Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Fascination Issue 049 expanded
=======================================================================
______ _ __ _ __
/ ____/___ ___________(_)___ ____ _/ /_(_)___ ____ / /
/ /_ / __ `/ ___/ ___/ / __ \/ __ `/ __/ / __ \/ __ \/ /
/ __/ / /_/ (__ ) /__ / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /_/ / / / /_/
/_/ \__,_/____/\___/_/_/ /_/\__,_/\__/_/\____/_/ /_(_)
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
Quarterly Compendium - Q3 2006
------------------------------------------------------------
E X P A N D E D I S S U E
------------------------------------------------------------
=======================================================================
VOLUME 6, NUMBER 3 www.CirqueFascination.com ISSUE #49e
=======================================================================
Hallo und willkommen! Ciao e benvenuto! Dobrý den a vítám! Bonjour et
bienvenue! Were off and running!
If I gage your reaction correctly, youre sitting there wondering why
there are multi-national welcome messages. I would be too; after all,
our previous two Quarterly Compendiums were devoid of introductions
what makes this one special? What makes this particular collection
unique?
Our fifth birthday.
Its hard to believe that over these past five years weve seen a lot
of changes here at Fascination were online and quarterly now verses
a monthly publication but through the changes our goal has remained
the same: servicing the Cirque du Soleil fan community.
Some of you may recall our first year - small and rather shaky. We
grew in leaps and bounds over those first few months but as I said
before, we never thought wed make it. Who would read us? Who would
care? You proved all of us wrong and continue to prove us wrong by
supporting us, visiting our website, reading our back issues to this
day.
Even now Fascination continues to evolve.
I invite you to visit our website for the latest news, rumors and
information about Cirque du Soleil. What youre reading here is only a
collection of what was posted daily on the Fascination website for a
specific period of time (in this case July, August and September.) For
more current information about Cirque du Soleils activities, please
visit < www.cirquefascination.com >.
And if youre interested in having our daily postings sent directly to
you, dont hesitate to take advantage of our Really Simple Syndication
(RSS) feed! Simply use the following URI with your favorite email/news
program: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?feed=rss2 >.
/// EXPANDED ISSUE: For Third Quarter 2006 we have a couple of news
items that were expanded: "How Many Speakers Does it Take?", "Cirque
Expands Sound Equipment Order", and "CirqueCon in LV Journal!". All
three have "[EXPANDED]" tacked on of course to make it easier for
you to find the new stuff. ///
- Ricky Richasi Russo
===========
CONTENTS
===========
o) Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings
o) Compartments -- Information on Tour, Online & on-Screen
* Télémagik -- Cirque du Soleil on Television
* On the Web -- Cirque du Soleil Online
* Itinéraire -- Tour/Show Information
o) Columns - Behind the Curtain
* Birthday Wishes! -- Happy-Happy Birthday!
* Didyaknow? -- Facts About Cirque
* Historia -- Cirque du Soleil's History
* CirqueTech -- The Technical Side of Cirque
o) Fascination! Features
* "An Overview of the 2007 Poster Art Calendar"
By: Ricky Russo Orlando, Florida (USA)
* "CirqueCon 2006: Las Vegas! Updates"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
o) Copyright & Disclaimer
=======================================================================
CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
=======================================================================
Guy Laliberté a Finalist for the Ernst & Young Award
{Jul.07.2006}
-----------------------------------------------------
MONTREAL, July 6 /CNW/ - Twenty-seven top entrepreneurs who have
demonstrated leadership, drive and innovation have been chosen
from an impressive list of nominees as Québec finalists in the
Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2006 awards.
In MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT
Guy Laliberté
Cirque du Soleil (Entertainment Company)
The 2006 national awards will take place November 16 19 at
The Desert Springs JW Marriott Resort & Spa in Palm Springs
California.
Good Luck, Guy!
{Source: CNW Telbec, Jul.06.2006}
How Many Speakers Does it Take? [EXTENDED]
{Jul.10.2006}
------------------------------------------
Cirque du Soleil uses 6,300 speakers from Minneapolis-based
Innovox Audio in their new Beatle-centric show LOVE. The show's
June 30th premiere generated positive commentary on the sound
quality. "The sound is like a dream come true ... such freshness
and fidelity ... The music seems new-minted ... " says Charles
Spencer in the Daily Telegraph. Phil Jones of Innovox says, "We
were very honored when Cirque hired Innovox Audio to develop and
produce the speakers for such a huge, mission-critical sound
system."
The road to LOVE began back in 2004, when sound designer
Jonathan Deans contacted Innovox founder Chris Oswood, saying he
had a new theater to work on with some interesting speaker
requirements. "Jonathan Deans wanted to know if Innovox could
build three high-fidelity speakers into a single seatback,"
recalls Innovox's Jones. "We had existing speaker products that
were real compact, under 2 inches thick, but I still wasn't sure
how we would pull this one off. The geometric constraints were
very challenging."
It took over a year of development, working closely with Deans
and Don MacLean of Cirque du Soleil, to come up with the final
speaker design. After solving various acoustical challenges,
Innovox still had to tweak the speaker's design to allow for
easy installation of the speakers into the theater seats.
"Ultimately, we made the speakers' mounting features part of the
speaker enclosure itself. That made the whole thing much easier
to handle," says Jones.
While the Cirque LOVE job was a big one for Innovox, it turned
out to not be the biggest ever. Jones recalls, "A few months
after we started development work on the Cirque speakers, we got
involved in a huge digital-signage project with Premier Retail
Networks, involving over 10,000 speakers. This went on through
all of 2005, while we were trying to keep up with the changes
and developments in Cirque. In fact, these two big jobs forced
Innovox to fabricate two key components in-house, rather than
buying from Asian sources and waiting eight weeks for delivery.
Now we have complete control over these two key parts, with a
minimal increase in production cost. In the pro-sound business,
time is often more important than cost."
{Source: PRNewswire, Jul.10.2006}
Florida Residents - Celebrate La Noubas 5 Millionth
Guest on Aug 10, 2006!
{Jul.10.2006}
-----------------------------------------------------
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., July 10 /PRNewswire/ La Nouba, the
spectacular Cirque du Soleil production exclusively presented at
Walt Disney World Resort, is about to reach the important
milestone of having hosted 5 million guests. Attaining such an
amazing number of spectators would not have been possible
without the loyalty of the residents of Florida who have
attended La Nouba since its opening in December 1998. This is
why Cirque du Soleil has decided to thank its local fans with
two remarkable events.
First, from July 20 to Sept. 30, Florida residents can enjoy the
daring acts, live music and dazzling choreography of La Nouba
for 20 percent off the regular price on select seats.
Second, to celebrate its 5-million-guest milestone, the cast and
crew of La Nouba will select one of the Florida residents
attending the 6 p.m. performance on Thursday, Aug. 10, to be its
honorary 5 millionth guest. This person will enjoy an amazing
and one-of-a-kind experience, which includes a personal on-stage
recognition by the cast, interaction with select La Nouba
characters during the show, unique La Nouba memorabilia gifts,
and an exclusive backstage meet-and-greet with the artists.
La Nouba continues to perform twice nightly at 6 p.m. and 9
p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Tickets can be purchased at the
Cirque du Soleil theater, by calling 407/939-7600, or on
http://www.cirquedusoleil.com . For more information on the 20
percent-off promotion, Florida residents can call 407/WDW-SEAT.
{Source: PRNewsWire/Walt Disney World Resort}
Cirque Expands Sound Equipment Order [EXPANDED]
{Jul.17.2006}
-----------------------------------------------
Clear-Com Announces Cirque du Soleil(R) Expansion Order; Matrix
Intercom Platform Facilitates Live Audio Collaboration for New
LOVE Performance EMERYVILLE, Calif.(BUSINESS WIRE)July 17,
2006Clear-Com(R), a Vitec Group brand and the global leader of
trusted intercom solutions, today announced that Canadas Cirque
du Soleil has purchased additional components from its
integrated portfolio of live audio communications technology.
Todays sale marks the second order from the performance arts
company, who successfully deployed Clear-Com for a previous
performance. Cirque du Soleils order includes main and
redundant power supply modules, 6-RU frames with 72- in/out port
capabilities, user-friendly programming panels and system
interfaces for interoperable point-to-point, party-line and
camera intercoms, and 2-way radios. Clear-Coms comprehensive
offering will be used to support production wide communications
at LOVE, the latest production by Cirque du Soleil at The Mirage
in Las Vegas.
Cirque du Soleils purchase order included the Compact-72 Matrix
frame along with ICS digital matrix, IMF interface frame and CCI
and RCS Party-Line products. Designed to simplify intercom
communication, Clear-Coms components provide users with the
flexibility to easily expand and configure their audio systems
according to operational needs. For example, when utilizing the
Matrix rack platform, stagehands have the option of choosing
from a variety of intercom solutions including point-to-point
communication, party-line and IFB/cue within the same system. In
an effort to simplify split-second communications, the Matrix
platform was deployed for talent cues, dressing room pages and
on-stage life safety communications.
"Having a reliable network intercom systems is critical for fast-paced productions, such as LOVE, with on-the-fly changes,"
said Matt Danilowicz, managing director of Vitec Group
Communications. "This installation is a great example of the
versatility Clear-Com offers its customers. With more than 200
available products, customers have the opportunity to design a
unique communication network to address each user's specific
needs. We are delighted Cirque du Soleil has chosen Clear-Com's
solutions for a second time and we look forward to yet another
successful show."
Clear-Com's Compact-72 Matrix frame offers users up to 72
input/output ports for full-duplex connections with panels and
external lines, plus the ability to interface other Matrix
systems. Used to future-proof an intercom network, the Matrix
series offers CD quality, high clarity communications, along
with crosspoint level controls, which allow users to customize
individual audio mixes. The system also employs a redundant
power supply for guaranteed reliability and added peace of mind.
The Matrix system used in concert with Clear-Com's Party-Line
beltpack interface offers all users on a given channel the
capability to communicate with each other simultaneously.
Attached to each beltpack are noise-attenuating headsets and
noise-canceling microphones, which are combined with anti-side
tone circuitry to reduce the pickup of acoustic noise and
minimize feedback.
{Source: BusinessWire / Clear-Com}
Orange Business Services to Manage Cirques Global Network
{Jul.20.2006}
-----------------------------------------------------------
PARIS, July 19 /CNW/ - Orange Business Services today announced
a new four-year, 3.13 million euro (USD $4 million) deal with
Cirque du Soleil to deploy and manage its global network to
support each of the troupes performance venues around the
world, with local support at all dedicated sites and touring
shows.
Like a flawless acrobatic performance, deploying these networks
allows Cirque du Soleil to deliver an unforgettable customer
experience. Using the Orange Business Services global MPLS-based
IP VPN and WAN solutions, as well as professional services, each
on-site network makes possible the global availability of
strategic business applications. All of these services are
essential for maintaining reliable communications among
worldwide locations and back to Cirque du Soleils headquarters
in Montreal.
Orange Business Services, which has partnered with Cirque du
Soleil for eight years, is also providing a dedicated project
manager, as well as service management and Application
Performance Analysis, to control all logistics surrounding the
global network implementation. This is especially important
since the six touring shows move to a new location approximately
every six weeks, and it is essential to have complete control
over network connections to ensure that sites are up and running
on time. Each year Cirque du Soleil visits 20 markets on five
continents, and over the next 48 months, will tour more than 125
cities worldwide.
{Source: CNW Telebec, Jul.19.2006}
Mystère to Celebrate 6,000th Performance
{Jul.25.2006}
-----------------------------------------
NEWSFLASH: Mystère will celebrate its 6,000th performance on
Sunday, August 6, 2006 at 7:30pm!
Mystères other performance milestones:
o) Celebrated 2,000th performance on Sunday, March 15,
1998 at 7:30pm
o) Celebrated 3,000th performance on Thursday, April 27,
2000 at 10:30pm
o) Celebrated 4,000th performance on Friday, May 24, 2002
at 7:30pm
o) Celebrated 4,500th performance on Monday, June 16 2003
at 7:30pm
o) Celebrated 5,000th performance on Sunday, June 27, 2004
at 7:30pm.
{Source: Las Vegas Sun, Jul.24.2006 / Fascination! History}
Congrats, Mystère
{Aug.06.2006}
------------------
Mystère, Cirque du Soleil at Treasure Island, celebrated its
6,000th performance at 7:30pm tonight! Congrats!
The Las Vegas Sun ran a small snippit of congratulations with a
couple of interesting factoids about the shows 13-years:
o) Mystère has used 19 miles of bungee cord
o) 72,000 red balloons
o) The stage has been painted over 247 times
o) Fog has used up 1.7 million gallons of liquid nitrogen.
o) More than 8.1 million tickets have been sold.
{Source: Las Vegas Sun / Cirque du Soleil}
Access Hollywood to Broadcast LOVE
{Aug.08.2006}
-----------------------------------
Access Hollywood takes an exclusive in-depth look at the The
Beatles LOVE, the highly acclaimed latest Cirque du Soleil
production, in a one-hour program hosted by anchors Nancy ODell
and Billy Bush. The special airs August 19 from 9 - 10 p.m.
EST/PST and 8 - 9 p.m. CST exclusively on the NBC Owned and
Operated television stations. KXAS, NBCs Owned station in
Dallas will air the show on August 20 at noon. LOVE will be
rebroadcast on September 2 & 3 on Access Hollywood affiliate
stations nationwide in Access Hollywoods regularly scheduled
time periods.
Access Hollywood has been allowed unprecedented access to LOVE,
including behind the scenes of the production from its earliest
stages and exclusive interviews with Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr
and Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison. The special also features
interviews with Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté and LOVE
director Dominic Champagne, as well as the creative team behind
this spectacular production. In addition, Access Hollywood is
granted an in-depth look at the music behind LOVE, including
footage shot at Abbey Road studios with Sir George Martin and
his son Giles, who together, using the master tapes at Abbey
Road Studios, created a unique soundscape for LOVE (the album
for which is currently being worked on at Abbey Road studios by
George and Giles for release later this year.)
This joint artistic venture marks the first time that The
Beatles company, Apple Corps Ltd., has agreed to a major
theatrical partnership. The project was born out of a personal
friendship and mutual admiration between the late George
Harrison and Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté. LOVE is
performed exclusively at The Mirage in Las Vegas.
Rob Silverstein and David Saltz serve as executive producers for
the special with senior producer Claudia Eaton, producer Michael
Soares and director Richard Plotkin.
{Source: Access Hollywood}
Want to know about Dralions Japanese Tour?
{Aug.11.2006}
--------------------------------------------
Interested in learning about Dralions upcoming Japanese tour
from inside Japan? You can! Check out this fan-blog by Rie, the
most die-hard Japanese Cirque du Soleil fan I have ever met in
person!
< http://dralionjapan.blogspot.com/>
OR you can check out Dralions Japanese Tour website at:
< http://www.dralion.jp/ >
ComputerWeekly Studies IT: Cirque
{Aug.16.2006}
----------------------------------
Theres a case study on Cirque du Soleils IT in a recently published
article by Computer Weekly Magazine. You can read the excerpt
relating just to Cirque du Soleil below:
Case study: Cirque du Soleil
Danielle Savoie has just outsourced her companys IT in a £64m
deal. A sizeable deal, that took Savoie a good deal of hard work
to complete, for Savoie runs the systems for Montreal-based
Cirque du Soleil, a business that has, as she points out,
complex needs.
As a result, 84 IT staff have been transferred over to CGI, the
outsourcer that has won the Cirque du Soleil contract.
Cirque du Soleil is a major global business. It has 3,000
employees, of whom 900 are artists, appearing in the spectacular
shows that the company puts on around the world.
The company has three permanent offices in addition to its
Montreal headquarters, but most staff are on tour for a lot of
the time, usually staying for between four and six weeks in each
city, before packing up and moving on.
Our culture is very specific. It has been a very big challenge
to go through its process of transformation to a new IT model.
We have had to review all our processes and governance models
and the business requirements for new information systems, says
Savoie.
The companys main finance and administrative system is SAP,
with separate applications for electronic document management
and for maintaining theatrical equipment. SAP was not a good
fit for those areas, so we have implemented best-of-breed
applications, says Savoie.
The company also has a highly complex payroll system, which has
to manage paying staff of many different nationalities, in
different currencies, for different amounts of time.
For the core business, we have had to develop a set of
information systems specifically designed for what we do. This
includes a system to support the task of casting the artists who
appear in the shows.
We see a lot of talented people and a lot of demos. We need to
keep track of that, and of everything related to each artist,
which would include their address, any notes on immigration
status, and so on. That is all dealt with by an in-house
application running on a Microsoft platform, says Savoie.
The unique nature of the Cirque du Soleils performances, with
complex, gymnastic movements, requires support from a number of
specific systems. One application is Kincirque, which is used in
the companys training centre to keep track of the movements
carried out by artists and any injuries they may incur.
There is also a system to keep track of the make-up used by the
artists. This is very important, because each artist is
responsible for their own make-up, says Savoie.
When I started, the information about the make-up, which is
very specific, was all held by one person in a big binder. Now
we have a centralised system, from which every artist can access
their own performance technical specifications. They learn the
details initially here in Montreal and it is all documented on a
fact sheet, with images and a step-by-step guide. They take away
the brushes and the colour and they are now self-sufficient.
Another important system keeps track of the 15,000 separate
costumes required for performances and the 3,300 sets of
instructions relating to the costumes.
Stage management is another vital area that is now supported by
IT. We have a fully-integrated business solution that provides
consistent and accurate data to help our stage technicians carry
out their job, says Savoie.
One important aspect of this, which will be very familiar to
those in more corporate settings, is the ability to pull out
management reports and ensure that the quality of the shows is
consistent. We have that information and are able to compare
performances, to ensure we retain the very highest level of
quality, says Savoie.
Outsourcing this complex set of systems has been a major
challenge, but Savoie believes it will provide the company with
the best way forward as it looks to manage continuing growth.
Savoie consulted widely with peers in other businesses as part
of the outsourcing process. Although they were not in the same
business, I was able to see what would be applicable to Cirque
du Soleil and the pitfalls to avoid, she says.
The challenge now is to keep the agility I had before with my
group. We are a very opportunistic business. We add new
opportunities all the time and that means I have to be very
agile. CGI is a huge business, but we have to keep CGI agile
too.
Cirque to Play at IFA 2006 in Berlin
{Aug.16.2006}
-------------------------------------
According to their website, IFA Is
o) the worlds largest Consumer Electronics trade fair with
1,202 exhibitors from 40 countries (up 16%) and 245,849
participants (2005) on an exhibition space of 160,000 sqm
o) the industrys No. 1 place for orders, with a volume of 2.5
billion Euros
o) a trade fair for both experts and the public featuring
special services for trade visitors and a varied program with
special events for consumers, 99,471 trade visitors including
14,523 from outside Germany (up 56%)
o) an incomparable media event 6,900 accredited journalists from
70 countries, 580 reports on German television and 14,100
articles published in Germany alone.
And Cirque du Soleil will be playing the event from their
press release: Just one day after the German premiere of its
show Dralion, Cirque du Soleil will be presenting some exclusive
acts. By engaging Cirque du Soleil the IFA has attracted a major
partner in the entertainment field and has ensured that the IFA
2006 Opening Gala makes an impressive start to the fair as it
becomes an annual event.
{Source: - HiddenWires.UK - Aug.14.2006}
Cirque du Elvis, Part Deux
{Aug.21.2006}
---------------------------
We reported earlier in the year that Cirque du Soleil and CKX
Enterprises announced a partnership to develop an Elvis-themed
production. We now have an official announcement:
# # #
Known for its extravagant theatrical performances combining live
music, dance and acrobatics, the Quebec-based circus troupe has
teamed with CKX, and its subsidiary, Elvis Presley Enterprises,
to create the show.
The show will have a permanent home at MGM Mirages CityCenter
hotel-casino when it opens, scheduled for November 2009.
The announcement of the shows location was timed for Elvis
Week, when Elvis fans from around the world flock to Memphis,
Tennessee, for the anniversary of his death on August 16, 1977.
I am pleased that during this time, when we remember Elvis
Presley and celebrate his life, we are able to announce his
return to Las Vegas, a place where he truly rose to iconic
status,' CKX chief executive Robert FX Sillerman said in a
statement.
Presley, whose singles include Viva Las Vegas, performed at the
Hilton hotel-casino in Las Vegas 837 times from 1969 to 1976.
And you cant really think about Las Vegas without considering
Cirque du Soleil,' Sillerman said.
Elvis has a unique relationship with his adoring fans in Vegas
and a large part of our mission is to recreate the excitement
and the spirit of joy he generated here,' said Guy Laliberte,
founder of Cirque du Soleil.
The July opening of the Beatles-themed show, Love, was attended
by surviving band members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr and the
widows of John Lennon and George Harrison, Yoko Ono and Olivia
Harrison.
CKX, which shares the rights to the name, image and likeness of
Elvis Presley with his daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, owns the
American Idol TV show among other entertainment ventures.
{Source: Associated Press / Orlando Sentinel}
Quidam in Cincy: Makeup Part of Cirques Magic
{Aug.24.2006}
-------------------------------------------------
This morning, the Cincinnati Enquirer ran an Q&A piece with Phillipa
Hayball (Target) regarding her makeup.
Question: How long does it take to apply makeup for each
performance?
Answer: 45 minutes to an hour.
Q: How long did it take you to learn?
A: Usually they do one side of your face while you do the other.
Then we have 10 pages of a step-by-step guide that tells us
exactly the process we need to do.
Q: What part is most difficult?
A: The hardest part is the lips because I dont want to look too
much like a clown, and also when I am not smiling, I dont want
to look sad.
Because the mouth I create is not the same size as my (real)
mouth, it is hard not to make it look sad. I also have to draw a
target on my nose every night and that gets a bit wonky.
Q: Does your makeup change during the show?
A: Yes. In addition to Target, I play Cerceaux, the aerial hoop
act. For Cerceaux, I wear a hat that covers my blue eyebrows and
add red tears going down the side of my face.
Q: Who designed your makeup?
A: Nathalie Gagné. She has done the makeup for 90 percent of the
shows. She will come once every six months or a year and will
review everybodys makeup and correct how we are doing it.
Someone in wardrobe also keeps an eye on the makeup, because
after you have been doing it for five years some people will
start skipping steps.
Q: What type of makeup do you use?
A: Ben Nye, a theatrical makeup, and M.A.C. products
Q: What do you do to keep the makeup in place?
A: The makeup we use is considered wet. It all goes on wet and
then we add a translucent powder that sets the makeup and pretty
much keeps everything in the same spot. Then we go over
everything with dry brushes, and then the lipstick.
Q: When all the makeup is on, can you still see yourself in the
mirror?
A: I actually see more of myself when I put the makeup on. When
I go on stage, I just want to give everything I have and to have
fun with the audience and create faces. So its great that I
know when I take my makeup off no one will know who I am.
Q: How do you remove your makeup?
A: I use a three-step process: The oil step, which completely
disintegrates the makeup, and then a gel on top of the oil makes
it easier to get the makeup off. Finally, I use wipes with
makeup remover in them. When I come home at night I wash my face
with a face wash.
Q: Do you wear makeup in real life?
A: I wear the same makeup I did when I was 17; I wear mascara
and lip gloss. But I would like to, especially when I see girls
wearing pretty makeup. I am going to look into it. But I have
been putting theatrical makeup on for 17 years, and thats
enough!
{Source: The Cincinnati Enquirer}
Delirium Factoid
{Aug.25.2006}
-----------------
According to Billboard Magazine, Cirque du Soleils Delirium
pulled in a hefty $2,281,744 in gross sales during its three
performances at Clevelands Quicken Loans Arena.
Delirium played Cleveland August 3rd, 4th and 5th of this year.
{Source: Akron Beacon Journal / Billboard}
Clear Channel and Live Nation Pull Out of Miami Beach Theater Deal
{Aug.28.2006}
-------------------------------------------------------------------
An excerpt from City Debate in Miami suggests, in response to a
question from Commissioner Jerry Libbin at the August 17th
Finance Committee meeting, Randy McElrath, Regional Director of
Live Nation (formerly Clear Channel Communications) stated that
Clear Channel and Live Nation are no longer involved with Cirque
du Soleil in their deal for the development of the Jackie
Gleason Theatre as a permanent venue for a resident company of
the Canadian acrobatic circus.
{Source: Citydebate.com}
Jean-Luc Deschamps appointed Van Houtte Chief Financial Officer
{Aug.31.2006}
----------------------------------------------------------------
This may interest a few folks Jean-Luc Deschamps was VP of Finance
at Cirque du Soleil.
# # #
MONTREAL, Aug. 31 /CNW Telbec/ - Van Houtte Inc. (Van Houtte
or the company) (TSX: VH) is pleased to announce the
appointment of Jean-Luc Deschamps as Chief Financial Officer.
This appointment takes effect today.
Deschamps takes over CFO duties from Gérard Geoffrion, to whom
he will report. Geoffrion will continue as Van Houtte Executive
Vice-President, with added responsibilities regarding company
strategic-planning.
Jean-Luc Deschamps has been Van Houttes Vice-President of
Finance since the spring of 2005. A chartered accountant with a
degree in business administration from HEC Montréal, he has over
25 years experience in business management, including
accounting services, control, performance measurement and risk
management. Most of his career has been with major organizations
in a variety of sectors, including Catelli, the Sodisco-Howden
Group, Gaz Métro and Cirque du Soleil.
Jean-Lucs appointment was an obvious choice, given the
responsibilities he has assumed since last year at Van Houtte,
said Van Houtte President and CEO Jean-Yves Monette. His track
record in accounting, controlling and financial planning will be
a great asset for us as we pursue our growth. And since hes
already known to our business partners and the senior management
team, we expect to have seamless continuity in the ongoing sound
management of the companys finances.
Gérard Geoffrion has made a significant contribution during his
11 years as CFO. Given his in-depth knowledge of Van Houtte, as
well as his vision and solid management experience, were glad
that hell be able to devote himself entirely to his role as
Executive Vice-President and carry on with the great job hes
done in growing the company, Monette added.
About Van Houtte
Founded in 1919, Van Houtte is one of North Americas leading
gourmet coffee roasters, marketers and distributors. The Company
roasts and markets its gourmet coffees across Canada and the
U.S. through distribution channels that include coffee services,
retail stores, café-bistros and online shopping.
The Official Cocktail of Cirque?
{Sep.07.2006}
---------------------------------
NEW YORK, Sept. 6 /PRNewswire/ BOMBAY SAPPHIRE(R), the leading
super-premium gin in the United States, is collaborating with
the world famous Cirque du Soleil, becoming the first spirit
ever to be featured at Cirque du Soleil Tapis Rouge lounges.
This forward thinking and groundbreaking relationship will
feature unprecedented exposure for the BOMBAY SAPPHIRE brand
throughout the United States and further demonstrates the
creative and trend setting nature of BOMBAY SAPPHIRE.
This enterprising relationship with Cirque du Soleil will allow
us to enhance what is already a truly inspired performance
experience, said BOMBAY SAPPHIRE Senior Marketing Manager,
Giles Woodyer. We are thrilled to be aligning with a brand that
so similarly strives for excellence and commits to upholding the
creativity, innovation and genuine expression that signifies
BOMBAY SAPPHIRE.
BOMBAY SAPPHIRE is the official spirit of Cirque du Soleil in
the United States and will be the only featured spirit served in
the intimate Tapis Rouge. The Tapis Rouge is a dedicated lounge
opened pre-show and during intermission. Now, VIP guests (21+
and older) will be able to enhance the sensory experience of the
performance by enjoying delicious BOMBAY SAPPHIRE cocktails.
BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gins natural elegance and dedication to
quality align perfectly with the vision and innovation of Cirque
du Soleil, stated Ryan Sandilands, Corporate Alliances
Director, Cirque du Soleil.
This defining alliance, which also includes premiere parties,
highlights BOMBAY SAPPHIRES ongoing support and celebration of
artistic expression, as well as the brands ability to develop
meaningful and relevant associations with todays adult
consumer.
The Official Cocktail of CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
BOMBAY SAPPHIRE SURIYA
1 part BOMBAY SAPPHIRE
3 parts Fresh Pineapple Juice
Drizzle of Chambord
Served in a chilled martini glass.
About BOMBAY SAPPHIRE
BOMBAY SAPPHIRE is the best selling super premium gin in the
United States. The combination of its ten unique botanicals,
vapour infusion process and authentic British heritage secure
BOMBAY SAPPHIRE as a leader among gins, as well as a symbol of
style and sophistication. BOMBAY SAPPHIRE strongly supports
inspired adult individuals who create passionate work in design,
film and other artistic arenas. For more information, please
visit http://www.bombaysapphire.com/.
BE BRILLIANT AND INSPIRED. DRINK RESPONSIBLY!
http://www.bombaysapphire.com/ BOMBAY SAPPHIRE IS A REGISTERED
TRADEMARK. IMPORTED BY THE BOMBAY SPIRITS COMPANY U.S.A., MIAMI,
FL. GIN - 47% ALC. BY VOL.
Colin Gee at Dublin Fringe Festival
{Sep.07.2006}
------------------------------------
Newsbit: If you happen to be in Dublin from Saturday, September
9th through Sunday, September 24th, you may catch former Dralion
clown Colin Gee at work. Hes part of the MAGNET ENTERTAINMENT
DUBLIN FRINGE FESTIVAL 2006!
From their release: Colin Gee, former principle clown for Cirque
du Soleil, combines experiments in identity with deft physical
characterization in From Dakota, recreating the climactic scene
of his film Dakota as a riveting solo performance.
For more information about the Fringe Fest, visit their website
at: www.fringefest.com.
{Source: FringeFest.Com}
New Corteo CD Track Available for Preview!
{Sep.07.2006}
-------------------------------------------
The music of Corteo achieves an unusual level of intimacy
through a combination of inspired vocal performances and warm
acoustic instruments. The melodies, with their European
sensitivity, are exquisitely complemented by poetic lyrics sung
in Italian, French, Spanish and a makeshift language. Performed
by master musicians, each piece reveals a rich blend of
authenticity and genuine artistic spirit. The production of this
album was made possible thanks to the contributions of 61
musicians and singers, including a 16 piece choir and a 13 piece
string section.
For a limited time, CirqueClub is previewing finished tracks
from the soon-to-be-released CD. Last week, fans were able to
preview Klezmer Moment; this week: El Cielo sabrà, the
Tightrope music.
Preview this new track until September 10th, when a whole new
track becomes available!
{Source: CirqueClub}
Cirque in the Rafters?
{Sep.11.2006}
-----------------------
In the year since the Mitchell family of Connecticut merged
their high-end retail clothing enterprises with Marshs, the
family-owned mens store in Huntington, they say theyve infused
an already service-oriented operation with their own well-known
culture of hugging.
Now Marshs is expanding the reach of this proverbial hug to
include women, promising what they say theyve offered their
male customers for more than eight decades - the personal
attention of a familiar salesperson as well as a custom tailor
on hand to create a perfect fit. The luxury retailer plans to
throw its customers a grand bash on Friday complete with Cirque
du Soleil performers suspended from the stores new skylights,
and hors doeuvres and cocktails served at a nonstop fashion
show, all to unveil its newly completed renovations and the
added womens department.
{Source: www.newsday.com}
Cirque at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival?
{Sep.11.2006}
------------------------------------------
A recent article from the Sun-Sentinel in South Florida
highlights the upcoming Epcot Food & Wine Festival at Epcot,
which runs from September 29th through November 12th; however,
something within that article has caught our eye Cirque du
Soleil is performing at Epcot? An exerpt below:
Splurge on a memorable meal: Several special pairings, lunches
and dinners are offered, including the weekly Party for the
Senses Eat, Drink & Celebrate. The Party for the Senses begins
with reserved seating at an Eat to the Beat! concert at the
America Gardens Theatre in the World Showcase (see #9 below).
Following the show, guests go to the World ShowPlace done in
an imaginative, visually-stimulating décor for an evening
showcasing the artistry of more than 25 chefs and 70 wines and
beers. Guests select dishes at various tasting stations and
enjoy eye-popping entertainment from Cirque du Soleil. Featured
from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays, cost is $125 plus tax and
gratuity; park admission is required. The evening ends with a
viewing of IllumiNations; Reflections of Earth, Epcots
nighttime laser and music spectacular. Reserve at the Festival
Welcome Center or call 407-939-3378.
{Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel}
Cirque Mid-East Regional Tour?
{Sep.11.2006}
-------------------------------
Rumors have been abound for a number of weeks/months about
Cirque du Soleils Quidam visiting Dubai in the United Arab
Emerates. A new source for ITP Business, an Arabian business
news site, suggests Cirque will launch a tour the region in the
coming months with Dubai as its starting point.
According to the source, Cirque du Soleil will visit the
following cities and countries in the region:
o) Dubai, UAE
o) Doha, Quatar
o) Bahrain
o) Muscat, Oman
o) Beirut, Lebanon
This source also suggests that plans for the tour will be
unveiled on Tuesday, September 12th, at the Fairmont Hotel so
more details are forthcoming.
You can read the original post at ITP Businesss website;
however, wed also like to point out a couple of interesting
factoids that also accompanied the post:
o) Cirques ticket sales top $7 million USD a year.
o) In weekly numbers, thats $135,000 USD earned per week.
o) Cirques annual revenues are close to $600 million USD.
o) Cirque polled at #22 in Interbrands 2004 poll of
brands with the biggest global impact.
{Source: ITP Business}
Corteo CD: Limited Edition SOON!
{Sep.12.2006}
-----------------------------------
The music of Corteo achieves an unusual level of intimacy
through a combination of inspired vocal performances and the
warmth of acoustic instruments which will soothe and resonate
with music lovers. The melodies, with their European
sensibilities, are complemented with the beautiful poetry of
words sung in a blend of Italian, French and Spanish. The
exuberance of the musical performances masterfully played out by
musicians on a broad selection of instruments, such as violins,
harp, accordion and a haunting organ; evoke a powerful feeling
of authenticity and genuine artistic spirit. The production of
this studio recording involved 61 musicians and singers,
including a 16-piece choir and a 13-piece string section.
Cirque du Soleil: Corteo CD Features:
Bonus DVD - Through the Curtain, a 22-minute Behind-the-Scenes
look at the making of Corteo (originally released as a bonus
feature on the Corteo DVD.)
CD Statistics:
o) CD Catalog #:CDSMCJ-200252
o) UPC Code : n/a
o) Total Running Time : n/a
o) CD Release Date: October 3, 2006
o) SLP: $16.98 USD
Track Listing:
01. Funerale
02. Ritornare
03. Rêve dun pantin
04. Les chevaux à bottes
05. Nos Dejò
06. Klezmer Moment
07. Prendersi per mano
08. Anneaux
09. El cielo sabrà
10. Fugue
11. Volo Volando
12. Un tierno y dulce
13. Balade au bout dune échelle
14. Garda Lassù
15. Triangle tango
16. Che finalone
{Source: Amazon.com}
Quidam in Dubai Confirmed
{Sep.12.2006}
--------------------------
It was confirmed earlier today through GulfNews.com that Cirque
du Soleil will make an appearance in Dubai, United Arab
Emirates, as previously rumored.
A quick run-down of the article posted is below:
o) Cirque du Soleil will present in Dubai for
approximately two (2) months.
o) Quidam will be staged from January 4, 2007 to February
28, 2007 for a total of 56 performances.
o) Quidam in Dubai is being sponsored/organized by
Retailcorp, a division of Dubai World investment firm
Istithmar.
o) It is rumored that about $9 million will be spent
bringing Cirque to Dubai.
o) And if Quidam is successful in transending cultural
differences, Retailcorp has right of first refusal on
building a permanent venue for Cirque du Soleil.
Certainly exciting news!
{Source: GulfNews.com}
McCartney Comments on LOVE, The Beatles
{Sep.25.2006}
----------------------------------------
McCARTNEY: CIRQUE DU SOLEIL CEMENTED BEATLES ACHIEVEMENT
Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News
Network (www.wenn.com)
SIR PAUL McCARTNEY credits French circus troupe CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
with helping him understand the full impact THE BEATLES have
made.
LOVE, a show inspired by the British band, premiered in Las
Vegas, Nevada, in June (06) and former Beatles McCartney and
RINGO STARR were among the first to see it.
And McCartney confesses hed never appreciated his musical
success until that point.
He says, (It was emotional) because its my mates, and because
of the fact that its no more, except on record - physically no
more.
In the middle of the show, I was sitting next to Ringo, I was
welling up, and I just turned to him and said, F**king great
band. Listen to these noises. How did we do that?
{Source: PR-Inside, Sep.25.2006}
CirqueCon: Its Official, Cruise at LOVE
{Sep.27.2006}
-----------------------------------------
CirqueCon attendees reported seeing Tom Cruise and his wife-to-
be Katie Holmes at the official CirqueCon performance of LOVE
on Saturday evening (September 22nd); its now official.
According to PR Newswire:
TOM CRUISE treated his mother to a whole lotta LOVE at the
weekend (22SEP06) when he took her and 10 family members to Las
Vegas, Nevada to celebrate her 70th birthday. The actors mum
MARY LEE, his wife-to-be KATIE HOLMES and other lucky family
members checked out Cirque du Soleils Beatles show Love at the
Mirage and were then treated to a backstage tour.
{Source: PR Newswire - Sep.26.2006}
CirqueCon in LV Review-Journal! [EXPANDED]
{Sep.27.2006}
------------------------------------------
Sonya Padgett, a reporter from the Las Vegas Review-Journal, was
a guest at our special CirqueCon activities on Thursday
afternoon to observe and speak with some of us. And thanks to
the fruits of her labor, weve made the papers! From the
article:
More than 200 diehard Cirque fans from around the world came to
Las Vegas last weekend to attend the third annual CirqueCon
convention. Attendees saw all five Cirque shows, met Cirque
performers, grilled stage managers, peered behind the scenes and
reveled in all things Cirque.
There are people who collect stamps, follow rock groups, said
convention organizer Keith Johnson. We follow Cirque.
You can read the full article below:
# # #
Six days after a heart attack, Rusty Marti, 52, jumped on an
airplane to Las Vegas.
Her doctor didn't know. She didn't dare ask, as he may have
prevented the Sun Valley, Idaho, native from experiencing what
she called the opportunity of a lifetime: a convention of Cirque
du Soleil fans. The fact that it was in Las Vegas, a place she
always wanted to visit, was a bonus.
"A couple years ago, I made a list of things I wanted to do
before I died," Marti said. "See Cirque and visit Las Vegas are
on the list. This way, I got two for the price of one."
But what about her health?
"I feel great, actually. Better than I thought I would," Marti
said as she stood outside the KA theater in the MGM Grand
waiting for her group to be let in.
More than 200 diehard Cirque fans from around the world came to
Las Vegas last weekend to attend the third annual CirqueCon
convention. Attendees saw all five Cirque shows, met Cirque
performers, grilled stage managers, peered behind the scenes and
reveled in all things Cirque.
"There are people who collect stamps, follow rock groups," said
convention organizer Keith Johnson. "We follow Cirque."
The first convention was in 2004 in Vancouver when Johnson and
his wife, LouAnna Valentine, got a group of friends together to
see "Quidam" in Vancouver. Eventually, the group grew to more
than 30 people, thanks to Internet chatrooms devoted to the
company. Cirque du Soleil caught wind of the group's plans, took
them on a tour of "Quidam" and gave them access to performers. A
staff member suggested the group travel to Montreal to see
another show and CirqueCon was born.
Though the level of devotion among convention attendees varies,
these fans claim to have been touched or moved or captivated by
a Cirque performance in a way that changed their lives.
Take Kristi Piet, 20, for instance. When she saw "O" four years
ago, she was hooked.
"My father brought me to Las Vegas for my sweet 16," said Piet,
who did some graphics for the convention. "I had no idea what
Cirque was, but I was captivated by the music."
So captivated by Cirque, in fact, that Piet hopes to one day
work for the company in the physio-therapy department. Currently
a massage student, she plans to get a degree in athletic
training. And Piet has been in touch with Cirque about doing an
internship in the therapy department.
Rafael Serrano traveled with his wife from Tijuana, Mexico, to
attend the convention. The couple saw the touring show "Varekai"
in San Diego in 2005.
"That's when it became a passion for us," Serrano said.
They've seen 11 of the 12 shows. The couple's true devotion is
demonstrated in the way they watch the shows. They sit apart.
"I sit up front where I can see the emotion on the face, the
muscles trembling, the sweat. My wife likes to sit back to see
the overall show," Serrano said. "We've been to cities we never
would have thought of going because of Cirque."
Johnson and Valentine might be the truest devotees of all. When
they married four years ago, their wedding was as close to a
Cirque show as they could get, without actually calling in the
professionals.
Bride, groom and wedding party members all dressed as various
Cirque or Cirque-inspired characters. The wedding had a plot,
about a headless man becoming whole by joining with his true
love. And the cake was an elaborate Cirque-themed big top tent.
"When you come into a Cirque show and see the sights before you, it transports you to a whole other world," Johnson explained.
No Cirque for DC
{Sep.29.2006}
-----------------
Its been decided; theres no room for a permanent Cirque du
Soleil in DC. En excerpt or two from an Associated Press article
regarding the re-development of the Anacosta Waterfront spells
it out:
A team of developers has been chosen to transform the District
of Columbias Southwest waterfront from mostly parking lots and
concrete buildings into a leafy, park-like setting that will
include a promenade, piers and cultural attractions. (. . . )
The developers are seeking a mixture of white-tablecloth
restaurants, cafes and bistros, a small grocer and specialty
stores. The original proposal included a space for Cirque du
Soleil, but the developers decided against it because the
attraction was viewed as too touristy.
{Source: Examiner / Associated Press}
A New Dead Clown for Corteo!
{Sep.29.2006}
-------------------------------
Hanna Tamrat, a Staff Writer for the Alameda Times-Star, clues
us in on the new juggler set to become Corteos Dead Clown in
December 2006:
Alameda parent and professional clown Jeff Raz will juggle a
few clubs at his last Bay Area performance Sunday before joining
highly acclaimed Cirque du Soleil. Then, he will have to juggle
work and family for a year. The 49-year-old veteran clown is
ringmaster at the third annual Circus for the Arts morning and
afternoon shows at Kofman Auditorium that benefit arts programs
in Alameda public schools. He will perform a few acts, including
juggling with the Lincoln Middle School Juggling Club, but
mainly will work backstage putting the show together.
But dont fret, Mauro isnt leaving for good
The regular
performer in the role, Mauro Mozzani, is taking a year off and
asked Raz if he would be interested in taking his place, Raz
said.
{Source: Inside Bay Area/Alameda Times-Star}
=======================================================================
COMPARTMENTS -- INFORMATION ON TOUR, ONLINE, AND ON-SCREEN
=======================================================================
o) TÉLÉMAGIK Cirque du Soleil on Television
o) ITINÉRAIRE Tour/Show Information
=================
TÉLÉMAGIK
=================
July 2006
----------
There are currently no scheduled performances of Cirque du
Soleil on BRAVO, the official network of Cirque du Soleil in the
United States.
August 2006
------------
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: LA NOUBA
Network: Bravo USA
o) August 6 (Sunday) at 9:00am
September/October 2006
-----------------------
CIRQUE-A-THON
Network: Bravo USA
o) September 28 (Thursday):
.) 12:30pm - 2:30pm Varekai
.) 2:30pm - 3:00pm Fire Within Episode #9
.) 3:00pm - 3:30pm Fire Within Episode #10
.) 3:30pm - 4:00pm Fire Within Episode #11
.) 4:00pm - 4:30pm Fire Within Episode #12
.) 4:30pm - 5:00pm Fire Within Episode #13
.) 8:00pm - 10:00pm Corteo
.) 10:00pm - 12:00am Varekai
o) September 29 (Friday):
.) 12:00am - 2:00am Corteo
.) 2:00am - 4:00am Midnight Sun
o) October 5 (Thursday):
.) 1:00pm - 3:00pm Alegría
.) 3:00pm - 5:00pm Corteo
.) 8:00am - 10:00pm La Nouba
.) 10:00pm - 12:00am Corteo
o) October 6 (Friday):
.) 12:00am - 2:00am Alegría
.) 2:00am - 4:00am La Nouba
================
ITINÉRAIRE
================
[Touring Shows]
Alegría:
Amsterdam, Netherlands Jul 14, 2006 to Aug 20, 2006
Brussels, Belgium Aug 31, 2006 to Oct 15, 2006
Corteo:
Chicago, Illinois July 14, 2006 to Aug 27, 2006
Boston, Massachusetts Sep 8, 2006 to Oct 15, 2006
Dralion:
Malaga, Spain Jun 22, 2006 to Jul 30, 2006
Berlin, Germany Aug 30, 2006 to Oct 5, 2006
Quidam:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Jul 6, 2006 to Aug 13, 2006
Cincinnati, Ohio Aug 24, 2006 to Sep 17, 2006
St. Louis, Missouri Sep 28, 2006 to Oct 15, 2006
Saltimbanco:
Sao Paulo, Brazil Aug 3, 2006 to Oct 22, 2006
Varekai:
Vancouver, BC Jun 22, 2006 to Jul 23, 2006
Sydney, Australia Aug 10, 2006 to Oct 29, 2006
[Arena Shows]
Delirium:
Charlottesville, Virginia Aug 01
Cleveland, Ohio Aug 03, 04 & 05
Milwaukee, Wisconsin Aug 18, 19 & 20
Grand Forks, North Dakoda - Aug 23
Winnipeg, Manatoba (Canada) Aug 25, 26 & 27
Denver, Colorado Aug 30 & 31, Sep 1 & 2
Las Vegas, Nevada Sept 8 & 9
Phoenix, Arizona Sep 11 & 12
Los Angeles, California Sep 15, 16 & 17
Fresno, California Sep 19 & 20
San Jose, California Sep 22, 23 & 24
Los Angeles, California Sep 27, 28 & 29
[Resident Shows]
La Nouba:
Two shows Nightly - 6:00pm and 9:00pm
Performs: Tue through Sat, Dark Sun/Mon
Location: Walt Disney World, Orlando (USA)
2006 Dark Dates:
o January 22 to 30
o March 26 to 28
o May 21 to June 5
o July 30 to August 1
o September 17 to 25
o November 19 to 21
Mystère:
Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm
Performs: Wed through Sun, Dark Mon/Tue
Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA)
2006 Dark Dates:
o January 2 to 15
o February 5
o March 12
o May 17 to 21
o July 16
o September 13 to 17
o November 12
"O":
Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm
Performs: Wed through Sun, Dark Mon/Tue
Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA)
2006 Dark Dates:
o February 19
o April 19 to 23
o June 18
o August 23 to 27
o October 22
o November 19
o December 5 to 17
Zumanity:
Two Shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm
Performs: Tue through Sat, Dark: Sun/Mon
Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA)
2006 Dark Dates:
o February 5 and 21
o April 7 to 11
o June 6
o August 11 to 15
o October 17
o December 8 to 19
KÀ:
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 10:30pm
Performs: Fri through Tue, Dark Wed/Thu
Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas (USA)
2006 Dark Dates:
o January 3 to 14
o March 14
o May 9 to 13
o July 11
o September 5 to 9
o November 7
LOVE:
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 10:30pm
Performs: Thr through Mon, Dark Tue/Wed
Location: Mirage, Las Vegas (USA)
2006 Dark Dates:
o June 26
o July 1
o August 15 to 23
o October 19
o November 28 to December 13
=======================================================================
COLUMNS BEHIND THE CURTAIN
=======================================================================
Within...
o) BIRTHDAY WISHES - Happy-Happy Birthday!
o) DIDYAKNOW? - Facts About Cirque
o) HISTORIA - Cirque du Soleil History
o) CIRQUETECH - The Technical Side of Cirque
=================
BIRTHDAY WISHES
=================
[July]
07/01/1968 Philippe Aymard Clown Dralion
07/01/1976 Natalia Smoliakova Russian Bars Alegría
07/02/1955 Bernard Marchand Musicial Director Mystère
07/02/1974 Miho Kawabe Synchronized Swimming «O»
07/02/1991 Jingru Ao Diabolos La Nouba
07/03/1972 Shen Yuan Multiple Acts Dralion
07/03/1977 Dmytro Pavlenko Chinese Poles/Highbar Mystère
07/03/1977 Nadine Binette Contortion Saltimbanco
07/03/1981 Shuai Xi Hoops/Dralions/Ropes Dralion
07/04/1971 William Cunningham Character (Baby) Mystère
07/04/1972 Philippa Hayball Character (Target) Mystère/Quidam
07/04/1972 Yakov Dyrda Flying Trapeze La Nouba
07/04/1986 Olga Vavrenyuk PowerTrack/Character Alegría
07/05/1958 Daniel Desaulniers Musical Director Nouvelle
07/05/1964 Edward Skwirsky Juggling/Character Quidam
07/05/1968 Dmitri Mironov Flying Trapeze La Nouba
07/05/1976 Maria Akhlatkina Bateau/Cadre «O»
07/05/1977 Katy Savoie Synchronized Swimming «O»
07/05/1979 Chantale Sauvageau Synchronized Swimming «O»
07/05/1979 Jarrod Rothstein Gatekeeper KÀ
07/06/1963 Toumany Kouyaté Musician/Singer «O»
07/06/1965 Xinxheng Hao Bamboo/Dralions Dralion
07/07/1958 André St-Jean Cycles/Korean Plank Magie/Nouvelle
07/07/1965 Wang Yuesheng Spirits Dralion
07/07/1979 Yann Arnaud Aerial Hoops «O»
07/08/1960 Marc Delorme Musician/Keyboards Mystère
07/08/1979 Fedor Semibratov High Bar Alegría
07/08/1980 Melanie Bayol PowerTrack/Trampoline La Nouba
07/08/1981 Émilie Bonnavaud Character KÀ
07/09/1968 Witek Biegaj Character/Les Con La Nouba
07/09/1973 Thamar Vijent Character/Le Travesti «O»
07/10/1959 Pierre Dubé Taïko Drummer Mystère
07/10/1965 Sam Payne Swing/Poles/Bungee Saltimbanco
07/10/1973 Marie-Claude Lacroix Boleadoras Saltimbanco
07/11/1979 Mariya Corlett Surface/Icarian Varekai
07/12/1965 Stéphane Gariepy Musician/Saxophone «O»
07/12/1969 Susana Scalas TripTrap/Surface Varekai
07/12/1980 Ming Fang Multiple Acts Dralion
07/13/1969 Claudiu Tempe High Bar Mystère
07/13/1971 Robert Dawson High Bar/Poles/Trapeze Mystère/La Nouba
07/13/1979 Denis Pirogov Banquine Quidam
07/14/1968 Oleg Djabaev High Bar Mystère
07/14/1970 Frédéric Charest Musician/Drums Alegría
07/14/1971 Luis Pelegrini Character/Yao Dralion
07/14/1980 Marina Shabelnaya Hoops/Barge/Swing «O»
07/14/1980 Zoey Tedstill TripTrap/Surface Varekai
07/14/1982 Nicolas Roche Aerial Cube/Character Alegría/KÀ
07/15/1976 Molly Saudek Tightwire Alegría
07/15/1987 Han Bing Diabolos Quidam
07/16/1969 Konstantin Zaitas High Bar Mystère
07/16/1971 Russ Stark Ropes/Spanish Webs Quidam
07/17/1962 Anne Lepage Solo Trapeze Nouvelle
07/17/1966 Laurence Janot Singer Saltimbanco
07/17/1968 Vadim Foursov Russian Bars Alegría
07/17/1973 Kakha Katamadze Poles/Plank/FastTrack Mystère/Alegría
07/17/1976 Isabelle Chassé Contortion/Silks Nouvelle/Quidam
07/17/1985 Siqi Yuan Diabolos Quidam
07/18/1974 Cristian Zabala Singer/PowerTrack Alegría
07/18/1977 Lin Ying Multiple Acts Dralion
07/19/1972 Mathieu Roy Webs/Ropes Quidam
07/21/1968 Duke Taube Korean Plank Mystère
07/21/1983 Zhang Xu Multiple Acts Dralion
07/22/1979 Zhang Jinhui Chinese Poles Saltimbanco
07/22/1982 Alexei Anikine Russian Swing Varekai
07/23/1963 Irena Arnaoutova Russian Bars Nouvelle
07/23/1973 Chelle Stack PowerTrack La Nouba
07/24/1970 Alifia Alimova Duo Trapeze «O»
07/24/1970 Zulfia Alimova Duo Trapeze «O»
07/25/1975 Kenneth Futamura PowerTrack/Cube Alegría
07/25/1979 Anna Zarianova Barge/Russian Swing «O»
07/25/1991 Bin He Water Meteors Varekai
07/26/1971 Yuri Samsonov Russian Bars Alegría
07/26/1974 Karyne Steben Duo Trapeze Saltimbanco/«O»
07/26/1974 Sarah Steben Duo Trapeze Saltimbanco/«O»
07/27/1971 Paul Ahmarani Character Mystère
07/27/1974 Pavel Soukharev High Bar Mystère
07/27/1974 Trent Wells High Bar/Poles Mystère
07/27/1976 Maxim Zassypkine Trampoline La Nouba
07/27/1976 Martin Nielsen PowerTrack Alegría
07/28/1979 Liu Hong Multiple Acts Dralion
07/28/1982 Oleksandr Pylypenko High Bar Alegría
07/29/1965 Eligiusz Skoczylas Multiple Acts Mystère
07/29/1967 Iryna Ivanytska Clown «O»
07/29/1970 Jano Chiasson Webs/Ropes Quidam
07/30/1964 Igor Issakov Paradise/Character Corteo
07/30/1969 Jean Lemieux Musician (Guitar) Saltimbanco
07/30/1970 Kimm Miller Barge/Russian Swing «O»
07/30/1977 Sophie Oldfield TripTrap/SlipSurface Varekai
07/30/1978 Oleg Kouroedov Flying Trapeze La Nouba
07/30/1978 Tetyana Zhovtopup PowerTrack Alegría
07/30/1979 Marian Malita Poles/Swing Saltimbanco
07/30/1980 Anna Slatkova PowerTrack Alegría
07/31/1965 Frank Michel Korean Plank Nouvelle
07/31/1978 Svetlana Souvorova Banquine/Ropes Quidam
[August]
08/01/1967 Nikolai Melnikov Poles/Plank/HighBar Mystère
08/01/1974 Vassili Maslov Banquine/Ropes Quidam
08/01/1975 Rustam Vahidov Poles/Plank/FastTrack Mystère
08/02/1970 Sergey Beluzhenkov Flying Trapeze La Nouba
08/02/1973 Petra Sprecher Cloud Swing Quidam
08/02/1979 Sonya St-Martin FastTrack Alegría
08/02/1980 Shasha Zou Lights/Teterboard Dralion
08/03/1971 Juliana Neves Aerial Pas De Deux Dralion
08/03/1982 Marila Gomes FastTrack Alegría
08/04/1983 Syliva Loehndorf Character (Gatekeeper) KÀ
08/05/1965 Roxanne Potvin Singer/Musician «O»
08/05/1975 Julie Dionne Chandeliers Corteo
08/06/1957 Francesca Gagnon Singer Alegría
08/06/1963 Dimitry Bogatirev Clown «O»/Alegría
08/06/1967 Sergei Kudrevich Russian Swing/Barge «O»
08/06/1971 Rob Alton Cycles La Nouba
08/06/1979 Natalie Harris Cloud Swing Quidam
08/07/1964 Linda Bélanger Swings/Bungee Saltimbanco
08/07/1970 Davide Rossi Musician (Violin) Dralion
08/07/1974 Stéphane Bayol Character La Nouba
08/07/1976 Danielle Rodenkirchen Poles/Bungee/FastTrack Mystère
08/08/1960 Leonid Beljakov Adagio Saltimbanco
08/08/1963 Joshean Mauléon Clown (Les Don Quijotes) Quidam
08/08/1966 Svetlana Savinykh High Wire La Nouba
08/08/1974 Ala Shulga Hoops/Ropes Quidam
08/08/1975 Mathieu Lavoie Singer Quidam/Varekai
08/08/1975 Sergiy Poletskyy Flying Trapeze La Nouba
08/09/1947 Vladimir Olshansky Clown Alegría
08/09/1960 Rob Bollinger Plank/Tramp/FasTrack Mystère
08/09/1974 Aloysia Gavre Aerial Hoops Quidam
08/09/1976 Jesko Von Den Steinen Clown/Character Saltimbanco
08/09/1976 Nadejda Koudriavtseva Barge/Swings/Hoops «O»
08/09/1986 Xue Zhao Diabolos Quidam
08/10/1981 Miao Tingting Teeterboard/Lights Dralion
08/11/1961 Alain Gauthier Poles/Swing Saltimbanco
08/11/1971 Marta Martinez Manipulation Saltimbanco
08/11/1980 Xiang Li Lights/Sprits/Teeterboard Dralion
08/12/1962 Zhen Huang Poles/Bungee Saltimbanco
08/12/1986 Wang Zhaopeng Multiple Acts Dralion
08/13/1964 Lee Ross Clown/Character Saltimbanco
08/14/1968 Terry Notary Poles/Plank Mystère
08/14/1972 Natalia Tolokonnikova Flying Trapeze La Nouba
08/14/1974 Darin Inkster Poles/Swing Saltimbanco
08/16/1948 Dimitriy Arnaoutov Aerial Straps/FlyingMan Nouvelle/Fascination
08/16/1969 Alexander Dryjenko Swings/Poles Saltimbanco
08/16/1982 Ren Cuicui Teeterboard/Lights Dralion
08/16/1983 Taras Mitin Russian Swing Varekai
08/17/1964 Xu Jian Multiple Acts Dralion
08/17/1981 Chantal Drainville FastTrack/Character Alegría
08/17/1984 Igor Arefiev Jr Aerial Pas de Deux Dralion
08/18/1957 Alexander Moiseev Russian Bars Alegría
08/19/1955 Grygoriy Shevchenko Korean Plank/Character Mystère
08/19/1955 Alexandre Simonov Flying Trapeze La Nouba
08/19/1974 Kent Thomson Bateau/Cadre/Swings «O»
08/19/1983 Daniel Gullacri Musician (Drums) Quidam
08/19/1986 Mélanie Nunes Trampo/Bungee LOVE
08/20/1968 Paul Bannerman Musician (Drums) Varekai
08/20/1975 Claudio Carneiro Clown Varekai
08/20/1985 Kristina Ivanova PowerTrack La Nouba
08/21/1962 Yang Weiqun Chinese Poles Saltimbanco
08/21/1974 Stanyslav Greyner Chinese Poles/Character Mystère
08/21/1978 Martyne Dubé Aerial Hoops Quidam
08/22/1971 Aline Muheim Clown Dralion
08/22/1973 Eric Plante Sax/Keyboard Alegría/Quidam
08/22/1973 Oleg Plotnikov Russian Bars Alegría
08/22/1988 Ulziijargal Chimed Contortion Alegría
08/23/1959 Chris Savage Sax/Keyboard Quidam
08/23/1971 Oleg Ivanov Russian Swing Varekai
08/23/1971 Louis-Daniel Joly Musician (Percussion) Dralion
08/23/1974 Patrick Blais Poles/High Bar Mystère
08/24/1968 Ralph Daniel Rawe Singer La Nouba
08/24/1970 James Bigbee Garver Character (Barron) Saltimbanco
08/24/1973 Gaston Eliê Synchro Trapeze Alegría
08/25/1960 Agnès Sohir Singer Dralion
08/25/1966 Bill Forchion Poles/Swing Saltimbanco
08/25/1980 Peili Lin Lights/Teeterboard Dralion
08/26/1961 Igor Bobkov Poles/Bungee/Swings Saltimbanco
08/26/1972 Isabelle Vaudelle Contortion in Silk Quidam
08/26/1979 Enkhee Tumendelger Contortion «O»
08/26/1985 Mary Sanders Trampo Beds Corteo
08/27/1970 Beo da Silva Aerial Ballet in Silk La Nouba
08/27/1975 Katia Sereno Synchronized Swimming «O»
08/27/1977 Jonathan Morin Webs/Ropes Quidam
08/27/1986 Amélie Landry Singer (Zoë) Quidam
08/28/1960 Laur Fugère Singer Saltimbanco
08/28/1969 Alexander Kaschock Dancer Mystère
08/28/1973 Zoltan Jobbágy Bateau/Cadre «O»
08/28/1975 Filippe Vorobiev Bars/Strong Man Alegría
08/28/1984 Ulziibayar Chimed Contorton/Water Bowl Alegría/Zumanity
08/28/1985 Anton Chelnokov Adagio/Aerial Net Salt/Varekai
08/29/1964 Eugen Brim Character (Eugen) «O»
08/30/1957 Andrei Lev High Bar Alegría
08/30/1971 Kristofer Carrison Acrobat/Swing LOVE
08/30/1976 Tuione Lisiate Tovo Fire Alegría/«O»
08/31/1962 Ivo Gueorguiev Aerial Pas de Deux Dralion
08/31/1969 Geneviève Dubé Musician Mystère/Zumanity
08/31/1975 Tatiana Gousarova Banquine/Pas de Deux Quidam/Varekai
[September]
09/01/1973 Kari Lynn Kreitzer Synchronized Swimming «O»
09/01/1979 John Matthiew Hay Bateau/Cadre «O»
09/02/1959 Guy Laliberté CDS Co-Founder "Le Guide"
09/02/1969 Oleg Prodan Plank/FastTrack/Trampo Mystère
09/02/1974 Reda Guerinik Character (Gufia) «O»
09/03/1972 Serguei Volodine Russian Swings Varekai
09/03/1986 Jie Xia Double Wire Saltimbanco
09/04/1951 Josette Déchène Character Nouvelle
09/04/1964 Elena Gromova Adagio Trio Saltimbanco
09/04/1977 Zita Lusack FastTrack Alegría
09/04/1980 Zhan Iordanov Russian Bars Alegría
09/05/1981 Inha Shkarupa Flying Trapeze La Nouba
09/06/1963 Annick Moreau Dancer Mystère
09/06/1964 Jacob Vital Bungee Mystère
09/06/1971 Andrew Tarbet Bungee Saltimbanco
09/06/1972 Craig Paul Smith Bateau/Cadre «O»
09/06/1975 Sun Yanhong Teeterboard Dralion
09/07/1959 Francine Poitras Singer Saltimbanco
09/07/1967 Clifford Schwartz Musician (Guitar) La Nouba
09/07/1975 Chen Gong Chinese Poles Mystère
09/07/1976 Olivier Lefébure Poles/Swing Saltimbanco
09/07/1977 Chadaeos Clarno Gatekeeper KÀ
09/08/1963 Valery Tchouklov High Bar Alegría
09/08/1964 Jocelyne Bilodeau Character Fascination
09/09/1969 Daniel Touchette Webs/Character Quidam
09/09/1971 Jill Sabrina Smith Synchronized Swimming «O»
09/09/1973 Oliver "BJ" Genten Musician (Drums) Quidam
09/09/1974 Mitchell Wade Head Trampo Beds/Character Corteo
09/09/1974 Martin Boisvert Acrobatic Dancer KÀ
09/09/1978 Tat'yana Mironovich Barge/Russian Swings «O»
09/09/1978 Alexi Kravtchenko Banquine Quidam
09/10/1972 Marie Marceau Musician (Woodwinds) «O»
09/10/1974 Vladimir Ignatenkov Solo on Crutches Varekai
09/10/1974 Samuel Tétreault Handbalancing Alegría
09/10/1974 Brice Porquet Synchro Trapeze Alegría
09/10/1981 Christina Campolongo Aerial Ballet in Silk La Nouba
09/11/1961 Jo Ann Blondin Musician (Percussion) Dralion
09/11/1964 Ginaud Dupuis Strong Man Alegría
09/11/1970 Jennifer Clement Poles/Bungee Saltimbanco/Mystère
09/12/1968 Valeriy Bassan High Wire La Nouba
09/12/1975 Jason Hardabura Poles/Swing/Bungee Saltimbanco
09/13/1957 Robert Jetté Clown Dralion
09/13/1971 Régis Leroy Poles/Swing Saltimbanco
09/13/1979 Ginger Griep Ruiz Aerial Ballet in Silk La Nouba
09/13/1979 Jacynthe M.-Bilodeau Singer Delirium
09/13/1985 Ivan Saveliev Russian Bars/PowerTrack Alegría
09/14/1965 Oleg Ouchakov Banquine/Acro Duo Quidam/Corteo
09/14/1967 Eric Varelas Hand-to-Hand Réinventé
09/14/1972 Ali Labelle Musician Alegría
09/14/1973 Zara Tellander Singer Varekai/«O»
09/14/1982 Erica Linz Character Mystère/KÀ
09/15/1971 Andrea Conway Poles/Swing Saltimbanco
09/15/1973 Micheline Nassler Poles/Bungee Mystère
09/15/1973 Kahlil Calder Dancer Mystère
09/15/1974 Sylwia Durlik Poles/Plank Mystère
09/17/1957 John Frank Abraham Musician (Drums) Mystère/«O»
09/17/1983 Marina Boutina Acrobat/Rope/Bungee LOVE
09/18/1980 Anastassia Dobrynina Swings/Barge/Hoops «O»
09/19/1955 Michel Deschamps Clown ("Balto") La Nouba
09/19/1964 Maksim Dobrobitskii High Bar Alegría
09/19/1978 Marilou Cousineau PowerTrack La Nouba
09/19/1979 Zhang Lei Multiple Acts Dralion
09/19/1984 Ciprian Veres Trampo Beds/Tournik Corteo
09/19/1992 Ma Huixue Diabolos Quidam
09/20/1969 Barbara Gosselin Cycles Fascination
09/20/1973 Amélie Major Bateau/Cadre/Swing «O»
09/20/1987 Zhao Wenjuan Diabolos La Nouba
09/21/1955 François Groulx Musician Alegría
09/21/1973 Mooky Cornish Clown Varekai
09/22/1961 Diane Wasnak Character Mystère
09/22/1975 Kimberly Jones Dancer Mystère
09/23/1959 Ray Wold Fire «O»
09/23/1959 Brigitte Poudrier Musician (Keyboards) Varekai
09/24/1969 Simon Alarie Dancer Mystère
09/24/1969 Evgeni Nikolaev High Bar Mystère
09/24/1976 Yaroslav Dobrobolsky Poles/Plank Mystère
09/24/1981 Lei Lulu Trapeze/Ropes Dralion
09/25/1970 Zoltan Supola Bateau/Cadre «O»
09/25/1972 Henriette Gbou Character (Gaya) Dralion
09/25/1975 Janet Morin PowerTrack La Nouba
09/26/1963 Xu Qing Fa Chinese Poles Saltimbanco
09/26/1981 Elixabeth Gaumond Acrobat/Rope/Bungee LOVE
09/27/1955 Vasily Demenchukov Balance on Chairs La Nouba
09/30/1970 Michael Manzanet Poles/Bungee Mystère
09/30/1975 Sébastien Coin Handbalancing/Character Mystère
{Source: The CirqueTribune Database}
=================================
DIDYAKNOW? Facts About Cirque
=================================
Didyaknow? - La Nouba Quick Facts
{Jul.11.2006}
----------------------------------
The Press Release detailing La Noubas 5 Millionth spectator had some
fun facts about the show. To kick off the resurrection of our
Didyaknow column from Fascinations monthly publication days, we
thought it best to start with those! They are as follows:
o) La Nouba celebrated its 3500th performance on Saturday, May
13, 2006.
o) There are 1730 audio cables running through the theatre.
Placed end to end, they reach a total length of 865,000 feet
or approximately 164 miles!
o) When La Nouba first opened to the public, it did not feature
the Cycles act, which is now an intricate part of the show.
o) The average age of the cast of La Nouba is 31 1/2. Ages range
from 10 to 50 years old.
o) The wardrobe department handles over 300 costumes and
headpieces every day. Most of the 67 artists performing in La
Nouba wear three different costumes per show.
o) Over 1200 lighting fixtures are used for each performance of
La Nouba.
Didyaknow? - Cirque's Music Catalog
{Jul.14.2006}
------------------------------------
Didyaknow Cirque du Soleil has been releasing its music from the
very beginning?
Originally, Cirque du Soleil released its own music on LP,
Compact Discs and Cassette Tapes through their own in-house
label - Nâga - which was part of Cirques Le Groupe du Soleil
Services division. Nâga released Cirque du Soleil in 1987 and
Nouvelle Expérience in 1990. An earlier release sporting a
Cirque du Soleil record was the 1985 release of the Fanfafonie
45, a vinyl record containing but two songs from the 1985 Tour.
In 1992, Cirque du Soleil music interests were released
through the RCA/Victor label in the United States and Canada.
The agreement with RCA/Victor ended in 2002.
In 2002, Cirque du Soleil created its own music imprint
called Cirque du Soleil Musique and re-released the majority
of their music catalog in association with BMG Canada.
In 2004, Cirque du Soleil launched its own music label called
Cirque du Soleil Musique, which they dedicated to the creation,
production and marketing of music associated with current
and future Cirque du Soleil productions, and to the
creation of a new musical repertoire through the support
and development of emerging artists.
Cirque du Soleil Musique products are distributed by Zing
Distribution in Canada and by RED Distribution in the U.S.
Both are owned or affiliated with the Sony BMG music group. It
is interesting to note that RCA/Victor and BMG Classics are
also now part of the Sony BMG music conglomeration.
Didyaknow? - Cirque Awards I: The Geminis
{Jul.18.2006}
-------------------------------------------
Didyaknow that, besides some American awards (like Emmys and
Grammys), Cirque du Soleil has been nominated in its native land by
the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television?
The Gemini Awards (or Geminis) are the Academy of Canadian Cinema and
Televisions award of choice for celebrating the achievements of its
members in the Television medium. Awards were first presented in 1986
and come in a myriad of categories. Since 1990, Cirque du Soleil has
been nominated 13 times in the following years and categories:
1990 Best Costume Design:
Le Cirque du Soleil Michel Crête
1993 Best Direction in a Variety or Performing Arts
Program Series:
Novuelle Experience Jacques Payette
1993 Best Photography in a Comedy, Variety, Performing
Arts Program or Series:
Nouvelle Experience Sylvain Brault
1993 Best Picture Editing in a Comedy, Variety,
Performing Arts Program or Series:
Nouvelle Experience Vaidal Béïque
1993 Best Costume Design:
Nouvelle Experience Dominique Lemieux
1993 Best Performing Arts Program:
Nouvelle Experience Hélène Dufresne
1996 Best Performing Arts Program or Series,
or Arts Documentary Program:
Cirque du Soleil: Behind the Masks
B. Craig Moffit; Lauren Millar
1996 Best Direction in a Variety or Performing
Arts Program or Series:
Saltimbanco Jacques Payette
1996 Best Picture Editing in a Comedy, Variety,
Performing Arts Program or Series:
Saltimbanco Vidal Béïque
1996 Best Sound in a Comedy, Variety or Performing
Arts Program or Series:
Saltimbanco Bill Szawlowski, Daniel Aumais
1996 Best Host in a Lifestyle Information, Variety
or Performing Arts Program or Series:
Cirque du Soleil: Behind the Masks Lauren Millar
2003 Best Direction in a Documentary Series
Cirque du Soleil: Fire Within Lewis Cohen
2003 Best Reality Based Entertainment Program
or Series:
Cirque du Soleil: Fire Within Arnie Gelbart,
Vincent Gagné, and Marie Côté
Cirque du Soleil won just over half of these awards, which ones?
1990 Best Costume Design
1993 Best Direction in a Variety or Performing Arts
Program Series
1993 Best Photography in a Comedy, Variety, Performing
Arts Program or Series
1993 Best Performing Arts Program
1996 Best Sound in a Comedy, Variety or Performing Arts
Program or Series
2003 Best Direction in a Documentary Series
2003 Best Reality Based Entertainment Program or Series
Didyaknow? - Cirque's Music; What Label?
{Jul.21.2006}
-----------------------------------------
Cirque du Soleils music has been released on a variety of labels
over the years. Didyaknow you can tell which label released what
title?
This is often tricky to determine at face value, as generally
the album cover artwork, insert booklet contents and general
packaging visuals did not change from label to label (although
the recent incarnations by Cirque du Soleil Musique do sport
changes in visual), but differences can be discerned by
examining the albums catalog number, located on the spine
of the album or on the albums back cover.
This number will generally be displayed in a string of letters
and numbers, hyphenated into three sections: a prefix, a
selection code (often also denoting the product number) and
a suffix. The albums prefix helps determine the lablel and
the suffix helps determine in what medium the album was
released.
All RCA/Victor releases are denoted with a Catalog Number
prefix of 09026. Example: Mystère Live (09026-68596-2) Also
note that the suffix (-2) denotes a Compact Disc release.
There are also (-1) Vinyl and (-4) Cassette notations where
applicable. An RCA/Victor Logo is also promanently displayed
on the album visual.
All BMG/CDS Musique releases are denoted with a Catalog
Number prefix of 40000 or 74321. The suffix here is omitted
as all releases were in Compact Disc format. A Cirque du
Soleil Musique logo is promenantly displayed on the album
back cover.
All Cirque du Soleil Musique releases are denoted with a
Catalog Prefix combination explained as follows:
Prefix:
C Cirque
D du
S Soleil
M Musique
C Core Music (Show Music)
N New Music
J Jewel Case
D Digipak
P Promo
L Limited Edition
Selection:
10 Canadian Release (Zing)
20 US Release (RED)
xxx Product ID
Suffix:
-1 Vinyl
-2 CD
-4 Cassette
Therefore, as an example, the Saltimbanco (2005) album is
denoted: CDSMCJ-10005-2 in Canada and CDSMCJ-20005-2 in the
United States accordingly.
Didyaknow? - Cirque Awards II: Gémeaux Awards
{Jul.25.2006}
----------------------------------------------
Didyaknow that, beyond the Geminis, which the Academy of Canadian
Cinema and Television presents to its members in celebration of their
achievements, isnt the only award for television programming given in
Canada?
The Gémeaux Award, or Prix Gémeaux, is an Academy of Canadian Cinema
and Television sponsored award that honors French-Canadian (Québécois)
achievements in Canadian television. Cirque du Soleil has been
nominated 11 times for this award over the years in the following
categories:
1988 Meilleur spécial de variétés
< La Magie Continue Normand Latourelle, Guy
Laliberté >
1988 Meilleur montage: émission ou série de variétés ou
des arts de la scène
< La Magie Continue Pierre Lacombe, Pierre Séguin >
1988 Meilleure création de costumes: toutes categories
< La Magie Continue Jean-Yves Cadieux >
1988 - Meilleure musique originale pour lensemble dune
émission ou dune série: toutes categories
< La Magie Continue René Dupéré >
1989 Meilleur spécial des arts de la scène
< Le Cirque Réinventé Hélène Dufresne, Jacques
Payette >
1989 Meilleure réalisation: spécial de variétés ou des
arts de la scène
< Le Cirque Réinventé Jacques Payette >
1989 Meilleur montage: toutes catégories variétés,
humour, arts de la scène ou documentaire des arts
< Le Cirque Réinventé Vidal Béïque >
1989 Meilleure création de costumes: toutes catégories
< Le Cirque Réinventé - Michel Crête >
1993 Meilleur spécial des arts de la scène
< Nouvelle Expérience Hélène Dufresne, Jacques
Payette >
1993 Meilleure direction-photo: toutes catégories, vidéo
< Nouvelle Expérience Sylvain Brault >
1993 Meilleur montage: toutes catégories variétés,
humour, arts de la scène ou documentaire des arts
< Nouvelle Expérience Vidal Béïque >
Cirque du Soleil has only won four of these awards; they are:
1989 Meilleur spécial des arts de la scène
1989 Meilleure réalisation : spécial de variétés ou des
arts de la scène
1989 Meilleur montage : toutes catégories variétés,
humour, arts de la scène ou documentaire des arts
1989 Meilleure création de costumes : toutes catégories
Didyaknow?: The Cirque Video Catalog
{Jul.28.2006}
-------------------------------------
Didyaknow that Cirque du Soleil has released its product onto video
for home consumption since its inception?
In the 1980s, Cirque du Soleils television productions were
overseen by Telemagik, an in-house production company, and
released independently. Telemagik filmed and/or released the
documentaries: Quel Cirque, Saltimbancos Diary, Illusion
of Truth: Alegria, Full Circle, and Baroque Odyssey, as
well as the shows: Le Magie Continue, Le Cirque Reinvente,
Nouvelle Experience and Saltimbanco.
With the filming of Cirque du Soleil: Quidam in Amsterdam a
new partnership with Sony Home Entertainment was born (first
through the Columbia/Tri-Star label, which re-released all
of the Cirques catalog to DVD, but more recently with the
general Sony Home Entertainment brand.
Each new release since Quidams filming is done through
Cirque du Soleils new in-house production company: Cirque
du Soleil Images (or CDSi for short). They have gone on to
produce the filming of Cirque du Soleil visual interests since
1999.
Didyaknow?: Cirque Awards III: The Juno & Grammy
{Aug.01.2006}
-------------------------------------------------
Didyaknow that Cirque du Soleil has been nominated for various awards
for its music in both its native Canada and in the United States?
The Juno Awards are a Canadian award, presented by the Canadian
Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences such artists and bands for
their outstanding artistic and technical achievement in music. The
Grammy Awards are awarded in the United States by the National Academy
of Recording Arts and Sciences, recognizing achievements in the
recording industry of America.
Cirque du Soleil over the years has been nominated for one (1) Juno
award and nominated for four (2) Grammys in the following categories:
Juno Awards:
1996 Best Global Album:
Alegría
Grammy Awards:
1995 Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying
Vocal(s):
Alegría René Dupéré
1995 Best Music Video Long Form:
Saltimbanco Jacques Payette (Director)
1995 Best Music Video Long Form:
Saltimbanco Jacques Payette (Director)
1995 Best Music Video Long Form:
Saltimbanco Jacques Payette (Director)
Unfortunately Cirque du Soleil was only nominated in these categories;
it did not win either the Juno or Grammy in the categories in which
they were nominated.
Didyaknow? On La Noubas 2000th Performance
{Aug.18.2006}
----------------------------------------------
La Nouba celebrated its 2000th performance on Friday, March 14, 2003
at 6:00pm. To celebrate, CirqueClub ran a few factoids, which I have
dug up to continue our La Nouba facts theme:
o) Clowns Balthazar & Sergeï used over 13,200 helium-filled
balloons.
o) The Power Track/ Trampoline artists jumped over 800,000
times, including over 370,000 summersaults.
o) The La Nouba cast went through 2600 costume pieces: more than
one piece per show.
o) The little train used by the shows imaginary frog traveled
over 80 miles.
o) The Rigging department used over 4,800 feet of safety wire.
o) The Automation department was given a go over 240,000 times
and initiated over 750,000 separate motor moves.
o) The Audio department used over 12,000 batteries.
o) The Lighting department used over 200 gallons of fog fluid,
and has used over 16,320 feet of gel strings for scrollers.
o) Over 3,200 rolls of white tape were used in the physiotherapy
room, and over 400 oz of hot muscle rub were applied to
aching bodies!
o) Cycle artist Doug White dropped down on his bike for a total
of almost 50,000 feet.
Didyaknow? - The Patriot Ledgers Corteo Facts
{Sep.08.2006}
-----------------------------------------------
The Patriot Ledger in Boston is running a story on Corteo, which runs
from September 8th through October 8th at Suffolk Downs in East
Boston. At the end of their article about the production they list a
few facts, which we wish to share with you:
o) Corteo is the first Cirque du Soleil show to be in the round
with audience on both sides of the stage.
o) It is also the first show to have the musicians in the
audience.
o) Cirque du Soleil performers do their own hair and makeup.
o) The most expensive Corteo costume design is the Grandiose
Angel with each of the four costumes costing $35,000.
o) The Grandiose Angel costume weighs about 50 pounds.
o) The Grand Chapiteau - the tent - measures 165 feet in
diameter and is supported by four 82-foot-high steel masts.
{Source: The Patriot Ledger - Sep.07.2006}
Didyaknow? Alice the Snail
{Sep.15.2006}
-----------------------------
Next week CirqueCon visits Las Vegas and its members will meet "Alice"
face-to-face in a special on-stage activity -- a photograph!
Therefore, we feel the CirqueCon members may want to become acquainted
with this rather large escargot.
Didyaknow...
o) Length from front antennae to tip of tail:
38-feet, 3-inches (38' 3")
o) Width from one side of the shell to the other:
13-feet, 8-inches (13' 8")
o) Height from bottom of wheels to top of shell:
25-feet, 7-inches (25' 7")
o) Height from bottom of wheels to tip of tail:
14-feet, 4-inches (14' 4")
{Source: CirqueClub, October 2005}
====================================
HISTORIA: Cirque du Soleil History
====================================
[July]
* Jul.01.1990 -- Cirque Réinventé (Vol 2) CD Released (Nâga)
* Jul.02.2002 - La Nouba Boutique pepper spray incident forces evacuation
* Jul.05.1984 -- 1984 Tour opened Rimouski
* Jul.05.1985 -- 1985 Tour opened Québec [Vieux-Port de Québec]
* Jul.05.1986 -- Le Magie Continue opened Québec
* Jul.05.1990 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened Seattle
* Jul.05.1996 - Quidam opened Ste-Foy
* Jul.06.2000 -- Saltimbanco 2000 opened Seattle
* Jul.06.2006 - Quidam opened Philadelphia
* Jul.07.1987 -- Cirque Réinventé opened Québec
* Jul.08.2004 - Alegría opened Philadelphia
* Jul.10.2002 -- Saltimbanco opened Vienna
* Jul.10.2003 - Alegría opened Vancouver
* Jul.11.1990 -- Cirque Réinventé opened Montréal
* Jul.11.1997 - Alegría opened Berlin
* Jul.12.1984 -- 1984 Tour opened Saint-Jean-Port-Joli
* Jul.12.1994 -- Alegría opened San Francisco
* Jul.13.2003 - Cirque nominated for 1 Emmy 55th Emmy Awards
Outstanding Nonfiction Program Alternate Fire Within
* Jul.14.1992 -- Fascination opened Osaka
* Jul.14.1992 -- Saltimbanco opened San Francisco
* Jul.14.2006 - Alegría opened Amsterdam
* Jul.14.2006 - Corteo opened Chicago
* Jul.16.2003 - Varekai opened Chicago
* Jul.18.2002 - Cirque nominated for 2 Emmys in 54th Emmy Awards
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special Alegría
Outstanding Choreography for 74th Academy Awards
Debra Brown
* Jul.19.1984 -- 1984 Tour opened Baie-Saint-Paul
* Jul.19.2003 - Quidam opened Osaka
* Jul.20.2004 -- Varekai CD released in Canada (CDS Musique)
* Jul.20.2004 -- Alegría CD released in Canada (CDS Musique)
* Jul.21.1995 -- Saltimbanco opened Berlin
* Jul.21.1999 -- Saltimbanco opened Adelaide
* Jul.21.2005 - Dralion opened Oostenede
* Jul.22.1998 - Alegría opened Antwerp
* Jul.22.1998 - Quidam opened Chicago
* Jul.23.1988 -- Cirque Réinventé opened Toronto
* Jul.24.1992 -- Fascination opened Sapporo
* Jul.24.2003 - Saltimbanco opened Oostenede
* Jul.24.2003 - Dralion opened Columbus
* Jul.25.2002 - Quidam opened Boston
* Jul.26.1984 -- 1984 Tour opened Québec
* Jul.26.1985 -- 1985 Tour opened Toronto [Harbour Front]
* Jul.26.1991 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened Toronto
* Jul.26.1995 -- Alegría opened Chicago
* Jul.26.1996 -- Saltimbanco opened Angers
* Jul.26.2001 -- Quidam opened Copenhagen
* Jul.27.2004 - Varekai opened Boston
* Jul.27.2004 -- Varekai CD released in US (CDS Musique)
* Jul.28.1993 -- Saltimbanco opened Chicago
* Jul.29.1999 - Dralion opened Toronto
* Jul.31.1990 -- Cirque Réinventé opened London
* Jul.31.1997 - Quidam opened San Jose
* Jul.31.2003 -- Zumanity Begins Preview Performances
* Jul.31.2004 - Quidam celebrated 3000th performance [Sat, 1:00pm/Calgary]
[August]
* Aug.01.1986 -- Le Magie Continue opened Saint-Sauveur
* Aug.01.1990 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened San Francisco
* Aug.01.2002 - Dralion opened Seattle
* Aug.01.2002 - Varekai opened Toronto
* Aug.02.1984 -- 1984 Tour opened Magog
* Aug.03.2004 -- Alegría CD Released US (CDS Musique)
* Aug.03.2006 - Saltimbanco opened Sao Paulo
* Aug.04.1987 -- Cirque Réinventé opened Saint-Sauveur
* Aug.04.2005 - Saltimbanco opened Monterrey
* Aug.04.2005 - Corteo opened Toronto
* Aug 06.2006 - Mystère celebrated 6000th performance [Sunday, 7:30pm]
* Aug.07.1992 -- Fascination opened Yokohama
* Aug.08.1989 -- Cirque Réinventé opened San Francisco
* Aug.08.1996 - Quidam opened Toronto
* Aug.09.1984 -- 1984 Tour opened Hull
* Aug.09.1990 -- Nouvelle Expérience CD Released (Nâga)
* Aug.10.2006 - Varekai opened Sydney
* Aug.10.2006 -- La Nouba celebrates 5,000,000th guest!
* Aug.11.2005 - Varekai opened Columbus
* Aug.12.2004 - Dralion opened Antwerp
* Aug.12.2004 - Quidam opened Sydney
* Aug.13.2006 - Corteo celebrated 500th performance [Sun, 5:00pm/Chicago]
* Aug.14.1986 -- Le Magie Continue opened Longueuil
* Aug.14.1987 -- Le Cirque Réinventé opened Longueuil
* Aug.14.1993 - Saltimbanco opened Washington DC
* Aug.14.1996 -- Mystère Live CD Released in Canada (RCA/Victor)
* Aug.15.2001 -- Dralion opened Boston
* Aug.16.1984 -- 1984 Tour opened Sorel
* Aug.16.1985 -- 1985 Tour opened Niagra Falls [CP Skylon Tower]
* Aug.16.2001 -- Cirque wins 3 Emmys for Dralion on Bravo
* Aug.16.2005 -- «O» CD released in Canada (CDS Musique)
* Aug.16.2005 -- La Nouba CD released in Canada (CDS Musique)
* Aug.16.2005 -- Mystère (Live) CD released in Canada (CDS Musique)
* Aug.17.2000 -- Dralion opened Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Aug.18.1992 -- Fascination opened Sendai
* Aug.18.2000 -- Alegría: Le Film premiered in Italy
* Aug.19.2004 - Alegría opened Toronto
* Aug.20.2004 - Saltimbanco opened Frankfurt
* Aug.21.2001 -- Alegría opened Brisbane, Australia
* Aug.21.2002 - Alegría opened Minneapolis
* Aug.21.2003 - Alegría opened Seattle
* Aug.23.1984 -- 1984 Tour opened Montréal
* Aug.23.2003 - Dralion opened St. Louis
* Aug.24.2006 - Quidam opened Cincinnati
* Aug.25.1994 -- Alegría opened San Jose
* Aug.27.1992 -- Fascination opened Kita-Kyushu
* Aug.27.1992 -- Saltimbanco opened San Jose
* Aug.28.1986 -- Le Magie Continue opened Ottawa
* Aug.30.2006 - Dralion opened Berlin
* Aug.31.2000 - Quidam opened Düsseldorf
* Aug.31.2006 - Alegría opened Burssels
[September]
* Sep.01.2003 -- Tapis Rouge CD released (BMG/CDS Musique)
* Sep.01.2003 -- "Parade of Colors" Book Published
* Sep.03.1987 -- Le Cirque Réinventé opened Las Angeles
* Sep.03.1993 - Saltimbanco opened Boston
* Sep.04.2002 - Saltimbanco opened Brussels
* Sep.05.2005 - Cirque held 5th Run Away with Cirque du Soleil 5k
Run and 1 Mile Fun Walk at Paseo Verde Park in Henderson
* Sep.06.2005 -- "O" CD released in US (CDS Musique)
* Sep.06.2005 -- La Nouba CD released in US (CDS Musique)
* Sep.06.2005 -- Mystère (Live) CD released in US (CDS Musique)
* Sep.08.1985 - 1984 Tour opened Montréal
* Sep.08.1989 -- Cirque Réinventé opened Santa Monica
* Sep.08.1995 -- Alegría opened Boston
* Sep.08.2005 - Dralion opened Zurich
* Sep.08.2006 - Corteo opened Boston
* Sep.09.1988 -- Cirque Réinventé opened Washington DC
* Sep.09.1993 -- Saltimbanco opened in Boston
* Sep.09.1999 -- Saltimbanco opened in Perth
* Sep.09.2005 - Quidam opened Singapore
* Sep.11.1990 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened San Jose
* Sep.12.1986 -- Le Magie Continue opened Toronto
* Sep.12.1997 - Alegría opened Vienna
* Sep.12.2003 - Varekai opened Los Angeles
* Sep.13.1991 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened Chicago
* Sep.13.1996 -- Saltimbanco opened Zurich
* Sep.14.2001 -- Quidam opened Zurich
* Sep.15.1995 -- Saltimbanco opened Düsseldorf
* Sep.15.2002 - Fire Within premiered in Canada [7:00pm EST/Global TV]
* Sep.15.2005 - Name of Cirque MGM released - KÀ
* Sep.16.2004 - Varekai opened Washington DC
* Sep.17.1998 - Alegría opened Zurich
* Sep.17.1998 - Quidam opened McLean
* Sep.19.2002 - Varekai opened Philadelphia
* Sep.19.2003 - Saltimbanco opened Zurich
* Sep.20.1989 - Cirque Réinventé opened Santa Monica
* Sep.20.2001 - Saltimbanco opened Yokohama
* Sep.20.2003 -- Zumanity Gala Premiere (Previews End)
* Sep.21.2001 -- Saltimbanco opened in Yokohama
* Sep.21.2003 - Cirque wins Outstanding Nonfiction Program award
* Sep.21.2004 Le Best of... CD Released (CDS Musique)
* Sep.22.2002 - Cirque lost Emmys (nominated Jul.18.2002)
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special Alegría
Outstanding Choreography for 74th Academy Awards Debra Brown
* Sep.22.2005 - Varekai opened Hartford
* Sep.23.1999 -- Dralion opened in Santa Monica
* Sep.25.2005 - Corteo opened Minneapolis
* Sep.25.1996 -- Quidam opened in Santa Monica
* Sep.25.2002 - Cirquedusoleil.com won four awards for its website:
Best of Show, Experience, Content & Information,
Experimental
* Sep.26.2002 - Quidam opened Cleveland
* Sep.27.1994 -- Alegría CD released in Canada (RCA/Victor)
* Sep.27.2001 -- Dralion opened in Philadelphia
* Sep.27.2003 - Cirque du Soleil HQ Open House
* Sep.28.2003 - Cirque du Soleil HQ Open House
* Sep.30.1997 - Quidam opened Denver
==========================================
CIRQUETECH: The Technical Side of Cirque
==========================================
CirqueTech: Loves Psychedelic Panels
{Jul.13.2006}
--------------------------------------
Didyaknow that Salt Lake City-based 3Form Incs architectural resin
panels are featured in Cirque du Soleils LOVE? Youll find these
panels at the entrance to LOVEs theater; each step activates neon-
colored lights in a custom glass and acrylic floor. Creating these
panels wasnt easy and youll find more about the construction of
these panels by visiting the 3-Form Website (www.3-form.com) or by
visiting the following link: Cirque du Soleil Case Study: MCA-Mirage
Cirque du Soleil
Highlights of the case-study are as follows:
o) Architect: Marnell Corrao
o) 3 different materials are used in the construction of the
panels: Starphire Glass, Ecoresin, and Acrylic
o) ecoresin is made from spectar PETG co-polyester resin with
40% post-industrial recycled content, and is also a non-
toxic, non-offgassing material used in architectural and
designer applications (from their FAQ)
o) 3Form developed the process required for laminating the flat
and curved panels to produce a clarity, light, and strength
that is unique
o) Each panel is cut to size by a waterjet machine, digitally
programmed for precision cutting
o) The panels are lit using LED lighting panels that slide in
behind or beneath the panel installations
o) Each panel is removable thanks to a custom-made mechanical
attachment, created to keep the seamless illumination of
panels
o) The panels can withstand up to 2700 pounds per square foot
and a deflection (bending) of .45? before shattering. This is
well above the 200 pounds per square foot requirement
o) Even when the panel does fail, only the bottom 1/4? is
broken, allowing the illusion to continue until a new one can
be fabricated
o) Each panel has a fritted surface to comply with Las Vegass
non-skid floor code requirements
{Source: Salt Lake Tribune / 3Form architectural}
CirqueTech: Quidam Soundscape
{Jul.20.2006}
------------------------------
Have you ever wondered what technology goes into bringing each Cirque
du Soleil show to life musically? In September 1996, Theater Crafts
International (TCI) magazine took a peek into Cirque du Soleils Quidam
then, the newest touring show and reviewed the music technology the
production was using. While this information is older and may now be
out-of-date, it does provide a unique opportunity to understand what
kind of technology goes into bringing Cirque productions to life
musically:
o) Quidam has six (6) speaker systems of various sizes
o) This system consists of one (1) large system and five (5) smaller
systems.
o) The large system comprises of fifteen (15) Meyer Sound MSL-4 loud
speakers
o) These are used primarily for crowd coverage.
o) The five smaller systems are comprised of
.) System One: The Left and Right PAs used for music four (4)
Meyer Sound MSL-4s, two (2) Meyer Sound 650-Ps self powered
sub-woofers, and one (1) Meyer Sound UPM-2 per side (used for
stage coverage).
.) System Two: Hung from the cupola and used primarily for
vocals seven (7) Meyer Sound MSL-4s, one for each seating
zone.
.) System Three: Hung from the tent masts and used for delay and
upper seating areas eight (8) Meyer Sound UPL-1s and two
(2) Meyer Sound UPL-2s.
.) System Four and Five: Used for sub-bass special effects six
(6) Renkus-Heinz surround speakers and four (4) Electro-Voice
DML-2812s, which were already part of Cirques arsenal.
o) Other equipment used in Quidams sound design are
.) Level Control Systems Cue Control software for surround and
triggering.
.) Garwood monitor systems for acoustics and reverb.
.) Countryman Isomax headsets
.) SPL Meter
.) SIM (Source Independent Measurement) System II to measure,
analyze and adjust the acoustics.
o) A Full Equipment List:
.) Front of house mixing console: Ramsa Panasonic
.) Sub-Mix Console: Yamaha
.) Automation System Software: Level Control Systems
.) MIDI Controllers: Peavey; Lexicon
.) Line Amplifiers: JL Cooper
.) Playback/record equipment: Panasonic; Sony, Teac
.) Signal processing: Lexicon; Yamaha, Aphex; BSS; DBX;
Sumetric; Klark Teknik; Meyer; Rane; Audio Control.
.) Speaker processors: Meyer; Electro-Voice
.) Amplifiers: Crown
.) Speakers: Meyer; Renkus-Heinz; Electro-Voice
.) Monitor Equipment: Mackie; White; Garwood; Peavey; Stewart;
Sony
.) Microphones and accessories: Shure; Sennheiser; Rapco;
Whirlwind; Countryman; AKG; Atlas; Vega
.) Power distribution equipment: Square D; Socapex; L5-20; Best
Power
.) Communications equipment: Clear-Com; Beyer; Vega; HME
.) Video Equipment: Sony; Panasonic; Ikegami; Cosmicar
.) Paging equipment: Galaxy; Crown
Want to learn more? Check out the links below to obtain specific
information on the speaker systems and equipment listed in this
article:
o) Meyer Sound MSL-4
< http://www.meyersound.com/concertseries/msl-4/ >
o) Meyer Sound 650-P Sub-Woofer
< http://www.meyersound.com/concertseries/650p/ >
o) Meyer Sound SIM II
< http://www.meyersound.com/products/sim/sim2/ >
o) Meyer Sound UPM-2
< http://www.meyersound.com/ultraseries/upm-2p/ >
o) Meyer Sound UPL-1
< href="http://www.meyersound.com/products/legacy/
discountinued/upl-1/index.htm >
o) Meyer Sound UPL-2
< http://www.meyersound.com/products/legacy/
discountinued/upl-2/index.htm >
{Source: Meyer Sound / Theater Craft International (TCI)}
CirqueTech - Dralion at the RAH
{Jul.27.2006}
--------------------------------
When Cirque du Soleil visits London with a touring production its
setup is unlike anywhere else in the world. What makes London
different than any other international city? The Royal Albert Hall
(RAH). When Cirque comes to town their trademark blue-and-yellow
swirled big top is not raised; instead, Cirque du Soleil resides
inside this grand performance hall and by doing so changes the way the
show is staged.
In February 2004, Dralion paid a visit to the Royal Albert Hall and
with it Lighting & Sound International (L&SI) magazine took a peek
into what it takes to have Cirque du Soleil setup at the Royal Albert
Hall. Here are some amazing facts about what it takes to set up a
production like Dralion inside the hall:
o) Dralion was shipped to London in approximately 48 containers
from Mexico City.
o) Cirque installed only half of the kit at the RAH; the rest
(including big top) went on to Amsterdam, the next stop.
o) To fill in the missing pieces, Cirque hired local craftsman:
Neg Earth (lighting), Britannia Row (sound), the Soft Goods
Co (drapes), Media Structures (scaffolding), Summit Steel
(rigging).
o) Dralion had over 130 rigging points in the Royal Albert Hall,
which broke a record. 50 of these hoists belong to the RAH;
the rest were supplied by Summit Steel.
o) The set required extra propping; the pillars in front of the
bottom tier boxes are made of cast-iron steel, which is not a
strong material.
o) The Cupola Grid required eight brand new two-tonne Liftket
chain hoists, which provided the 16-tonnes of lift required.
o) The Spiro scissor lift in the center of the stage weighs two
tonnes.
o) The metallic set-piece is constructed from three-quarter inch
steel plate and is black-lit by four (4) green 5k fresnels
with MR16 Birdies built-in.
o) The lighting rig has 20 movers consisting of Clay Paky Stage
Zooms and Super Scan Zooms. Generics are primarily ETC Source
Fours and Pars. Robert Juliat HMIs and five (5) Robert Juliat
followspots are also used.
o) The ETC sensor touring dimmers used at the RAH for Dralion
run at 110-volts. Lighting is controlled through a Compulite
40 console.
o) Dralion usually tours with around 500 dimmers, its own
generators and transformers, and four (4) generators on two
trailers.
o) The singers are miced with ME-104 capsules through a
Sennheiser SK-5012 bodyoack and an EM3032 receiver. The band
is miced with a combination of Shure Beta 52s and 57s with
two (2) Audio-Technica AT4050s rigged overhead, left and
right.
o) Speakers six (6) L-Acoustic Arcs with 12 MTD-108s are
located under the stage with eight (8) SB118 subwoofers
powered by a combination of Chevin Q-6 and A-5000 amplifiers
plus another 12 L-Acoustics LA48a amplifiers.
o) Dralion is mixed on a combination of Soundcraft Series 5 and
SM-12 console.
o) Every musician has his own Yamaha 01V to mix each of the
songs to their personal needs.
o) The Outboard kit includes three (3) Yamaha SPX990s, a dbx 166
and a 160SL, two (2) ACP88s and BSS DPR 504s and 404s.
{Source: LSIOnline.co.uk, February 2004}
CirqueTech - Illuminating La Nouba
{Aug.11.2006}
-----------------------------------
On August 10, 2006, La Nouba celebrated an impressive milestone - its
five millionth guest - and I was in the audience celebrating! While I
sat comfortably in my seat waiting for the show to begin, my mind
wandered about the technical aspects of the lighting scheme. Its a
bizarre thing to think about just before a show, and I can tell you
that not once throughout the various performances I have seen over the
years have I inquired about the lighting. But I wondered
what systems
are used? How was it put together? What lighting equipment was
developed? How many lights are in there anyway? So, I did a little
research after the show and this is what I found out
o) Believe it or not, there are over 1200 lighting fixtures used
in each performance. To be more precise, there are exactly
1250 total lights in the system. Thats quite impressive.
o) Youll find a variety of lighting products used, including:
.) Altman punch lights
.) High End Systems Dataflash AF1000 units
.) Strobe lights from Diversitronics
.) Wildfire UV fixtures
.) Over 1,000 ellipsoidals and PARs from Altman, City
Theatrical and ETC (Source Fours)
.) Thirty-eight (38) Moving lights from High End Systems
.) Twenty-four (24) Stage Scans by Clay Paky
.) Six (6) Robert Juliat followspots
.) One-hundred-fifty (150) Wybron Coloram-II scrollers.
o) Among the more standard-fare of colors, youll also find
Bright Orange, Lime Green, Saturated Red, and Chrome
Yellow.
o) The total system delivers over half-a-million watts of light.
Control system includes over 1000 dimmers, utilizing a Strand
Light Palette 550-I to control the conventional fixtures and
strobe lights.
o) A Flying Pig Systems Whole Hog II is used to control the
moving lights.
o) Special Effects are controlled by a Strand Light Palette 520-
I lighting console.
o) The grid-shaped pattern on the stage is accomplished using
stock gobos trimmed with high-temperature aluminum tape and
shutter cuts.
o) La Nouba uses ten (10) stage smoke machines, but these are
harmless to your health.
o) Four (4) hazers (or fog machines) are also used to give the
La Nouba theater a sense of foreboding.
o) Oh, and a 3,000 gallon tank of liquid nitrogen supplies the
burst effects seen throughout the stage floor and the rock
wall.
You can learn more about the products listed here and the companies that
manufacture them below:
o) High End Systems - Dataflash AF1000
< http://www.highend.com/products/effects/dataflashaf1000.asp >
o) Altman Lighting:
< http://www.altmanltg.com/ >
o) City Theatrical:
< http://www.citytheatrical.com/ >
o) ETC: Electronic Theater Controls:
< http://www.etcconnect.com/ >
o) Diversitronics:
< http://www.diversitronics.com/ >
o) Wildfire:
< http://www.wildfirefx.com/ >
o) Clay Paky:
< http://www.claypakyamerica.com/ >
o) Wybron Coloram II:
< http://www.wybron.com/Entertainment/Coloram/index.html >
o) Robert Juliat:
< http://www.robertjuliat.fr/.htm/English_version.html >
o) Strand Lighting:
< http://www.strandlight.com/ >
o) WholeHog Systems:
< http://www.flyingpig.com/home.shtml >
CirqueTech - Performance Spaces: La Nouba
{Aug.25.2006}
------------------------------------------
The La Nouba performance space is a collaboration of four entities:
Cirque du Soleil, Scéno Plus, Walt Disney Imagineering and the
Rockwell Group. All four worked together to design and construct what
would be Cirque du Soleils first (and currently only, but that will
change shortly with the construction of the Tokyo 2008 project)
freestanding theater built exclusively for their needs. Armed with a
budget between $20 and $30 Million (USD), Scéno Plus designed the
approx. 75,000 square-foot (7,000 square-meter) drum-shaped theater
that is a wonderful testament to both structure and beauty and a
shining example of ingenuity and design.
Let us take a peek into this amazing performance space, shall we?
On the outside, the Cirque Theater is like a castle standing
prominently on the shores of its kingdom, in this case on the shores
of Village Lake in Downtown Disneys West Side. The structure,
accented in white Teflon-coated canvas fabric, stands approximately
160 feet tall from the concrete sidewalk to the tops of its spires.
Atop the theater rests the namesake of the company in big blue
lettering and even higher still, the castle is topped with four
fluttering flags featuring the famous sun logo of Cirque du Soleil.
And while the outside is something to marvel, the interior is no less
so.
On the inside of this concrete-canvas behemoth, on the second floor,
rests its performance space. Like many of Cirques theaters, the first
thing youll notice upon entering is the set and out-in-the-round
stage. The set, which has been referred to as an Elizabethan-style
stage due to its symmetrical style, is said to be reminiscent of a
well-traveled path or trail. While that may be true, many see the
insane nature of an asylum, and certainly that too is true. That
asylum-esque nature is created with a 60×200 foot trellis construct
made of PVC panels and scrim, which allow for wonderful projection and
shadow play conjuring up uncanny images of Orwellian reminiscence. The
wonderful backdrop is overshadowed by mountainous outcroppings,
jetting up from the floor on eitherside. These rocks stand
approximately 60-feet tall and are constructed of hard steel, but
padded using wood and bleached velour (a velvet-type material.)
Even the showroom seats are abound with detail; modeled after old-
fashioned auditorium chairs, these seats are steel and wood
constructed and covered in red velvet. They were built by American
Seating of Grand Rapids, Michigan especially for La Nouba. But look up
from your red-colored seats and see the seven cloud-like Fabulous
Figures that decorate the ceiling of the showroom; their whimsical
dance about the tops of the theater forever captured. These figures
are manufactured out of copper tubing and wrapped in mesh and measure
approximately 30-feet in length. You may not know, though, that these
fanciful leapers were designed by Michel Crête, the set designer.
You may spot the musicians next, resting upon two platforms housed in
the 75-foot towers rising on either side of the stage. Separated but
not disconnected from the performance, these musicians play the
various notes of La Noubas live music. They do so by staying
connected via a complex audio system that allows each musician to
speak with the bandleader, their other band mates and take direction
if something were to happen. Usually the tick of a metronome is heard
throughout their setup to keep everyone on the same beat and time. The
platforms themselves are nothing more than steel planks welded
together (among other various pieces) and contain an external elevator
(which performers rise and lower from during the show.
The stage has many technological achievements also.
The retractable Power Track, as it is called, is 60 feet in length and
fully automated, which means computers control the retraction (at 2-
feet-per-second) of this enormously powerful trampoline. But dont let
that quick retraction fool you into thinking the floor is light; its
not, it weighs over 10,000 pounds! The Power Track was specially
designed by Cirque du Soleil (and Paco Corp.) to allow the performers
to jump higher and faster than ever. The PowerTrack is the next
evolution of the FastTrack as seen in Alegría. Ironically the
PowerTrack became so popular that it was recently installed in
Alegría, taking the old FastTracks place.
The stage comes alive during the performance by a set of elevators
commonly referred to as lifts. There are five in all, resting just
below the stage surface. The ascent and descent of these lifts are
controlled by numerous motors (45 in all!) that must be in complete
working order for the lifts to even function. The five lifts
themselves rise to a maximum height of 16-feet; the center stage lift
is also capable of descending 16-feet below the stage for a 32-feet
range of motion! And they each have a 3,000 pound weight capacity. The
stage itself is protected by an impact-resilient material called
Mondo Sport Floor applied over wood in order to avoid injuries to
the acrobats and dancers.
Two télépheriques (or tracks) installed along the back wall of the
stage are 78-feet (24-meters) above the ground and are capable of
moving props, scenery and acrobatic equipment during the show at 4-
feet-per-second. These tracks provide an easy system for moving
objects in and out of view of the spectators. Youll find various
strange props, lights and chairs gliding by throughout the various
acts including The Grand Monument, a 40×30 foot structure of
aluminum and painted scrim.
The set is fully automated as well. The 25×60-foot Trapeze Net
(designed by Doug Kiddell of Cirque du Soleil), for example, is
protracted and retracted by eight motors, including two 40-horsepower
tensioning winches with up to 5,000 pounds of force. Not one soul
comes out to set up or tear down the trapeze net. Additional set
pieces are operated using a motorized counterweight system, such as:
the trampolines (which descend from the ceiling), the flying doors (of
which there are 9), the petite fenêtre volante (or New York Window,)
two pedestal platforms and the four trapeze grips.
The JR Clancy Company of Syracuse, New York installed the 44-line set
rigging system and 35 of the winches used for these props. The lifts
were designed and installed by Showmotion of Connecticut in
partnership with Disney Ride and Show Engineering. Westsun Scenic
Edge, Inc. of Winnipeg actually designed and installed the computer
control system, which makes the space come alive using a Windows NT
based program called Dynatrac.
With fixed tiered seating in a 180-degree semicircle around the stage,
the auditorium has neither a proscenium arch nor an architectural
ceiling, which makes it similar to many of Cirques other theatrical
ventures. To some, the first glimpse provides the image of a
traditional big top; to others, it is Cirque du Soleils greatest
achievement. Regardless of how you see it, it is a one-of-a-kind
structure for Cirque du Soleil in that its Cirques first stand-alone
theater complex, but also a self-contained Cirque world. What do I
mean? For the first time, a show space, ticket booths and Boutique
(which Scéno Plus also designed) are housed directly in the same
complex.
{Sources: Cirque du Soleil Press Room and the Cahners Magazine
Division of Reed Publishing USA Nov 1999 - Abby Bussel}
This excerpt is a special rewrite of an earlier article series
entitled The Houses of Cirque, published in the Fascination!
Newsletter in June 2003.
CirqueTech Quidam, Under the BigTop (Part 1)
{Sep.01.2006}
-----------------------------------------------
Jackie Demaline of the Cincinnati Enquirer rounded up a few numbers
for her audience in an article published on Friday, August 25, 2006
about Quidam. Enjoy:
o) 52 - total performers
o) 56 - feet to the uppermost point of the big top
o) 9 - different specialties of cast members: dancers, acro-
gymnasts, contortionists, aerialists, clowns, actors,
musicians, vocalists and circus artists
o) 15 - countries they represent (Argentina, Australia, Brazil,
Canada, China, Cuba, France, Germany, Hungary, Japan,
Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Russia, United Kindgom and United
States)
o) 15 - age of the youngest cast member, American singer Tori
Letzler
o) 21 - metric tons is how much the stage weighs
o) 6 - number of months a typical costume lasts
o) 110 - pounds, weight of the German Wheel
o) 120 - feet, the length of the "télephérique," which brings
aerial artists onto the stage
o) 300 - hand-painted shoes
o) 300 - daily servings of crew's favorite "pâté chinois" a
French-Canadian version of shepherd's pie
o) 65 - length in feet of polyester of the material used in
"Aerial Contortion of Silk"
o) 4,085 - buttons and knobs on the sound board
o) 750 - tons of equipment (which are hauled around North
America on 43 48-foot trucks)
{Source - The Cincinnati Enquirer: Aug.25.2006}
CirqueTech Illuminating Mystère
{Sep.09.2006}
----------------------------------
Have you ever wondered what lighting technology helps illuminate
Mystère?
In May 1994, Theater Crafts International (TCI) magazine took a peek
into Cirque du Soleils Mystère and reviewed the lighting technology
(specifically providing a list of lighting products) used in the
production. While this information is older and may now be out-of-
date, it does provide a unique opportunity to review what kind of
lighting equipment goes into bringing Cirque productions to life in
light:
The equipment list is divided into two camps: Cinema Services and TMB
Associates. These two companies provided the equipment listed beneath
their names.
[Cinema Services (Las Vegas, NV)]
o) 8 90 Light Bar w/6 Par 64s VN
o) 8 60 Light Bar w/4 Par 64s ACLs
o) 6 Altman 9 Lights
o) 50 Altman 5 degree ERS
o) 100 Altman 10 Degree ERS
o) 24 Altman 3 Cell Far Cyc Units
o) 10 Altman 3 Circuit 76 Zip Strips
o) 4 Altman Micro Ellipse Spots
o) 350 Altman Par 64 Fixtures
o) 4 Lycian Starklite II Followspots
o) 2 Strong Xenon 2K Followspots, Long Throw
o) 4 Wildfire S/F 400W UV Fixtures w/DMX Shutters
o) 90 7 Color Ram Scrollers
o) 32 Altman 3 Circuit 76 Zip Strips
o) 32 10 Color Ram Scrollers
o) 8 9 Light Color Ram Scrollers
o) 15 Color Ram Power Supplies
o) 130 Scroller Data/Power 25 Cables
o) 30 GAM Twin Spins for ETC Units
o) 24 Ray Lite Reflectors for PAR64s
o) 1 Colortran Medallion Console, Full Backup, 3 Monitors
and Remote
o) 2 Compulite Animator Console w/Remote
o) 5 2.5k Pani Projectors w/Image Scroller and Dimming
Shutters
[TMB Associates (Burbank, CA)]
o) 300 ETC Source 4 19 Degree ERS
o) 30 ETC Source 4 26 Degree ERS
o) 30 ETC Source 4 36 Degree ERS
o) 6 6K HMI Fresnels w/Color Ram
o) 29 Clay Paky Superscans
o) 10 Clay Paky Gobo
o) Rotators for Above
o) All Cable for the Install
CirqueTech Mystère Soundscape
{Sep.29.2006}
--------------------------------
Have you ever wondered what equipment goes into bringing a Cirque du
Soleil show like Mystère to live musically each day? In March 1994,
Theater Crafts International (TCI) magazine took a peek into that
equipment then, the first theater show and reviewed the music
technology (specificially the equipment) the production was using.
While this information is older and may now be out-of-date, it does
provide a unique opportunity to understand what kind of technology
goes into bringing Cirque productions to life musically:
[Front of House]
o) 1 Logic Control System
o) 1 RTS System SDS
o) 2 Lexicon PCM70
o) 2 Lexicon 300
o) 6 Drawmer DL251 compressor/limiters
o) 3 Drawmer DS404 noise gates
o) 2 BSS FCS-926 equalizers
o) 6 Sennheiser EM2003 ireless mics
o) 1 Vega RMT-14 transmitter with 7 receivers
[For in-ear monitoring]
o) 2- Panasonic SV-3900 DATs
o) 1 Alesis ADAT
o) 1 Yamaha tape deck
o) 1 Sony CD Player
[Equipment Back Room]
o) 2 JL Cooper MIDI amplifiers
o) 18 BSS TCS-804 delays
o) 22 BSS FCS-920 equalizers
o) 1 BSS FPC-900R equalizer analyzer controller
o) 10 BSS FDS-360 X-Os
o) 28 Crown 1200 amps
o) 23 Crown 2400 amps
o) 3 Crown 600 amps
o) 6 Crown 400 amps for dressing room page w/3 Yamaha
Q2031A equalizers
o) 1 Lyn Tec paging switches
o) 1 Symetrix compressor
o) 8 EV 1122 cabinets
o) 20 EV 1152 cabinets
o) 6 MTH 94/2A EV cabinets
o) 6 MTL 4A EV cabinets
o) 4 MTL 2A EV cabinets
o) 6 Base wave cannon subwoofers
o) 6 Apogee for front fills
o) 10 122H EAWs
[Stage Monitoring for Musicians]
o) 1 Megas stage console (40 channels, 6 auxiliary, 8
group outs)
o) 10 Yamaha DMP IIs
o) 10 Carver PM300 amps
o) 10 Sony MDR7506 headphones
o) 2 Mackie mixers
o) 1 Rolls headphone amp RA62HA
o) 10 Countryman Direct Boxes
o) 4 EV-757 mics
o) 6 Shure SM-57 mics
o) 2 Shure SM-58 mics
o) 2 Shure LP-1 mics
o) 8 AKG-409
o) 2 AKG-408
o) 7 AKG-391
o) 4 EV 257B (mic)
o) 4 AKG 414
o) 3 AKG 747
o) 3 Sennheiser 421
Acromedia in San Leandro, CA., installed BSS and AKG components.
=======================================================================
FASCINATION! FEATURES
=======================================================================
---------------------------------------------------
An Overview of the 2007 'Poster Art' Calendar
By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA)
---------------------------------------------------
Cirque du Soleil 2007: Poster Art from 1984-2006
Design by: Ziga Design, LLC
Published by: Barnes & Noble Calendars, June 2006
ISBN-13: 978-0-7607-8144-9
ISBN-10: 0-7607-8144-3
UPC: 9-780760-781449-01495
$14.95 USD / $19.95 CAD
Believe it or not, the Poster Art calendar is but one of three
Cirque du Soleil-themed schedules available for your enjoyment next
year and their proliferation comes as quite a surprise to us.
The first two are of the wall variety this one by Barnes & Noble and
another by Tide-Mark press, featuring photos from Cirques archives
(well review this one at a later date) and a third (also by Barnes
& Noble) in the desk calendar format with Quidams Boum-Boum
character on the cover.
Youll recognize the Poster Art calendar by its dark blue cover
montage of three easily identifiable Cirque du Soleil characters: a
Nymph from Alegría (top center), the Lizard from Varekai (middle
left), and the Green Bird from La Nouba (bottom right).
The first two pages inside contain poster art and monthly panels for
the last four months of 2006 - September, October, November and
December with poster images of the first four Cirque du Soleil
themed shows: Cirque du Soleil (1984), Le Magie Continue (1986),
Cirque Réinventé (1987) and Nouvelle Expérience (1990). Here we find
exact replicas of the mini-poster set released for Cirque du Soleils
20th Anniversary celebration rather than true poster representations,
but its a start.
The rest of the book unfolds normally with one monthly panel per page
and a different poster-art image accompanying. Each month is also
complimented with a caption about the show it depicts, which weve
included in our overview below:
September/October 2006 Cirque du Soleil/Le Magie Continue
Cirque du Soleil (1984): A colorful band of street performers
organized by Gilles Ste. Croix and Guy Laliberte, toured 11 Quebec
towns as part of the 450th-anniversary celebration of Jaques Cartier's
discovery of Canada.
Le Magic Continue (1986) recalls the transformation of magical
character such as "les sociaux (the Socials)" and "Reine de la nuit
(Queen of the Night)" who transform into acrobats and circus artists.
November/December 2006 Cirque Réinventé/Nouvelle Expérience
Cirque Reinvente (1987): Youth and magic are at the heart of Cirque
Reinvente (We Reinvent the Circus). An open door to fantasy, a voyage
to the heart of an imaginary world, the ringmaster is your own
imagination expanded to its outer limits.
Nouvelle Experience (1990) is a colorful, wide-eyed, emotional fantasy
- a carnival odyssey that combines the traditions of circus and
theater. The elements of the human condition are explored in magical
transformations under a fluid sky.
January 2007 - Saltimbanco (The 2005 Green Poster)
Saltimbanco (1992) is a daring celebration of life that offers up a
new vision of the city, overflowing with optimism and joy. Here, at
the crossroads of humanity, the unexpected is commonplace and the
mythical is true reality.
February 2007 - Mystere (The 2005 Firebird Poster)
Mystère (1993) is the story of the universe, a rich voyage from the
dawn of humanity to the end of time. In tracing the journey of life
from infancy to adulthood, Mystère combines music, dance, mime,
metaphor, and acrobatics in a surrealistic celebration of life.
March 2007 - Alegría (The 2005 Nymph Poster)
Alegría (1994) is a hymn to life and youth; evokes a time when fantasy
and magic were integral parts of everyday experience. From the Spanish
word for elation, exhilaration and jubilation, Alegría is a
celebration of vitality.
April 2007 - Quidam (The 2002 BlueSky & Brick Poster)
Quidam (1996) celebrates the nameless passerby, in an intense and
imaginative journey that transforms an alienated world into a place of
hope and connection. Its theme is the mutual joys and sorrows of
everyday life.
May 2007 - O (The 1998 Original Poster)
"O" (1998) - inspired by the concept of infinity and the water that is
essential to life - tells the tale of theater through the ages and
frees us to lose ourselves in a limitless world. Here anything is
possible, as the drama of life plays itself out in, on and above the
water.
June 2007 - La Nouba (The 2005 Green Bird Poster)
La Nouba (1998) is an unforgettable journey in which everyday objects
propel us into a world of dreams and nightmares. Dazzling
choreography, opulent set design, mesmerizing high-wire and trapeze
acts - all combine to tell a fable of two simultaneous worlds.
July 2007 - Dralion (The 1999 Original Poster, tinted Red)
Dralion (1999) is the fusion of ancient Chinese circus tradition with
the avant-garde spirit of Cirque du Soleil. It celebrates life and the
four elements - air, water, fire, earth - which take on human form and
rule worlds defined by their vivid individual colors.
August 2007 - Varekai (The 2005 Lizard Poster)
Varekai (2002) is the story of the universal wanderer. Deep within a
magical forest, at the summit of a volcano, is an extraordinary
universe of fantastic creatures who seduce the traveler into newfound
wonder at all that is possible.
September 2007 - Zumanity (The 2003 Original Poster)
Zumanity (2003) - The creative climax of sensuality, humanity, and
art. This edgy, provocative exploration of the senses and creativity
reveals another side of Cirque du Soleil, in which intense emotion
arouses desire.
October 2007 - KA (The 2004 Original Poster)
KA (2004), the unprecedented new theatrical show from Cirque du
Soleil, combines acrobatic performances, martial arts, puppetry,
multimedia and pyrotechnics to illustrate the ambivalent power of fire
to create and destroy.
November 2007 Corteo (The 2005 Original Poster)
Corteo (2005) ("Cortge" in Italian) is a joyous procession imagined by
a clown. It fuses the actor's passion with the acrobat's grace and
power to plunge the audience into a spontaneous world poised between
heaven and earth.
December 2007 Delirium (The 2005 Original Poster)
Delirium (2006) - Cirque du Soleil's music in motion! The Delirium
Tour is multifaceted event of unprecedented proportion featuring
Cirque du Soleil music remixed. Driven by this urban tribal beat and
awe-inspiring visuals, musicians, singers and dancers transform the
arena into joyous frenzy.
###
You can purchase the 2007 Poster Art calendar directly from Barnes &
Noble - < http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/
isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&isbn=0760781443&itm=10 > or through the La Nouba
boutique at the Cirque du Soleil Theater, Downtown Disney West Side.
---------------------------------------------------
CirqueCon 2006: Las Vegas! Updates
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
---------------------------------------------------
Update: April 13, 2006
-----------------------
Hello Cirque Passionates!
We've just been given details on how our members can order "official"
show tickets (with a discount). And we now know the nature of the
special members-only CirqueCon activities during our weekend. It's
absolutely mind-boggling! The words "incredible" and "once in a
lifetime" DO apply!
We can't tell you how exciting this news is. Yet. But we will, in an
email we'll be sending tomorrow morning, Friday, April 14.
And as always, our Mailing List members are the first to know! We
won't make the information public on our website until 4pm Pacific
Time on Monday, April 17.
PICTURES - In the meantime, check out the "Images" section of the
www.cirquecon.com website. We've uploaded almost 80 new images from
our weekends in Vancouver (2004) and Montréal (2005). If you were
there, you might see yourself! We also have an exclusive photo tour
of a Treasure Island standard hotel room. Comfy!
And be looking for an email from us in your inbox tomorrow! Don't
miss it!!
Update: April 14, 2006
-----------------------
Greetings, Cirque Passionates! Keith here with the details you've
been waiting for - info on tickets and special CirqueCon activities.
Settle in, it's another long one!
Firstly, don't forget. We've uploaded almost 80 new images from our
weekends in Vancouver (2004) and Montréal (2005) to the "Images"
section of the website. If you were there, you might see yourself!
We also have an exclusive photo tour of a Treasure Island standard
hotel room. If you've been wondering whether it would be worth the
price, check them out. Comfy!
And now, ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages, without any
further ado...
SPECIAL CIRQUECON ACTIVITIES: Here is the information we've all been
waiting for! Are you sitting down?
Firstly, Cirque du Soleil has asked our members to, for now, please
keep 12:30pm to 5:30pm on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (September
21-23) open for our incredible, once-in-a-lifetime special
Cirquecon/Cirque du Soleil-sponsored activities. More detailed
scheduling will be announced closer to our weekend. And as if this
wasn't enough, even more will be coming as we get closer to our
weekend! (We might not be busy the entire five hours each day; but
for now it gives Cirque flexibility in scheduling.)
The special CirqueCon activities discussed below are exclusively for
CirqueCon 2006 members! (Check the "Membership" page of the website if
you aren't already a member.) You will need your CirqueCon 2006 badge
to get in. We will have a CirqueCon registration pickup area
available in the T.I. for you to pick up your registration packet and
badge, we'll post the hours closer to our weekend.
While we know when some of these things will be occurring, others
remain to be scheduled. But we couldn't wait to let you know WHAT is
in store, even if we don't know WHEN!
At Mystère, take a peek backstage as we get a behind-the-scenes tour
with members of the Mystère staff, including close-up looks at the
stage, costumes, and props. There will also be a Question and Answer
panel with performers and artistic staff.
At "KÀ" we will watch a training session in the theater, and have a
Question and Answer panel with a coach, technical rep, and a
performer.
And at "ZUMANITY," we will watch the transformation of performers into
their sensual on-stage characters. Wardrobe and artistic
representatives will unveil secrets behind their stunningly outrageous
costumes and make-up designs. Performers will also be available to
answer questions.
There will also be activities associated with the new Mirage show,
which will be determined later.
Here's a look at what each day will hold (as of April 12).
We start our weekend off with a bang on the afternoon of Thursday the
21st. We first journey to the Bellagio and the "O" Theatre, where we
will watch a training session. There will also be a Question and
Answer panel where you can ask questions of a performer and
technician. Afterwards, step onto the "O" stage (yes, we said **on
the stage**!) for a group photo opportunity!
Early evening is the perfect time for our "Meet and Greet" at the T.I.
from 6:30 to 8:30pm. It's the place where members meet to catch up
with each other, receive their membership packets, and sample local
foods as well as tidbits brought by other members. Then at 10:30pm, we
gather again at Bellagio to witness the spectacle that is "O". What
some call "the ultimate Cirque experience" will awe us with its beauty
and elegance.
And that's just the first day!
For CirqueCon members, Friday the 22nd will be the one "can't miss"
day of the whole weekend! After an afternoon of special CirqueCon
activities, the evening brings us the unexplored and the familiar.
First, at 7:30pm, the new Beatles show at The Mirage. The power of
the words and music of the Beatles combined with the artistry of
Cirque du Soleil in a brand-new production. We then catch a free tram
next door to our "headquarters" hotel, the Treasure Island (T.I.),
to take in the 10:30pm performance of Mystère, Cirque's first (and
some still say best) Vegas resident show. And, after the show, an
exclusive group photograph of CirqueCon members on the Mystère stage!
And we're not through!
Our weekend continues on Saturday the 23rd with two more Cirque
productions and more special members-only CirqueCon activities. Our
evening begins at 7:30pm with KÀ at the MGM Grand. This powerful
spectacle dazzles with its high-tech storytelling. Finally, we walk
across the street to New York-New York for the 10:30pm show of
ZUMANITY, ANOTHER SIDE OF CIRQUE DU SOLEIL. Be prepared to be
provoked! Or, if you're lucky, evoked!
Sunday the 24th is our relaxing day. Shop, explore other facets of
this incredible city, or just hang out by the pool. We'll probably
have something happening on Sunday, which we'll decide soon. Though
most of our members will likely be leaving on Sunday, we're looking
into catching the early show of the Franco Dragone-directed "Le Rêve"
at Wynn Las Vegas, we'll announce details later.
Here's another listing of our incredible schedule (as of April 12).
Thursday, September 21:
12:30-5:30pm (approx.) - Special CirqueCon activities
at "O" (Bellagio): Watch a training, Q&A, and on-stage
group photo
6:30-8:30pm The Official CirqueCon 2006: Las Vegas!
Meet and Greet (T.I.)
10:30pm - "O" (Bellagio)
Friday, September 22:
12:30-5:30pm (approx.) - Special CirqueCon activities
to be scheduled.
7:30pm - Beatles Show (The Mirage)
10:30pm - Mystère (T.I.)
Group photograph on the Mystère stage after the show!
Saturday, September 23:
12:30-5:30pm (approx.) - Special CirqueCon activities
to be scheduled.
7:30pm - KÀ (MGM Grand)
10:30pm - ZUMANITY (New York-New York)
Sunday, September 24:
Activities to be determined.
We've said it before, but it bears repeating: There is nothing saying
everyone has to go to all shows. You can arrive and leave at any
point during the weekend, and YOU CAN SEE AS FEW OR AS MANY SHOWS AS
YOU'D LIKE IN ANY ORDER YOU'D LIKE.
TICKETING INFORMATION: As you know, Cirque du Soleil has graciously
offered an exclusive block of tickets for our "official" shows, in
seats normally reserved for friends and family of Cirque du Soleil.
For that purpose, they have created a special, downloadable FORM
(attached to this email) for our members to use to order tickets and
supply payment information.
What's more, they are offering us exclusive, limited-time-only
discounts off the regular ticket prices for three of our shows, just
for CirqueCon 2006 members! (That's right, DISCOUNTS! No we're not
kidding!!)
Show Dates/Times: We will be seeing all five Cirque du Soleil Las
Vegas resident shows in the order below. YOU CAN SEE AS FEW OR AS
MANY SHOWS AS YOU LIKE. The ticket order form is for CirqueCon 2006
members only, for tickets to our "official" shows only. Those wanting
tickets for other shows or dates will need to obtain them separately
(see below).
Children: Children under the age of five are not allowed in the
Cirque theaters, except for Mystère where children one year old and up
are allowed (children up to one year may sit on the parent's lap), and
ZUMANITY where you must be 18 or over. Attending children must
purchase an adult ticket, except for KÀ which offers special pricing
for children 5-12 (see below).
Payment: All amounts are in US Dollars. There are no senior/student
tickets. There is no tax. Payment must be made by CREDIT CARD ONLY.
Cards accepted are Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and
Diners Club. No third-party billing will be accepted. Your credit
card will be charged (in US Dollars) for each individual show
separately.
Schedule:
Thursday, September 21:
"O" (Bellagio) - 10:30pm
Adults and children - $150.00 each (no discount)
Seats Location: Section 103
Friday, September 22:
Beatles Show (The Mirage) - 7:30pm
Adults and children: $125.00 each (These are
Category 2 seats, no discount)**
(Seats Location: Section To Be Determined)
Mystère (Treasure Island) - 10:30pm
Adults and children special CirqueCon price: $80.75
each (normally $95.00 each)
Seats Location: Section 103, also some seats in 102
and 104.
**For The Mirage Beatles show we will be sitting in Category 2 seats.
We have been told by our Cirque contacts that these seats will
actually be BETTER than Category 1 seats. With the comments we've
heard about the Cirque arena show Delirium's seating, where the seats
near the stage are not as good as seats further back, we'll trust
them.
Saturday, September 23:
KÀ (MGM Grand) - 7:30pm
Adults special CirqueCon price: $135.00 each
(normally $150.00 each)
Childrens price: $75.00 each for children 5-12 (no
discount)
Seats Location: Section 102
ZUMANITY (New York-New York) - 10:30pm
Adults-only (age 18 and over) special CirqueCon
price: $80.75 each (normally $95.00 each)
Seats Location: Sections 102 and 103
Order Form: Cirque du Soleil has provided a FORM (attached to this
email) for placing your order. Forms will be accepted by:
FAX: to (702) 352-0235
MAIL to:
Cirque du Soleil - Resident Shows Division
Attn: CirqueCon 2006 Ticket Offer
980 Kelly Johnson Drive, #200
Las Vegas, NV 89119
EMAIL RESPONSES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED
Confirmation: You will receive a confirmation (to an email address you
supply) within two business days after the form has been submitted.
Once your tickets have been confirmed they cannot accept any
modifications to the order.
Deadline: This offer (with its special discounts) is available until
11:59pm Pacific Time Friday, June 30, 2006. Beginning July 1,
CirqueCon 2006 attendees will no longer receive a discount for any
shows, and must order tickets by calling 1-877-2SHOW-LV (1-877-274-
6958) between 6:00am-11:00pm daily and mentioning "CirqueCon." You
may also order tickets for additional Cirque shows not on our
"official" schedule through this number. Note the ticket discount
only applies to our "official" shows for a limited time only.
Ticket Pick-Up: You will need your confirmation number and the credit
card you used to place the order to pick them up. They may be picked
up between 9:00am and 3:30pm daily at:
o) Mystère Ticket Office at Treasure Island
o) Bellagio Ticket Office
o) Mirage Ticket Office
o) New York-New York Hotel & Casino Ticket Office
o) MGM Grand Ticket Office
Let Us Know: When you have placed your order, please send us an email
to keith@cirquecon.com, letting us know what shows you will be seeing!
As always, if you have any questions, please let us know at
keith@cirquecon.com.
Whew! We hope this info "invokes" your imagination as much as it does
ours. We would like to humbly thank our friends at the Cirque du
Soleil Resident Shows division, who have exceeded expectations on so
many occasions, and to you, our members, for coming on this voyage
with us. And there is more to come!
Update: April 19, 2006
-----------------------
Hello Cirque Passionates!
NEW ADDRESS - The first thing you might notice about this email is its
address; we are now sending our updates directly from the
cirquecon.com website. You may continue to communicate with us via
the tourdemondo@yahoo.com email address if you wish. But please add
info@cirquecon.com to your accepted emails.
MAILING LIST - Now that weve moved our growing Mailing List from
Yahoo to CirqueCon.com, we should mention that the Mailing List is
free for anyone to join. If you know of others who would like to keep
track of our activities please let them know. And if youre traveling
with others and would like their addresses included, please let us
know! (Just remind them they have to be members, or part of a
members? household, to take advantage of our activities and offers.)
HOTEL INFO - Weve had several folks join us since we updated our
website. So please allow us a moment to restate our deal with the
Treasure Island. We have plenty of rooms available at special rates!
They are?
From Monday, September 18 through Wednesday, September 27, 2006
EXCLUDING Friday, September 22 and Saturday, September 23, 2006
1-2 people: $109.00 USD/night (approx. $119.00 USD with taxes)
3 people: $139.00 USD/night (approx. $152.00 USD with taxes)
4 people: $169.00 USD/night (approx. $184.00 USD with taxes)
For Friday, September 22 and Saturday, September 23, 2006 ONLY
1-2 people: $159.00 USD/night (approx. $173.00 USD with taxes)
3 people: $189.00 USD/night (approx. $206.00 USD with taxes)
4 people: $219.00 USD/night (approx. $239.00 USD with taxes)
To get rooms at the Treasure Island?
THIS PHONE NUMBER AND SPECIAL GROUP CODE ARE BEING SENT TO OUR
CIRQUECON 2006: LAS VEGAS! MEMBERS FOR THEIR USE ONLY. PLEASE DO NOT
PASS IT AROUND. Phone 1-888-503-8999 (The TI Convention Group Desk)
from 6:00am to 11:00pm Pacific time 7 days a week, or you can send a
fax to 702-894-7446. When you reach a reservations agent, give them
the group code of CIRQUECON, which identifies you as being with
CirqueCon 2006.
They will need the following information:
o) Check-in Date
o) Check-out Date
o) Number of Rooms
o) How many people in your room
o) Your Name, address, phone number
o) Beds: 1 King OR 2 queen beds
o) Smoking OR non-smoking preference
o) Any accessibility or special needs issues
They will want a credit card in order to guarantee the reservation.
(They accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Diners
Club, and JCV.) You will get a confirmation number at the end of the
call. Make sure to ask for a written reservation confirmation before
ending the call, which they will be happy to send via email.
You have up to two weeks after making your reservation before a
deposit is required (via credit card or check). Personal checks are
also accepted for deposit payments, ask when you make your
reservation.
NEW DEADLINE INFO - * DEADLINE: Midnight Eastern Time Friday, August
18, 2006 is the last day we will be able to take reservations, subject
to room availability.
Any CirqueCon reservations not confirmed with a credit card by that
date WILL BE CANCELLED! (Keith is financially on the hook for any
reserved hotel rooms that arent paid for.)
BEATLES SHOW INFO - The name of the new show has been announced
LOVE. Cirque has set up a website at < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/
CirqueDuSoleil/en/showstickets/love/intro/intro.htm > with info about
the show, theater, music, costume sketches, and rehearsal photos.
Check it out!
TICKET DISTRIBUTION - We have had many questions about tickets. Here
are answers to a few of them?
--HOW ARE TICKETS DISTRIBUTED? They are first-come, first-served.
Those who send in their ticket requests early will have first crack at
our seat block. We will not run out of seats as Cirque will
accommodate all our members requests. Note that for all of our shows
we have seats in the front center sections, and they likely will be
close together in several rows. So the difference between an early
bird seat and a late comers seat will not be that great.
--HOW CAN I SIT WITH (SUCH AND SO)? The best way to do this is to
pool your ticket requests onto one form and pay with one credit card.
This will insure that the seats are issued together. But note that if
you do so, only one of your party will be able to claim your tickets
on-site. You can also make separate requests, noting on each form
whom youd like to sit with, and send all the requests at the same
time. Cirque will try to accommodate requests, but it cannot be
guaranteed.
--IF I DONT GO TO MYSTÈRE, CAN I BE PART OF THE GROUP PICTURE
AFTERWARDS? Cirque has advised us that members must attend the show to
partake in after-show activities. This is Cirques decision, not
ours. This will apply to any show where special CirqueCon activities
happen after our official show. We will try and advise of any after-
show activities as soon as we know about them so you can make an
informed decision.
If you have any other questions about the ticketing system, please let
us know.
USE THE FORUM - Remember we have a Forum section set up on
cirquecon.com for you to post questions and concerns. You can also
talk with other members about places youd like to visit in Vegas,
dinner plans, or other topics of interest. Please feel free to use
it.
WE WANT YOUR STORIES! As we did with our CirqueCon 2005: Montréal
Program Book (viewable in our Artifacts section), we would like to
gather your Cirque stories.
Here's the deal. Send us your story about an experience you had, a
story involving Cirque, your feelings about Cirque, how you were
introduced to it - anything that involves Cirque du Soleil. As Cirque
said for their Cirque du Soleil and Me contest last year, "Tell us
of a memory, an anecdote or a special moment you have had with Cirque
du Soleil... Think back over your fondest memories and then write a
brief story to share..."
Rules? Your text must be creative, original and true. You will
receive no compensation or prize other than the joy of seeing your
words published. If you want to use your text later for some other
purpose, be our guest. We'll take your submissions, edit them and put
them in the Program Book. And since there probably won't be that
many, it's likely we'll include them all!
Send then to info@cirquecon.com, by June 14, 2006.
Thats it for now. Five months and counting!
Update: May 12, 2006
---------------------
Greetings Cirque Passionates!
Since we announced our ticket deal and special CirqueCon activities
our membership has surged more than 20%! We are again humbled by the
show of support. And as often happens some small items need
clarifying, the first of which may affect which shows you get tickets
for.
POST-SHOW ACTIVITIES - As you know, we are planning on most of our
special CirqueCon activities to happen during the afternoon. However,
the on-stage group photograph at Mystère will happen AFTER the show.
We?ve been informed by Cirque that, because they are unable to let
people in to a theater after a show (except ticket holders for the
next show) YOU MUST BE IN THE THEATER (I.E. HAVE A TICKET FOR THE SHOW
IN QUESTION) IN ORDER TO BE A PART OF ANY POST-SHOW ACTIVITES OCCURING
IN THE THEATER.
Which brings up the question, what other post-show activities might
there be? Right now the only post-show activity were aware of is the
group photograph at Mystère. But there may be others. We have told
Cirque our members would want to know as soon as they are scheduled,
so they can make an informed decision. They understand this and have
said that all of the other special CirqueCon activities will occur
during the afternoon, where all CirqueCon members are invited to
attend. (But as with all things Cirque, it is subject to change.)
As soon as Cirque du Soleil advises us of any other post-show
activities, well let you know. For now, be aware that if you want to
be part of the Mystere group photo youll need a ticket to the show.
TICKET ORDERS - As you know, our ticket window is now open, offering
special ticket discounts only to CirqueCon members (and over a third
of you have already ordered tickets!). But the procedure has changed
slightly.
The original order form had a typo (which has since been corrected),
suggesting that confirmation emails would be sent within two days of
Cirque receiving the form. This has proven to be incorrect since,
with the exception of the new show LOVE, tickets will not be available
for our dates until late May/early June.
So, until the beginning of June, you will first receive an
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT from Cirque (using the Cirque du Soleil address
lasvegas.tickets). It will acknowledge the receipt of your order
(without detailing exactly what you ordered), and let you know that a
confirmation will be forthcoming.
Then, in early June, all the orders placed will be processed and
confirmation notices sent to the email address you specified. Each
show you ordered will have its own confirmation email and a separate
charge on your credit card. You will need these emails and the credit
card you placed your order with in order to pick up your tickets in
Las Vegas (for further details see our Tickets page).
So to summarize, tickets are available and orders are now being
accepted, but tickets wont be issued and credit cards charged until
early June.
LOVE IS IN THE AIR - Cirque has put up a nice section on their
website dedicated to their new show, LOVE. Theyve also announced
preview performances from June 2-29 at a special discount of 25% off
the regular price! In addition, in a special email sent recently to
CirqueClub-ers, they announced special Q&A sessions with cast, crew &
creative team during the 7:00pm shows on June 8, 15, and 22. How
often do you get a chance to provide input to a Cirque creative team?
Youll need a special CirqueClub email in order to get the tickets and
be a part of the Q&A. If youre interested, please let me know by
sending an email to info@cirquecon.com and I can forward you a copy.
Thats all for right now. Well have more updates later, for sure.
Thanks again for supporting Cirque and CirqueCon. And help us spread
the word; the more Cirque Passionates we can gather in Las Vegas, the
more fun it will be!
Update: June 21, 2006
----------------------
Greetings, Cirque Passionates!
NOTE! There are only a few days left to get your official show
tickets; the deadline expires July 27. Pease see our "Tickets" page.
Our special room block at the Treasure Island expires on August 18;
see our "Hotel" page.
We have a few new members to report since our last message; quite a
few more. In fact, 60% more! How'd that happen? Cirque du Soleil
has helped us in two ways lately. They placed an article about
CirqueCon 2005: Montreal (with a reference to our website) on their
Cirque Club News page. They also sent an email mentioning CirqueCon
2006: Las Vegas! to a large number of people in their database. To
date, we total 159 total members, with 97 paid memberships! Wow -
and more to come!
To all our new members, Welcome!! We look forward to meeting you. We
hope you have a wonderful Cirque-ey time in Vegas.
WHAT'S UP WITH THE TICKETS? - By now all who have placed ticket orders
should have received email acknowledgements from Cirque. Yet your
credit cards haven't been charged and you haven't seen confirmation
emails. What gives?
As with many things Cirque, there has been some flux with their plans.
Tickets will now be processed and confirmation numbers sent by the
BEGINNING OF AUGUST. (Ticket requests for LOVE have really occupied
their time, and CirqueCon is a large order by itself!) Anyone who has
received an acknowledgment knows Cirque has gotten their order. At
the beginning of July all the orders will be processed, seats
assigned, and confirmation numbers sent.
It is possible that the confirmation numbers may be sent as part of an
Excel Spreadsheet attachment showing ALL orders from ALL CirqueCon
members. No personal information (such as email addresses) will
appear on the spreadsheet, only your names, what tickets you
purchased, and the confirmation number for those tickets. This may OR
MAY NOT show your seat assignments. This will help them get the
confirmations out that much sooner.
Remember you will need those confirmation numbers and the credit card
you placed the ticket orders on to claim your tickets.
CREDIT CARDS - These will not be charged until MID-AUGUST. It takes
time for the ticket charge paperwork to make its way from Cirque to
the ticketing box office.
RECEIVING TICKET ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS - Ticket orders sent to Cirque will
receive an acknowledgement to the email address you supply. If you
don't get an acknowledgement by the Tuesday after you sent your order
please let us know (the ticket agent working with us works Friday
through Monday).
TICKET DEADLINE EXTENDED - In another gracious move, Cirque du Soleil
has extended the deadline for purchasing tickets, AND has kept the
discount intact! THE NEW DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF TICKET ORDERS FOR
CIRQUECON at the Cirque du Soleil offices (either thru fax or regular
mail) is Midnight Pacific Time Thursday, July 27, 2006. You can find
order forms on the cirquecon.com website under "Tickets."
ORDERING AFTER THE DEADLINE - Orders after the deadline will need to
be placed through the normal MGM ticket phone number. You will no
longer get a discount and will not be included in our special seat
block; you'll be treated just like any other member of the public.
(Though paid CirqueCon members will still be able to partake in our
special CirqueCon activities not taking place after a show.)
So place your orders now - you have an extra month, what are you
waiting for?
SMALL SCHEDULE CHANGE - Note that the starting times for KA are
changing. Our viewing of KA on Saturday, September 23 will now start
at 6:30pm (instead of 7:30pm).
SO WHERE ARE WE SITTING ANYWAY? We've just been made aware of our
seat assignments for our shows, they are below. We cannot guarantee
seating in any particular row/seat for any show, this is strictly FYI.
Seating diagrams references can be found on the "Tickets" page of our
website.
O - Thursday, 10:30pm
Section 103 - Rows K, L, M
Love - Friday, 7:30pm
Section 200 - Rows L, M, N
Mystere - Friday 10:30pm
Section 103 (center) - Rows A, B, C
Section 102 (left) - Rows A, C
Section 104 (right) - Rows A, B, C, some in D, E, F
KA - Saturday, 6:30pm
Section 102 - Rows E, F, G, H
Zumanity - Saturday, 10:30pm
Section 102 - Rows E, F, G
Really good seats, as they promised!
HOTEL ROOMS STILL AVAILABLE - We have plenty of rooms available at our
special rates at our headquarters hotel, the Treasure Island; make
your reservations now! The special group reservation phone number and
group code were in the "New Member Email" we sent all our paid
members. If you don't have it, please let us know and we'll be happy
to resend. Info about the hotel and a photo tour are on the website.
SPREADING THE WORD - I was fortunate to be able to work as a
merchandising lead temp when Varekai made its appearance in Seattle.
I handed out business cards (available on our "Goodies" page under
"CirqueCon Flyers") to folks I talked with who seemed likely CirqueCon
candidates. We got several new memberships that way!
This goes to show how word of mouth from current members is a great
way to get new members. Let your Cirque friends know about CirqueCon.
Going to a Cirque show? Look for a patron in Cirque clothing and talk
to them, they're probably a fan. We find wearing our Cirque clothing
"out in public" creates some interesting discussions and some new
converts to the cause. We'd love for CirqueCon 2006: Las Vegas! to
bring together the widest scope of Cirque fandom, and with your help
we can do it! Several resources are on our "Goodies" page.
LOVE IS COMING, ER, IT'S HERE! - The new Cirque Beatles show, "LOVE,"
opened for previews a while back, with the gala premiere scheduled for
June 30. Reviews are coming in, many posted to Cirque Tribune. Early
word ranges from "got potential" to "looks great". They've also
expanded the section devoted to the show in Cirque Club, much more
than they have for other show launches. Check it out for a sneak
peak. We'll see in September.
USE THE FORUM - Remember we have a Forum section set up on
cirquecon.com for you to post questions and concerns. You can also
talk with other members about places you'd like to visit in Vegas,
dinner plans, or other topics of interest. Please feel free to use
it.
WE WANT YOUR STORIES! We'd like to remind you again about our
request. As we did with our CirqueCon 2005: Montréal Program Book
(viewable in our "Artifacts" section), we would like to gather your
Cirque stories.
Here's the deal. Send us your story about an experience you had, a
story involving Cirque, your feelings about Cirque, how you were
introduced to it - anything that involves Cirque du Soleil. As Cirque
said for their "Cirque du Soleil and Me" contest last year, "Tell us
of a memory, an anecdote or a special moment you have had with Cirque
du Soleil... Think back over your fondest memories and then write a
brief story to share..."
Rules? Your text must be creative, original and true. You will
receive no compensation or prize other than the joy of seeing your
words published. If you want to use your text later for some other
purpose, be our guest. We'll take your submissions, edit them and put
them in the Program Book.
The more the better! We'll do everything we can to include everyone's
story. If you have pictures to illustrate, please send them along as
well. We Passionates enjoy hearing other's experiences. Send them to
info@cirquecon.com .
That's it for now. Three months and counting!
Update: July 11, 2006
----------------------
Hello Cirque Passionates!
MEMBERS, MEMBERS, AND MORE MEMBERS - Since I last wrote you, we've
grown a bit more. We're nearly at 200 total members! And Cirque just
sent another message to Cirque Club members in the San Diego area, so
more will be coming!
TICKET DEADLINE APPROACHING - There are only a few days left to get
your official show tickets; the deadline expires July 27!! That's
less than two weeks!! For information, please see our "Tickets" page.
After that deadline, you can still get tickets for our "official"
shows, but you'll need to buy them through normal ticket channels,
they will not be in our group block, and you will pay full price.
Of course paid members can join us for all our pre-show special
CirqueCon activities, whether they have bought tickets through our
special ticket deal or not.
HOTEL DEADLINE ALMOST APPOACHING - Our special room block at the
Treasure Island expires on August 18; see our "Hotel" page.
COMING SOON - From CirqueCon Créations Créatrices, the first official
CirqueCon Member T-shirt. Look for details soon (it's HOT!).
That's all for now. More to come soon.
Update: July 21, 2006
----------------------
Hello Cirque Passionates!
FARE WARS IN PROGRESS - I've seen indicators in the last week that
several airlines are offering discounts for flights close to our
weekend. If you haven't booked your flight yet, and were waiting,
maybe now is the time to buy!
TICKET DEADLINE ONE WEEK AWAY - There's less than a week to get your
official show tickets; the deadline expires at Midnight Pacific Time
Thursday July 27!! For information, please see our "Tickets" page.
After that deadline, you can still get tickets for our "official"
shows, but you'll need to buy them through normal ticket channels,
they will not be in our group block, and you will pay full price.
Of course paid members can join us for all our pre-show special
CirqueCon activities, whether they have bought tickets through our
special ticket deal or not.
TICKET CONFIRMATIONS AND CHARGES - When you place your order, you
should first receive an email acknowledgement that your order has been
received. Here is the new schedule on when your tickets will be
confirmed and credit cards charged.
CONFIRMATIONS should be sent and completed (in individual emails with
confirmation numbers) by Saturday, August 5. If you don't receive
yours by Saturday, August 5, please send an email to
info@cirquecon.com BEFORE Monday, August 7.
CREDIT CARD CHARGES should be done starting August 5th and will take
a few days to process.
That's all for now. More to come soon.
Update: August 5, 2006
-----------------------
Greetings, Cirque Passionates!
OUR LATEST NUMBERS - Would you believe more than 225 total members?!
That's our latest count, with more than 140 paid memberships! They
don't quite match up with our ticket orders, which total 160. Seems
some of our members have yet to buy show tickets. :)
HOTEL ROOMS STILL AVAILABLE - We have plenty of rooms available at our
special rates at our Headquarters Hotel, the Treasure Island. Make
your reservations now; the deal expires on August 18, that's just
three weeks away! The special group reservation phone number and
group code were in the "New Member Email" we send all paid members.
If you don't have it please let us know and we'll be happy to resend.
Info about the hotel and a photo tour are on the website.
TICKET DEAL IS DONE - Our special ticket deal has expired. But you
can still get tickets! Members (or anyone) can order tickets to our
"official" shows by calling 1-877-SHOW-LV (1-877-274-6958) between
6:00am-11:00pm Pacific Time daily and mentioning "CirqueCon". Note
they aren't in our special sections and are regular price.
CONFIRMATIONS AND CREDIT CARD CHARGES COMING - You should soon receive
an email with your ticket confirmation numbers and seat locations. If
you don't receive yours by Sunday, August 13, please let us know.
Your credit cards should be charged soon afterward. Note you will
need your confirmation numbers, photo I.D., and the credit card you
charged your tickets on in order to pick up your tickets.
TICKET NUMBERS UPDATE - We sold lots of tickets to the shows, selling
141 for LOVE, 135 for Mystere, 126 for KA, 116 for "O", and 81 for
Zumanity for a grand total of 599. There is no show at which we all
will be sitting together; some are seeing all 5 shows, but many are
viewing only some.
SEAT LOCATION UPDATE - The demand for "O" tickets was such that some
additional rows were reserved for us. We are now sitting in Section
103 (front center) in Rows B, C, D, and E, as well as K, L, and M. So
don't be surprised if your seats for "O" are a little closer (and
wetter) than you expected. We also got more orders than expected for
Mystere, so we expanded into Section 102 (left) and 104 (right) for
some of our seats. And our seats for Zumanity are in Section 102,
which are technically on the left since the aisle is in the center.
But they are all still considered really good seats. :)
T-SHIRT NOW AVAILABLE - As mentioned in a special email a few days
ago, our official CirqueCon t-shirt is now available. You can see it
on our website; just click on the T-shirt image on the main page.
Shirts are $19.95 with our logo on the front and "Live Passionately!"
on the back. THEY WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE DURING OUR WEEKEND, they are
being custom made to our orders. This offer expires August 27th. A
photograph of the shirt is attached to this message.
We've gotten requests for armpit-to-armpit measurements. Here they
are!
o) Youth Medium - 18"
o) Youth Large - 19"
o) Small - 18"
o) Medium - 20"
o) Large - 22"
o) Extra Large - 24"
o) XX Large - 26"
o) XXX Large - 28"
WHAT'S YOUR NAME? - Our name badges will display your FIRST name in
large letters on the front, with your full name and city/state in
smaller letters below. If you would like a different name than you
gave us ("Bob" instead of "Robert" or "Ben" instead of "Benjamin", for
example,) we'll be happy to print it that way. Once again, let us
know, before September 1.
VISITING LAS VEGAS WITH KIDS? - We saw a great article on things kids
can do in Las Vegas:<http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/
2003109084_vegaskids09.html>
CALLING ALL PHOTOGRAHERS AND VIDEOGRAPHERS - We will be looking to
capture our unforgettable weekend in video and still photos. We know
many of you will be bringing cameras, and we'd like access to your
photos for our website (and perhaps other uses). If you'd like to
share, send us an email. We'll start a database of names and send a
reminder email after our weekend. We're also looking for people to
take "official" photos and video while on site. If you think you
might like to help the cause, please let us know.
AND WHILE WE'RE AT IT - CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS! - We can use your
help! We need people to man our Registration Table (open during the
day when we don't have special CirqueCon activities and shows to go
to) on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. It'll be an easy gig - say
hello, hand out registration packets, and have fun. And we'll need
help with our Meet & Greet and other small jobs. Are you arriving in
Vegas on Wednesday? We're having a Program Packet Stuffing Party and
can use your help! Interested in any of the above? Let us know!!
FOODSTUFFS WANTED FOR MEET AND GREET - Though we're still a month and
a half away, be on the lookout for a local delicacy you can bring to
our Meet and Greet on Thursday. It doesn't have to be complicated,
messy, or hard to pack. Just something from your area of the country
(or world!) you'd like to share. Candy, crackers or cookies would work
great! Whatever munchies that travel well and don't make a mess.
LESS THAN TWO MONTHS - We're now heading into the final stretch, where
it all comes together. We'll have more coming from this address in
the next month as our plans firm up. Thanks again for sticking with
us - it's going to be an unforgettable weekend!
Update: August 18, 2006
------------------------
Greetings, Cirque Passionates! Were here with what many of you have
been waiting for - our Schedule of Events! Settle in, it's long but
EXCITING!
The special CirqueCon activities discussed below are exclusively for
CirqueCon 2006 members! (How do you become a member? Check our our
"Memberships" page on the website.) You will need your CirqueCon 2006
badge to get in (and show tickets for those shows with post-show
activities.) We will have a CirqueCon registration pickup area
available in the T.I. for you to pick up your registration packet and
badge, open from 10:00am until one hour before our first activity on
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The hours are posted in the day-by-
day schedule below, the location will be the second floor (convention
level) of the T.I. close to the elevators.
As you read the itinerary below please note that, as with all things
Cirque, it is subject to change. Also note that at most activities
video cameras will not be allowed, and that in many situations flash
photography will not be allowed. See the day-by-day schedule
breakdown for details.
Here's a look at what each day will hold (as of August 18).
We start our weekend off with a bang on the afternoon of Thursday the
21st. We first journey to the MGM Grand and the KÀ Theatre, where from
3:00pm-5:00pm we will watch a rehearsal session. There will also be a
Q&A and photo opportunity with artists, technical staff, and coaches.
We will then be able to watch show set-up as it begins. And, at some
point during the afternoon attendees will be given the rare
opportunity to look into the void!
Early evening is the perfect time for our "Meet and Greet" from 6:30
to 8:30pm. It's the place where members meet old (and new) friends,
receive their membership packets, and sample local foods as well as
tidbits brought by other members. This year's Meet & Greet is very
special, as it will take place at the Cirque du Soleil Resident Shows
Division (RSD) Headquarters south of McCarran Airport! Staff from the
RSD will be on hand to answer questions and we'll have the food and
drink you've come to expect from our Meet & Greets, but with
additional flair.
But that's only the beginning! Cirque du Soleil Senior VP of Live
Shows, Michael Bolingbroke, will be visiting and talking with us (his
department oversees all resident and touring shows and marketing)!
And there will be a free raffle for Cirque stuff, which everybody can
enter!
And in an exciting development, there will also be an AUCTION of
special Cirque du Soleil memorabilia gathered specifically for us (and
appealing to our Cirque collector sensibilities), to benefit the
Street Teens Building Campaign. Be ready to bid with proceeds going
to a great cause. (More information on auction items and methods of
payment coming soon.)
We discuss a bit more about the Meet & Greet below. Can you tell
we're excited?!
Then at 10:30pm, we gather at Bellagio to witness the spectacle that
is "O". What some call "the ultimate Cirque experience" will awe us
with its beauty and elegance. But that isn't all.
NOTE YOU MUST HAVE SHOW TICKETS FOR THIS PERFORMANCE TO TAKE PART IN
THE FOLLOWING "O" ACTIVITIES. Following the show stay in your seats.
Artists will come out for photo opportunities and Q&A's. Then, step
onto the "O" stage (yes, we said **on the stage**!) for a group photo
opportunity! Finally, each attendee will be able to retrieve a
special vial of water from the "O" pool in a specially-provided vial.
How cool is that?!? And that's just the first day!
Friday the 22nd brings us the unexplored and the familiar. Firstly,
from 4:20pm-6:00pm, meet in the TI's Mystère Theater. We will watch a
rehearsal with a member from the artistic staff to explain what's
happening and to answer questions. After the rehearsal, watch set-up
as it begins with a member from the technical staff available to
answer our questions.
Then, at 7:30pm, LOVE at The Mirage. The power of the words and music
of the Beatles combined with the artistry of Cirque du Soleil in a
brand-new production.
NOTE YOU MUST HAVE SHOW TICKETS FOR THIS PERFORMANCE TO TAKE PART IN
THE FOLLOWING LOVE ACTIVITIES. Following the show, stay in your seats.
We will meet in Section 200 to watch the change-over between shows.
Some members of the artistic staff will be available for a brief Q&A.
A cast photograph will also be provided to each attendee.
We then catch a free tram next door to our "headquarters" hotel, the
Treasure Island (T.I.), to take in the 10:30pm performance of Mystère,
Cirque's first (and some still say best) Vegas resident show.
NOTE YOU MUST HAVE SHOW TICKETS FOR THIS PERFORMANCE TO TAKE PART IN
THE FOLLOWING MYSTÈRE ACTIVITIES. Following the show, stay in your
seats. Again we will step onto a Cirque stage for an exclusive group
photograph of CirqueCon members with Alice! This photo will be taken
by a professional photographer and will be provided to each attendee
on Saturday.
And we're not through!
Our weekend continues on Saturday the 23rd with two more Cirque
productions and more special members-only CirqueCon activities. We
start our afternoon off from 3:00pm-5:00pm at New York-New York with
activities at the ZUMANITY Theater. (Details to be announced later.)
Our evening begins at 6:30pm with KÀ at the MGM Grand. This powerful
spectacle dazzles with its high-tech storytelling. Finally, we walk
across the street to New York-New York for the 10:30pm show of
ZUMANITY, ANOTHER SIDE OF CIRQUE DU SOLEIL. Be prepared to be
provoked! Or, if you're lucky, evoked!
NOTE YOU MUST HAVE SHOW TICKETS FOR THIS PERFORMANCE TO TAKE PART IN
THE FOLLOWING ZUMANITY ACTIVITIES. After the show, stay in your seats;
We'll be treated to a Meet and Greet with ZUMANITY artists in the
theater Lobby!
Sunday the 24th is our relaxing day. Shop, explore other facets of
this incredible city, or just hang out by the pool, by yourself or
with some new Cirque Passionate friends.
OUR SCHEDULE DAY-BY-DAY (as of August 18):
THURSDAY, SEPT 21
10:00am - 2:00pm - T.I. second floor lobby - Registration Table open
3:00pm - 5:00pm - MGM Grand - Activities in the KÀ Theatre
**NO video cameras allowed!!
Enter Theatre and watch rehearsal from Section 202.
**NO flash photography allowed!!
Following rehearsal, Q&A and photo ops with artists,
Technical staff, and coaches. Watch set up as it begins.
**NO flash photography allowed!!
NOTE - At some time during the above attendees will be
Allowed to look into the void.
6:30pm - 8:30pm - Cirque du Soleil Resident Shows Division (RSD)
Headquarters (address, directions and map forthcoming)
The Official CirqueCon 2006: Las Vegas! Meet and Greet
Food and beverages. RSD staff on hand to answer questions.
Welcome and talk with Michael Bolingbroke, Senior VP of
Live Shows for Cirque du Soleil. Free raffle of Cirque
stuff.
Auction of special Cirque memorabilia to benefit the
Street Teens Building Campaign.
10:30pm - 12:00am (Doors open at 9:30pm) - Bellagio - See "O"
**SHOW TICKETS REQUIRED FOR THIS ACTIVITY.
Following performance, stay in your seats.
Artists will come out for photo ops and Q&As.
A group photo will be taken from the ledge.
Attendees will be allowed to get a vial of "O" Pool Water.
FRIDAY, SEPT 22
10:00am - 3:30pm - T.I. second floor lobby - Registration Table open
4:20pm - 6:00pm - T.I. - Activities in the Mystère Theatre
**NO video cameras allowed!!
Enter Theatre and watch rehearsal from seating area.
A member or two from the artistic staff will be present to
answer any questions and explain the training session
**NO flash photography allowed!!!
Following rehearsal watch set-up as it begins - A member
From the technical staff will be present to explain what
is going on and to answer any questions.
7:30pm - 9:00pm (Doors open at 6:30pm) - The Mirage - See LOVE
**SHOW TICKETS REQUIRED FOR THIS ACTIVITY.
Following performance, stay in your seats until the crowd
Has left the theatre. Then meet in Section 200.
**NO video cameras or photography allowed!!!
Watch the change-over between shows.
A few members of the artistic staff will come out for a
Brief Q&A. A cast photograph will be provided to each
attendee after the Q&A.
10:30pm - 12:00am (Doors open at 9:30pm) - T.I. - See Mystère
**SHOW TICKETS REQUIRED FOR THIS ACTIVITY.
Following performance, stay in your seats.
Take a group photo with Alice. Mystère has arranged for a
professional photographer. A copy of the photograph will
be provided for each attendee, to be received on Saturday.
SATURDAY, SEPT 23
10:00am - 2:00pm - T.I. second floor lobby - Registration Table open
3:00pm - 5:00pm - New York-New York - Activities in the ZUMANITY
Theatre. Details forthcoming.
6:30pm - 8:00pm (Doors open at 5:30pm) - MGM Grand - See KÀ
10:30pm - 12:00 am (Doors open at 9:30pm) - New York-New York - See
ZUMANITY **SHOW TICKETS REQUIRED FOR THIS ACTIVITY.
Following the performance there will be a Meet and Greet
with artists in the Lobby.
Whew!!
POST-SHOW ACTIVITIES: This is a different schedule than what we have
previously stated. There are also more activities scheduled after
shows, requiring tickets be purchased for that show. Why?
When we originally started planning with Cirque du Soleil, we had both
hoped that most of our special CirqueCon activities would be scheduled
during the afternoon. But as with all things Cirque, things change.
As Cirque began to finalize their schedule this month, the
availability of artists, staff, and theater space became an issue. In
order to be able to schedule activities at all five shows, some
activities must now be scheduled post-show. And because they are
unable to let people into a theater after a show (except ticket
holders for the next show), and there are strict policies about
closing theater doors after the last show of the night, it has become
necessary to require that only people inside the theater before the
post-show activity (seeing the actual show) can partake of any
activities in that theater.
As we were told in an email by our Cirque contact Meredith, "Due to
internal policies, we will not allow anyone into the theatres
following the performance. We appreciate that this will be an issue
for some of you but this is a policy we cannot break or bend."
So for our post-show activities at "O", LOVE, Mystère and ZUMANITY,
you must be a ticket holder for our "official" show to partake in that
show's post-show activity. We understand this may be a hardship for
some and we understand. So Cirque has set aside a small block of
seats for these shows for those who may now want tickets.
SPECIAL TICKET BLOCK AVAILABLE: To accommodate those members now
interested in tickets to these shows, Cirque du Soleil has graciously
offered some additional seats (not in the original block) to be sold
in the same manner as our previous ticket offer. We have revised our
special, downloadable FORM for members to use to order tickets for
those shows only. (Tickets for all other shows may be ordered by
calling 1-877-2SHOW-LV (1-877-274-6958) between 6:00am-11:00pm daily
and mentioning "CirqueCon.")
Show Dates/Times: This ticket offer applies to these shows only:
o) Thursday, September 21:
O" (Bellagio) - 10:30pm
Adults and children - $150.00 each
Seats Location: TBA
o) Friday, September 22:
LOVE (The Mirage) - 7:30pm
Adults and children: $125.00 each (These are Cat 2)
Seats Location: TBA
o) Saturday, September 23:
ZUMANITY (New York-New York) - 10:30pm
Adults-only (age 18 and over): $99.00 each
Seats Location: TBA
The FORM and MORE INFORMATION can be found on THIS PAGE, only
accessible via this link and exclusively for CirqueCon 2006 members
only: http://www.cirquecon.com/tix.htm
DEADLINE: This special offer is available until 11:59pm Pacific Time
September 1, 2006. Members may order tickets for any Cirque show by
calling 1-877-2SHOW-LV (1-877-274-6958) between 6:00am-11:00pm daily
and mentioning "CirqueCon." You may also order tickets for additional
Cirque shows not on our "official" schedule through this number.
MORE ABOUT THE MEET AND GREET: We're honored that Cirque would offer
to host our Meet & Greet at their HQ. We need to note, however, that
their headquarters is almost two miles east of The Strip, just south
of McCarran Airport. We also note that many of you might not be
renting cars, relying instead on walking, busses, trams or the
monorail. So we know the location might prove to be a challenge.
While we aren't responsible for getting you around Las Vegas, we can
help out. We've created two new topics in our CirqueCon Forum, in the
"Gatherings" forum < http://www.cirquecon.com/forum/viewforum.php
?f=6&sid=b339dfbeebfd85c7e096e7d598c0b2ad >. We've posted two new
topics there: "I need a Ride to the Meet and Greet" and "I can take
people to the Meet & Greet". If you need a ride, post your request in
the "I Need a Ride" topic and check the "I can take people" topic. If
you have space in your vehicle, do the opposite. Make sure you
mention where you will be leaving from (your hotel), and when you want
to leave and return. Happy Pooling!
SUMMING UP - The next few weeks will be very active for us, as we
receive details on our ZUMANITY offerings and send along some
suggestions on places to eat and see. We hope you're as excited about
our schedule as we are!
If you have any questions or comments, please email them to
info@cirquecon.com and we'll be happy to pass them along.
One month and counting!
August 19, 2006
----------------
Hello Fellow Passionates! Graphics Guy Rich here to talk a minute
about transportation to Thursday's Meet-n-Greet at Cirque du Soleil's
Resident Shows Division (RSD) Headquarters.
Judging from the number of responses in our Forum it looks like we
have a whole bunch of people who need/want a ride to Cirque HQ, but
few with vehicles that can be filled. One alternative would be taxis,
which would be easy to find to get there, but present a challenge to
get taxis to pick us up when the Meet-n-Greet is over. Not to mention
the logistics of a bunch of taxis milling around in one place (there
is a limit of four people per taxi).
As a possible solution, I've found charter bus transportation that we,
the members, could hire if there is enough interest.
THIS IS NOT BEING OFFERED BY CIRQUECON, BUT BY ME PERSONALLY.
Each bus holds 55 people. The cost of rental breaks down to $10.00
per head for a full bus, and I will only rent the bus or busses if I
can guarantee a full load.
The schedule would be as follows:
--Meet at a to-be-specified location at the MGM GRAND (where we'll be
for our afternoon KA activities) at 5:30pm on Thursday.
--The bus will leave the MGM GRAND at 5:45 SHARP and take us to the
Cirque du Soleil offices by 6:00pm. (the new M&G starting time).
--The Meet-n-Greet ends at 9pm. (the new M&G ending time).
--The bus will leave the Cirque du Soleil offices at 9:15pm SHARP.
--We will arrive at the Bellagio (our only stop) at approx. 9:45pm, in
plenty of time for the show that evening. If you're not seeing "O",
you'll be in the center of the Las Vegas Strip with easy access to
just about everywhere!
We need to know if enough members are interested in doing this. I am
happy to take care of the arrangements. But NOTE: This is NOT an
"Official CirqueCon Activity." As a separate effort I would be
financially responsible for paying for the busses. If we can fill a
bus or two with folks, great! But we need to move quickly.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO? The cost per head for the ROUND TRIP is
$10.00. There is no tax.
--ADVISE ME at rich@cirquecon.com if you'd like to be part of the bus
ride. I'll need to know by midnight Pacific Time Tuesday, August 29.
I need to know HOW MANY and the NAMES of all those in your party who
would be joining us.
--This is FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED. If we fill one bus, but don't
fill a second, only the first bus will be rented and those who didn't
make it are, unfortunately, on their own.
--I'll make the arrangements based on the response we get. Then it
will be necessary for those who responded to PREPAY.
--I'll email those who will be on the rented buses of a "PAYPAL"
address they should use to send the $10.00 per head payment. Checks
will also be accepted, let me know and I'll send the proper address.
Let me know if you're interested! You only have until next Tuesday!
Take care and we'll see ya'll in a few weeks!
Update: August 29, 2006
------------------------
Hello Cirque Passionates! We'll start a weekly update message from
now until the convention, to let you know the latest. Once again,
there's a LOT to talk about. Here we go...
T-SHIRTS - Our original deal has expired. But we've arranged with the
supplier to do a SECOND round! These will not be shipped to your
home, but will instead be available at the Registration Table between
10am-2pm daily. The new T-SHIRT DEADLINE is SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10. The
price of $19.99 plus tax stays the same. We've sold 40 so far, have
you ordered yours yet?
TREASURE ISLAND HOTEL DEAL - Has expired; we rented 53 rooms! You can
still get rooms at the hotel, they are regular price.
www.treasureisland.com
EXTRA SHOW TICKETS - As mentioned in our Itinerary Message, Cirque has
set aside extra tickets for "O" LOVE and ZUMANITY, available till
September 1st (that's the end of THIS WEEK!). Click on the page given
in our Itinerary Message.
CHANGE IN THE MEET AND GREET TIME - Because so much is going on at our
Meet & Greet (social/speeches/raffle/auction) we've expanded the time.
Our Meet & Greet is now scheduled for 6pm-9pm, nestled snugly between
our KA activities in the afternoon and our viewing of "O" later.
TRANSPORTATION TO/FROM THE MEET AND GREET - We know this is an issue
for many of you, judging by the entries in our "I need a Ride" topic
in the "Gatherings" forum (and the lack of entries in the "I have a
Ride" topic). Rich is arranging a bus for a cost of $10.00 round trip,
you should have gotten that email last week. Email rich@cirquecon.com
RIGHT NOW if you're interested.
Taxis are plentiful in Vegas of course. It will cost around $13.50
one-way for up to four people (five for vans). The return trip is a
bit trickier, as you'll need to call the cab company around 45 minutes
before you'd like to return. We'll have a list of cab companies
available at the Meet & Greet.
Public transportation is also available. "The Deuce" busses that
travel Las Vegas Boulevard use a South Strip Transfer Terminal as
their turnaround. They say they take approx. 35-40 minutes to get from
the Treasure Island to the Transfer Terminal, but they're never sure
something on the strip could keep the bus from moving quickly. From
there you can catch a #212-Sunset bus, which travels 10 minutes along
Sunset Road to your stop at Paradise Road. While the Deuce bus runs
often, the #212 leaves the Transfer Terminal every half hour at the
top and bottom of the hour until 7pm, and every hour at the top of the
hour thereafter.
The return trip on the #212 is hourly at half past the hour, the
pickup point is right outside the Cirque offices on Paradise Road. It
will take you back to the Transfer Terminal, where you can catch a
Deuce to get back to The Strip. The cost is $5.00 for unlimited rides
for a 24-hour period.
For more information call 1-800-228-3911 or www.rtcsouthernnevada.com.
GROUP MEAL DETAILS - One of the highlights of CirqueCon is when Cirque
fans from across the continent (and the world) gather at a local
eating establishment, enjoying a meal and getting to know each other.
It's something that brings us together as a community. This year we're
fortunate to have a great buffet in our headquarters hotel, the
Treasure Island (T.I.).
In order to have a special seating area set aside for CirqueCon
members, we will be selling COUPONS which include a built-in 18%
gratuity. We'll sell these at the Registration Table between 10am and
2pm on Thursday and Friday. They will be sold for CASH ONLY. (The
coupons will need to be pre-purchased by us and put on Keith's credit
card. So we ask you to RSVP, see below.)
These COUPONS will enable you to get past the line at the Buffet and
breeze right in (you step into the comp line, bypassing the regular
line) and the tip is included in the price. Zip right in with your
meal cost and tip already paid, sit with other Passionates for a great
meal, then go straight to our Mystère activities. What could be
better?!
DATE/TIME - Friday, September 22, 2006, from 2:00pm-4:00pm. (Just a
short walk down the hall from our special activities at Mystère at
4:20pm!)
THE RESTAURANT - Dishes Buffet @ Treasure Island Hotel and Casino
HOW MUCH - $19.00 USD per person CASH ONLY (Set aside a $20.00, get
$1.00 change!) Children under 2 are Free. There are no Senior/Student
discounts available. Tax is included. The coupons will only be sold
on-site at the Registration Table on Thursday and Friday 10am-2pm
only. CASH ONLY!
RSVP - Let us know if you plan on joining us by sending an email to
info@cirquecon.com BY THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7. This will give us (and
the hotel) an idea how many coupons will be needed.
THE FOOD - Dishes features a global assortment of cuisine with six
live-action exhibition stations:
o) Barbeque Station, the best of regional American barbeque.
o) Asian station, fresh-cut sushi, Chinese specialties, noodle
kitchen.
o) Pasta Sauté Station, fresh pasta.
o) Pizza Oven, piping-hot Mediterranean pizzas
o) Salad Station, crisp vegetables and an array of house salad
blends.
o) Bakery Station, mini-pies, doughnut machine, crème brulee,
ice-cream.
Yummy!! Joining us? Let us know!
NEW ITEM! - OUR KAFFEEKLATSCH - 10am-12Noon on Sunday in Keith and
LouAnna's room at the T.I. (room number TBA) HOW WAS YOUR WEEKEND?
Many conventions have some version of an "Onions and Roses" panel
where members are encouraged to give their compliments and
suggestions. This is ours! Come have a cup of coffee or tea and let
us know how we did and what can be improved. Or just stop by to say
good-bye"! We'll be in a Petite Suite just off our floors elevator
lobby in the T.I., we'll post the room number when we know it.
WHAT TO DO AND SEE AND EAT IN VEGAS - PART THE FIRST: This is the
first of what we hope to be a continuing series on things to do,
places to eat, and where to see, and be seen, in Las Vegas. For this
installment we asked our Cirque contact for her favorites, she also
asked her co-workers and contacts. If you have favorites post them in
the "Gatherings" section of the CirqueCon forum.
We'll sign off here. Meredith's email is below. Talk with you next
week!
* * *
Dear CirqueCon 2006 Attendees,
I took the liberty of informally polling staff here at the Resident
Show Division offices as well as some of our partners at the MGM
Mirage properties to get a list of what we love best about our fair
city (Sin City to outsiders). Here is a sampling of where we love to
eat, relax, drink and shop!
Jessica Berlin, Assistant PR Manager, Cirque du Soleil recommends Mix
at THEhotel at Mandalay Bay for the view.
Lori Guzzard, Director of Ticket Office & Theatre Operations, The
Mirage, says STACK (at The Mirage) is to die for (especially love
their adult-sized tater tots) and says Mist at TI is great on Monday
nights for late night Karaoke.
Julie Loewen, Office Services Coordinator, Cirque du Soleil loves the
Outlet Mall at Primm for shopping.
Anita Nelving, PR Manager, Cirque du Soleil had a few faves to share
Sushi RA (restaurant), Tallulah G (store), Tryst or Tao (clubs) and
the Bathhouse at THEhotel (spa).
Jeffrey Wu, Project Manager, Cirque du Soleil says, "One of my fav
things to do is to go to Mon Ami Gabi, sit outside, eat (their
flourless chocolate cake is one of the best in town) and drink and
stay until we've heard Celine sing twice in the Bellagio Water Show...
Great people watching and they even have misters to keep you cool on a
hot summer nite!"
Billy Pierro, Ticket Office Manager, The Mirage tells us some of his
favorites include Mon Ami Gabi and Café Ba Ba Reeba (restaurants),
Desert Passage (shopping), Big Shot at the Stratosphere, Fountains of
Bellagio, Madame Tussauds Las Vegas and the Shark Reef.
Cara Luttrell, LOVE Publicist, Cirque du Soleil came to us from the
Light Group so she knows what she is talking about when she says these
are not to be missed! Stack, Fix, Cafe Ba Ba Reeba, Sushi RA
(restaurants); Jet, Tao and Tryst (nightclubs), and Green Valley Ranch
and Red Rock Resort for spa treatments.
May Len Yuen, Executive Assistant to the General Manager, Cirque du
Soleil says the Bathhouse at THEhotel is pricey but worth it, loves
Firefly on Paradise for tapas and sangria and Marahkeesh for belly
dancing while you eat. To finish things off she goes to Gilley's for
a little two-stepping.
Michelle Sharples, Sales Manager, Cirque du Soleil has way too many
recommendations to mention - the girl just loves Vegas!
And my personal favorites include martinis at Red Square (Mandalay
Bay), The District at Green Valley Ranch for shopping (and eating!)
they have Ann Taylor Loft, Anthropology, William Sonoma, Pottery Barn,
JJill, Gymboree, Chicos, just to name a few along with great food at
Lucille's BBQ, King's Fish House - I recommend the Blood Orange
Martini - and Ben N Jerry's! My family also loves the Bellagio - we
can make the circuit of the conservatory, fountains, and the shops
(doesn't every woman love to look in the window at Tiffany and Fred
Leighton and drool?) finishing up with something from Jean Philippe
Patisserie. But the absolute best place to do what I think Vegas
should be famous for - people watching! - is the Forum Shops.
We hope these help you while you are here. Have a wonderful time and
please - don't try to do everything in one trip! We have great
hospitals here in Vegas but would prefer you not need a recommendation
for one. We hope to see you on many future visits to Las Vegas!
Sincerely,
Meredith Delay, Sales & Ticketing Manager
Resident Show Division - Cirque du Soleil
Update: September 7, 2006
--------------------------
Greetings, Cirque Passionates.
EMAIL PROBLEMS - Our email, info@cirquecon.com, has had some
problems of late. While they've now been fixed we might have lost
some emails.
If YOU have not received a WRITTEN RESPONSE from us on a message
you've sent, assume we didn't see it. PLEASE SEND IT AGAIN.
Thanks!
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED - All conventions run on the help of volunteers
and we need them, too! Folks who have already offered to help will
be getting an email Real Soon Now. If you'd like to help, let us
know.
We ESPECIALLY need help from folks NOT RIDING ON THE MEET & GREET
BUS and/or who are driving to the Meet & Greet. We have a very
tight set-up time, and we desperately need those who can leave when
our activities at KA are over and go straight to the Cirque RSD HQ.
If you would like to help and will HAVE A CAR in Vegas and can take
others, OR WANT TO HELP but need a ride, let us know. Many thanks!
T-SHIRTS - The "extended" T-shirt order deadline is THIS SUNDAY.
You can see details on the website.
GROUP MEAL - Thanks to all of you who've RSVP'd for our Friday Group
Meal. Tickets will be available to ANYBODY whether they RSVP'd or
not. Tickets will be available at our Registration Table, from
10am-2pm on Thursday and Friday and at the Meet & Greet, $19.00,
CASH ONLY.
BUS RIDE TO MEET & GREET - This has been very popular! Rich has now
booked a THIRD bus and has spaces left. If you'd like to ride, send
an email to info@cirquecon.com RIGHT NOW with how many people will
be riding. Cost is $10.00 per round trip.
MORE MEET AND GREET NEWS - Lots of questions, here are some answers:
Can we bring stuff for the Meet & Greet and have it transported for
us, so we don't have to bring it to the KA Special Activities (or on
the bus)? YES! We'll be happy to do that for you. Just bring it to
the Registration Table (second floor TI) by ONE PM on THURSDAY.
We'll pack it up and take it to the Cirque HQ before we go to the
MGM for KA. Be careful what you bring us; don't expect us to keep
your caviar frozen all day long!
What kind of food is Cirque providing? There will be chocolate!
And "heavy hors d'oeuvres" and desserts. Also liquid refreshment.
But it won't be a full meal.
What will they offer for AUCTION? We don't know yet, we should have
some idea next week. We do know they will take your CASH and
CHECKS(!), but NO CREDIT CARDS. Sorry. But have your checkbooks at
the ready! And note you will have to carry anything you are lucky
enough to bid highest on with you to "O".
ZUMANITY SPECIAL ACTIVITIES - Here is the listing we just received
for our activities at Zumanity 3-5pm on Saturday. Note it is
restricted to those 18 and over. "Watch the transformation of
performers into their sensual on-stage characters as Zumanity takes
you on a journey from reality to fantasy. Wardrobe and artistic
representatives will unveil secrets behind the stunningly outrageous
costumes and make-up designs. Performers will be available to answer
questions and chat with event attendees. Limited to guests 18 and
over only."
LE REVE GATHERING - One of our members, Lorraine Peck, is organizing
an outing to see the 10:30pm Saturday, September 23 performance of
Le Reve at Wynn Las Vegas. She is also looking to organize a Meet &
Greet with some of the staff there. If you aren't going to ZUMANITY
and would like to consider Le Reve instead, please let Lorraine
know. She can be reached at tthfary2@yahoo.com. Please note this is
a private (non-CirqueCon) event.
KEEPING IN TOUCH ONSITE - Unlike Montreal, where nearly everyone was
in the same hotel, in Vegas we are spread all around. Since it
would be hard for people to keep checking one place in the Treasure
Island for messages, we won't be doing a Message Board this year.
If you'd like to meet up with other members, or suggest an outing,
we recommend you do it through the GATHERINGS section of the FORUM
on the CirqueCon.com website. It will also be available during the
weekend (for those of you with Internet access).
That's it for this week. Below are more suggestions on things to
see and do in Vegas. Two weeks left!
* * *
Member Barb Lewis' sent this idea for an activity for Vegas that
will not be forgotten: One of the Body World exhibits of the
structure of the human body is on display at the Tropicana Resort
and Casino in Vegas. Through a special process of preserving the
body and then special means of sculpting away part of the body
tissues to reveal organs and other tissue, the viewer is able to
understand the interrelationship of body structures such as the
circulatory system, organs, muscles and the skeleton, and the
physical placement of organs in the body. The exhibit is open every
day at the Tropicana from 10am to 10pm with general admission at any
time for $24. The box office said they never sell out, so you don't
need to buy tickets in advance. More about the exhibit:
http://www.tropicanalv.com/ent_bodies.asp
Tammi Furce, Chef Concierge at Bellagio, sent these recommendations:
Best place to eat when money is no object: Hands down is Joel
Robochon and the MGM Grand. You can opt for a 6 course menu which
is $215 per person or a 16 course menu which is $350 per person.
You feel like you are dining in Paris. Prepare for a 2-4 hour
dining experience. The wine list is amazing, the food is
outstanding, and the service is out of this world. The tea
sommelier is a wonderful resource for after dinner too if you feel
coffee or espresso will be too heavy! (Lastly, pay attention to all
the small decorations on the plates for each course. Attention to
detail is incredible!)
Best place to have a cocktail when you want to impress: Mix at The
Hotel at Mandalay Bay has the most spectacular view in the whole
city. The bar/lounge opens at 5:00pm and is best to get there
early. After 7:00ish it gets very packed. So if you love the
crowds- go late. If you want to enjoy some peace and quite with a
spectacular back drop- go early.
Best place to grab a quick snack when you are on the go: Auntie
Annes at the Desert Passage Shoppes has hot dogs wrapped in their
yummy pretzel dough. They are easy to eat, not messy, and
delicious!
Best place to buy lunch to take on a long plane ride: In Room
Dining at Bellagio sells boxed lunches that are out of this world.
They are $35 and they come in a really cool box (that you can use at
home for knick knacks later) and easy to travel with. The food is
gourmet and healthy and you will be the envy of everyone on the
plane.
Best Mexican Food: Case Don Juan off of Charleston on Main St.
(okay, that is kinda off the strip) is the best Mexican food in
town! The food is authentic and delicious, the prices are very good
and their drinks are out of this world! The best time to go is the
first Friday of every month. This is when Down Town Las Vegas has
their First Friday Arts District block party. This leads me into
the next Best ...
Best City Event known by few: First Friday in downtown Las Vegas.
The hub of First Friday is at the Arts Factory on Main and
Charleston. It is a huge block party that artists come out of
nowhere. There are street vendors selling their art, musicians
singing their hearts out, magicians, comedians, you name it- you'll
see it. There is a First Friday Bus that will take you all over so
you can park in one spot- hop on the bus and enjoy your evening free
of driving. Great place to bring a date, bring the kids, meet with
a group of people. Must see spots along the way are: The Casa Don
Juan for dinner, The Ice House for cocktails, the Arts Factory for
cool Art, the Holsum Lofts for fun shops and cool architecture.
Update: September 11, 2006
---------------------------
Greetings Cirque Passionates!
This is the next to last update from us before the convention. We'll
be sending a final one on Monday to bring you the very latest. From
that point on we will be silent, as we'll be in Las Vegas preparing
for the weekend!
TICKET CONFIRMATION EMAILS - Everybody who ordered tickets through our
special ticket offer should have received an email from the Cirque
"lasvegas.tickets" address with their confirmation numbers. If you
haven't TELL US NOW! You will need that email (and the confirmation
numbers) to claim your tickets.
THINGS TO HAVE ALL THE TIME - We strongly recommend you keep your
CIRQUECON BADGE, SHOW TICKET STUBS, CAMERAS, and IDENTIFICATION on you
at ALL TIMES during our weekend. Why?
CIRQUECON BADGE - Bring your badge to ALL the shows and ALL
activities. It is your ticket to all our Special CirqueCon
Activities. You will need to show your badge to be admitted to the
theater (for afternoon events). We will also be checking badges for
all of our post-show events. Just having a ticket and sticking around
after the show isn't enough, we'll have everybody show their badges.
So don't leave it behind.
PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEOGRAPHY - We've gotten questions about what will and
won't be allowed. Videography is prohibited at all Special CirqueCon
Activities that take place in Theaters. Non-flash photography is
allowed in many instances, flash is allowed sometimes. We recommend
our members bring their camera to all events, where we will be told at
each event when photography may occur.
I.D. - You'll need I.D. (and the credit card you placed the ticket
charges on, as well as your confirmation numbers) to pick up your
tickets in Las Vegas.
SHOW TICKET STUBS - They will be needed for claiming things like
special show buttons or group pictures. What, you mean we haven't
told you about the SHOW BUTTONS YET?
SPECIAL BUTTONS FOR MEMBERS ONLY! - To commemorate each of our
Official Shows, we have a set of five (one for each show) official
CirqueCon show pins. Each pin has our own show graphic along with the
date and time of the show. Each Offical CirqueCon Member (that has a
name badge) is entitled to one pin.
Rich will be handing out the pins outside the theater before each of
our five "official" shows; up until 15 minutes before the show begins.
Show him your CirqueCon badge and a pin is yours! Afterwards, the
pins will be available at the Registration Table (during our open
hours) on a first-come, first-served basis. On Sunday, any remaining
pins will be at the Kaffeeklatsch.
T-SHIRTS - The final deadline has now passed. The first set of orders
were late in shipping. They finally shipped on Wednesday, September 6
and should be in everybody's hands by now. The orders made with the
"extended" deadline will be picked up by Rich and brought to the
Registration Table, so claim those there during regular open hours.
GROUP MEAL - We had 60 people RSVP to us. We'll have plenty of
coupons for everyone, even those that didn't RSVP. Come and get them
at the Registration Table, $19.00 cash only.
BUS RIDE TO THE MEET AND GREET - There are still slots available (for
$10.00 one way or round trip). If you're interested, contact us at
info@cirquecon.com.
GUEST SPEAKER CHANGE - Cirque du Soleil Senior VP of Live Shows,
Michael Bolingbroke, won't be able to attend the Thursday M&G as
originally planned. But he is still very interested in talking with
us, and his appearance has been rescheduled for Friday during our
Mystere activities. Another speaker will take his place on Thursday,
when we find out who we'll let you know.
RAFFLE - Several special items will be raffled during the Meet &
Greet. Everybody will get one free entry ticket upon entry. As part
of the fundraising, extra chances will be $5.00 each, or 5 for $20.00.
AUCTION - This will be a "silent" auction - each item will have an
auction sheet on which you place your bid(s). You can keep checking
throughout the evening and bid again if you like (that makes it more
competitive!). The auction will start at 6pm and end at 8pm, at which
time the lucky winning bidders will be announced. You will need to
pay by cash or check (no credit cards) and take all items with you
from the Meet & Greet. As far as what will be offered, some of them
are unique items normally offered only to Cirque employees. Some
other ideas (which we've been sworn to secrecy on) are really
exciting! But there is one cool package we can talk about. Winner of
this auction item will receive: Invitation for Two to the next Las
Vegas Resident Show Gala Premiere (Production and Date T.B.D.)
including premiere performance and after party, a room at the host
hotel for one night, and a Gala Souvenir Program! We know you'll want
to have your gambling winnings and checkbooks at the ready to help the
Street Teens Building Campaign.
Only one week and counting! It's getting really close! More
recommendations on things to see and do are below.
* * *
Vegas Local Helen Garriot recommends: Not far from Treasure Island is
a place called "FLY AWAY". (http://www.flyawayindoorskydiving.com/)
You can take lessons or watch others use a vertical wind tunnel and
learn to sky dive and control yourself in a stream of air. It's a fun
thing to do and also fun to watch. You don't find places like this
very often. It costs $50.00 for an hour of instruction and flight.
And, if Ricky, LouAnna and I might be allowed some highly opinionated
choices:
LUXOR RIDEFILMS, Luxor Las Vegas
10:30am-11:00pm daily
Adults/children: $10.00 each, Children under 4: free, Minimum height:
52"
When the Luxor originally opened there were a trio of "rides/shows" on
the Atrium Level, all telling a part of the same overall story. Some
amazing technology was used in the telling, including 70mm 60 frame-
per-second Showscan projection, 3-D, and motion platforms. Sadly,
only one part is still intact. Now the building that housed the first
part of that story's "trilogy" is host to three ride films: "In Search
of the Obelisk" (part one of the original trilogy), "Reboot," and
"Dracula's Haunted Castle." The best of the lot is "Obelisk", with
state-of-the-art technology and special effects from SPFX pioneer
Douglas Trumbull. Also housed on the Atrium level: "Pirates 4-D," an
interactive-theater film starring Lesley Neilson, and a 3-D equipped
IMAX theater. -KJ/LV
THRILL RIDES, Stratosphere Tower
Hours: 10:00am to 1:00am, until 2:00am Fri/Sat
Adults: $10.00, Children 4-12: $6.00, 3 and under: Free
Insanity (ride), Big Shot & X-Scream: $8.00 each
Minimum height: 48" for Big Shot, 52" for Insanity and X-Scream
You can't just have the tallest freestanding observation tower in the
US and the tallest building west of the Mississippi. You can't just
be 1,149 feet tall and have elevators that go 1,800 feet per minute
(POPing those tourist eardrums!). This being Las Vegas, you have to
stick some rides on the top! The original ride, and still in our
opinion one of the scariest of all time (especially when riding at
night and facing south, where you can see the lights of the Las Vegas
strip) is "Big Shot." Taking 16 riders at a time on a 45MPH, 4G shot
from 921 feet (already the highest thing in Vegas) to a total height
of 1,081 feet (even higher!) is a total rush. But that wasn't enough,
so they also installed "X-Scream," a teeter-tottering trolley that
shoots riders 27 feet over the edge, giving the impression you're
going to free fall off the side. And if that isn't enough, there's
"Insanity," an arm extending 64 feet over the edge and spinning
passengers at an angle of 70 degrees, giving them a perfect rotating
view of the entire distance they would fall if the safety restraints
failed. The Stratosphere is certainly not the place for those with a
fear of heights! -KJ/LV
PHAROAH'S PHEAST BUFFET, Luxor Las Vegas
Breakfast: 7a-11am, Adults: $12.00, children 4-10: $9.00, plus tax
Lunch: 11am-2:30pm, Adults: $14.00, children 4-10: $10.00, plus tax
Dinner: 4pm-10pm, Adults: $20.00, children 4-10: $14.00, plus tax
Everybody who's visited or lived in Vegas has their idea of great
places to eat. Ask which buffet is the best and the debate is on!
Here is one of our favorites, inside the Luxor pyramid. With a 30-
foot salad bar, homemade pizza station, two carving stations and two
omelet stations, it has something to satisfy every pallet, with a bit
more intimacy than the standard buffet setting. -KJ/LV
LE TOWER EIFFEL - Paris Las Vegas
Hours 9:30AM - 12:30AM daily (weather permitting)
Admission $9.00
The Eiffel Tower stands tall as Paris' signature landmark, but you
don't have to visit Europe to experience Le Tower Eiffel! The Eiffel
Tower at Paris Las Vegas is a 1:2 ratio (½ scale) reproduction of the
original tower in Paris, and to ensure its authenticity, the designers
actually obtained Gustav Eiffel's original blueprints and drawings to
help guide them. They followed his design so well that even the
riveting is to scale (although it is just for show), and exactly
blended the color of the exterior's paint. The tower is just half of
the attraction though, so replace the hustle-and-bustle of Strip
activity with light, quiet breezes and take the express elevator to
the towers' observation deck to enjoy the stunning panoramic views of
the Las Vegas strip and surrounding valley. But be sure to hold on,
you're 460-feet in the air! RR
EIFFEL TOWER RESTAURANT, Paris Las Vegas
French Cuisine (naturally)
Lunch: 11:30am-2:30pm, Dinner: 5pm-10pm Mon-Thu, till 10:30pm Fri-Sat
Restaurant reservations: 702-948-6937
Average dinner cost: $85-120 per person, not including alcohol
There are so many places to dine well in Vegas you could spend all
your gambling money trying to find the best steak, sushi, or regional
cuisine. The service here is first rate, the food is exquisitely
prepared, and you can see the Bellagio Fountain shows across the
street (sans soundtrack of course). A totally romantic evening
awaits, if your wallet can handle the bite. And while you're in Paris
Las Vegas, be sure to stop for just a minute and listen to the sounds
of the casino. For some reason it sounds different to us than any
other casino - a bit more lilting, more melodic. Sounds strange to
suggest hundreds of slot machines could sound "melodic" but here they
seem to. Could be extra sound pumped in by speakers, but it sure
caught our ears. -KJ/LV
LAKE OF DREAMS SHOW AND PARASOL CEILING, Wynn Las Vegas
Concierge desk: 888-320-7122 (has daily showtime schedule)
Free!
The day we first cruised through Wynn Las Vegas, LouAnna was taken by
a series of parasols hanging from the ceiling above the area near the
"Lake of Dreams." The just looked so - Cirque-ey! They slowly and
gently rise and fall, creating an ever-changing sculpture of colorful
whimsy. Leave it to Steve Wynn, who was largely responsible for
bringing Cirque to Vegas, to have a Cirque-ey architectural feature in
his casino (and essentially another Cirque water show in his showroom,
but that's another story). Just outside the parasol area, a specially
wired lake presents several shows daily starting at sundown, with a
huge video screen behind a cascading waterfall, underwater lighting
elements, and large puppets (created by Michael Curry, the man behind
KÀ's puppets). Though there is a no-cost area to stand, the best
views can be had from the Parasol Down Lounge or from SW Steakhouse.
Also not to be missed is the mechanical hotel sign on Las Vegas
Boulevard, a marvel whose logo slides up and down its rectangular
length while custom advertisements interact with the logo. Very cool
to watch. -KJ/LV
Update: September 18, 2006
---------------------------
Greetings, fellow Passionates! This is our final update prior to our
weekend.
This is the last email you'll get from us until after our weekend. We
won't be checking emails at CirqueCon.com or looking at the CirqueCon
Forum. We will have very limited access to emails - we'll be very
busy setting up CirqueCon. And getting ready to welcoming you all!!
LATE COMERS FOR ACTIVITIES - Some of us will be getting in late on
Thursday and Friday, and racing to get to our activities that start at
3pm and 4:20pm respectively. If you arrive late, will you be able to
get in? We've asked Cirque, and they have said they will hold open
the doors for FIFTEEN MINUTES after the scheduled start time. We will
also arrange to have some CirqueCon registration packets and badges
for those arriving late. (PLEASE MAKE ALL EFFORTS to check in at the
TI Registration Table. This is a special service we're offering to
folks stepping off planes very close to the start of activities; it
isn't intended to be a full registration table.)
PICTURES FOR "O", LOVE AND MYSTERE - The group photographs for "O" and
MYSTERE, and the cast photograph to be given at LOVE are post-show
activities, and require show tickets. These will be available at the
Registration Table starting at the times shown below. You will need
to show your ticket stub to get your photograph. They will make just
enough so that everyone who was at they show (ticket holders) can have
a copy. The cast photograph for LOVE will be available starting
Thursday morning at 10am. Copies of the photo taken at "O" (where
we'll be sitting on the ledge of the stage, not on the stage as I had
previously heard) SHOULD be provided to us on Friday by 10am. Copies
of the Mystere photograph will be provided to us on Saturday by
10:00am.
Next, some quick travel tips.
AIRPLANE PROHIBITED ITEMS LIST - Remember the current prohibition
against gels and liquids. Know before you go! Check out the list of
permitted and prohibited items at: < http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/
airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm > Print it out
and bring a copy of it with you to the airport - sometimes the
screeners aren't all on the same page.
MINOR PERMISSION - If a minor is traveling with only one parent or
relative, consider obtaining a minor travel permission form. An
example of one is at: < http://www.voyage.gc.ca/main/before/
consent_letter-en.asp >
LAS VEGAS WEATHER - Recent forecasts suggest nightly lows in the upper
60 degree F range, with daily highs in the upper 80's to lower 90's.
It should be sunny. For a good current forecast check out
www.wunderground.com.
BUS RIDE TO THE MEET AND GREET - There are still slots available, for
$10.00 per trip (one way or round trip). If you're interested, let us
know at info@cirquecon.com.
GETTING AROUND IN LAS VEGAS - Judging from the pictures in brochures
it looks like you could easily walk from one casino to another in no
time at all. Oh how wrong that is! :)
Each casino entrance can be up to 1/4 mile from the next one. Walking
into a casino from the street can be a long hike, too. And while they
love to help people enter casinos, often providing moving sidewalks,
they don't offer such help to people leaving. Plan to do a LOT of
walking.
For those of you catching taxis, remember they are not allowed to stop
on the street, so you can't catch them from a curb. Every hotel does
have a taxi stand, though.
"The Deuce" are double-decker buses that run up and down the strip
every 7 minutes or so. They stop at well-marked stops outside several
hotels on the strip. The cost is $2.00 for a one-way trip, though
they sell a 24-hour unlimited pass for $5.00. See more on it at:
http://www.rtcsouthernnevada.com/deuce/index.htm
The Las Vegas Monorail also has frequent service, riding high above
traffic (and stop lights) on the eastern side of the strip. It cost
$5.00 for a one-way ticket, or $15.00 for a one-day pass. See more
at: http://www.lvmonorail.com/
TAXES - Note the sales tax in Las Vegas is 7.75%. That applies to
hotel rooms, too.
It's sure getting close now! More recommendations from Ricky,
LouAnna and I of things to do below.
* * *
Las Vegas Cirque Fan Lisa Spencer suggests: Whenever people come to
Vegas, I always tell them to go to RED ROCKS CONSERVATION AREA. It's
beautiful and west of the strip, about a 25 minutes drive. Gorgeous,
quiet and peaceful. Not at all what people think of Vegas. I go for
hikes there 2-3 times a week. A great place for serenity and
solitude, away form the hustle and bustle. And, there is a wonderful
9/11 memorial by the visitor's center. If people don't like to hike,
they can car around the loop drive (I think it's 13 miles). Great for
photographers to get desert wildlife and phenomenal shots of the Red
Rock mountains. We just had a fire there last week, from lightning,
so it's back and bleak in a few spot.
MANHATTAN EXPRESS Roller Coaster, New York-New York Hotel and Casino
10:30am-11:00pm daily
Adults/children: $12.50 each, Minimum height: 54"
Why somebody would think a roller coaster is a good way to represent
New York City is anybody's guess. And then thinking they could get
$12.50 per person for the thing. But they did, and they do, and it
sure is fun! Rising 203 feet and hitting speeds of 67 MPH, it zips and
zooms around the front of the property. The design includes a
simulation of a barrel roll in a jet fighter; it rolls 180 degrees,
hangs 86 feet in the air for a moment, and then dives back under
itself. Standing on the street you'd swear people were going to fall
out. But you don't, you feel exhilarated, and $12.50 lighter. -KJ/LV
LION HABITAT - MGM Grand
Hours: 11:00AM TO 10:00PM
Admission: COMPLIMENTARY, Photo: $25.00 USD
Here Human, Human, Human...Quite possibly one of the most visited and
admired attractions on Las Vegas Boulevard -- these playful lions draw
quite a crowd! Come watch adolescent lions and lionesses bound, leap
and romp within their 5,345 square-foot, $9 Million playground. Don't
worry though, you're safe behind the glass. And for $25.00, why not
take away a little keepsake of your adventure: a photograph of you
with one of their cute lion cubs! Some of these little cuties are
direct descendants of "Leo the Lion," made famous for his roaring
portrayal in the classic MGM Pictures studio logo. RR
SIGFRIED & ROY'S SECRET GARDEN AND DOLHIN HABITAT - The Mirage
Hours: 11:00AM - 5:30PM weekdays, 10:00AM - 5:30PM weekends
Admission: Adults $15.00, Children 4-12 $10.00, Children 3 and under
no charge when accompanied by an adult.
Join Banjo, and Pablo, and Rascal, and Duchess, and Sigma, and Picabo,
and Sage, and Huf'n'Puf and Squirt. Originally built for educational
and rehabilitation purposes, this cove provides an oasis in the desert
for The Mirage's entire family of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. Some
of these dolphins have been relocated from other facilities but many
have been born right at The Mirage. A 2.5-million-gallon habitat
houses them, consisting of four connected pools, a complete artificial
reef system and a sandy bottom.
Lions, Tigers and Bears, oh my? - Okay, so two out of three isn't
bad... After swimming with the Dolphins, come see a collection of the
planet's rarest and most exotic creatures at the palm-shaded Secret
Garden of Siegfried & Roy. Within this one-of-a-kind sanctuary you'll
find snow-white tigers, heterozygous (possessing both tawny and white
genes) Bengal tigers, the rare White Lions of Timbavati, "Asabi" the
Asian leopard, "Boghkara" the black panther, "Chico" the cheetah,
"Gilda" the Asian elephant, and more! The tour is self-guided, but
special portable audio wands (provided at the garden gates) allow you
to learn more about each animal exhibit narrated by the magical duo
of course. RR
MASQUERADE SHOW IN THE SKY, Rio All Suite Hotel & Casino
3:00pm - 4:00pm - 5:00pm - 6:30pm - 7:30pm - 8:30pm - 9:30pm, Free!
Ride float tickets: $13.00 (purchase thru box-office)
Masquerade floats suspended from the ceiling above the casino floor
appear with performers (along with singers & dancers on a ground floor
stage) several times a day at the Rio. The performers on the floats
toss cheap plastic necklaces to patrons and there are places on many
of the floats for visitors (who have purchased $13.00 tickets) to sit
and wave. Of interest is the big Mardi Gras head float, with special
electronics to allow it to interact with customers. Also worth
checking out is the Rio Buffet, a perennial contender for best (and
biggest) on or off The Strip. -KJ/LV
LIBERACE MUSEUM, 1775 East Tropicana Avenue (at Spencer), 98119
702-798-5595, www.liberace.com
Hours: 10:00am-5:00pm daily, Sunday 12:00pm-4:00pm (closed Monday)
Adults: $12.50, Children 10 and under: Free
This museum, founded by Liberace himself in 1979, is an homage to the
man people called "Mr. Showmanship." Housed here are many of his
outlandish cars, pieces of jewelry and costumes, a fascinating piano
gallery, and walls full of many honors he received during his
lifetime. It also showcases such things as the desk of Czar Nicolas,
an homage to his brother George, and a re-creation of his Palm Springs
bedroom. Housed in two parts of a small strip mall a mile or so from
the strip, the museum has some of the feel of serious academia, yet
with something of a low-rent presentation that gives it a special
charm. -KJ/LV
{fin}
=======================================================================
COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
=======================================================================
Fascination! Quarterly Compendium
Volume 6, Number 3 Q3 2006
"Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (c)
2001-2006 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.
{ Oct.19.2006 }
=======================================================================
