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Fascination Issue 021 a
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Fascination! Newsletter
Issue #21 - May 2003
"Live to Cirque; Cirque to Live"
=======================================================================
Bonjour et bienvenue! The month of April has certainly been an
interesting one from all angles. From the fall of the Iraqi government
to the official release of Zumanity, everything seems to be in a state
of flux. Thankfully, many of us can take solstice in the wonderful
performances of Cirque du Soleil we have grown to love. How about
Zumanity? Did everyone see the image of the snake on the web site? If
not, check out the "Human Zoo" section and take a look at the picture
on the left-hand side. It's a curious little addition, but taken in
context with some of the text from "Madamme's Diary" I can only
conclude that a snake will be presented in the show. It should be
interesting to say the least.
We have a lot of interesting features in store for you this month:
from an update to Zumanity to Cirque du Soleil chasing after
pornographers. Also, we have a guest submission from Daniel Artelas,
who reviews the HBO Latin America broadcast of Varekai for us. His
views on the video presentations are somewhat more critical than
others but that doesn't make him wrong; take a look and judge for
yourself. Our Techie Geek is taking a siesta this month (not really,
her job took her away temporarily) and Paul Roberts, our musical
genius, once again shines with a piece that features all of Cirque du
Soleil's singers throughout the years.
- Ricky
============
Contents:
============
* Cirque Buzz: News, Rumours & Sightings
* CirqueTV: Cirque du Soleil On-Screen
* Oyez, Oyez!: Cirque Online
* Itinéraire: Tour/Show Information
* Historie: This Month in Cirque History
* Anniversarie: Birthday Wishes to Cirque Alumni
* Cirque Musique:
"Chanteuses and Chanteurs du Cirque" (By: Paul Roberts)
* Beyond the Big Top:
"How do you Spell That?" (By: Keith Johnson)
* Télémagik:
"Varekai Goes Under the Lens" (Guest: Daniel Artelas)
* Le Spectateur:
"Disney Creates the Unexpected for Cirque du Soleil"
(Special By: Pam Brandon)
* Le Spectacle:
"Le Grand Tour: Full Circle" (By: Ricky Russo)
* Parting Quote
* Next Issue
* Subscription Information
* Copyright & Disclaimer
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CIRQUE BUZZ: NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
=======================================================================
Zumanity: "Forget all your inhibitions..."
------------------------------------------
The cat was let out of the bag at a press conference held for
Zumanity on the faux Brooklyn Bridge at the New York-New York
Hotel-Casino on Tuesday, April 22nd. The word that comes to
mind: Me-ow.
Zumanity is billed as a stunning exploration of the hidden
forces behind desire, and a celebration of human diversity. It's
sensual, sexual, and in your face. "This show will awaken the
most primal urges of generations x, y and z to a new form of
eroticism, which lends dance movement, skillful acrobatics and
beautiful bodies of many shapes and sizes with the sensual
caress of the human voice and the pulsation of exotic rhythms
and sultry tones," said Lyn Heward, creative director for
Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil.
"Sexuality is a touchy subject for many people, but it is
something that is comprised of many things: romanticism,
sensuality, love, friendship, brotherhood ... the show we are
creating will celebrate all of those things... Our goal is to
shatter the stereotypes of what is beautiful," said Andrew
Watson (Director of Creation) at the press conference. "To make
the audience more accepting when they leave the show."
The production of 40 performers and 10 musicians will boldly go
where no Cirque show has gone before in more ways than one. But
it wasn't always going to be this risqué. In fact, this show
started out to be nothing more than a clown show, or so news
sources in Vegas say. "Zumanity is a show for lovers, would-be
lovers and those simply fascinated by love," Heward said at the
press conference. And it is the first Cirque du Soleil
production to have an age limit: self-rated "R" - 18 and over
only.
Who set that age limit? The seven wise and gifted men and women
who are responsible for creating this zoo did. You'll find a
mixture of old and new in the creative ranks who came together
to bring out the provocative side of Cirque du Soleil: René
Richard Cyr (Writer and Director), Andrew Watson (Director of
Creation), Theirry Mugler (Costume Designer), Stéphane Roy (Set
Designer), Simon Carpentier (Composer), Debra Brown
(Choreographer) and Luc Lafortune (Lighting Designer).
The theater too has a more intimate surrounding than seen in any
of Cirque's permanent shows to date with seating for 1,256
patrons in a myriad of arrangements and price tiers:
* Cabaret Stools: $55.00 w/Tax
* Theater Seats: $75.00 w/Tax
* Love Seats: $75.00 w/Tax ($150 total, per couple)
* Duo sofas: $95.00 w/Tax ($190 total, per couple)
Tickets are currently on sale for Zumanity, which debuts on the
evening of July 31, 2003. The 90-minute performance will then
continue every Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30pm and 10:30pm.
Tickets are not available for July 31st (the premiere) or
September 20th (Special Gala Premiere - Official Opening).
The website, zumanity.com, has blossomed quite a bit since it
was first unveiled last month. There is now a Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQ) list, bios of the creators, a frequently updated
"Madame's Diary" section that unveils little bits to whet the
appetite, and information on tickets (with an intriguing seating
arrangement, but a hard-to-print map). Mailing list members
have also received special page citations to pictures of
costumes and a short video, all in the past month.
We have to say this is the most intriguing rollout campaign
we've ever seen from Cirque. Letting out little bits at a time,
allowing mailing list members to be among the first to buy
tickets, all are very positive steps. Why not sign up for the
mailing list if you haven't already - they won't actually know
if you're not 18. (grin).
As always Fascination! will keep you updated with the events and
news related to Zumanity.
Cirque du Casino?
-----------------
Last year Cirque du Soleil announced it was backing away from is
"Complexes Cirque" project that it had been developing, but word
from Las Vegas might mean a turn-about for Cirque. Terry Lanni,
Chairman of MGM Mirage, raised a few eyebrows at the press
conference unveiling Zumanity on April 22nd.
In what Lanni says is an unrelated venture, "[w]e have plans -
and we have not finalized these plans - for the 55 acres between
the Monte Carlo and Bellagio. "We have had preliminary
conversations with Guy [Laliberté] and his people about jointly
developing a hotel casino complex..."
Cirque du Soleil will first focus on Zumanity and on the
upcoming, and as yet unnamed show (Cirque 2004, or MGM Grand
2004) at the MGM Grand due to debut Summer 2004 before turning
its attentions to this possible new venture.
You can read more about this in the Las Vegas Review-Journal at
the following address < http://www.reviewjournal.com/
lvrj_home/2003/Apr-23-Wed-2003/news/21170217.html >.
[Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal; Ricky Russo]
Varekai DVD Info
----------------
There is an amazing, and highly technical, article about the
Varekai DVD project that Richmond Studios worked on. While most
of the article is about the technology used to record, master
and create the final product, there are some interesting pieces
about the DVD that caught our eye. But probably the most
important is a picture of a "Meet the Artists" section:
Introduction, Flight of Icarus, Characters, Clowns, Icarian
Games, Triple Trapeze, Aerial Straps, Body Skating, Water
Meteors, Georgian Dance, Acrobatic Pas de Deux, Solo on
Crutches, Juggling, Handbalancing on Canes, Russian Swings,
Singers, and Musicians.
You can read the full article at the Audio Media website at the
following: < http://www.audiomedia.com/redesign-2003/
regional-issues/issue-european/2002/2002-12/html/1202-fc/1202-
fc.htm >. And, as a special treat, we have a review of the HBO
Latin America broadcast of Varekai further in the newsletter.
[Source: Audio Media Online, Wayne Leung; Ricky Russo]
Varekai Honored
---------------
The Drama Desk Award nominations for the 2002-2003 season were
announced at 10:00am on May 1st at the New York Friars Club, and
Varekai was honored with four nominations; three in individual
categories and the fourth in the category of "Unique Theatrical
Experience", where it shares the honor with "The Exonerated",
"The Play What I Wrote" and "Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam on
Broadway." Its individual nods are:
* Outstanding Set Design in a Musical - Stephane Roy
Competition: Riccardo Hernandez, Batwin + Robin Productions
(Radiant Baby), Catherine Martin (La Bohème), Scott Pask (Amour)
and David Rockwell (Hairspray)
* Outstanding Costume Design - Eiko Ishioka
Competition: Michael Bottari and Ronald Case (Shanghai Moon),
Jess Goldstein (Enchanted April), William Ivey Long (Harispray),
Catherine Martin and Angus Strathie (La Bohème), and Catherine
Zuber (Dinner at Eight)
* Outstanding Sound Design - Francois Bergeron
Competition: Acme Sound Partners (La Bohème), Mark Bennett
(Golda's Balcony), Mark Bennett (Julius Caesar), Janet Kalas
(Take Me Out), and David Meschter and Mel Mercier (Medea)
The Drama Desk is an organization of theatre critics, editors
and reporters. The nominees will be awarded at a ceremony taking
place on May 18th to be webcast by TheaterMania
(www.theatermania.com). [Source: Playbill.com; Ricky Russo]
Amazon Jumps the Gun
--------------------
A recent Yahoogroups emailer clued us in to a new offering from
the printed world of Cirque du Soleil. But she wasn't able to
find much info on it and wondered what it was about. Being the
news hounds we are, we've looked into it and have the scoop!
The book, "Cirque Du Soleil: A Parade of Colors" by Al Seib is
listed by Amazon as being printed in January. Sorry Amazon,
you're behind the times - it hasn't been printed yet! We called
publisher Harry N. Abrams Co. in New York, who informed us the
book is actually scheduled to print in October. The book (ISBN#
0810945150, measuring 11" x 9", and costing $16.00) will be 40-
page children's concept book on colors! Author Al Seib is one
of Cirque's favorite photographers (along with Veronique Vial,
who has also published 2 books of Cirque photos) and is
responsible for many of the images you see in Cirque's printed
materials.
This is another interesting stretching of the Cirque brand.
Abrams wasn't sure if this is the first of a series (a book on
shapes or numbers might be the next obvious choice), but in the
world of Cirque there are always possibilities.
Speaking of Amazon, it seems Canadian music retailer HMV has
sold their HMV.com and Internet sales business to Amazon.ca.
HMV was one place folks outside of Canada could easily get the
three new Cirque soundtrack "re-releases" we've commented on
previously. We hope this doesn't mean Americans and others
won't lose the ability to get the re-releases - the Cirque
boutique still has yet to stock them. [Source: Amazon.com, Harry
N. Abrams Co., Keith Johnson]
Alegría's 3000th Birthday
-------------------------
Alegría, one of Cirque du Soleil's most respected and revered
spectacles celebrated its 3000th performance on Wednesday, April
30th - Alegría! Alegría premiered in Montreal on April 21, 1994
to a home-town crowd and has traversed the world since, setting
up in: North America (1994-1995), Japan (1996), Hong Kong
(1996), Europe (1997-1998), Biloxi, MS (1999-2000), Australia
(2001), Singapore (2002), Mexico (2002) and United States/Canada
(2002+). It celebrated this milestone at the 8:00pm performance
(the only performance that day) in Austin, Texas, while the show
is on an extended second North American tour. [Source: Cirque du
Soleil; Ricky Russo]
Bravo Announces Cirque Variety Series
-------------------------------------
As seen on circusnews.com: "Bravo, in cooperation with CDSi have
begun work on The Cirque du Soleil Variety Show. The Cirque du
Soleil Variety Show is a 13-part series that will showcase CDS
and highlight some of its productions, including traveling
shows, fixed location shows, upcoming acts and the CDS training
programs. Filming is set to begin later this month, and the
series will air in the second quarter of 2004 on Bravo."
A press conference was held April 2, 2003 in New York to
announce the series, which is herald as a "one-of-a-kind
experience". Each episode "weaves a wondrous array of never-
before-televised Cirque performances into a unique style of
storytelling, leading viewers through a mesmerizing dream world
of fantasy and reality. Among the thrills are highlights from
the Cirque productions, Mystère, La Nouba and O, plus dazzling
new acts, performers and special effects. The series also
spotlights the unusual talents of Yamakasi, a real-life troupe
of young French daredevils.
Bravo, a cable network that reaches more than 70 million homes
is currently the US home network of Cirque du Soleil.
Read circusnews' other Cirque du Soleil releases here:
< http://www.circusnews.com/modules.php?name=News&new_topic=1 >
[Source: Steve Santos at Circusnews.com, Terry Foley, BRAVO;
Ricky Russo]
IBM and Cirque Come Together
----------------------------
On March 17, 2003 Cirque du Soleil and IBM announced a three-
year partnership that designates IBM as Cirque's worldwide
information technology sponsor through 2005. This partnership
will be of a development kind, where both IBM and Cirque will
introduce "innovative and creative technology solutions" to
assist management and its infrastructure. IBM Global Services
will Support Cirque in four key areas.
"Our relationship with Cirque du Soleil highlights many shared
attributes between the two organizations, including innovation,
creativity and a global presence," said Rick Singer, director of
worldwide sponsorship marketing, IBM. "We are proud to assist
Cirque du Soleil in using information technology in creative new
ways to manage its operations more effectively as it continues
to entertain and enthrall audiences around the world." (IBM
Press Release)
As part of the sponsorship terms, IBM will use Cirque du Soleil
imagery and performers in marketing efforts. Additionally, IBM
plans to work with Cirque du Soleil to stage special
performances at major customer and Business Partner events, and
extend the entertainment experience to IBM customers and
partners through benefits like hospitality and special VIP
access at touring shows in North America and Asia.
You can read the original press statement here:
< http://www-916.ibm.com/press/prnews.nsf/jan/
052FA5B05CE1324A85256CEC0053A6CE >
[Source: www.ibm.com; Ricky Russo]
Cirque does Region 3, Too
-------------------------
Last issue we reported that Cirque du Soleil began releasing
some of its DVD catalog in the Japanese Region 2 format. Word
from a fan and reader of Fascination! alerted us to the fact
that the Cirque catalog is also available in Region 3, covering
Southeast and East Asia, including Hong Kong and the
Philippines.
-- Quidam (#04225MNWS)
-- Dralion (#06105MNWS)
-- Journey of Man (#07069MNWS)
-- Saltimbanco (#07070MNWS)
-- Le Magie Continue (#07071MNWS)
-- Cirque Reinvente (#07073MNWS)
-- Nouvelle Experience (#07074MNWS)
-- Baroque Experience (#07075MNWS)
Bonus features, run times and cover art are the same as the
recent Region 01 releases, except for Quidam, which features the
old Quidam DVD cover art. Thanks go out to Frederick Tuviera
from Mainia, Philippines for alerting us! [Source: Frederick
Tuviera; Ricky Russo]
=======================================================================
CIRQUE TV: CIRQUE DU SOLEIL ON-SCREEN!
=======================================================================
* CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: FIRE WITHIN
-----------------------------
Network: BRAVO
Footprint: United States
Website: http://www.bravotv.com/Cirque_du_Soleil:_Fire_Within/
Note: Times Eastern/Pacific
* General Schedule:
Monday: 8:00pm & 8:30pm
Tuesday: 12:00am & 12:30am
Wednesday: 7:00pm & 7:30pm
Thursday: 1:00am & 1:30am
Saturday: 12:00pm & 12:30pm
* Marathon:
- Saturday, June 14th -- 1:30pm to 8:00pm
* RUN AWAY WITH CIRQUE WEEK
-------------------------
Network: BRAVO
Footprint: United States
Website: www.bravotv.com
Note: Times Eastern/Pacific
* June 9th (Monday):
08:00pm -- Quidam
10:00pm -- Fire Within #6
10:30pm -- Fire Within #7
11:00pm -- Quidam
* June 10th (Tuesday):
01:00am -- Fire Within #6
01:30am -- Fire Within #7
04:00pm -- Quidam
08:00pm -- Dralion
10:00pm -- Fire Within #8
10:30pm -- Fire Within #9
11:00pm -- Dralion
* June 11th (Wednesday):
01:00am -- Fire Within #8
01:30am -- Fire Within #9
04:00pm -- Dralion
07:00pm -- Fire Within #10
07:30pm -- Fire Within #11
08:00pm -- Alegría
10:00pm -- Fire Within #10
10:30pm -- Fire within #11
11:00pm -- Alegría
* June 12th (Thursday):
01:00am -- Fire Witihn #10
01:30am -- Fire Within #11
04:00pm -- Alegría
08:00pm -- Saltimbanco
09:00pm -- Nouvelle Expérience
10:00pm -- Fire Within #12
10:30pm -- Fire Within #13
11:00pm -- Saltimbanco
* June 13th (Friday):
12:00am -- Nouvelle Expérience
01:00am -- Fire Within #12
01:30am -- Fire Within #13
04:00pm -- Saltimbanco
05:00pm -- Nouvelle Expérience
* June 14th (Saturday):
01:30pm -- Fire Within Marathon Starts with #1
..:..pm -- Fire Within Marathon continues..
07:30pm -- Fire Within Marathon ends with #13
08:00pm -- Varekai
10:00pm -- Varekai
* June 25th (Wednesday):
08:00pm -- Varekai
11:00pm -- Varekai
* June 26th (Thursday):
04:00pm -- Varekai
* VAREKAI IN LATIN AMERICA
------------------------
Network: HBO Latin America
Footprint: South America, Central America
Website: http://www.hbo-la.tv/sinopsis.asp?prog=GMG081540
May 6th: 5:30pm HBO East
7:30pm HBO West
May 21st: 8:00am HBO East
10:00am HBO West
=======================================================================
OYEZ, OYEZ(*)!: CIRQUE ONLINE
=======================================================================
This Month at Cirque Club
(By: Keith Johnson)
-------------------------
After a month of relative quiet, Cirque's Internet offerings have
fairly exploded this month! In addition to the intriguing
zumanity.com site and its mailing list emails (covered elsewhere this
issue), CirqueClub itself has several changes.
This month there are interesting articles on their new tent "jump kit"
for Dralion, a fond farewell to John Gilkey (nicely done), an article
on the German Wheel with bios of Cirque's current "wheelers," and
(just posted) a mention of Alegría's 3000th performance with some
performer Q&A. On the organizational front, they've gathered their
wallpapers and screensavers into a section titled "Goodies." It's
nice to put these items in their own section, where they can be kept
long-term. It would also be nice to have the fun "E-Cards" set up
here as well, perhaps that may come later.
The biggest change this month is a change in policy to their
CirqueClub Member Profile, which (among other things) allows you to be
notified of advance tickets sales in cities you choose. Where before
you could select as many cities as you might like, you're now
restricted to a maximum of six. Whereas this might not be a problem
for most Cirque fans, it might become a problem if you're keeping
watch for ticket pre-sales for friends in other parts of the country
or world.
On the surface such a change doesn't seem to have much merit. Their
e-mail detailing the change states in part, "With a growing number of
shows, numerous members have requested to receive fewer emails." If
that's the problem, why not tell those members to reduce the number of
cities they've selected on their own, rather than restricting the
choices of every Cirque Club member?
But looking beneath the surface, we can find some clues as to another
reason. Consider that since its inception, CirqueClub's membership
has grown exponentially. One need only look at the traffic on their
discussion board to see that - they yield 40+ messages per day average
compared to yahoogroups 10+ average. On a busy day, when several
shows are offering ticket pre-sales, they could be sending out
hundreds of thousands of emails. All this can put quite a load on
their computer systems. (And has - a recent Alegría pre-sale
announcement for Seattle reached Ricky in Orlando a full two hours
before it got to me here in Seattle.) So it makes sense to lower the
amount of emails (and thus system strain) by lowering the amount of
cities you can choose. By also reducing the number of choices, Cirque
can also lower the amount of "spam" coming to your Inbox, even if it's
spam you *chose* to receive.
On the Web
(By: Ricky Russo)
----------------------
1) < http://www.cio.com/archive/110102/cirque.html >
Have you ever wondered about the Information Technology (IT) side of
Cirque du Soleil? If so, wonder no more. The November 1, 2002 issue of
CIO magazine explored every facet of traveling with Cirque's IT guru's
when Quidam came to Boston. It's a fascinating article written by
CIO's Alice Dragoon.
2) < http://www.niu.edu/northerntoday/2002/nov18/brentroman.shtml >
Here is an article from the NIU School of Music speaking with Brent
Roman, a recent graduate of the school who found himself in Cirque du
Soleil's Dralion as a percussionist.
3) < http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~cba57390/QU-chara.html >
Check out this interesting artists rendition of characters of Quidam!
The site is Japanese so be advised that navigation might be difficult.
Also, check out this artist's other renditions at the following
addresses:
-- "O": < http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~cba57390/O-chara.html >
-- Fascination: < http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~cba57390/fa-chara.html >
-- La Nouba: < http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~cba57390/la-chara.html >
-- Mystère: < http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~cba57390/MY-chara.html >
-- Saltimbanco: < http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~cba57390/sal-chara.html >
-- Alegría: < http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~cba57390/artistes1.html >
-- Mix: < http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~cba57390/artistes-duo.html >
-- Mix #2: < http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~cba57390/artistes-solo2.html >
-- Mix #3: < http://www2.odn.ne.jp/~cba57390/artistes-solo.html >
=======================================================================
ITINÉRAIRE: TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION
=======================================================================
[Touring Shows]
Alegría:
* Austin, Texas -- Robert Mueller Airport **EXTENDED**
Dates: Apr 24, 2003 to May 18, 2003
* Calgary, Alberta -- Currie Barracks on Parade Square
Dates: June 4, 2003 to June 29, 2003
* Vancouver, BC -- Concord Pacific Place
Dates: July 10, 2003 to July 27, 2003
* Seattle, Washington -- Next to Renton Boeing Plant
Dates: August 21, 2003 to September 14, 2003
* Portland, Oregon -- SW Moody Avenue (South of Marquam Bridge)
Dates: October 2, 2003 to October 26, 2003
* San Francisco, California: Fall 2003
Dralion:
* Baltimore, Maryland -- Harbor Point
Dates: Apr 11, 2003 to May 4, 2003
* Montreal, Quebec -- Jacques-Cartier Pier
Dates: May 15, 2003 to Jun 15, 2003
* Hartford, Connecticut -- Market Street (I-84 and I-91)
Dates: June 24, 2003 to July 6, 2003
* Columbus, Ohio -- Arena District **UPDATED**
Dates: Jul 24, 2003 to Aug 10, 2003
* St. Louis, Missouri: Summer 2003
* Mexico City, Mexico: Fall 2003
* London, United Kingdom: Royal Albert Hall
Dates: Jan 9, 2004 to Feb 1, 2003
Quidam:
* Tokyo, Japan -- Yoyogi Stadium in Harajuku
Dates: Feb 7, 2003 to May 5, 2003
* Nagoya, Japan
Dates: May 21, 2003 to Jul 6, 2003
* Osaka, Japan
Dates: Jul 19, 2003 to Aug 31, 2003
* Fukuoka, Japan
Dates: Oct 22, 2003 to Dec 7, 2003
Saltimbanco:
* Geneva, Switzerland -- Plainpalais **EXTENDED**
Dates: Apr 18, 2003 to May 25, 2003
* Cologne, Germany -- Cologne-Deutz
Dates: Jun 5, 2003 to Jun 29, 2003
* Oostenade, Belgium -- To Be Determined
Dates: Jul 24, 2003 to Aug 17, 2003
* Zürich, Switzerland -- Glatt Shopping Center
Dates: Sep 19, 2003 to Oct 19, 2003
Varekai:
* New York, New York -- Randall's Island Park
Dates: April 24, 2003 to June 15, 2003
* Chicago, Illinois -- The United Center
Dates: Jul 17, 2003 to Aug 17, 2003
* Los Angeles, California -- Staples Center **UPDATED**
Dates: Sep 12, 2003 to Oct 5, 2003
* Pomona, California -- Fairplex **NEW!**
Dates: Dec 4, 2003 to Dec 28, 2003
* Orange County, California -- at Orange Country Fair Grounds
Dates: Jan 16, 2004 to Feb 8, 2004
[Resident Shows]
La Nouba:
* Two shows Nightly - Tuesday through Saturday
* Times: 6:00pm and 9:00pm
* Location: Walt Disney World, Orlando
* No performances Sunday and Monday
* 2003 Dark Dates:
- March 23rd through 25th
- May 11th through 25th
- July 13th through 16th
- September 7th through 9th
- October 26th through 29th
- December 7th through 15th
Mystère:
* Two shows Nightly - Wednesday through Sunday
* Times: 7:30pm and 10:30pm
* Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas
* No performances on Monday or Tuesday
* 2003 Dark Dates:
- March 2nd through 5th
- April 13th through 15th
- June 2nd through 10th
- August 3rd through 6th
- October 5th through 8th
- December 1st through 16th
"O":
* Two shows Nightly - Friday through Tuesday
* Times: 7:30pm and 10:30pm
* Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas
* No performances on Wednesday or Thursday
* 2003 Dark Dates:
- April 21st through 24th
- June 18th through 26th
- August 10th through 13th
- October 12th through 15th
- December 1st through 16th
* NOTE: Beginning June 30, 2003 - performances will be from
Wednesday through Sunday at 7:30pm and 10:30pm. There will
be no performances on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Zumanity:
* Two Shows Nightly - Tuesday through Saturday
* Times: 7:30pm and 10:30pm
* Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas
* No performances on Sunday or Monday
* 2003 Dark Dates:
Not Available
=======================================================================
HISTORIE: THIS MONTH IN CIRQUE HISTORY
=======================================================================
* May 01, 1986 -- Cirque Performed at Expo 86 in Vancouver
* May 02, 2000 -- Journey of Man (IMAX) premiered in USA
* May 02, 2000 -- Journey of Man CD Released
* May 07, 1987 -- Le Cirque Réinventé premiered in La Salle
* May 08, 1990 -- Nouvelle Expérience premiered in Montréal
* May 09, 2002 -- Quidam opened Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
* May 11, 1986 -- Cirque leaves Expo 86
* May 11, 2000 -- Saltimbanco Pacific-Northwest Tour Began (Portland)
* May 14, 1985 -- 1985 Tour Began in Montréal [Vieux-Port de Montréal]
* May 15, 2003 -- Dralion opened Montréal [Vieux-Port]
* May 18, 1986 -- Le Magie Continue opened Sherbrooke
* May 18, 1987 -- Le Cirque Réinventé opened Sherbrooke
* May 19, 1995 -- Saltimbanco opened Munich
* May 18, 1989 -- Le Cirque Réinventé opened Chicago, Illinois
* May 20, 1999 -- Alegría premiered "permanently" in Biloxi, Miss.
* May 21, 2003 -- Quidam opened Nagoya, Japan
* May 22, 1992 -- Fascination Premiered in Tokyo (Until September)
* May 24, 2002 -- Mystère reaches 4000th performance (7:30pm)
* May 25, 1988 -- Le Cirque Réinventé opened New York City
* May 27, 1999 -- Alegría: Le Film premiered in Netherlands
* May 28, 1999 -- Saltimbanco opened Brisbane, Australia
* May 29, 1986 -- Le Magie Continue opened Montréal
* May 28, 1987 -- Le Cirque Réinventé opened Montréal
* May 29, 2001 -- Alegría opened Sydney, Australia
* May 31, 1996 -- Saltimbanco opened Stuggart
* May 31, 2001 -- Quidam opened Hamburg, Germany
* May xx, 2001 -- Dralion opened Toronto, Canada
=======================================================================
ANNIVERSAIRE: BIRTHDAY WISHES TO CIRQUE ALUMNI!
=======================================================================
* May 01, 1962 -- Camita Lorador (Statue/Quidam)
* May 02, 1968 -- Chris Lashua (German Wheel/Quidam)
* May 02, 1964 -- Doug White (Cycles/La Nouba)
* May 03, 1965 -- Marie-Elizabeth Cornet (Clown/Quidam)
* May 08, 1976 -- Jinny Jacinto (Contortion/Nouvelle Expérience)
* May 11, 1977 -- Fikri Tallih (Character/"O")
* May 14, 1969 -- Serguei Rissouev (Russian Swings/Varekai)
* May 14, 1973 -- Jeffrey Gallant (Multiple/Mystère)
* May 15, 1973 -- Suzannah Bianco (Synchro Swimming/"O")
* May 16, 1976 -- Mathieu Laplante (Russian Swings/"O")
* May 17, 1970 -- Vladimir Komissarov (High Bar/Alegría)
* May 19, 1972 -- Adir Ionov (Batteau/"O")
* May 20, 1971 -- Vadim Podoleanu (Russian Swings/Varekai)
* May 21, 1956 -- Rodrigue Proteau (Character/Varekai)
* May 22, 1932 -- Brian Dewhurst (Clown/Mystère)
* May 23, 1978 -- Benoit Beaufils (Cadre/"O")
* May 27, 1975 -- Stella Umeh (Triple Trapeze/Varekai)
* May 29, 1977 -- Krystian Sawicki (Le Titan/La Nouba)
* May 29, 1978 -- Florence Tabary (Silk/La Nouba)
* May 30, 1985 -- Irina Koliktsionova (Body Skating/Varekai)
* May 31, 1962 -- Sun Hongli (Tightrope/Saltimbanco)
=======================================================================
CIRQUE MUSIQUE:
"Chanteusses and Chanteurs du Cirque" (By: Paul Roberts)
=======================================================================
In 1996, while planning a trip to Las Vegas, my mom and sister
demanded that I see a show called "Mystère" by Cirque du Soleil. I
reluctantly decided to do so even though I had a phobia about
circuses, stemming from a childhood scare watching a tight rope act.
Mom let me borrow the "Mystère" soundtrack and, knowing my musical
tastes of alternative rock (Letters To Cleo, XTC) and jam rock (Dave
Matthews Band, Phish), she heeded a warning. "I think you'll like the
music, but you may not like the singing." She was right; I didn't
like the singing...at first. After several listenings and
experiencing the show, I felt that the operatic-like vocals fit
perfectly. Soon, the music of Cirque du Soleil grew on me like no
other music had before.
Initially, Cirque du Soleil mainly used instrumental music with the
occasional ooh, aah, or la la la such as in the song "Entr'acte" sung
by Martine Brisson on the first CD. The famous imaginary language
appeared first in the whimsical "Havi Vahlia" from "Nouvelle
Experience" sung by Cècile Ardail, currently playing the character, La
Mariée, in "O."
When "Saltimbanco" arrived a new musical trend evolved with a full-
time singer in Francine Poitras, who also performed a few background
voices in "Nouvelle Experience." Francine provided a strong operatic
voice over a rocking score and also became a lead character in the
show, an aspect still used by Cirque du Soleil. Francine left
"Saltimbanco" in the mid-nineties and her character evolved into a duo
that provided dynamic harmonies to the themes. Several singers have
since come and gone: (to name a few) Isabelle Corradi, Nicola Dawn,
Laur Fugére, Chantal Hamel, and presently Susan Daly and Nicole
Sieger.
The duo singer concept actually began with "Mystère" as the vocals of
Élise Gouin and Nathalie Gauvin appeared in the original soundtrack.
As mentioned in the first paragraph, they also contributed a strong
operatic presence. Élise left the show soon after its beginnings and
her role has been replaced by Dina Emerson, Wendy Talley, Chantal
Hamel, and last I know of: Stacey Beth Sanford. I have heard a rumor
that Nathalie had recently departed the show.
Maintaining the opera motif, Cirque introduced one of its most popular
singers of all time in the show "Alegría." The White Singer,
Francesca Gagnon's distinctive style is as recognizable as any voice
ever used by Cirque du Soleil. Her voice quality's wide range,
vibrato, and subtle raspiness evoke a sensuous charm that is spine
tingling, and her bewitching stage presence became a focal point of
the show. Francesca leaves the show frequently, but tends to reappear
and I was lucky enough to experience her genius in Minneapolis last
year. Like "Saltimbanco," a second singer was integrated a few years
after its beginning and became The Black Singer, The White Singer's
alter ego. There are usually a trio of singers that rotate the two
parts. Last year they consisted of Francesca, Eve Montpetit, and
Nathalie Noël. Several incarnations of singers have performed in
"Alegría" including Pierrette Arseneau; Isabelle Corradi; Andrée
Simard; Irene Marc (who provided vocals for the "Alegría" film
soundtrack); and Julie Cox (The Red Singer-just kidding).
"Quidam" provided a major change by combining the voices of a young
girl and the first male. Audrey Brisson-Jutras beautifully performed
the original Zoë; a lonely girl with a vivid imagination. Mathieu
Lavoie contributed the male vocal. The initial tour also included
Emily Duncan-Brown to rotate with Audrey. Zoë has gone through several
replacements as the girls are in the habit of outgrowing the role.
Zoë has been played by Gabrielle Cloutier (I was lucky enough to
witness her emotional final performance in Detroit last summer),
Amélie Landry, Kathy Samman and Shilôh Sheray Gagnon, who is credited
in a program as being a singer, but apparently never preformed.
Currently, Denise Gonzalas and Catherine Downey rotate the role. I
read from a reliable source that an interesting obligation for casting
a girl is necessary: the singer is required to not use any vibrato in
her voice; this is to preserve Zoë's child-like characteristic.
Mathieu left "Quidam" in the late nineties and was replaced by a
rotation of Richard D. Price and Craig Jennings. The male singer is
rarely in the spotlight like Zoë, but when "Let Me Fall" accompanies
the Aerial Contortion in Silk act, he shines (just like young opera
great, Josh Groban, who has covered the song).
Continuing with the male and female combination that runs through the
next four shows, "O" introduced Toumany Kouyaté, an African singer and
Kora player, and Roxane Potvin, who also plays the flute. Toumany's
unusual voice consists of a nasal tone that enhances the World-Beat-
like score. Occasionally, Roxane also uses a nasal tone to harmonize
with Toumany, but when she sings "Journey of Man" (in both "O" and the
IMAX film), her voice takes on an operatic beauty that warms the soul.
The mesmerizing "O" is and will probably always be my favorite Cirque
du Soleil soundtrack.
"La Nouba" included Cirque's first male countertenor, a vocal styling
that requires singing in a high register. Sometimes it is difficult
to differentiate the male or female voice. Like my original dislike
of the operatic voices in "Mystère," it really took some time to
accept O'Neill Langlois' voice. I now can't imagine "La Nouba" with
any other type of singer. Also, for the first time, the show cast a
female singer with a soul/r & b style in Dessy Di Lauro. This strange
combination worked very well for the "Generation-X"-like show. Odessa
Thornhill replaced Dessy a few years ago and presently a native
Florida singer, Sisaundra Lewis - who has a very impressive résumé as
a backup singer for Celine Dion, Peabo Bryson, Sting and many other
top performers - fills the role. Isabeau Proulx Lemire took over the
male part around the same time as Odessa and I believe is still in the
show.
"Dralion" also enlisted a countertenor with the outlandish Erik Karol
and matched him nicely with the operatic-like Agnès Sohier. Erik
performed as an androgynous character with his voice ranging from
super sub timbres to high-flying altitudes. He has been a very tough
act to follow as three replacements have already been used. First,
there was Frank Irving, then "Beaver," and presently Calvin Braxton.
Among many past projects, Mr. Braxton performed with the Middletown,
Ohio (just minutes from my home) Civic Chorus. Agnès, who remains the
female singer with an expressive and versatile voice, has to sometimes
fill in for the male vocal parts during replacements' training.
A year ago, "Varekai" was born to include Zara Tellander and the
return of Mathieu Lavoie after the creators' first choice, Adrian
Berinde, could not provide a powerful enough emotion for the show.
Another female with a wide pitch range, Zara's voice also features a
resonance and vibrato that could do well in today's pop scene, evident
in the song "El Péndulo" from the soundtrack recording. Mathieu is
welcome addition as his trill-filled style is perfect for some of the
Latin-influenced songs in "Varekai." Zara and Mathieu also harmonize
well together as they frolic around on stage.
Cirque du Soleil's newest creation, "Zumanity" - slated to open in New
York-New York, Las Vegas on July 31, 2003 - has cast Kinnie Starr as
the singer. Kinnie is an interesting, controversial artist that
should be just right for this alleged risqué show. She growls, she
hisses, she raps, she curses, she has a 'tude with a touch of soul,
she's a poetic beatnik, and when she actually sings, her voice
features an airy, ethereal quality. She also plays guitar. Will new
composer Simon Carpentier have Kinnie rap in Cirquese?
Many Cirque du Soleil singers have come and gone. Some have left their
distinctive mark, while others filled the role of the original artist.
It appears that they can be expendable, a replaceable cog in the
circuitry of the show. Some singers stay in the background, some
perform lead roles, and some even stay in the background of lead role
singers. But no matter who lends their voice, their reverence is
essential to the Spirit du Cirque du Soleil.
=======================================================================
BEYOND THE BIG TOP:
"How do you Spell That?" (By: Keith Johnson)
=======================================================================
Thank goodness for Spellcheck! On-line spelling dictionaries have
saved many a writer (including this one) from an unintended mistake.
But sometimes misspelling gets by your computer, and can lead to some
embarrassing outcomes. Case in point? A common American English
spelling rule is, "I before E except after C." This means whenever
you have an "ie" vowel combination in a word, if the letter before it
is anything other than "c" the combination is always spelled "ie"
(such as in "verified")." If the letter before is a "c" then the
combination is "ei" (such as in "receive"). (Don't go asking me about
"weird" or "Einstein", there are always exceptions.)
So what happens if one were to think this rule applies to French? In
this case, you'd spell Cirque Du Soleil as "Cirque Du Soliel" (see the
ei-ie switch?). And what would happen if you typed
"CirqueDuSoliel.com" into your browser? Until recently, you'd come to
a porn site! How'd that happen? Therein lies the tale we tell in our
second "Cirque du Legal" article (also see our article on Cirque
versus State of New York over admissions tax in our October 2002
issue).
Cirque was quick to register the "cirquedusoleil.com" domain name back
in the early boom days of the Internet. But it wasn't so quick to
capitalize on mis-spellings or like spellings of its name. Domains
often register common misspellings of their names and then re-direct
them to the company's official correctly spelled site; in Internet-dom
it's referred to as a "domain strategy." Doing this keeps your name
and trademarks out of the hands of folks interested in mis-leading the
Internet public. But Cirque didn't, and has left many mis-spellings
of its name available. Including "cirquedusoliel.com" which was
snatched up in January 2002.
The person doing the snatching was one Richard Mandanice, who does
business under the catchy name of "Domain Strategy, Inc," in Bury,
Canada. He registered the name "cirquedusoliel.com" on January 13,
2002, and set it to resolve to a pornographic website entitled "Tina's
Free Live Cam," located at internetcam.net. (The lady's name changes
often from "Tina" to "Cindy" and now to "Tawny"). To quote from the
case later filed with the National Arbitration Forum, "Internet users
who attempt to exit the aforementioned website are subjected to a
barrage of additional browser windows and pop-up advertisements
opening sequentially to pornographic and casino websites."
Not surprisingly, Cirque du Soleil didn't like this, and in December
2002 took their case to the National Arbitration Forum. The Honorable
Charles K. McCotter, Jr. (Ret.) handled the case. In their submission
to the Forum, Cirque made the case that the "cirquedusoliel.com" name
was "confusingly similar" to their "cirquedusoleil.com" registered
mark, that Mandanice did not have "any rights or legitimate interests"
in the name, and that he used the domain name in "bad faith."
Panelist McCotter found that "the simple transposition of two adjacent
letters ("e" and "i") does not distinguish the domain name" from the
properly spelled name. And the policy by which Mandanice was bound
due to his registration of his domain with OnlineNIC (a policy titled,
*ahem*, "ICANN's Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy"),
couldn't be bypassed simply because of the switch of a couple of
letters. In addition, McCotter found that Mandanice had no "rights or
legitimate interests" in the name, and that there was a "likelihood of
confusion" with the "cirquedusoleil.com" name (no kidding!). In fact,
Mandanice registered several mis-spellings of names of major
corporations, and set them all to resolve to his little porn site,
which is really just a forum for advertisers.
Mandanice stopped using "cirquedusoliel.com" shortly after being
notified of the claim, which he never responded to. Since he never
made his case to Cirque, the Forum, or McCotter, the Forum found in
favor of Cirque and, on January 23, 2003, granted them rights to the
"cirquedusoliel.com" name (which now resolves to the correctly-spelled
name). But this wasn't the end of Mandanice's troubles, as several
other companies have also brought actions against him for the same
reasons Cirque did. In each case we could find Mandanice never
responded, and lost.
So mind your P's and Q's, and I's and E's out there on the Web. You
never know where they'll take you.
The entire Decision in Claim # FA0212000137097 can be found at
< http://www.arbforum.com/domains/decisions/137097.htm >.
=======================================================================
TÉLÉMAGIK:
"Varekai Goes Under the Lens..." (By: Daniel Artelas)
=======================================================================
"... and comes away losing a bit of its heart but not its body."
It's never quite the same is it? Watching a Cirque du Soleil
performance at home on the 'small screen.' There's no substitute for
the feeling of being under the big top: music thundering, just a
stones throw from the stage, squeezed into tiny seats like sardines.
Unfortunately, the tent is not always within reach, so sometimes a
video is the best you can do. Varekai is the latest Cirque du Soleil
production to go in front of the cameras, and the result is a mixed
bag. What follows is a look at the Varekai presentation that was
shown on HBO in Latin America. There has been some question as to
whether this is the final version that will be shown on Bravo and
eventually make its way to DVD, and since we won't know the answer to
that until June 14th, for now let's just assume it is.
Nick Morris, who previously helmed the Alegría video, also directs
this video production. Although he treats Varekai with a bit more
respect, the abhorrent style he used previously still lingers through
much of the show. Watching this presentation I sometimes felt as
though I was watching a music video. He uses a lot of camera tricks
and every angle imaginable to capture and 'enhance' the action on
stage. The problem with this approach is that a Cirque du Soleil
production is not a music video. Having seen Varekai live, I can say
that the show does very well on its own and doesn't need a bunch of
cheap camera tricks to help it along. Still, Varekai's recording is an
improvement over the awful work he did on Alegría, and leagues better
than the monstrously disastrous work of David Mallet on Dralion. One
thing I will give Morris credit for is his almost complete elimination
of audience shots, which were used to the point of exhaustion in both
of the aforementioned productions.
First the good: the most effectively filmed portions of the show are
the Water Meteors, Georgian Dance, Acrobatic Pas de Deux, Juggling and
Aerial Straps. They are captured in a simple and straightforward way;
angles are tight and change appropriately, the cameras stay with the
performers for the most part, and you get a good overall feel for
these acts. The Aerial Straps come across as the most striking and it
is the best example of how the thrill and wonder of a live show can be
captured, if only a little, on video.
Now the not so good: although it may not be one of Varekai's most
thrilling acts, Triple Trapeze is breathtaking, and despite the flawed
nature of its editing really shines. This is an act that doesn't
stop, there is movement from beginning to end; so it may surprise you
to learn that the camera cuts away from the artists quite a lot during
their performance. As a viewer of this type OF presentation, your
perspective is forced wherever the director takes it. You would think
that with a production such as Varekai, the director would focus your
attention on the central action occurring on stage. Watching the
Triple Trapeze you find yourself entranced by the movements of the
performers when all of a sudden the camera cuts to a character, or a
singer. The characters and singers of Varekai have many moments
throughout the show in which the spotlight is on them. For the
artists of the acts, their act is their moment. With the Triple
Trapeze the artists' movements are ongoing, and when the camera cuts
away you know you're missing something. It gets pretty frustrating.
Still, the grace and flow of the choreography comes through, and it is
really quite beautiful. Flight of Icarus is filmed similarly, and
although this act is not quite as involved as Triple Trapeze, the same
downfall applies.
A quick side note on one particular character before I continue:
crutch boy. I don't know what he did to get the amount of screen time
he is given, but he must have really earned it. Up until his
performance just before the Aerial Straps, the camera cuts to him a
lot. It almost seems as though he's a central character, and unless I
missed something when I saw the show, he's not. What's even more
bothersome is the fact that he is totally banal; the same forlorn
expression on his face throughout the show. Also, of all the
characters of Varekai, he has to be one of the least visually
compelling as far as costume and makeup go. It really makes you
wonder, 'Why him?'
Other acts that become frustrating are Icarian Games, the Russian
Swings, and Hand-balancing, three of Varekai's strongest. For
starters, there are just too many angles in which they are presented,
and a number of them just don't work. In the Icarian Games and Hand-
balancing, for example, there is an angle that seems to be taken from
the stage floor, looking up at the performers at an extreme angle.
The main problem with this is that at times there are stage lights
right in the path of the shot, which blind the camera. Russian Swings
has an angle that is shot from the swing's perspective. While this
might have made for a great supplement on the DVD, for the sake of
presentation it's just distracting. There's also an overhead floor
shot which is used often throughout the show, and while it gives you a
great look at the design of the stage floor, it doesn't give you an
effective look at the action occurring on it. Slow motion is also
used throughout Icarian Games and Russian Swings, but not at the
expense of the acts. Instead of using the effect during the
performance, the pause between moves in the show is used to cut away
from the performance and go back a few seconds to what you just saw,
only this time replayed in slow motion. While this maintains the
integrity of the acts, it still feels unnecessary, and doesn't add
anything to what you're seeing. Another disappointing aspect to the
Hand-balancing act is that many of Olga's movements are captured in
the same way they were in Quidam. It would have been nice to get some
new perspectives on her act.
Claudio and Mooky's comedy acts do all right, but their second, the
running spotlight, could have used some help. In the tent there is
ambient light, which allows you to see Claudio chasing after the
spotlight. Here, when the spotlight goes out the screen goes to
black, so it doesn't work nearly as well. Also, their little cameos
throughout the show have been cut, so their presence in the show feels
random, but they're still funny.
The theatrical portions of the show are done fairly well, and the
scenes between Icarus and Olga are the most effective. The opening is
handled adequately, but comes across flat. It feels rushed, and an
over-indulgent use of close-ups, which is a problem that plagues the
show throughout this presentation, never really gives you a good look
or feel for the costumes, the characters or the setting.
While the portions of the show that were captured leave much to be
desired, it's what was left out that really hurts this presentation of
Varekai. The 2-hour plus show has been condensed to 90 minutes. In
the process Varekai has lost an act, Body Skating, and its theatrical
sequences have been shortened or cut out entirely. Much like the two
previous recordings from Cirque du Soleil, Alegría and Dralion, the
essence and emotion of the show are lost. This becomes more evident
as the show progresses, things become choppy and there is little or no
flow between the acts. This video production is essentially a
showcase of Varekai's acts with some of the theatrical portions of the
show thrown in for good measure. While I would still choose the acts
over the theatrics, I don't see why the running time can't be
increased to allow for both. In the end it all feels a bit incomplete
and lacking.
Despite its shortcomings this is an adequate production that serves
its purpose. To end on a positive note, if you long for the live
music of Varekai, you're in for a real treat. The DVD is poised to
have a killer soundtrack, so get ready to turn up the volume for this
one.
A few final thoughts on the recordings in general. I realize that
there are people who feel that you cannot capture the magic of Cirque
du Soleil on video. To those I would suggest a viewing of Quidam,
their most dynamic video production. While it too could have used a
bit more time to cut down on the editing of the acts, it masterfully
captures the overall ambience of the live show by retaining much of
the theatrical elements that make Cirque du Soleil productions what
they are.
As far as the technical aspect goes, I wish that Cirque du Soleil
would look no further than the people behind their marvelous trailers
to work on the video productions. If you've never seen the trailer
for Varekai, follow this link:
< http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/CirqueDuSoleil/en/clubcirque/
atlanta_video.htm > or < http://www.sf2night.com/articles/cirque.html
>. Although the images are fleeting, when comparing the trailer's
images to those of the recording, there is an obvious difference in
quality. The images from the trailer have much richer and bolder color
and the angles are much more striking. The same can be said about
Dralion. You might want to brace yourself, watching the trailer you
realize how much more that video production could have been.
Questions or comments? email: absolutcirque@aol.com
=======================================================================
LE SPECTATEUR:
"Disney Creates the Unexpected for Cirque du Soleil"
(Special By: Pam Brandon)
=======================================================================
What happens when two world-class, creative giants--Walt Disney World
Resort and Cirque du Soleil--join forces for a party?
When Cirque du Soleil opened a permanent venue at Downtown Disney West
Side at Walt Disney World Resort, Walt Disney Entertainment was tapped
to create the opening night party. Cirque du Soleil, known around the
world for its fearless corps of acrobats and enigmatic performances,
was a daunting client, even to the Walt Disney Entertainment masters.
"Cirque du Soleil expectations are extremely high, their parties are
wildly unique," says Alan Bruun, show director for Walt Disney
Entertainment. "We had to blend both brands into a marriage."
Disney pulled together its core creative team with a producer, show
director, production manager, technical director, art director,
lighting designer, audio designer, graphic designer, talent casting,
creative costuming and food and beverage.
Getting started, the team was critical to the success of the event.
"It was important to us to step away from the expected and exceed
expectations," says Bruun. "When we met, we made sure we were all on
the same page, that we all had the same objectives. We made sure
everybody really got it. The detail came out of the grain of an idea
that was big enough to encompass all disciplines. Then we let everyone
run wild."
The party was to follow the premiere of La Nouba, a brand new show for
Cirque du Soleil, so it needed to be a continuation of what the guests
had just experienced. "La Nouba is artistic and emotionally
satisfying, with a thrilling element that keeps people on the edge of
their seats," says Jacques Marois, general manager of the Americas
division of Cirque du Soleil. The dream-like spectacle is full of
strong urban images, so the grand opening party's working concept
became "construction and art."
"The idea was to immerse the guests in an urban landscape in the
process of being built and torn down," Bruun says. "We made a
connection between construction, demolition and the creation of art."
The party set was a demolition zone, complete with scaffolding, debris
and construction sounds.
The creative pitch to Cirque du Soleil executives in Montreal was by
telephone, with no visual support, no ability to read faces and assess
how the idea was being received. "We made the presentation on
speakerphone and waited for a response. Silence...then 'Wow!' They
were delighted that Disney incorporated the Cirque du Soleil brand so
well into the party concept," says Doug Klug, producer for Walt Disney
Entertainment. "Like any event, the time spent defining the idea was
critical, and once the their team bought the idea, we began to work on
the details and simmer it to its essence."
"This shows the importance of taking the time to understand your
client and their expectations," says Bruun. In Disney's case, the
client liked the idea on first pass, illustrating how far you can go
with a strong vision and idea--and if the idea doesn't carry, it won't
matter how fancy a presentation is and what visual aids you have.
Making It Happen
----------------
Budget, as always, was an issue, so as the boiling down of ideas
began, each was judged on its "wow" merits. Planning took about three
months.
Inspired by Cirque du Soleil's traveling big tops, the permanent home
at Downtown Disney is a striking tent-like building by Cirque du
Soleil set designer Michel Crête, Montreal-based Scéno Plus, Walt
Disney Imagineers and architect David Rockwell. The opening night
extravaganza was staged in a 100' x 200' tent in a large, open field
on the waterfront adjacent to the new Cirque du Soleil structure.
Around the tent Disney created a garden space and a wharf on the
waterfront, expanding the party both inside and outside.
The goal was to immerse partygoers in another world and the two key
Disney teams, Walt Disney Entertainment and Walt Disney World Food &
Beverage, made sure all five senses were stimulated. "Entertainment
drove the visual, the sound and touch," says Bruun. "Food & Beverage
incorporated smell and taste."
The party theme became Carpe Noctum (Seize the Night). The guest list
included more than 1,500 media, celebrities, the show's cast and crew,
Cirque du Soleil VIPs from Montreal and Disney executives. As the La
Nouba performance ended with a joyous standing ovation, the crowds
headed with great anticipation to the adjoining tent.
"Entrance played an important role," says Bruun. As guests approached
the party tent, a welder on scaffolding sparked fireworks 30 feet in
the air spelling "Carpe Noctum" in lights. The doors tothe "city"
were opened.
Creating an Evocative Look
--------------------------
Inside the tent, four levels of scaffolding with untreated plywood
floors created four distinct vertical environments within the single
space. The bottom level was a re-creation of a subway tunnel, complete
with the sound effects of an approaching ghost train, bats flying and
water dripping. Throughout the next two floors were vignettes of urban
life--comfortable, faded couches and chairs, '70s dinettes, a
makeshift bar in the corner. "We looked for junk," says Bruun. "We
scoured barricade companies for road signs, and rented from a local
furniture rental company's showroom. Very little had to be designed or
created."
Mannequins, some half-dressed or missing arms, perched on couches or
in the middle of the room, "like a disused department store," says
Bruun. The fourth level was a 20' x 20' space for VIPs. "There was
this overwhelming sense of a weird, dream-like existence," says one of
the partygoers.
"Everything was unmasked," says Bruun. Guests could see the genie
lifts that took staff from one floor to the next and all the air
conditioning ducts. Walls and floors were raw wood and metal.
Custodial attendants became performers, cleaning up and emptying
trashcans around the guests.
Entertainment was an integral part of the experience. Inside, guests
danced to live electronic bands. In the garden there were living
statues, "slam poetry" readings and a lone guitarist. Characters from
street bums to chic models mingled with the crowd. A welder created
art out of sheet metal, two dancing women painted one another's
bodysuits, further immersing the guests in a surreal, unexpected
environment.
"A party like this is about excess, about sensory overload," says
Bruun. "We wanted to assault the senses on every level." Guests were
continually surprised.
The ambience outside was in sharp contrast to the sounds and
environment inside. The garden was serene, while the wharf had a barge
positioned in the water providing the appropriate sounds of gulls and
a lonely foghorn.
Each scene was married to the next, all fantastic and bizarre.
"Texture was everything," says Bruun "Things overlapped on top of
things. The impact was created by juxtaposition. We wanted total
immersion, sensory overload, too much to take in."
The Disney culinary team further enhanced the affair with servers in
hardhats and food themed to each of the areas. Inside, for instance,
Chinese food was served in takeout cartons and Caesar salad was heaped
into martini glasses. On the wharf, crab cakes were frying in giant
skillets, lobsters steamed in pots and sushi chefs worked furiously to
keep up with the demand. In the garden, petit fours, chocolate-dipped
strawberries and other decadent desserts were served with coffee and
after-dinner drinks.
"It was an environment that allowed guests to experience the
celebration at any level," says Bruun. "They could participate or not,
and create their own experience. People like that freedom at a party.
So much of a great party is created by the guests creating their own
experience."
"The Cirque du Soleil opening party was the absolute highlight of my
Disney projects," says Bruun with a smile. "No one wanted to leave."
(Pam Brandon is a freelance writer based in Winter Park, Fla. This
artcile was reprinted with Ms. Brandon's permission.)
=======================================================================
LE SPECTACLE:
"Le Grand Tour: Full Circle" (By: Ricky Russo)
=======================================================================
This is it, my friends. The end of Le Grand Tour has finally come and
this column will be the last in its series. For those of you who have
followed my adventures from the very beginning, you might have an idea
how very sad this is. I have shared my adventures as they have
happened -- hopping from show to show and place to place. You know
this journey, this Grand Tour, has been all about my quest to see all
of Cirque's creations before one year could pass. That was the
challenge; that was the goal. And now it's done, it's over. The
culmination of months of planning and almost a year spent executing
the tour has finally come to an end. It is with some irony that I have
brought the Grand Tour full circle, having spent a wonderful evening
at Varekai in Atlanta on March 8th. What a way to bid farewell to this
extraordinary event, no? To be where it all started at its very end?
At the beginning I said I wasn't doing this to become an ultimate fan
or prove that I was the ultimate fan. This still reads true today. The
Grand Tour has been an amazing journey that has extended my knowledge
of the world, expanded my Cirque du Soleil fandom and provided a sense
of purpose to my life. It's a journey that I sometimes do not have the
appropriate words to express, but now that I'm at the end of this
incredible experience I have found that I feel somewhat different -- a
bit wiser perhaps. It's a feeling that is very hard to describe.
There's a sense of accomplishment but also one of emptiness. It's as
if a huge dream has been fulfilled (and it has) and now I'm left
wondering, what's next?
Of course, I could never have guessed how many people I would meet and
make life-long friendships with over the span of this past year.
There's Keith Johnson and Paul Roberts, whom I first asked to join me
on a project called Fascination! I met them for the first time face-
to-face during this past year and they have been close and valued
friends. There's Gary and Jill Chapman, who some would call the
ultimate tour fans - having finally met them in Montreal. There's all
of you, our readers, and dozens of folks I can't mention. You all have
made this Grand Tour what it has been: a wonderful experience I shall
never forget!
So, in order to bring closure to the Grand Tour I thought I'd attempt
to answer a few lingering questions. Some of them I brought up to
myself as the tour went on and others I've had asked throughout the
year. But I've held answers until know because the final answers
weren't available. But now, if you'll bear with me, I'll attempt to
answer them all!
Q. Where did the Tour take you?
A. The Grand Tour made seven stops along the way, allowing me to see
cities across North America and Europe (many of them for the first
time). A summary of the journey is below, as well as the dates and the
shows seen on each stop:
#1) Montréal (Varekai): April 24-29, 2002
#2) Las Vegas (Mystère & "O"): May 22-29, 2002
#3) Denver (Alegría): June 21-24, 2002
#4) Orlando (La Nouba & Journey of Man): July 7, 2002
#5) Seattle (Dralion): August 16-19, 2002
#6) St. Petersburg (Quidam): November 24, 2002
#7) London/Europe (Saltimbanco): January 17 - February 16, 2003
Q. What was the cost involved?
A. Having been in a position whose job it is to analyze data, I kept a
record of the cost of the Grand Tour as it happened. Since you want to
know how much it cost to make this dream a reality I'm prepared to
share those figures. You might want to sit down first. Not that it's
hundreds of thousands of dollars but it did cost quite a bit - for one
person. To tell you the truth I was pleasantly surprised and amazed at
how I was able to keep the costs relatively low (compared to my
estimations).
*) Montréal = $1075.20 *) Travel Cost: $2529.42
*) Las Vegas = $607.87 *) Show Tickets: $509.10
*) Denver = $637.33 *) Other Costs: $3425.50
*) Orlando = $80.00
*) Seattle = $361.16 *) GRAND TOTAL: $6464.12
*) St. Petersburg: $140.00
*) London/Europe: $3562.56
As you can see, the GRAND TOTAL of the tour weighed in at just under
$6500.00. The column to the right shows where the majority of the
money was spent. Travel Cost is the total of the Airline and/or Train
tickets needed (this does not include the Chunnel tickets from London
to Paris and back, but does include the Eurail Pass). Show Tickets
includes the total cost of all Cirque tickets purchased. Other catches
the left-overs like Food, Lodging, Souvenirs, and other expenses on
the trip.
Q. What expectations did you have before starting? Were they met?
A. Many of the expectations I had were general - would I have a good
time, would I easily be able to get money there, would I be able to
use my laptop, would I be able to afford it, etc. Since I was visiting
many places for first time, first-time jitters were most common. Not
surprisingly I found that you could get cash virtually anywhere and it
was easy to exchange funds from American Dollars to British Pounds to
Euros to Czech Crowns and back again. I found that I could use my
laptop, and did so on a daily basis to write a journal, download my
pictures (and view them) and even played games just before bed. I also
found that the cost was lower than expected. I had estimated at least
$5000.00 alone for the European leg with an overall cost of $8000.00
or more for the entire Grand Tour. I suppose that if you compare that
figure with the relative cost of a family of four at Disney world (per
person), I rather lucked out. All my expectations were met brilliantly
and any trepidation I have about going overseas again has completely
melted away.
Q. What experience was most memorable?
A. Each leg of this journey brought with it a new experience. Home
base for me is Orlando, Florida, and while I have been in many cities
and states across the Eastern United States, my travels west have been
somewhat limited. This year brought me to cities across the continent
that I had never before visited: Montréal, Quebec, Denver, Colorado,
and Seattle, Washington. Each of those stops has provided me a trove
of memories and experiences I will treasure for the rest of my life.
And let's not forget some of the places I have been before, like Las
Vegas, Nevada and St. Petersburg, Florida. They're just as exciting
and memorable!
For example, the chance to play a Cirque character (Quidam) at Keith's
wedding ranks as one of my most memorable moments from the tour.
Getting to watch the fountains at the Bellagio over and over and over
before and after "O" was exciting (not to mention leading my parents,
for whom it had been 20 years since their last visit, around Vegas).
In Europe, I'd have to say the Coliseum (Roma), the Leaning Tower
(Pisa) and Stonehenge (Salisbury) rank as some of the more memorable.
Let's not even mention the fact that I saw priceless works of art and
architecture throughout Europe. In fact, many times I was so
overwhelmed with the sense of history there that when I got back I
found my soul was empty. There isn't that rich sense of history here
in the States that I found throughout Europe.
Q. What events do you think will outlast time?
A. Wow, that's a good question. I mentioned some of the most
memorable, and there's no doubt that they'll last the test of time.
But there are less impressive things that made an even lasting
impression. One of them happened after my friends and I watched
Phantom of the Opera in Her Magesty's theater, London. As we were
walking out to the tube station I spotted a man huddled up against one
of the walls of the theater. He was elderly and obviously homeless.
Whether we want to admit it or not we rarely think about the homeless,
and I'm guilty of it too. But that night something about that old man
struck a chord in me and it took many days for me to forget him. He
shook in the cold as he huddled himself up. I wondered what happened
in his life to place him there and how a society as rich as England's
can allow such a thing to happen.
Q. Now that you've experienced all the shows, what's your favorite?
A. I've never kept it secret that my favorite show of all time has
been, is currently and will be Mystère. But, with that in mind I
haven't always been able to rank the shows from what I feel are most
strong to least strong. With the conclusion of the Grand Tour I am now
able to do so and answer that question once and for all. Of course,
this list will change as new shows come out but as of this moment, I
would rank the current shows as follows:
1) Mystère 2) Varekai (tie) 5) "O" 7) Saltimbanco
2) Alegría 4) Quidam 6) La Nouba 8) Dralion
Q. Do you still enjoy Cirque du Soleil?
A. One of the questions I asked myself back in July when I was forced
to review my status in the Cirque du Soleil fandom world, was this
very question: would I still enjoy Cirque once I had seen them all?
The answer is... YES. But not necessarily for the reasons I thought of
then. Today I have a better appreciation for each troupe and how the
show is put on, butmoreover, the fact is I have a little different
perspective on the world, arts in general, and how Cirque du Soleil as
an art form has evolved. But my view of Cirque du Soleil and my
relationship to its fandom will always be one of change. As I mature
so will my views of it and how it is perceived. Right now I am still
as involved as ever but not necessarily for the corporate aspect of it
or to see what makes Cirque tick, but to appreciate each performance
and to show the performers just how much I appreciate their efforts.
Q. Would you ever consider doing this again?
A. In a heartbeat, without doubt. I would do something like this again
without hesitation. Perhaps it wouldn't be as grand, but I know my
traveling days are not yet over. In fact, they're just beginning! One
day I'm hoping to return to Montreal to explore the city's history
more than I was able to last time. I'm flying to Seattle in August to
visit Keith and take part in a one-year wedding anniversary party (not
to mention Alegría). I'm still hoping to get to Las Vegas for
Zumanity's premiere but that looks less and less likely. And you never
know what might come my way... Then, there's still Japan, New Zealand,
Hong Kong, and the various other places I still want to see!
If you have any further questions about the Grand Tour, feel free to
drop me us email: < CirqueFasincation-owner@yahoogroups.com >.
=======================================================================
PARTING QUOTE
=======================================================================
"You have to go too far before you know what too far is."
- Andrew Watson, Director of Creation for Zumanity.
=======================================================================
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
=======================================================================
Fascination! is a monthly newsletter, available only through sub-
scription. To subscribe, please send an email to: < CirqueFascination-
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Have a comment, question or concern? Email the Fascination!
Newsletter staff at: < CirqueFasincation-owner@yahoogroups.com >.
We are anxious to hear any and all comments!
=======================================================================
COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
=======================================================================
"Fascination!" is Ricky Russo, Keith Johnson, Paul Roberts, Jen
Waldman and Wayne Leung.
"Fascination! Newsletter" Copyright (c) 2003 Ricky Russo, published
by Vortex/RGR Productions, a subsidiary of Communicore Enterprises. No
portion of this newsletter can be reproduced, published in any form or
forum, quoted or translated without the consent of the "Fascination!
Newsletter." By sending us correspondence, you give us permission
(unless otherwise noted) to use the submission as we see fit, without
remuneration. All submissions become the property of the "Fascination!
Newsletter." "Fascination! Newsletter" is not affiliated in any way
with Cirque du Soleil. Cirque du Soleil and all its creations are
Copyright (c) and are registered trademarks (TM) of Cirque du Soleil,
Inc., and Créations Méandres, Inc. All Rights Reserved. No copyright
infringement intended.
