======================================================================= ______ _ __ _ __ / ____/___ ___________(_)___ ____ _/ /_(_)___ ____ / / / /_ / __ '/ ___/ ___/ / __ \/ __ '/ __/ / __ \/ __ \/ / / __/ / /_/ (__ ) /__ / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /_/ / / / /_/ /_/ \__,_/____/\___/_/_/ /_/\__,_/\__/_/\____/_/ /_(_) 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 22, NUMBER 1 January 2022 ISSUE #211 ======================================================================= Bonne Année, Happy New Year, and welcome to the latest edition of Fascination, the Unofficial Cirque du Soleil Newsletter. Sigh... For a moment there it looked like Cirque du Soleil (and the rest of the performing arts world) would be able to get back to doing what they loved to do... performing... alas, Omicron, the latest variant of the gift that keeps on giving (a.k.a. COVID-19), washed over the globe instead, causing a number of shutdowns once again. Remaining of performances of 'Twas the Night in New York City were canceled, the last few performances of Alegria-In a New Light in Houston were canceled, and so far, some performances of LOVE have been canceled. There will be more to come I'm sure. Although this variant appears more contagious than previous versions, it also seems less virulent than those that came before, so here's hoping that Omicron is but a brief roadblock to "back to normal"... whatever that is. COVID has touched us all in myriad ways. So far myself, my wife and son, have escaped relatively unscathed, but the same can't be said of other members of my family. One of which recently paid the ultimate price. So, no, I don't know what normal looks like anymore, but I do know what will help us get back there: Regardless of your faith or political leanings, I implore you to get the COVID vaccine and/or its booster if you haven't already done so - there's really no excuse anymore. Be part of the solution, not a hindrance. Okay, so let me stop talking about that... There've been a number of happenings at Cirque du Soleil since we last spoke - from announcements of shows in Toronto (Kurios) and partnerships in Los Angeles (OVO) to the opening of DRAWN TO LIFE at Walt Disney World and a new CEO for the company - all of which you'll find a bit about within. And as long as we can get a handle on Omicron, it looks like the VIP Experiences at the Las Vegas shows are slated to return (to be announced) as well as a nice 3D Collector Ticket (to be shipped to you 7 days prior to your show date) for "O"... but only if you're good boys and girls! So, shall we get into it? /----------------------------------------------------\ | | | Join us on the web at: | | < www.cirquefascination.com > | | | | Realy Simple Syndication (RSS) Feed (News Only): | | < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?feed=rss2 > | | | \----------------------------------------------------/ - Ricky "Richasi" Russo =========== CONTENTS =========== o) Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings * La Presse -- General News & Highlights 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 * SPECIAL /// "Nothing Less Than Actual Magic" - A Collection of Articles Celebrating Drawn to Life's Premiere o) Copyright & Disclaimer ======================================================================= CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS ======================================================================= *************************************************************** LA PRESSE -- General News & Highlights *************************************************************** ---------------------------------------------------------- Cirque to celebrate its return to Toronto with KURIOS! {Nov.08.2021} ---------------------------------------------------------- Cirque du Soleil is proud to announce its return to Toronto in 2022 with its most critically acclaimed touring show KURIOS — Cabinet of Curiosities, presented by Sun Life Global Investments. Toronto will mark the official return of KURIOS following its hiatus caused by the global pandemic. Hailed as an "enthralling, over-the-top magical show", KURIOS will open under the iconic Big Top at Ontario Place on April 14, 2022, for a limited series of performances. "Toronto has always been a special place for us and we're ready to be reunited with Cirque du Soleil fans in Ontario," said Daniel Lamarre, President and CEO of Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group. "More than ever, we need the shared connection that live entertainment brings. Traveling to invoke the imagination, provoke the senses and evoke the emotions of people around the world has always been the core mission of Cirque du Soleil; to be able to do it all over again with KURIOS sparks an indescribable feeling of pride in all our artists and employees." "When the COVID-19 outbreak began, Ontario's heritage, sport, tourism and culture industries were among the first and hardest hit, which included live performances," said Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries. "I couldn't be more pleased to welcome the return of Cirque du Soleil to Ontario Place next spring and am looking forward to seeing their exciting show – KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities. The return of performances like this will go far to bring joy back to our province, as well as provide a much- needed boost to the tourism sector." Since June, Cirque du Soleil has been delighting audiences again in Las Vegas with the reopening of its resident productions Mystère, "O", The Beatles LOVE and Michael Jackson ONE. The return of KURIOS will mark the relaunch of Big Top touring operations for the company, following Alegría in Houston (November 2021), LUZIA in London (January 2022) and KOOZA in Punta Cana (January 2022). A "KURIOS" EXPERIENCE LIKE NO OTHER Critically acclaimed the world over, KURIOS—Cabinet of curiosities astonishingly revisits the signature Cirque du Soleil style of performance by weaving jaw-dropping acrobatics with a refreshing touch of poetry, artistry and humour. A mind-boggling escape from reality, KURIOS unveils a festive, steampunk-inspired universe where the unexpected lies at every corner. "KURIOS is the most joyous piece of theatre I've seen in years, and it will lift your spirits to the stars." — Toronto Star "KURIOS is the most enthralling, consistently over-the-top magical show Cirque du Soleil has sent our way in a long time." — San Francisco Chronicle In an alternate yet familiar past, KURIOS steps inside the mechanical lab of an inventor convinced that there exists a hidden, invisible world—a place where the craziest ideas and the grandest dreams await. Once the inventor succeeds to unlock the door to this world of wonders, time comes to a complete stop and an uplifted cast of otherworldly characters invades his curio cabinet, bringing his makeshift creations to life one by one. As the visible becomes invisible and perspectives transform, KURIOS bursts into a celebration of the power of the imagination. Premiered in Montreal in 2014, and debuted in Toronto the same year, KURIOS has mesmerized over 4.5 million spectators in 30 cities worldwide with over 2,000 performances brought to life by its cast of 45 world-class artists. Tickets are now on sale at cirquedusoleil.com/kurios. { SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil } ---------------------------------------------------------- Cirque and Microsoft Theater Announce 5 Year Partnership {Nov.11.2021} ---------------------------------------------------------- Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group ("Cirque du Soleil") and Microsoft Theater are proud to announce their new exciting partnership for presenting a Cirque du Soleil touring production within L.A. LIVE each spring for the next five years. OVO – a high-energy and high- acrobatic spectacular, will mark the launch of this new collaboration with a series of over 50 performances from March 16 to May 1, 2022 at the Microsoft Theater. "We are excited to have found a new home for our touring shows at the heart of Downtown L.A," said Daniel Lamarre, President and CEO of Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group. "Microsoft Theater is an iconic venue perfectly located within L.A. LIVE; to add Cirque du Soleil to the impressive list of talent who have performed on its stage is truly an honor." "Microsoft Theater is incredibly excited and we look forward to welcoming Cirque du Soleil and their world renowned shows and entertainment to L.A. LIVE starting in March 2022 and continuing are partnership through 2027," Lee Zeidman, President, STAPLES Center, Microsoft Theater and L.A. LIVE. Since June, Cirque du Soleil has been delighting audiences again in Las Vegas with the reopening of its resident shows Mystère, "O", The Beatles LOVE and Michael Jackson ONE. KÀ is scheduled to reopen on Nov. 24, 2021. The return of OVO marks the relaunch of global touring operations for the company, following Alegría in Houston (November 2021), LUZIA in London (January 2022) and KOOZA in Punta Cana (January 2022). "Intermission is over," added Mike Newquist, Senior Vice President – Touring Shows at Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group. "Travelling to invoke the imagination, provoke the senses and evoke the emotions of people around the world has always been the core mission of Cirque du Soleil; to be able to do it all over again at Microsoft Theater with OVO sparks an indescribable feeling of pride in all our artists and employees." THE BUZZING WORLD OF OVO An exciting Cirque du Soleil experience for the whole family, OVO is a colorful intrusion into a new day in the life of insects, a non-stop riot of energy and movement. Highlighting the unique personalities and abilities of selected insect species through show-stopping acrobatics, OVO explores the beauty of biodiversity in all its contrasts and vibrancy. From mighty crickets bouncing off trampolines to a hypnotic spider contorting inside her web, OVO exudes extraordinary showmanship to tickle the imagination. Funny and chaotic, yet adorable and wonderful, OVO charms our inner child with its sweet exuberance. Comprised of 52 performers from over 15 countries, the cast of OVO ("egg" in Portuguese) brings to the stage 10 high-level acrobatic acts redefining the limits of the human body. Since its opening in Montreal in 2009, OVO has thrilled more than 7 million people in 155 cities in 26 different countries. Tickets are now on-sale at cirquedusoleil.com/ovo MICROSOFT THEATER Microsoft Theater hosts over 120 music, family, dance and comedy acts, award shows, televised productions, conventions and product launches with over 500,000 guests passing through the doors annually. The 7,100-seat theater offers guests mid-sized intimacy, with no seat further from the stage than 220 feet. Microsoft Theater offers 12,000 square feet of VIP & hospitality areas, 10 dressing rooms and state of the art technology making it is a favorite indoor venue for performers and fans alike. Since opening in October 2007 with six sold out shows featuring the Eagles and Dixie Chicks, Microsoft Theater has hosted concerts starring the most popular artists including Alan Jackson, Katy Perry, Charlie Wilson, Juan Gabriel, Aretha Franklin, Ed Sheeran, John Fogerty, Gabriel Iglesias, Kanye West, Marc Anthony, Sesame Street Live, John Legend, The Avett Brothers, Neil Young, Steely Dan, Trey Songz, Kelly Clarkson, Rush, Yanni, Nicki Minaj, Juanes, Cat Stevens, The American Idol Finale shows, Michael Jackson's This is It, Straight Outta Compton, The Hunger Games and Twilight Movie Premieres and many more. Microsoft Theater is home to the American Music Awards, ESPYs, Primetime Emmy Awards and BET Awards, and has previously hosted the People's Choice Awards, Radio Disney Music Awards, the 2010, 2011 & 2015 MTV Video Music Awards, the 2014 & 2015 MTV Movie Awards and the 2013 Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame. { SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil } ---------------------------------------------------------- Drawn to Life opens at Walt Disney World Resort! {Nov.19.2021} ---------------------------------------------------------- The highly anticipated new collaboration from Cirque du Soleil and Disney, Drawn to Life, premiered Thursday night at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort to a full house of enthusiastic fans who demonstrated their appreciation with a lengthy standing ovation. The show is a love letter to Disney Animation interpreted through Cirque du Soleil's acrobatic performances, dazzling choreography, innovative design and eclectic costuming alongside all-new characters created by Disney Animation artists and an original score inspired by timeless Disney music. It marks the first ever theatrical collaboration of three creative icons: Cirque du Soleil, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering. "This show has been in the works for years and to finally share it with the world is a dream come true," said Daniel Lamarre, President and CEO of Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group. "This collaboration has been unlike anything we've done before. We hope it will mean as much to our fans as it has to us – it's not just our show now, it's theirs too." "Seeing a Cirque du Soleil show at Disney Springs has long been a cherished experience for our guests," said Jeff Vahle, President of Walt Disney World Resort. "Combining the rich legacy of Disney Animation with the incredible artistry of Cirque du Soleil, Drawn to Life is pure magic." Drawn to Life, written and directed by Michel Laprise with Fabrice Becker as Director of Creation, is a live acrobatic journey telling the story of Julie, a determined girl who discovers an unexpected gift left by her Disney animator father: an unfinished animation. As she dives into the inner world of animation guided by a surprising pencil, Julie embarks on an inspiring quest filled with childhood Disney memories. Developed along with Michael Jung, Executive Theatrical Development, Walt Disney Imagineering, the story is driven by 10 unique acrobatic acts alongside animation from beloved Disney films as well as all-new animation created by Disney Animation artists led by Animation Director Eric Goldberg, best known for characters such as the Genie in the animated classic, "Aladdin." Cirque du Soleil acrobatics and characters from classic Disney animation films blend throughout Julie's journey. Along the way she encounters rhythmic gymnasts interpreting pages of drawings in continuous sequence, a pair of human trapeze artists moving as paintbrushes to create a kaleidoscope of colors, teeterboard artists displaying the squash and stretch principle of animation and beloved Disney Animation characters from across eras. Years in the making, the show was researched through extensive visits Cirque du Soleil teams made to Disney theme parks, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Walt Disney Animation Research Library, Walt Disney Archives, and The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco. As a result, the show pays homage to classic Disney Animation techniques and many trailblazing Disney Animation artists including Mary Blair, Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas. The show is an immersive production featuring an all-original score of new music pixie-dusted with playful snippets of melodies from Disney's classic animated feature films; makeup that reflects animation principles like exaggerated lines, highlights and shadows; larger- than-life costumes and props that are more than meets the eye; and a set that envelops the audience in sketch pages and an animator's drawing table. Originally slated for a March 2020 opening, but delayed due to the pandemic, the show played to an electric theater of excited guests. Among those in attendance were Lamarre, Vahle, Goldberg as well as other top Cirque du Soleil and Walt Disney World executives. "It means so much to finally be raising the curtain on Drawn to Life," said Laprise. "Every step of this journey has been emotional, from researching and viewing original Disney Animation, to writing this beautiful story, to meeting our cast and becoming a family supporting each other through our unexpected ‘intermission' together. I'm overwhelmed at the magic we have the opportunity to create for families." Drawn to Life is the 50th production created by Cirque du Soleil and its premiere coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Walt Disney World Resort. With an international cast of 62 artists, Drawn to Life will perform Tuesday through Saturday at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort. Drawn to Life presented by Cirque do Soleil and Disney Fun Facts: o) Cast is comprised of 62 artists from 15 countries around the globe including Japan, Russia, Togo, Colombia and Peru o) There are 10 unique acrobatic acts in Drawn to Life o) The show features many references to the history of Disney Animation, a few of which are: o) The four animators who befriend Julie on her journey are Cirque du Soleil's bow to Walt Disney's Nine Old Men, icons of Disney Animation. o) Throughout the show there are references to the 12 principles of animation outlined in the book Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life by iconic Disney animators and Disney Legends Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas. o) In the Dreams of Colors act the kaleidoscope of colors pays homage to the genius of Disney Animation artist Mary Blair. Tribute is also paid to the Women of Ink and Paint, unsung heroes whose brushstrokes gave life to early animation celluloids. o) The Old Mill act is inspired by Walt Disney's groundbreaking 1937 animated short of the same name. o) The Squash & Stretch act was inspired by the rubber band fights Disney Animators were known to have during their breaks. For more information on show tickets, dates and pricing, visit cirquedusoleil.com/drawntolife. { SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil } ---------------------------------------------------------- Cirque is Back in Town With ‘Twas the Night Before… {Nov.29.2021} ---------------------------------------------------------- After a long dark night in circus and indeed performing arts history, Santa is back on stage, and his elves and reindeer are there too, full of hype for the coming holidays. At the Chicago Theatre until December 5, you and the family can catch the Cirque du Soleil show ‘Twas the Night Before… They last played to Chicago in 2019, selling out the house for 17 holiday shows, and this year will be just as lively as theater- and circus-starved audiences jostle for top-notch entertainment. “I spoke to director James Hadley just before the show and asked him what it meant to the performers to return to the stage again in Chicago. He explained that when the original show launched at Chicago Theatre in November 2019, it was part of Cirque du Soleil's efforts to engage family audiences (and to provide an introduction for youth into the world of circus). Hadley said, "It was really emotional and I think it was even more than people expected first of all because people hadn't performed in quite a long time and they had been going through what all of us had been going through for this past year and a half. We had a run-through of the show at the head office for employees just before we left…it was a really beautiful but emotional return to the stage." In the new, revitalized ‘Twas the Night Before… Cirque du Soleil show, world-class circus acts parade across the stage embodying all that is beautiful about the holiday as Isabella, a slightly preoccupied teenage protagonist, and her father, who is yearning for the connection the holiday used to bring them, are wooed by the magic. Enfolded in this highly entertaining performance are selected sections of the classic poem The Night Before Christmas (aka A Visit from St. Nicholas) by Clement Clarke Moore, circa 1837. The result is a classic yet tweened up Christmas special that will appeal to every age. Children will be drawn to the lights, the color, the Christmas theme, and especially to the curiously au currant elf-like dancers (Jenna Beltran, Kalila Hermant, Samuel Moore, Carlo Darang, Shannon Kelly, and Bianca Vallar from the Kinjaz dance crew) cranking out TikTokish dance memes, and the adults will be charmed by the classic Christmas carols and breathtaking circus. The international cast really brings the sparkle, from a candyland- inspired acrobatic table slide (starring Quentin Greco, Jean-Marc Giese, Roberto Alvarez, Sekou Camara, Lucas Gabriel Morales Bravo), to a rollerskating power couple (Holler Zavatta Bogino, Kimberly Zavatta Bogino) straight out of the disco era and a juggling St. Nick figure (the versatile ball juggler Miguel Gigosos Ronda), they kept the ground action moving along to a soundtrack of classic carols. The protagonist Isabella is played by the talented Alicia Beaudoin herself on acro bike. Meanwhile, the aerial acts mesmerized with the poignancy every fan has come to expect from Cirque du Soleil performances–and also captured attention with the uniqueness of each performer's act. Starting the show with an aerial straps act were Karyna Konchakivska and Suren Bozyan resembling nordic icicle elves in a whirl of snow. There was a hair-hanging act performed by Danila Vieira Bim that inspires sighs, as well as an equally moving aerial lamp act that can chase away winter blues by Alexis Vigneault. Another interesting aerial device is the hotel valet trapeze that was masterfully navigated by Masha Terentieva–a starlet who helps the protagonist understand what gratitude feels like by her own ungrateful behavior. In the end, the story wraps up with a little extra Christmas poetry, some good vibes and a rollicking good time provided by a golden troupe of hoop-diving reindeer (Quentin Greco, Jean-Marc Giese, Roberto Alvarez, Sekou Camara, Lucas Gabriel Morales Bravo, and Evan Tomlinson Weintraub). ---------------------------------------------------------- Stéphane Lefebvre named Cirque du Soleil CEO {Dec.01.2021} ---------------------------------------------------------- A soft-spoken bookkeeper with a low-key profile will now take the spotlight at Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group as the circus giant tries to reconstruct a business shattered by the coronavirus pandemic. The famed troupe said Tuesday it is naming Stéphane Lefebvre, a chartered accountant who has been Cirque's operations chief for the past year, as its chief executive officer, effective Dec. 1. He replaces communications specialist Daniel Lamarre, who is taking a step back into an executive vice-chairman role after two decades at the helm. "The two of us went to war together" to pull Cirque out of the COVID- 19 crisis, Mr. Lamarre said in an interview ahead of the official announcement. "And now we're looking for Stéphane to bring the company to the next level." Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil is slowly rebuilding its business, which was pulverized nearly overnight in the spring of 2020 after it was forced to shut down 44 productions and lay off about 4,600 employees to comply with government-mandated bans on public gatherings. The company filed for bankruptcy protection three months later and is now controlled by its creditors, which bought Cirque in a transaction valued at about US$1.2-billion. Mr. Lefebvre and Mr. Lamarre worked closely together during that time, meeting every morning to plot a trajectory toward revival. They'll maintain that teamwork now, with Mr. Lefebvre, 54, in charge of daily management while Mr. Lamarre focuses on business development and relationships with key partners such as casino operator MGM Resorts and Disney. "While there was no specific timeframe for me passing the baton after 20 years building this amazing organization, I feel privileged to have contributed to the rebirth of Cirque du Soleil and feel now is the right time," Lamarre said in a statement. "There is no doubt in my mind that Stephane Lefebvre, after being instrumental in the relaunch of our operations, is the ideal next leader to take Cirque du Soleil forward to the next stage in its evolution as a company founded on the conviction that the arts and business, together, can contribute to making a better world," he added. Recapturing revenues and clawing back profitability remain colossal challenges for Cirque. The company has reopened several of its permanent shows in Las Vegas and just premiered a show called Drawn to Life at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, which was delayed by the pandemic. Openings have been staggered until now but the company plans a more aggressive schedule of touring show relaunches starting next year. Ticket sales have been stronger than expected, with pent-up demand fuelling an initial surge, the two senior Cirque executives said. Still, they acknowledged the fragility of the global health situation and said they are pushing cautiously, going only into countries and cities with high vaccination rates and rigorous sanitary measures. "Financially, we're in really good shape right now," Mr. Lefebvre said. He said Cirque started the year with about US$180-million in cash for operations and also has access to untapped credit. The owners, led by controlling shareholder Catalyst Capital Group Inc., are supportive and would likely inject emergency capital if it was ever needed, he said. Credit ratings agencies such as Moody's have expressed concern about the extent to which Cirque's business is centred on Las Vegas, where its partnership with MGM counted for an estimated 35 per cent of its US$950-million in annual pre-pandemic revenue. But Mr. Lefebvre sees it as a steady source of cash flow, a financial anchor of sorts that the company can build out from as it relaunches shows in other cities in the months ahead. WHO IS STEPHANE LEFEBVRE? Mr. Lefebvre joined Cirque du Soleil from aircraft simulator maker CAE Inc. in 2016 in the wake of a change in ownership as Cirque founder Guy Laliberté sold control of the company to private equity firm TPG Capital and China's Fosun International Ltd. He was finance chief for four years at Cirque, leading three acquisitions as well as its post- bankruptcy recapitalization. The soon-to-be-CEO is a known quantity at Cirque and liked by its creative teams because he has an appreciation for the value of their work, Mr. Lamarre said. Other colleagues describe him as a sweet and easygoing person with a sharp mind. Lefebvre insists he's not just a money guy. "My background has more than just the financial aspects of management," said Lefebvre. "I've been working in different businesses. Since I joined Cirque du Soleil six years ago, I've been involved in different parts of the business, not only the financial part … including the strategy of the company and including its operations. "And I've done that in my previous career as well. I worked for an amazing company called CAE and I was highly involved in operations. I am a (chartered professional accountant) by trade but I've got more than just finance in my background. I have a lot of interest in arts and what the creative team's capabilities are. … One of my favourite meetings was when we reviewed creative content for upcoming shows and I have the pleasure and benefit of having an amazing creative team." Lefebvre has promised a seamless transition at the top of the company as its stable of live shows worldwide continue to reopen. "It is an honor for me to take the lead of this Quebec flagship company, one of the largest contemporary live entertainment producers of the world," said Lefebvre in his own statement. The decision to keep Mr. Lamarre as executive chairman is a reassuring one given he's been at the heart of Cirque's international expansion, said Louis Patrick Leroux, an English professor at Concordia University who co-edited a book on Quebec's circus companies. Mr. Lefebvre's appointment, meanwhile, also sends a signal. "That, in itself, indicates the direction one expects Cirque du Soleil to follow: Financial responsibility, stability and growth as we tippy toe out of the COVID pandemic," Mr. Leroux said. "Cirque du Soleil needs to rebuild, refinance and relaunch its otherwise successful brand." LESS SHOWS THAN BEFORE Going forward the Cirque will be doing less shows than before. "The reality now is, and we made it very clear with our new owners, maybe it's better to have fewer shows and focus on having a stronger presence in strong markets," said Lamarre. He cited as an example of this that they will now have a new show in Montreal every year, rather than every two years, which was the case in the past. The first show in Montreal since the pandemic will be Kooza!, which will begin performances in the Old Port April 28. The Cirque just signed a new 10-year deal with the Old Port to have a new show every year. The Cirque also plans to do the same thing in Toronto, Los Angeles and London. "So the 10 super markets we have, we can go there every year," said Lamarre. "Only that will change the financial model of Cirque. You have Vegas that gives you a lot of stability. Then if you add 10 super markets that adds another layer of sustainability." And, of course, Las Vegas… "I have spent quite a bit of time in Las Vegas in the last month, and it is my intention to continue to work with our team there," Lefebvre said. "I plan on being very present with our team in Las Vegas." Lefebvre has been conferring with Cirque Senior Vice President Eric Grilly and Vice President of Operations Matt Nickel in Vegas. The company's next planned production is a New York-themed show at New York-New York, in the former "Zumanity" theater. Aside from that production, there are no formal plans for a new Cirque show on the Strip in 2022. As Lefebvre said, "In the near term, we'll continue working on certain front-end marketing initiatives that we have launched in this year, together with MGM, to help support our growth in the box office." By the time the NY-NY show launches, Cirque will present five shows in MGM Resorts International hotels. "Mystere," at Phil Ruffin's Treasure Island, is the lone exception. "I will be continuing to nurture the relationships with our great partners MGM Resorts, AEG, Disney, Vidanta (the entertainment and hospitality company out of Mexico that co-produces the show "Joya")," Lamarre said of his new role, which is a full-time position. "I will also be involved in new business development." LAMARRE NOT PRESSURED Asked if realigning the company's executive structure was a condition of the purchase, Lamarre said, "Not at all, and by the way, this was my recommendation. If I would have decided to remain as a CEO, I would. But my decision was to make sure that we ensured the stability of the company for the next 10 years. As a matter of fact, the board has insisted that I remain as executive vice chairman." "First of all, I'm not getting younger," said Lamarre, 67. "That was not only my decision, it was my recommendation. I really pushed for that transition plan to be in place because I'm not looking short- term. I'm looking mid-term. There's only one way to learn to be a CEO, it's to be a CEO and that's why I thought Stéphane moving in as a CEO, and counting on my presence full-time for a while, I think is the best scenario. "And what I like about what's happening right now, and I don't want to make it a personal thing, but the book that I'm writing and publishing on creativity, is exactly in the line of what you were asking about Stéphane. The role of a guy like Stéphane or myself is to put in place the right conditions to nurture creativity. And here you are in the building of a creative centre. That's where we are. … We have to preserve that at any cost because the day that we lose our creative edge, we're done." Lamarre said he's most proud of his role in stabilizing the company through the shutdown of all of its operations in March 2020. He has a book coming out in January, "Balancing Acts," chronicling his time with the company. And his hand-picked successor is a prominent, new power player on the Las Vegas entertainment scene. "I've taken up this challenge with a dose of humility, because this company has been through such a rough period," Lefebrve said. "We've been in the trenches these last 18 months. Thank God, we can count on the amazing team in Vegas that supported the relaunch of the operations. I certainly feel privileged now, just having seen people's reaction to coming back into theaters and seeing our shows. "That makes me feel extremely excited about the future." { SOURCES: The Globe and Mail, The Hollywood Reporter, The Montreal Gazette, and The Las Vegas Review-Journal } ---------------------------------------------------------- Meet Vincent Lavoie, a Tumbler in Alegria {Dec.06.2021} ---------------------------------------------------------- Under the Big Top at Sam Houston Race Park, Cirque du Soleil's Alegría continues to wow audiences during its return engagement following their canceled shows in March 2020. It's Cirque du Soleil's first touring show to relaunch since the world's largest circus producer had to shut down during the pandemic. (Yes, intermission is officially over.) This Alegría is a reimagined version of the 1994 production, with music, acrobatics, set designs, and costumes more dazzling than ever. The popular and high-energy Powertrack act features gymnasts tumbling and flying over each other off of two long trampolines that create an X on the stage. Vincent Lavoie has been a part of this act since 2017. "It's great to be back," says the 29-year-old Canadian. "Everyone is super-excited to be back, and the audiences love seeing live performances again, so their energy just feeds us." Lavoie was destined to be part of Alegría. A native of Drummondville, Quebec, he took a tumbling summer camp at age 8 and was hooked. At 11, he saw a video of Alegría, Cirque du Soleil's most popular show that has been seen in 255 countries by more than 14 million people. The show's Grammy Award-winning theme song is the most popular Cirque du Soleil video on YouTube. Right away, he knew he wanted to join the Powertrack act and make the circus his home. As a teen, Lavoie began competing in tumbling, and in 2014 he became the first Canadian in 16 years to compete in the Tumbling World Championship. During his competition years, he would run into Cirque du Soleil scouts and talk to them. They encouraged him to take dance lessons, which he did for three years in college. The call finally came when he was 22, and he joined the Powertrack act in the resident show La Nouba that Cirque du Soleil performed at Walt Disney World Resort. Although that show closed in December 2017, Lavoie has now rejoined the act of his dreams in the Houston revival of Alegría. Despite his high-flying antics, he's never had a serious injury. But he has had a case of the twisties—that feeling of being lost in midair while trying to change direction. The world learned about that dangerous condition after it took hometown legend Simone Biles out of competition during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. "I experienced it once in training when I was about 12," Lavoie recalls. "It's very common. I haven't [experienced it during] a show, but I did when I was competing. You have to stop and go back to basics and work it out." During the pandemic, he returned to his home in Quebec. "I was lucky to have a friend there who has a gymnastics school where I could work out almost every day to keep in shape and stay mentally grounded." The Alegría team went back to training earlier this year, and arrived in Houston four and a half weeks before opening in November to rehearse under the Big Top, which accommodates 2,600 people. While audience members are encouraged to wear masks, they are not required to. "We all wear masks backstage," he says, "and we used to run through the audience to get to the stage, but we don't do that now. Plus, we get tested every week." Lavoie, who is gay and single, is hoping to find a few dates who will take him around to see the sights in Houston this month. His parents visited here from Canada for a weekend, and they visited the Hines Waterwall Park and some of the great graffiti walls and parks in town. Lavoie's dream job with Cirque du Soleil is one that he doesn't see ending anytime soon, even as he ages. "I hope someday to move into a character that does more acting and less gymnastics—maybe doing artistic work backstage, or coaching." He is definitely that little boy who ran off to find a home in the circus. { SOURCE: Out-Smart Magazine } ---------------------------------------------------------- An Excerpt from Daniel Lamarre's Book: How Creativity Turned Cirque du Soleil Into an International Success {Dec.06.2021} ---------------------------------------------------------- In an excerpt from his new book Balancing Acts, the circus's longtime leader reveals the source of the business magic. People began bursting into my Montreal office, one after another, with bad news—another city locked down, another show canceled, another border closed. We held emergency meetings, but every decision was outdated by the time the meeting was over. Soon came word that the big casino resorts hosting our long-running Las Vegas shows—"O," "Mystere," "The Beatles Love," "KÀ," "Michael Jackson One"—were closing indefinitely. With the NBA and Broadway shows already dark, the entire live entertainment industry was being felled by a virus. In less than a week, our company had to cancel all 44 shows around the world, and revenue plunged from $1 billion a year to zero. The global pandemic of March 2020 had left us, quite literally, without a business. Bankruptcy protection seemed inevitable. As chief executive officer, I knew I had to stay calm. At this terrifying moment, I would need every ounce of tenacity I could muster to save our beloved company. Today, the sun rises. Cirque du Soleil's spectacular productions have returned to stages in the U.S. and abroad. Our creditors—seeing the enormous value in our creative output—acquired us in November 2020 by absorbing our debt and investing an additional $375 million. When the pandemic struck, I was writing a book about creativity in business that made me think long and hard about why our company became so successful after its humble beginnings in 1984 as a ragtag group of local street performers and what companies in other industries might learn from our experience. During my 21 years at the company, we have expanded by leaps and bounds, with our touring shows reaching 450 cities in over 90 countries. Overall, more than 365 million spectators have seen our productions, and our 15 million tickets sold in 2019 were more than all Broadway shows combined. How did we achieve such astounding growth? I kept coming back to one word: creativity. By that, I mean the standard dictionary definition of "making or bringing into existence something new." Which raises the question: How can a company reach the cutting edge and stay there? First, forget the traditional pyramid structure. That tends to stifle experimentation. We found that employees need smaller, more intimate groups, which we call "innovation cells," to express themselves openly and play around with new ideas. That's why we were able to grow so large without compromising quality. We don't act like a big company. To maintain our creative edge, we have several cells devoted exclusively to research and development. Our trends group has three full-time employees who search the world for new ideas and talent in music, fashion, architecture, theater, film, games, and more. A larger research department, called Nextasy, selects a few major projects per year to focus on, including new stage technologies and biomechanical breakthroughs that reduce performer injuries. One exciting innovation, developed with Microsoft Corp., is a pair of augmented-reality smartglasses, called HoloLens, that allows our directors to visualize the entire stage before it's even built. In establishing a creative culture, how you choose your projects and partners is crucial. Informally, we call our guidelines the Four Criteria, which can apply to any company or industry: 1. Is it a creative challenge? This is the most important question. Ask if your team can get truly excited about a new project. Employee engagement is a huge problem—especially now that workers are quitting their jobs in historic numbers—because managers don't give them enough reasons to get excited about what they do. A creatively challenged staff is far more productive and works longer hours because they're deeply engaged. 2. Does our partner share our values? Our greatest partner has been MGM Resorts International, which understands the creative process and has always supported our Las Vegas shows no matter how far-out our ideas or how expensive the theater construction. We've mistakenly worked with other resorts that had no interest in the artistic content of our shows. With our values out of alignment, we clashed constantly. 3. Can it make a profit? Although making money is obviously required, we don't consider it until the first two conditions are met. When we broke this rule—forming partnerships with a casino resort that guaranteed us a profit in exchange for the prestige we conferred—it was a disaster. Almost empty theaters damaged our morale and brand. We should have rejected this deal for the very practical reason that our company has never been driven by a lust for money. 4. Are our partners socially engaged? If the answer is no, we introduce them to causes such as Cirque du Monde, our nonprofit arm that helps at-risk youth. Once our new partners get involved, they are always glad they did. When Covid-19 hit, we had to quickly repatriate 1,500 cast and crew members stranded in 13 cities before national borders slammed shut. Then we had to find warehouses for almost 500 trucks full of stage equipment. But all that was nothing compared to the trauma of March 19, 2020, when we had to lay off 95% of our 5,000 employees without any idea of when we could rehire them. During those bleak days, as we went through bankruptcy protection, I was astonished to get a series of calls from blue-chip investors. Despite our crippled state, they were attracted by the tremendous power of our brand and the value of our intellectual property. The winning bid by our creditors put our market value at a stunning $1.28 billion. That improbable sequence of events illustrates, better than anything else I could say, why creativity is so crucial in business. Now that I've moved on from CEO to executive vice chairman of the board, I plan to travel widely to spread my message: Whether you are an executive, an entrepreneur, or a professional, if you aren't placing a high premium on creativity, you're wasting your time. No company deserves to exist unless it's constantly discovering ways to make its customers' lives better. Simply put, without creativity, there is no business. Taken from Balancing Acts by Daniel Lamarre Copyright 2022 by Daniel Lamarre. { SOURCE: Bloomberg } ---------------------------------------------------------- 31 Days Of Plots: R.U.N. By Cirque du Soleil {Dec.17.2021} ---------------------------------------------------------- Live Design's fourth annual 31 Days Of Plots features one production per day during the month of December 2021, highlighting a different lighting design, from across theatre, concert tours, corporate events, live for broadcast, and more, as we wind down 2021 and head toward the new year. Day 17 of 31 Days Of Plots 2021 kicks into high gear with the extreme action show, R.U.N. by Cirque du Soleil. At the Luxor in Las Vegas, R.U.N. opened in October 2019 and closed in March 2020, due to Covid-19, as did all resident Cirque shows. The ace design team included set designer Bruce Rodgers, projection designers Olivier Goulet and Johnny Ranger, sound designer Jonathan Deans, and lighting designer David Finn. "When preparing for R.U.N. there were a lot of unknowns," explains Finn. "What we did know, however, is that we would have to meld the lighting aesthetically with a massive video installation, we knew that we had to cover a lot of square footage, and we knew that there would be the demand for a lot of varying visual effects. Think Cirque meets rock show meets video Installation meets theater meets stunt show meets Cirque again! In other words, be ready for anything. With that in mind we chose systems that would give us all of the above and incorporate fixtures which provided a lot of options when it came to effects and finesse." In terms of the fixtures used, Finn points out: The Miro Cubes, Braq Cubes and Spiiders were chosen to put into the large side towers where a lot of ancillary action would take place over 4 stories, staircases, ladders, breakaway floors, a DJ booth, etc. and where quarters were tight, throws were short and heat would not be friendly. We worked with Set Designer Bruce Rogers and Director Michael Schwandt to optimize positioning in these massive, complex towers and then with Video Designers Olivier Goulet and Johnny Ranger to blend our world behind the giant scrim panels which fronted the towers into their world which projected onto these same panels. We had a small DJ booth which was rimmed with GLP Impression Bars and had a background of Titan Astera Tubes for color and effects when we wanted to draw attention there. The Ayrton MagicPanel FX and Astera Titan Tubes were used inside a custom set of truss rigs (6 total) designed by ATD Joshua Hind. I felt that we needed one additional strong visual element overhead in this show that could fill and shape space. We put six units in each rig and they were able to use their full pan/tilt functions in combination with the rig tilting forward so it could either play vertically or horizontally or anywhere in between. We positioned them in a forced perspective downstage to upstage. Then we let programmer Benny Kirkham perform his magic and they, ultimately, became a key visual element that could highlight and support throughout. They could look "Rock 'n Roll" or "Street" or just be a beautiful array of color and patterning. We had a lot of action FOH and the Proscenium arch and forestage were a key position for connecting the action onstage with that in the house. We rimmed the arch with Megapointes (powerful and with a lot of attributes) and also the JDC1 strobes. The forestage had a line up of the strobes and also MagicDots which were able to act as movable footlights. The JDC1 strobes are so much more than a strobe and, again, gave us a lot of visual language. The remainder of the rig was laid out so that we would have ultimate flexibility. MegaPointes did the heavy lifting and we chose them because of the myriad of visual effects in their engines and because we knew we would have to produce a lot of tight beam work. We put them everywhere so that we could repeat the language from all positions. The Sharpys were laid out in arrays for visual effects. The BMFLs were scattered, mostly FOH, but also overhead for finesse work—shaping, key light for performers, and softer looks. The Wash did just that – provide backlight for the stage area, and the VLX Profiles were there for additional shaping work onstage. With a lot of help from Robe, we used the Robospots a few times with multiple sources controlled from a single rig. "We were very happy with the way R.U.N. turned out," admits Finn. "We had a long list of varying equipment but, ultimately, it worked to our advantage in a production that had so many visual requirements. The integration of lighting and video was extremely successful and that came down to the constant exchange of ideas between the two teams. Our lighting team was exceptional —ATD Joshua Hind (who guided us into the theater), associate Tim Reed, lead programmer Benny Kirkham, additional programming by Joshua Koffman, intern Brittney Price, operations chief Brad Seymour, crew chief Chris Kortum and his hard- working crew." R.U.N. Lighting Gear List o) 72 Rosco Miro Cube 4C o) 44 Rosco Iraq Cube 4C o) 30 Robe Spiider 30 o) 36 Ayrton MagicPanel FX o) 12 Ayrton MagicDot XT o) 12 GLP JDC1 Strobes o) 60 Astera Titan Tubes o) 6 GLP Impression x4 Bar 20 o) 16 Vari-Lite VLX Profile o) 44 Claypaky Sharpy o) 9 Martin MAC Viper Wash DX o) 55 Robe MegaPointe o) 16 Robe BMFL o) 4 Robe Robospot & Basestation { SOURCE: LiveDesign } ======================================================================= ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION ======================================================================= o) BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau {Alegria INAL, Koozå, Kurios, Luzia} o) ARENA - In Stadium-like venues {Crystal, Corteo} o) RESIDENT - Performed en Le Théâtre {Mystère, "O", LOVE, MJ ONE, JOYA, X: The Land of Fantasy} NOTE: .) While we make every effort to provide complete and accurate touring dates and locations available, the information in this section is subject to change without notice. As such, the Fascination! Newsletter does not accept responsibility for the accuracy of these listings. For current, up-to-the-moment information on Cirque's whereabouts, please visit Cirque's website: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/ >, or for a more comprehensive tour listing, visit our Itinéraire section online at: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=6898 >. ------------------------------------ BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau ------------------------------------ Alegría-In a New Light: Seattle, WA -- Jan 18, 2022 to Mar 13, 2022 Vancouver, BC -- Mar 25, 2022 to May 1, 2022 Koozå: Punta Cana, DR -- Jan 7, 2022 to Apr 10, 2022 [RESTART] Montreal, QC -- Apr 28, 2022 to Jun 19, 2022 Kurios: Toronto, ON -- Apr 14, 2022 to May 23, 2022 [RESTART] Rome, IT -- Mar 22, 2023 to Apr 30, 2023 Milan, IT -- May 10, 2023 to June 25, 2023 Luzia: London, UK -- Jan 12, 2022 to Feb 12, 2022 [RESTART] Barcelona, ES -- Mar 17, 2022 to Apr 10, 2022 Geneva, CH -- May 28, 2022 to Jun 12, 2022 Alicante, ES -- Jul 14, 2022 to Aug 21, 2022 Madrid, ES -- Nov 5, 2022 to Nov 27, 2022 Bazzar: Sao Paulo, BR -- Sep 8, 2022 to Oct 16, 2022 [RESTART] ------------------------------------ ARENA - In Stadium-Like Venues ------------------------------------ CRYSTAL - A BREAKTHROUGH ICE EXPERIENCE: Leipzig, DE -- Sep 30, 2022 to Oct 9, 2022 Nuremberg, DE -- Oct 12, 2021 to Oct 16, 2022 Cologne, DE -- Oct 19, 2022 to Oct 23, 2022 Hanover, DE -- Oct 26, 2022 - Oct 30, 2022 Munich, DE -- Nov 3, 2022 to Nov 6, 2022 Frankfurt, DE -- Nov 9, 2022 to Nov 13, 2022 Oberhausen, DE -- Nov 16, 2022 to Nov 20, 2022 Malaga, ES -- Dec 11, 2022 to Dec 18, 2022 Lisbon, PT -- Dec 22, 2022 to Jan 1, 2023 Pamplona, ES -- Jan 4, 2023 to Jan 8, 2023 Lausanne, CH -- Jan 25, 2023 to Jan 29, 2023 Stuttgart, DE -- Feb 22, 2023 to Feb 26, 2023 CORTEO: Vilnius, LT -- May 26, 2022 to May 29, 2022 Helsinki, FI -- Jun 2, 2022 to Jun 5, 2022 Antwerp, BE -- Jun 23 2022 to Jul 2, 2022 Dublin, IR -- Jul 6, 2022 to Jul 10, 2022 London, UK -- Jul 13, 2022 to Jul 17, 2022 Nice, FR -- Jul 21, 2022 to Jul 24, 2022 Aix-en-Provence, FR -- Jul 27, 2022 to Jul 31, 2022 Palma de Mallorca, ES -- Aug 5, 2022 to Aug 14, 2022 Krakow, PL -- Sep 1, 2022 to Sep 4, 2022 Gdansk, PL -- Sep 8, 2022 to Sep 11, 2022 Bratislava, SK -- Sep 15, 2022 to Sep 18, 2022 Vienna, AT -- Sep 21, 2022 to Sep 25, 2022 Manchester, UK -- Oct 5, 2022 to Oct 9, 2022 Glasgow, UK -- Oct 12, 2022 to Oct 16, 2022 Birmingham, UK -- Oct 19, 2022 to Oct 23, 2022 Berlin, DE -- Oct 27, 2022 to Oct 30, 2022 Copenhagen, DE -- Nov 3, 2022 to Nov 6, 2022 Trondheim, NO -- Nov 11, 2022 to Nov 13, 2022 Oslo, NO -- Nov 17, 2022 to Nov 20, 2022 Moscow, RU -- TBA St. Petersburg, RU -- TBA MESSI10: Buenos Aires, AR -- Mar 9, 2023 to Mar 26, 2023 [RESTART] OVO: Bossier City, LA -- Feb 11, 2022 to Feb 13, 2022 [RESTART] Frisco, TX -- Feb 16, 2022 to Feb 20, 2022 Cedar Park, TX -- Feb 23, 2022 to Feb 27, 2022 Rio Rancho, NM -- Mar 3, 2022 to Mar 6, 2022 Los Angeles, CA -- Mar 16, 2022 to May 1, 2022 --------------------------------- RESIDENT - en Le Théâtre --------------------------------- Mystère: Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark: Wednesday/Thursday Variable Nightly - 7:00pm and/or 9:30pm 2022 Dark Days: o) January 7 thru 18, 2022 o) February 13, 2022 o) March 18, 2022 o) May 13 thru 17, 2022 o) July 22, 2022 o) September 9 thru 13, 2022 o) November 8 & 11, 2022 "O": Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Wednesday through Friday, Dark Monday/Tuesday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 2022 Dark Days: o) February 13, 2022 o) April 18 - 26, 2022 o) June 19 - 22, 2022 o) August 21, 2022 o) October 9 - 12, 2022 o) November 30, 2022 o) December 1 - 13, 2022 KA: Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark Thursday/Friday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 2022 Dark Days: o) January 3 - 7, 26, 2022 o) February 9 - 25, 2022 o) March 23, 2022 o) May 5 - 13, 2022 o) June 8, 2022 o) August 10, 24, 31, 2022 o) October 6 - 14, 26, 2022 o) December 14, 2022 LOVE: Location: Mirage, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Thursday to Monday, Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday (throgh 10/2) Tuesday to Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday (from 10/5) Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 2022 Dark Days: o) January 4-8, 2022 o) February 1, 2022 o) March 22, 2022 o) May 3-7, 2022 o) June 21, 2022 o) July 5, 2022 o) November 1, 2022 o) December 31, 2022 MICHAEL JACKSON ONE: Location: Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Thursday through Monday - Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm JOYÀ: Location: Riviera Maya, Mexico Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday X: THE LAND OF FANTASY Location: Hangzhou, China DRAWN TO LIFE Location: Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando, Florida (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday Two Shows Nightly - 5:30pm and 8:30pm 8:30pm shows begin on Dec 10, 2021 8:00pm shows beginning Jan 18, 2022 ======================================================================= OUTREACH - UPDATES FROM CIRQUE's SOCIAL WIDGETS ======================================================================= o) ONCE UPON A TIME AT CIRQUE: THE MAKING OF DRAWN TO LIFE - TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoUZYPs5QLs - EPISODE 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ur_gQVinmpk - EPISODE 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGa7PcXN8RQ - EPISODE 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YU4_LOFEUNo - EPISODE 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pG2EeajNklc - EPISODE 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtUzEy6G-zI - EPISODE 6: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcy8JcqVifo - EPISODE 7: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUycgwJbMA0 - EPISODE 8: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muECs72GSWg {Nov.13} As Disney Animators add color to bring their characters to life, Cirque du Soleil uses costumes and makeup to tell the story of their artists! In this episode, meet the Drawn To Life costume and makeup designers! - EPISODE 9: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LONj2KYykoU {Nov.30} Music is an integral part of both Cirque du Soleil and Disney storytelling. This week, meet the composer and some musicians of Drawn To Life, who explain how the score and music of the show come to life! - EPISODE 10: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZwcHP7U1-Y {Dec.04} When Cirque du Soleil and Disney came together to create Drawn To Life, it was bound to lead to some magical moments! In this final episode we unveil a world premiere technique seen in the show that uses Magie Nouvelle or 'New magic'! o) CIRQUE DU SOLEIL TOUR STORIES Intermission Is Over and we can tour again! In our newest series This Starts Today: Cirque du Soleil Tour Stories, we will take you along as our shows train in Montreal and then head off to their first touring location! The first three episodes covered Alegria's relaunch in Houston. Episode 4 begins anew with KOOZA! 01: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr00yRRHIDw {Oct.29} 02: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8oiOTQF1Q4 {Nov.15} 03: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyZW-h9sy24 {Dec.08} 04: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41fWciwXbFY {Dec.24} o) FIERI: FRAGMENTS OF TIME Follow FIERI's cast and crew as they arrive in Valletta, explore the surroundings, and get ready to take the stage. You'll learn about the artists, the music, and the concept of this show by Cirque du Soleil Events and Experiences group. 01: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33eYCw3NaVQ {Nov.20} 02: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yweT2OhDC8s {Dec.01} 03: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OI5Hs7nCtKk {Dec.01} 04: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKDCJziZNQM {Dec.04} 05: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j170BxND3M0 {Dec.09} 06: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDOUqTkKP2w {Dec.16} o) IN SEARCH OF THE RED BIRD Who is the Red Bird of Mystere? In this series, we look deeper at the role and work with teams in Montreal and Las Vegas to send out the official casting call. Then, meet some of the incredible artists who are auditioning for “the role of a lifetime” as the Red Bird in Mystère, and learn about the Cirque du Soleil selection process! The Red Bird of Mystère requires an artist who can do it all, and the 3rd episode, Cirque has found the perfect person for the role! And finally, introducing Mystere’s new Red Bird, Jared Khalifa! 01: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtrk059zLHY {Dec.12} 02: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeIQfBXqo7Q {Dec.12} 03: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op95sQcOU8k {Dec.14} 04: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=798Ph8E4-aU {Dec.21} o) OTHER VIDEOS - LUZIA | 25 Years of Cirque du Soleil and the Royal Albert Hall https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7xhRLoOYuc {Nov.18} - Hoop Diving Training | 60-Second Compilation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7xhRLoOYuc {Dec.02} - I AM Cirque | Episode 6 - JOYA Mexico https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whdQfuoPI-8 {Dec.02} - The 12 Days of Cirquemas | Family Singalong https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOXRir5bQro {Dec.22} - Flips and Tricks Compilation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sve9tkPp9bA {Dec.28} - Here's to You, Here's to 2022 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uVyp9N64S8 {Dec.29} - CirqueConnect Special: Best of Trapeze https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SigcAoksTNI {Dec.31} - Happy New Year from Cirque in Las Vegas https://fb.watch/an3qe2oxt5/ {Jan.01} - I AM Cirque | Episode 7 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaQ2f34OYdM {Jan.05} ======================================================================= FASCINATION! FEATURES ======================================================================= ------------------------------------------------------------ SPECIAL /// "Nothing Less Than Actual Magic" - A Collection of Articles Celebrating Drawn to Life's Premiere ------------------------------------------------------------ "Drawn to Life" Has its Thrills BY: THE ORLANDO SENTINEL, NOV 19, 2021 The arts are soaring again at Disney Springs. The first show developed jointly by Cirque du Soleil and Disney, "Drawn to Life" opened there Thursday — the first public show in the shopping and dining complex's distinctive white tent since "La Nouba" bowed out on Dec. 31, 2017, after a run of nearly 20 years. Champagne was poured, speeches were made and even self-proclaimed "biggest Disney geek in the world" John Stamos showed up to celebrate. Disney and Cirque aren't perfect partners, but ‘Drawn to Life' has thrills aplenty. A few rough edges peek through in this unique collaboration between two storytelling companies with vastly different styles, but Cirque du Soleil fans will find thrills in the company's artistically acrobatic traditions. Among the gasp-producing acts: A man flies over the stage on an aerial pencil-like rod, using sheer strength to beautifully position his body; later, on an apparatus I can only describe as "quadruple hamster wheels of fright," four performers must stay in motion — running, leaping, twisting — and balance their timing or risk being dumped off the giant rotating wheels, suspended high over the stage. Thrilling stuff. A charismatic juggling act surprises with unusual projectiles, while a whimsical troupe of tiny trashmen nearly steal the show in an unexpected group number. Are they cute? Creepy? Whatever they are, they're an off-kilter delight. Beauty is found in Philippe Guillotel's inventive costumes. Lighting designer Martin Labrecque, whose work not only sets the mood but helps preserve secret "magic," could deservedly be billed as the star the show. Whimsy and elegance merge neatly in another gorgeous surprise: A unicycle troupe of skirt-wearing women who create eye-catching tableaux with synchronicity and can spin their wheels like nobody's business. There's an epic feeling to much of "Drawn to Life," grander than the more playful "La Nouba" that preceded it. It's there in scenic designer's Stephane Roy's towering animated backdrops that glide on and off the stage, and the grandeur comes through in Benoit Jutras' cinematic score. But things occasionally founder in the storytelling, when it's noticeable two disparate forces are at work. Unlike other thematic Cirque shows that leave room for individual interpretation, "Drawn to Life" has a very specific story line, written by Michel Laprise, who also directed. At the top of the show, young budding artist Julie reads a letter from her deceased father, a Disney animator, and then sets out on a quest that takes her into the world of animation and imagination. This creates a push and pull between Disney's literal storytelling and Cirque's evocative storytelling that doesn't always gel. And while Disney wrote the book on mining emotion from parental death — who wasn't traumatized by "Bambi" as a child? — here Disney references creep in where they don't always need to be. A sequence in which Julie's mother magically dances with her late husband is powerful and moving — so it's particularly jarring to see a cartoon mermaid appear as part of this display of adult love and loss. And the Disney musical cues in the score, appealing in short nostalgic bursts, have moments where they're too prominent, pulling focus from the current story being told. The "Drawn to Life" clowns, who support Julie, have less personality than many of their brethren — though depicting self-doubt as a living pile of discarded drawings is clever and effective imagery. The pacing strangely slackens instead of building as the show approaches its climax, and the final number, featuring a team of acrobatic women who leap between two moving plank swings, delivers a female-empowerment message but lacks the pizazz of a larger-than-life, stage-filling showstopper. Ultimately, "Drawn to Life" is probably exactly the show Disney and Cirque wanted — with its family-friendly and life-affirming vibe — and a show neither totally wanted, with the disparate storytelling ideas. That's the nature of compromise and collaboration. But even with imperfections, "Drawn to Life" is a vibrant, ultimately uplifting salute to creativity, and that's always worth celebrating. * * * "Drawn to Life" Is the Best Show at WDW BY: FROMMERS, Nov 22, 2021 At the end of 2017, French-Canadian entertainment juggernaut Cirque du Soleil closed La Nouba, the family-friendly acrobatics spectacular that played on Walt Disney World resort property for nearly two decades. When the lights went out, Cirque promised that a replacement show was in the works. That was nearly four years ago. Cirque's custom-made arena on the West Side of Disney Springs fell eerily silent as plans for the new production stretched, stalled, and fizzled. In 2019, Disney announced that the Cirque troupe was deep in development for a show that, unlike the generic La Nouba, would have permission to use the catalog of Disney animation as inspiration. The first preview performance was announced for March 20, 2020. A lot has happened since then. Disney World closed down, and so did Cirque, shuttering 44 shows around the world, gutting its employee roster, filing for bankruptcy, and ultimately surviving through a sale to its creditors. Rebirth is painful, but one often returns the richer for it. On November 18, 2021, Drawn to Life finally debuted at Walt Disney World's Disney Springs. I don't know how much of the show was sharpened over the pandemic, but the result isn't only something that was worth the long wait. It's also a beautiful statement on loss, on healing through the creation of art, on perseverance, and on the power of emotional support. I've never been touched by a Cirque show before, but this one choked me up. All Cirque productions are essentially modernist vaudeville revues. We see a series of acrobatic acts that are linked by vignettes of European-style clowning. But Drawn to Life adds a unifying concept—a little girl loses her father but finds self-discovery and consolation in the hard work that animation requires. " In Drawn to Life, each feat of physical derring-do serves to fortify, sometimes in a symbolic sense, the basic tenets that animators use to make their work feel more authentic. On the walls of the lobby of the newly renovated theatre (in which there's not a bad seat in the house, only more distant ones), audiences can find "Principles of Animation," a glossary of some of the technical terms that Walt and Roy Disney first learned to master a century ago in their quest to make cartoons seem lifelike. For example, well-animated objects don't simply travel unchanged; they "squash and stretch" as they encounter things. Characters don't have emotions by themselves; their onscreen friends mirror the core emotion with "secondary action." And so on. The union of Cirque du Soleil and Disney animation might sound at first like a forced marriage, but in practice, the deft elegance of the athletics and the semi-mystical symbolism of Cirque clowning pair beautifully with the laborious but ultimately inspiring process of hand-drawn animation. So when a fleet of floor tumblers pours onstage and each member strikes a slightly different pose in imitation of a Donald Duck projection that moves behind them, the audience can see, through heart-racing kinesthetics and without any dialogue, how the illusion of movement through stop-motion animation works. Like a lot of Cirque, what sounds odd on paper is in fact stirring in action—the villain, Miss Hesitation, is a giant wadded-up piece of paper with an eraser for a purse, and she represents self-doubt. In one of the show's most exciting acts, her minions of self-censorship ride a massive windmill-like apparatus with huge blades dominating the stage. It's weird, as Cirque often is, but there's also an unspoken intelligence in it, and when you deal in allegory, the resonance has the space to become profoundly richer for each individual viewer. Each acrobatic act strums a different aspect of human yearning, mirrored in the little girl's gradual discovery of how animation works. A Spanish aerialist learns how to ride and tame a giant "pencil." Evoking a sense of joy and play, a Japanese unicyclist dressed like Pinocchio's Blue Fairy merrily jumps rope on one wheel. A team of Russian swing gymnasts stands in for the little girl's yearning to illustrate herself flying into the arms of her missing daddy. This is a kid-friendly show (the puppetry in particular is surprising and fantastical) so while there is some aggressive swinging from the rafters, in general the choice of physical feats goes easy on the testosterone. And given the personal theme, that works. One of Drawn to Life's highlights, an ethereal and heartbreaking pas de deux between a woman made weightless by the love of her husband, is a beautiful encapsulation of romance and mutual support. Seen in the light of the pandemic, during which so many of us have lost lovers, friends, and parents, even this less showy moment becomes as haunting as the now-classic wordless montage from Pixar's Up retelling the story of Carl and his deceased wife. Over time, Walt Disney World executives have authorized the removal of nearly every attraction that dwells on the decades of risky labors that form the foundations of the Disney empire. Modern Disney would much prefer for guests to spend money on the current marketing push, so, over time, animation exhibitions were closed, museum spotlights were whittled to nothing, and even bookstores containing the company's history were converted into dull souvenir stalls. It's telling that it took a partnership with outsiders to revive a deep respect for the meticulous animation process—and to do so in a way that doesn't clobber you over the head. When Disney tells its own story, it's always "magic, dreams, imagine." But Drawn to Life is more delicate than that. It's no jukebox of worn Disney tropes and song snippets without emotional connection, as the resort's other nighttime spectaculars—Magic Kingdom's Enchantment and Epcot's Harmonious—have become. In fact, as a further sign of its self-confidence, this production has a score by Benoît Jutras, who dares to be original, only occasionally quoting Disney tunes as brief motifs. The result makes Drawn to Life human, original, and metaphoric in a way Disney's parks rarely trust themselves to be anymore. It took a long road to get here, but this is a show Disney should have had on its stages all along. In fact, it's a show that Disney itself used to be capable of producing. Cirque du Soleil's fresh and perceptive exploration of what originally made Disney so groundbreaking is now the best show at Walt Disney World. * * * "Drawn to Life" Is Nothing Less Than Actual Magic BY: BROADWAY WORLD, NOV 23, 2021 "The intermission is over." With that bold pronouncement Thursday night from Daniel Lamarre, CEO at Cirque du Soleil, Walt Disney World welcomed its circus-in- residency back to Disney Springs, the resort's shop-and-dine district, with an all-new show – the first since Cirque's La Nouba wrapped a two-decade run there in 2017. By intermission, Lamarre means more than just the pause in their own production. The debut of DRAWN TO LIFE, which finds Cirque partnering with The Walt Disney Company in a creative capacity for the very first time, heralds the return of live entertainment to the Florida-based theme park empire in a major way. The big white tent that houses the newly refurbished Soleil stage was packed to the gills on opening night, with guests including "Full House" star John Stamos, Disney Parks Chair Josh D'Amaro, top Cirque creatives, and bookoos of bigwigs from the Mouse House – all with nary a hint of pandemic, save for the mandatory face masks on audience members. DRAWN TO LIFE is not modified, adapted, socially distanced, "reimagined for unprecedent times," or performed behind masks. It is a lavish, full-fledged, uncompromising spectacle of big-budget entertainment with an expansive cast. That's one way you know it's a Disney production. The other is that it opens with a dead dad. Whereas I understood La Nouba to have been fairly abstract in substance (never having seen it myself), DRAWN TO LIFE has a story to tell: a young girl named Julie is grieving the loss of her father, an animator, when she discovers a magical adventure he left behind just for her. The portal for his parting gift awaits her at the drawing desk in their basement, where ink and paint come to life. There is no dialogue or narration here, just good old-fashioned circusry executed in state-of-the-art fashion. Deciphering each scene's intended meaning isn't always easy, and some come close to an overstayed welcome. But new acts always arrive in time to wow, giving this 90-minute, intermission-less production just the clip it needs to get by. Little Julie's dad must have either worked for Disney or wanted to, because he apparently only drew their intellectual property. A Disney fan myself, I don't mind that, and I even applaud his penchant for Walt-era storytelling (and his foresight to include Encanto, scheduled for release long after his death). But it does raise a critical eyebrow toward how effectively fused these two disparate brands – Disney and Cirque du Soleil – can be. I don't know if "subtle" is how I'd describe the Disney of it all. But the show's interaction with intellectual property is exquisitely artful and ever so slightly less "COPYRIGHT THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY!" than might be expected. The familiar melodies of animation are sampled more than covered, all elegantly interwoven in Benoît Jutras's enchanting score. When Disney characters appear, it's often in silhouette, or otherwise in roughed-out drawing-board sketches. DRAWN TO LIFE is as much an homage to the art of animation as to its particular manifestations in the works of Walt Disney. It is a show that, in its own inexplicit way, contemplates the self-doubt and failure that are the inevitable backbone of any creative victory. The one Disney-like character who does appear in physical form on stage is an Ursula-ish entity unique to this show. Though she cackles like a sea witch and saunters like a squid, she is in fact a giant wad of crumpled-up papers, the embodiment of all those ideas we throw away when we don't believe in ourselves. In one inspired sequence, she studies the great Disney villains of yore but lands in a heap of doubt all her own. DRAWN TO LIFE's stagecraft and special effects are second to none. People and objects move about the stage – and through the air – in ways they shouldn't be able to. Skillful lighting, clever theatrics, and expertly rehearsed acrobatics conspire to hide any hint of the "how." To the naked eye, these effects are indistinguishable from what we might call real magic. Gasps are widespread, audible, and involuntary. It's a level of amazement you just won't find at the theme parks' Beauty and the Beast: Live on Stage. Until now, Walt Disney World audiences have not had access to a full- length, Disney-branded theatrical production during their resort stay. Compare that to Shanghai Disneyland Resort, where Broadway shows like The Lion King are staged in Mandarin, or California's Disneyland Resort, where a Frozen production in the California Adventure theme park aspires to be a miniature Broadway show. It's a shame that Disney Springs doesn't have something like a year-round production of Broadway's Newsies on offer for Florida. But with DRAWN TO LIFE, parkgoers and local Disney fans alike now have a full-fledged theatrical experience to call their own. There is so much to see in DRAWN TO LIFE that it's easy to imagine patrons returning for an encore in short order. I'd go back just to marvel at the talent, astounded that there are enough of them to sustain eight to ten shows a week. Performances are generally offered once or twice nightly, Tuesday through Saturday only, with various exceptions. Intended as a new semi-permanent offering, DRAWN TO LIFE has no end date in sight, and ticket sales are currently available through the end of 2022. More information can be found through the official Walt Disney World Resort website, while tickets are available directly from Cirque du Soleil. * * * "Drawn to Life" is Charming BY: THE ORLANDO WEEKLY, DEC 1, 2021 Cirque du Soleil's Drawn to Life at Disney Springs, originally slated to debut days before the pandemic struck, follows a young girl who finds her late father's enchanted animator's desk and falls into a dreamscape inspired by Disney classics. The international circus acts Cirque has assembled are once again breathtaking, but this time they've been cleverly themed around vintage cartoons and the basic principles of hand-drawn animation. A troupe of bouncing acrobats demonstrate "squash and stretch"; a trapeze-like swing swirls with projected brushstrokes plucked straight from Mary Blair's vibrant paintings; and the terrifying spinning "double wheel" is transformed into the windmill from 1937's The Old Mill. At times, the flawless blend of athletic artistry and cutting- edge stagecraft nearly brought me to tears, such as during a romantic zero-gravity dance duet. Other moments made me laugh out loud, like when a drawing desk came to life and galloped away like a pony. Almost all of Drawn to Life's direct references to Disney are integrated delicately, including original "pencil test" animations supervised by veteran director Eric Goldberg and subtle nods to familiar films woven into the costumes and musical scores. Unfortunately, it seems someone behind the scenes lost confidence in Orlando audiences' ability to appreciate a nonverbal narrative, leading Cirque's cast to break their cardinal rule and speak English (instead of their usual charming gibberish) during several unnecessarily verbose sequences. Worse, there are a couple of egregious transitions filled with shameless mugging and self- referential quotes that feel like the work of someone from the theme parks' entertainment department, instead of writer-director Michel Laprise. Drawn to Life's tonally jarring missteps — which could easily be edited out — briefly broke the magic spell that Cirque du Soleil's best shows (such as Love and Mystere in Las Vegas) always cast over me, but a B-plus production by Cirque is still miles ahead of almost everyone else's best efforts. My critiques aside, La Nouba's successor is worth the price of admission, as long as you don't pay extra for the seats down front. Like so many things at Disney, this show looks best with a little distance. ======================================================================= COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER ======================================================================= Fascination! Newsletter Volume 22, Number 1 (Issue #211) – January 2022 "Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (C) 2001-2022 Ricky Russo, published by Vortex/RGR Productions, a subsidiary of Communicore Enterprises. No portion of this newsletter can be reproduced, published in any form or forum, quoted or translated without the consent of the "Fascination! Newsletter." By sending us correspondence, you give us permission (unless otherwise noted) to use the submission as we see fit, without remuneration. All submissions become the property of the "Fascination! Newsletter." "Fascination! Newsletter" is not affiliated in any way with Cirque du Soleil. Cirque du Soleil and all its creations are Copyright (C) and are registered trademarks (TM) of Cirque du Soleil, Inc., All Rights Reserved. No copyright infringement intended. { Jan.06.2022 } =======================================================================