even the glucose monitor that keeps her type 1 diabetes in check. CELESTE -- A returning student, Celeste is also a member of the Piccolo Family Circus. Having been homeschooled most of her life, Celeste was anxious about going to a real school far away from her family and everything she knows, but now that she’s been there for a year, she absolutely loves it! She’s learning lots of new circus moves and techniques, but she also has more time to devote to her other interests, like science! She’s happy her little sister Ella is coming to join her, but at the same time, Ella is a reminder of home and the circus life she’s expected to get back to one day. Celeste is fiercely protective of her little sister, but the two will clash when they have different ideas of what the Piccolo family’s future is supposed to look like. Celeste enjoys performing, but that doesn’t engage her imaginative scientific brain. If only there was a way to combine the two… AXEL -- Axel comes from a long lineage of lawyers, and both his parents are judges. Indeed, Axel’s life has already been planned out for him: he will attend the prestigious private school that his mother, grandfather and great grandfather attended before him, after which he’ll study law where he will graduate with honours, and then become a judge, just like the rest of his family. Circus is, according to his parents, simply a hobby. But what was meant to be just a passing phase has turned into a passion. Axel excels in every discipline at BTA. His skills are impressive and if he keeps training, he’ll have a promising career ahead of him. But in order to do that, Axel will have to face his parents and prove to them circus isn’t just fun and games for him. It’s what he wants to do for the rest of his life. ROSA -- Rosa is the newest arrival to Big Top Academy. She’s an exchange student from a circus school in Mexico called Circo Gran Malabar. Rosa, is extremely talented in the circus arts, and she’s eager to fit in with the kids at BTA. In an effort to make friends, Rosa hides just how skilled she is, and pretends to need a little more help than she actually does. But in time, she learns that she shouldn’t hide her greatness, and at Big Top Academy, there’s room for everyone to shine. MISS G -- A retired circus artist, Miss G is a fair, but firm Headmaster. She believes the circus is a place of inclusion and that everyone should feel welcomed. She’s the adult students turn to when they need to talk or when they have a problem they can’t solve on their own. She is authoritative but recognizes talent and knows when to bend the rules. Miss G has the responsibility to help kids strike the balance between sense of play and discipline. To be great circus artists, they’ll need a mixture of both. With kooky Ms. Martel on one end, Miss G felt the school was in need of a strict rule enforcer on the other, which is why she hired Sir Rayne. Yet, through the first season, she’ll start to question her decision. Sir Rayne is a skilled instructor, but he is starting to foster a spirit of competition amongst the students that Miss G does not appreciate. Sir Rayne will also begin to undermine Miss G and scrutinize her every move, hoping to catch her in the wrong. SIR RAYNE -- An athlete with an illustrious career, Sir Rayne’s reputation precedes him when he arrives at Big Top Academy. To the kids, he’s an imposing figure, hired by Miss G to whip them into shape. He won’t shy away from delivering harsh criticism and is stingy with praise. With his very high standards, Sir Rayne seems impossible to satisfy and if the students think it’s hard to have him as an athletic coach now, they’ll soon see that having him as a principal will be a total nightmare! MADDIE MARTEL (AKA MS. MARTEL) -- Trained as a professional clown, Ms. Martel is the eccentric artistic teacher with her head in the clouds. Friendly and lenient, Ms. Martel encourages students to think outside the box and embrace their “crazy” side. Her wacky aunt persona makes her a friend to all of the students. GRAN MALABAR -- Gran Malabar is the founder of the Circo Gran Malabar, a circus school in Mexico. His past is a little… mysterious, mostly because he claims to not remember much of it. He traveled from town to town teaching the circus arts. He met young Rosa, who became his protegé, and she ultimately convinced him to put down roots and start his very own circus school. He encourages Rosa when she is invited to be an exchange student at Big Top Academy but is anxious for her to return to Circo Gran Malabar, and is not shy in making his opinion known. * * * “BIG TOP ACADEMY” will premiere on Discovery Kids Latin America and TVOkids Canada on October 15th. CHECK OUT THE TRAILER HERE: https://youtu.be/KNJyURluCyY Jonathan Finkelstein, the founder of Apartment 11, is executive producer for the series with Leila Basen and Carina Schulze as showrunners. For Discovery Kids, Michela Giorelli and Adriano Schmid are the executive producers and Javier Chuecos is the supervising producer. For TVOkids, Marney Malabar is the executive producer. Sébastien Ouimet from Cirque du Soleil Images is also an executive producer for the series. The popular Argentinian producer, director and composer, Cris Morena, also serves as executive producer and songwriter. It is produced with the financial participation of the Shaw Rocket Fund, the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit and the Quebec Film and Television Tax Credit. ------------------------------------------------------------ "We're Off and Running II, Part 2 of 4: Mystère" By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) ------------------------------------------------------------ In "We're Off and Running", the 16-part series that we concluded last month, Fascination! explored some of the first reviews, peeks, and evaluations of Cirque du Soleil's touring shows (from Le Cirque Réinventé through to Varekai) as they took their first steps across North America. Sometimes the coverage was just a brief blurb about the show and its theme, occasionally there was a short interview with a performer, a stage hand, or creation director, and other times the article was an assessment of the show itself, evaluating its technical and acrobatic merits with what had come through before. Although we narrowed our series to focus on touring shows that had hit the road before Fascination began publication (with the exception of Varekai), what of Cirque's signature resident shows? What interesting blurbs did we uncover about Mystère, "O", La Nouba or even the company itself in the course of our investigation? Enough, as it turns out, for "We're Off and Running II", a four-part sequel series to continue... right now with early articles about Mystère. # # # REVIEW: CIRQUE DU SOLEIL MYSTERE By: Tim Grey | Variety February 27, 1994 Acts: Manipulation by Michael Moschen, Chinese poles, aerial bungee, Main a Main hand-balancing, Korean poles & fast-track trampoline, Taiko drums, trapeze. Aaaoooowww! The new offering from Cirque du Soleil is terrific, spectacular and all the synonyms for peachy. For its 10th anni, the Montreal troupe got its first permanent U.S. location, in a comfy, attractive theater specially built at Vegas’ Treasure Island hotel. Siegfried & Roy, next door at the Mirage, are understandably the reigning kings of Vegas spectaculars; with “Mystere,” Steve Wynn, chairman of both hotels , scores a double whammy. Unlike previous Cirque productions, “Mystere” won’t tour — perhaps because it has 70 performers (nearly twice the previous amount) and features bigger-than-usual flourishes, like a giant snail that comes onstage for no apparent purpose except to wink at the audience. These touches are fine, but Soleil really is not about the spectacle of stagecraft, but about the spectacle of physical skill and imagination. And this show, which ranks with the best of Soleil’s offerings, really delivers on both counts. The evening kicks off with Taiko drummers being lowered onto the stage, and never lets up from there. One acrobat weirdly zooms 80 feet above the stage by climbing poles on his hands and feet, followed by acrobats similarly scrambling up 20 poles simultaneously. Six people perform an aerial ballet on bungee cords. It’s hard to picture these things, and hard to describe them. These are amazing, dreamlike feats, performed wordlessly and in surreal costumes, accompanied by Rene Dupere’s effective, live music (which sounds like New Age on steroids). Cirque du Soleil is a circus for those who don’t like bigtops. Its costumes, lighting and music are all non-traditional, and familiar routines are given strange, amazing variations. Artistic director Gilles Ste-Croix and director Franco Dragone fill every inch of the big (120-by-70-feet) stage: If people are not doing acts, they’re cartwheeling, running or dancing; even the stage area under the trapeze net is filled with performers. There are a few quibbles. There seems to be an attempt at a plot that is more murky than fascinating, and frankly you want to smack the three adult clowns dressed as infants. So it’s not a perfect show. But it’s close. * * * * * * CANADA TO VEGAS: CIRQUE MOVES INTO A NEW HOME By: Gary Dretzka | Chicago Tribune March 5, 1995 For a troupe of one-time street performers that has spent much of its 10 years of existence on the road in tents, the hard walls and permanent stage of Cirque du Soleil's new Treasure Island residence must seem more than a bit unfamiliar. This city's Strip, with its megawatt marquees and constant whirr of activity, also must appear a long way from home for the collection of international entertainers whose organizational roots stretch back to Quebec, Canada. But a lot has happened to Cirque du Soleil since 1984. The little circus that could, did. In a big way. Cirque has grown from a motley collection of mimes, stilt-walkers and acrobats-who scratched for places to perform-to an internationally honored company that, in the past 12 months, has juggled three major productions on three continents. Its grand tours now involve-as did "Saltimbanco," which visited Chicago in 1993-a 50-truck caravan, 650 tons of housing and office equipment, a 2,500-seat tent and a fully staffed kitchen that serves about 300 meals a day to its 40 performers and support staff of 70. Its new production, "Alegria," has embarked on a national tour (with a stop in Chicago planned for July). Next month, "Saltimbanco" moves from Japan to Europe. But it's here, in the neon desert, that Cirque du Soleil has staked a permanent claim, laying an unlikely foundation for its new-wave theatrics and athletic contortions. The circus' astonishing success story began 2,800 miles from here, in Montreal, in the early '80s, when a group of young street artists gathered together and founded Le Club des Talons Hauts (High Heels Club). This loose collection of stilt-walkers and fire-eaters would tour the back roads of Quebec and eventually evolve into Cirque du Soleil, which, thanks to a government grant, first performed at a festival marking the 450th anniversary of the arrival of Jacques Cartier in Quebec. The grant afforded the company the opportunity to purchase its first tent-a colorful 800-seat number-and begin touring the provinces. It became a popular attraction at Expo '86 in Vancouver and, in 1987, opened the Los Angeles Festival, where it attracted the attention of people such as Johnny Carson, who showcased the troupe on his TV program. The popularity of the group in L.A. encouraged them to launch several North American tours and, eventually, visits to Japan and Europe. It wasn't long before Las Vegas beckoned. "We wanted to grow a flower in the desert," says Daniel Gauthier, president of Cirque du Soleil, explaining the troupe's desire to come to Nevada. In 1992, Cirque opened "Nouvelle Experience" in its trademark blue- and-yellow-striped tent behind the Mirage hotel-casino on the Strip. Two years later, it moved to a new $20 million theater next door in another Steve Wynn property, the Treasure Island resort. It is the same hotel where, every 90 minutes, a pyrotechnic sea battle is staged between an 80-foot pirate ship and a British frigate. The troupe's founder, Guy Laliberte, always harbored a desire to come to Las Vegas but, before the '90s, the entertainment environment wasn't perceived as being conducive to Cirque's surrealistic pleasures. "This is the biggest entertainment city in North America, that's why we wanted to be here," Gauthier said, adding that it wasn't until Mirage chairman Wynn evolved a climate for such acts that Cirque decided to make the leap. "We created the show and designed the space. He gave us lots of leeway and comments." A spacious 1,500-seat venue was built to the troupe's specifications, designed by Michel Crete and the Montreal architects of Sceno Plus. "Cirque cuts through all demographics, all social strata," says Alan Feldman, vice president of public relations for Mirage Resorts. "You can be wealthy beyond your wildest dreams, from Japan, a solid working-class person from Tennessee, and you can be sitting next to each other in the showroom, having a blast. "That's something that's almost unheard of in the entertainment world." Las Vegas now is the only place where Cirque cultists will find "Mystere," another in a series of hauntingly ethereal and hugely entertaining productions. This may, at first, seem to be an unlikely marriage-Cirque du Soleil and Las Vegas-but this city traditionally has provided homes for one- of-a-kind attractions, be they of the endangered feathered-showgirl variety or such hot-ticket entertainments as Siegfried & Roy, "Starlight Express" or the upcoming "EFX" special-effects/music extravaganza, starring "Phantom" Michael Crawford. Las Vegas needs such dramatic attractions to confirm the city's new image as an international, family destination. It is hoped that these types of shows will help lower the age of the average tourist-and gambler-from 46 to something closer to puberty. "Ours is a new kind of show for a new generation," said Gauthier, sounding like the French-Canadian wing of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce. He said Cirque also is planning to participate in the creation of a show for Wynn's new resort, Beau Rivage, which will emphasize aquatic activities and be situated on a man-made island. The non-traveling "Mystere" has an open-ended run, but portions of it will be updated later this year to keep it fresh. (Most other Cirque productions have a two-year life cycle.) It is a bit disconcerting, at first, to watch Cirque's whimsically costumed men and women-sorry, no animal acts-go through their paces outside a tent environment, although the magic of "Mystere" is inescapable and makes for an awe-inspiring evening away from the tables and slot machines. Seventy-two performers, including 10 musicians, ranging in age from 17 to 45, have been gathered from North and South America, Europe and Asia to showcase their many skills on the trapeze, trampoline, Korean planks, Chinese poles, bungee cords and in elaborately choreographed dance and acrobatic routines. The theater itself provides part of the magic. "The biggest difference is the enormity of the stage," says Cirque spokeswoman Sally Dewhurst, who performed with the troupe as a tightrope walker in its tent tours and will occasionally fill in for sick artists in Las Vegas. "On tour, the tent is so much more intimate and you have more direct contact with the audience. Here, the movements have to be a lot bigger and everything has to be much more elaborate to be read." The troupe has free rein of a 120-by-70-foot performance area, which includes a 36-foot rotating platform. The stage is made up of four elevating platforms that can be lowered 20 feet into a pit or 3 feet above the floor. Some 1,200 lighting instruments are hung from the top of the performance area, 80 feet above the stage (the tent was 56 feet high). A 60-channel, 40,000-watt sound system engulfs the theater in the otherworldly sounds of the Cirque singers and band, which performs on two separate platforms at the top of the theater. The speakers nearly deafen the audience as a bombardment of giant Japanese taiko drums descends from the rafters, ultimately taking over the stage. This cavernous theatrical space and electronic network is used to full advantage by the energetic troupe. While the audience is entranced by the great array of visual choices, Goodman points out that the large stage area has resulted in some unforeseen complications. "There's the fatigue level," she said, "just having to run that far for every entrance-they sprint 75 feet before doing the tricks that they do. The backstage is vast." While not of the three-ring variety, this circus presents a daunting challenge for the eye. It is a vertical adventure, with activity often occurring simultaneously in the sunken pit, the main stage and the upper reaches of the auditorium. "The performers even have an elevator to take them up and down," Goodman said. "The dressing rooms are two floors up and the wardrobes are another floor up. "Heaven help us if they get stuck in it." This also means that reserving a seat in the middle or upper reaches of the curved gallery might be a better bet for guests than getting one up close. What's lost in intimacy will be gained in visual comfort. It's also easier to follow from above the hilarious clowning around that takes place in the aisles before the show. It's especially amusing to watch late-arriving visitors become targets for "Mr. LeGrand," an Einstein-ian character who poses as an usher and directs folks to unlikely seating locations. Set under a large trapezoid ciel, or sky-which tilts, bends and serves as screen for projected video images-"Mystere," on the surface, is a relatively plotless concoction. Its most constant thematic thread involves the occasional appearances of large-and, to some, increasingly annoying-babies who constantly toy with the audience and create diversions. These enormous infants, are on a "quest for nourishment, and embark on an odyssey of discovery," which takes them into various exotic locales and bizarre adventures. Their language is childish, but universal, and their sense of wonder is tripped by large balls, magical birdlike creatures and even a magnificent escargot, "born from a spring rain, carrier of the souls of the ancestors and herald of the future." It's all very mystical and explained best in the back of the colorful program, where the gallery of characters is introduced. But the athleticism of the performers is what ultimately holds the attention of the audience and drives the minimalist narrative. The acrobats, more like dancers and gymnasts than traditional circus artists, work very much in the Cirque tradition of elegant movement. There are the familiar pole climbers, teeter board artists and silky jugglers, and the mammoth stage also allows for dramatically choreographed drops by the bungee jumpers and for a brilliant six- person trapeze act. Constant also are Cirque's amazing costumes, which are vibrantly colorful and strikingly imaginative-and possibly not that far removed from the feathery souffles worn for generations by statuesque dancers in showrooms along the Strip. It was the enormous success of Siegfried & Roy, whose act at the Mirage largely relies on magic and non-verbal appeal, that encouraged Wynn to take another expensive chance on a non-traditional act like Cirque. "It tipped us off to the fact that we were being too reliant on language (in our entertainment choices)," the Mirage's Feldman said. "In Las Vegas, where the customer mix has become so dramatically international in the last five years, we came to realize that some of the great singing and comedy acts don't play to a foreign audience for 52 weeks a year. "The allusions had no language. In Cirque, their language is uniquely their own." Audiences have been enthusiastic in their response to "Mystere"- filling the theater to an average 98 percent of capacity-as have critics. Time magazine called it one of the best theatrical shows in the U.S. in its 1994 year-end review. Unlike other Las Vegas showrooms, the "Mystere" theater features comfortably spaced seats, there's no two-drink minimum and guests don't have to wait in a line flanked by tempting slot machines. Mirage visitors can save themselves a short walk by grabbing the tram that links that resort to the Treasure Island. It drops guests off just a few yards from the theater, where the trim and bouncy performers soon will make the riders feel guilty for taking a shortcut. * * * * * * MYSTERE A HIT AT LAS VEGAS' TREASURE ISLAND By: Larry Oppen | Amusement Business June 5, 1995 Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil celebrated its first year at Steve Wynn's Treasure island here in January with a yearend total attendance of 661,000. The show, called Mystere, is playing indefinitely at the casino twice a night, five nights a week, and has a sellout ratio of 98 percent. Tickets are priced at $57.20 for adults and $28.60 for children under 12. Although "Mystere" is primarily produced as an adult show, many of the acts are of interest to the whole family. Cirque du Soleil is a cross between a Broadway show, opera and circus. The 90-minute award-winning production uses a hard ring rather than sawdust and excludes animal acts. Featured is a cast of 72 artists--acrobats, clowns, actors, comedians, stilt walkers, singers, dancers and a 10-piece band of musicians performing an original score by composer Rene Dupere. The international troupe's members are from Canada, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, China, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Russia, Portugal and the U.S. Acts include an aerial ballet with synchronized bungee jumpers, North America's largest trapeze act, an acrobatic precision line performance with 22 Chinese poles, a hand-balancing act with hand-to-hand equilibrists, trampoline acts, Korean plank aerialists and a display of Taiko drum-playing. The set was designed by Michael Crete. The 1,541-seat indoor theater-in-the-round was specifically designed and installed for Mystere. It features state-of-the-art lighting, sound, backstage equipment and stage equipment. Steve Wynn, chairman of the board of Mirage Resorts Inc., which owns Treasure Island, said Cirque du Soleil is the ideal complement to Treasure Island. "Our international guests will find Cirque to be of a special delight with no language or cultural barriers," he said. "People from all over the world enjoy the wonder and pleasure to be found at a Cirque performance," said Wynn. "Cirque has no stars," added Sally Dewhurst, publicist for Mystere, one of three companies performing worldwide. "It's an ensemble. We do have a few main characters, but they also put up the nets and clear off the trampoline if they have to. "The show constantly changes through the year, and at the end of this year we're planning to do a revamp. The intensity of the show sometimes causes injuries to the performers, so the evolution throughout the year is consistent. This is why we have a permanent artistic director who can change the acts as necessary." The three shows are Mystere, which is permanently playing in Las Vegas; Alegria, which completed a run in Costa Mesa, Calif., and opened in New York City in March; and Santimbanco, which will do a two-year tour of Europe. Alegria and Santimbanco touring companies move every four to six weeks. Cirque du Soleil started as a nonprofit organization in 1984, funded with a Canadian government grant and under the guidance of the founding president, Guy Lalierte. The current president is Daniel Gauthier. On Nov. 10, 1992, before Mystere opened at Treasure Island, Cirque du Soleil played its first permanent non-touring company in Las Vegas, the Nouvella Experience, in a tent located behind the Mirage. "We really took a gamble when we tried to play Cirque in Las Vegas," Dewhurst said. "Our situation was that we were behind the Mirage and people had to go through the casino to the tent, which wasn't conducive to convenience. Visitors didn't see its location or know the name, although the locals who did know about it loved it. "One of the incentives to having the show in a tent prior to Mystere coming was that people became aware of the name Cirque du Soleil. But the Novella Experience didn't have the attendance figures that we had hoped for." Mystere started slowly in January 1994, with attendance at only about 60 percent, while the touring show (which was then Santimbanco) was extremely successful, consistently selling out at 100 percent. It required a lot of media coverage to bring Mystere to public attention. Although it was originally slow because Cirque du Soleil is not traditional Las Vegas, it is now at the forefront of changing the face of Las Vegas entertainment. Many reservations for Mystere are made up to 90 days in advance via the 800 number. * * * * * * CIRQUE ADS FRESH SPICE TO MYSTERE By: Gary Dretzka | Chicago Tribune March 5, 1996 With "Alegria" away in Japan, "Saltimbanco" encamped in Europe and a new North American show still months away, fans of Cirque du Soleil must trek to the desert to witness the mesmerizing theatrics and sensuous athleticism of their cherished troupe. It's a journey worth making. After two years of performances, the lure of "Mystere" continues to attract capacity crowds (more than a million paying customers) to Cirque's signature theater at the Treasure Island resort. Several acts have been added to the experience, freshening it up and providing some exhausted entertainers a chance to recharge their batteries. The other-world environment of "Mystere"--a brilliantly colorful celebration of birth, flight and sensory evolution--remains essentially the same. But the addition of new material makes this edition brighter. Moving over from "Alegria" is Mischa Matorin, master of the flying cube. The wild-maned Matorin, who would be a perfect model for the cover of a romance novel, manipulates the aluminum-frame cube with his feet in an aerial ballet staged high above the theater's floor. Enhancing what appears to be Matorin's effortlessly precise dance with a seemingly weightless object are pinpoints of light that reflect off the surfaces of the cube to create a rainbow of colors. I'm told that Matorin--son of the artistic director of the Moscow Circus and a gymnast--gets to perform with fewer clothes than he did with "Alegria," adding spice to a pretty sexy show. Two new clowns have been added to "Mystere," replacing fuzzy-haired Benny LeGrand, who "went home to carve ducks and grow plants in Vancouver." James Keylon, a registered pharmacist who gave it all up to join the circus, plays a traditional mime character continually badgered into submission by bosomy and belligerant Francine Cote. Their occasional appearances, along with those of the show's famous fat baby, serve several purposes: lightening the occasionally heavy tone of the show, reducing the distance between the performers and the audience in the cavernous theater and providing a comic point of entry for younger viewers. Few people go to this circus to see the clowns, but Keylon and Cote manage to enchant the crowd. A unique and dangerous high-bar act has been added at the end of the show, employing a fixed metal frame as a launching pad for a dizzying display of spins and catches. Fourteen gymnasts had trained for nine months on this routine, which incorporates a great deal of delicate choreography and trapeze artistry. [To Be Continued...] ======================================================================= COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER ======================================================================= Fascination! Newsletter Volume 18, Number 10 (Issue #177) - October 2018 "Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (C) 2001-2018 Ricky Russo, published by Vortex/RGR Productions, a subsidiary of Communicore Enterprises. No portion of this newsletter can be reproduced, published in any form or forum, quoted or translated without the consent of the "Fascination! Newsletter." By sending us correspondence, you give us permission (unless otherwise noted) to use the submission as we see fit, without remuneration. All submissions become the property of the "Fascination! Newsletter." "Fascination! Newsletter" is not affiliated in any way with Cirque du Soleil. Cirque du Soleil and all its creations are Copyright (C) and are registered trademarks (TM) of Cirque du Soleil, Inc., All Rights Reserved. No copyright infringement intended. { Oct.06.2018 } =======================================================================