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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
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Issue #45 www.CirqueFascination.com August 2005
=======================================================================
As we say in the southern part of the United States, it's been a
spell, but we're off and running again! I apologize to all our loyal
readers for the two-month absence, but it's been a necessary pause. It
was entirely fueled by personal reasons; during the last few months I
have returned to university to complete my degree after a 3-year
break. It has not been an easy time, as all of my courses are now
upper-level. This means it's about as tough as university gets (minus
Masters programs). Each course is focused on a specific topic, and
that topic must be understood and mastered before going onto the next,
higher-level (a.k.a., harder), topic. There's no room for error;
stumbling now would only set me back and further discourage me from
ultimately earning that Bachelor of Science Degree. But I have a
renewed passion and a new life-long goal fueling that passion. Due to
the time and resources needed to stay focused on what was important,
Fascination! had to take a back seat. In the months to come, as I
finish my last two semesters, publication of Fascination! may be
further interrupted. But don't worry we'll get out news and
information about our favorite circus as often as we can.
Over our two-month absence there have been a ton of developments in
the Cirque du Soleil community, from new lawsuits to interesting new
products on the horizon. Some of this news has already permeated the
Cirque online community and we apologize for not covering it sooner.
Bear with us, however, as we do a bit of catching up and present to
you all the new developments since our last issue (even if it's old
news!)
Inside this issue we review the provocative Zumanity spread in August
2005's issue of Playboy magazine. As Keith says, "It's a tough job,
but somebody has to do it," and so he takes more of a technical tone
in his review of the spread than a pictorial one, so it should be
quite easy even on the youngest of eyes. We also take a look at the
recent lawsuit brought against Cirque du Soleil from an accident
behind-the-scenes at Cirque du Soleil's "O" at the Bellagio. That
lawsuit has concluded and an agreement reached, but we still want to
present the facts of the case and what each side was saying (and not
saying) about the other. You can read my to-the-quick feature on this
lawsuit within. Cirque du Soleil was gracious enough to provide us the
text for articles they wrote about CirqueCon 2005: Montreal for their
Intranet publication, so we present that to you as well.
Also, if you're interested in reviewing some segment of Cirque du
Soleil, have something Cirque related you want to speak about, or have
a desire to explore all the many facets of Cirque du Soleil, we invite
you to join us! Fascination! is always looking for people who wish to
speak passionately about Cirque du Soleil. Wanna join us? Let me know!
We need your help! Use our email address below.
We hope you enjoy this issue of Fascination! If you have any questions
or comments please feel free to email them to us using the following
address: < CirqueFascination-owner@yahoogroups.com >.
- Ricky
===========
CONTENTS
===========
* Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings
* CRQ-TV -- Cirque on Television
* CRQ.NET -- Cirque du Soleil Online
* Itinéraire -- Tour/Show Information
* Didyaknow? -- Facts About Cirque
* Le Spectacle:
"Cirque du Soleil vs. Mark Brown"
By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA)
* Le Spectateur:
"It's a Tough Job, But Somebody's Gotta Do It"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
* Special Engagement:
"Cirque Passionates at IHQ"
Special Reprint from Cirque du Soleil
* Parting Quote
* Subscription Information
* Copyright & Disclaimer
=======================================================================
CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
=======================================================================
New Entertainment Complex Announced!
------------------------------------
On June 22, 2005, Cirque du Soleil and Loto-Quebec announced a
proposal to establish a world-class entertainment complex in
Montreal. This announcement confirms years-old rumors about
Cirque involving themselves in entertainment venues that would
offer a wide range of entertainment options branded with Cirque
du Soleil's flair.
The facts of this announcement are as follows:
- The location of this complex is proposed for the Peel
Basin in the du Havre sector of Montreal.
- The project would create approximately 6500 new jobs.
- The project is budgeted at approximately $1.2 Billion
CDN; $997 Million CDN coming from Loto-Quebec and $178
Million CDN from private partners.
- Loto-Quebec will manage the project while Cirque du
Soleil will provide design aesthetic and creative and
artistic direction.
- The complex would encompass a 300-room hotel, a 2500-
seat performance hall, a spa, an "Artists' Wharf", and
a park where Cirque can set up their Grand Chapiteau.
- The Casino de Montreal would be relocated to the site.
- Further development of the site could include an
exhibition center, and the development of a monorail
to interconnect the complex and a soccer stadium.
- Cirque du Soleil and Loto-Quebec are looking to
inaugurate the new complex in 2010/2011.
You can read the full press release on Cirque du Soleil's
Website: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/CirqueDuSoleil/en/
pressroom/prinfo/news/news100.htm >
And see the project website, with lots of illustrations and
planning documents, at < http://www.bassinpeel.com/
default_en.htm >
With every large project comes controversy, and such has not
escaped this new project. To us it looks on the surface like a
great match; the Montréal Casino has suffered as "high roller"
customers have taken their business to other, more exciting,
cities. Lotto-Quebec obviously feels they must modernize or
risk falling further behind. Yet they aren't insensitive to
concerns about gambling in general - noting that though this
huge project will have many facets, it will not include an
increase in space allocated to gambling.
But there are concerns. Placing this new project in the Peel
Basin/Point St-Charles area (which, on our map is marked as an
industrial area) has activists concerned that any move will mean
more crime and traffic in the area, in what some consider to be
a residential area. But Lotto-Quebec officials insist that the
area was selected because it is out of the way of most
residential areas of the city, yet close to the big hotels and
Old Montréal.
It will take years for this proposal to move its way through the
planning and approval process. In the meantime, check out the
website and pictures, they present exciting possibilities.
Save on La Nouba!
-----------------
The performances? Awe-inspiring. The music? Amazing. The
savings? Yours. As a Disney Passholder, you can enjoy the Walt
Disney World Resort-exclusive Cirque du Soleil show La Nouba at
25% off the regular price of Category 2 admission. This offer is
good for performances from May 1 through September 20, 2005
(there are no shows on Sundays and Mondays, nor 6/5-20, 8/14-17
and 8/28-30,2005). And you can bring up to three Guests along to
enjoy the savings as well! Tickets may be purchased up to 30-
days in advance, so call 407-939-7604 today! [Source: Mickey
Monitor, Disney Passholder Newsletter]
Cirque du 5K
------------
Cirque du Soleil hosts the fifth annual Run Away with Cirque du
Soleil 5K Run and 1 Mile Fun Walk at Paseo Verde Park in
Henderson on Labor Day (Sept. 5). All proceeds from the event
benefit the Center for Independent Living. Race-day registration
begins at 6 a.m. with the 1 Mile Fun Walk starting at 8 a.m.
followed by the 5K Run at 8:15 a.m. Pre-registration will be
from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. at Findlay Volkswagon in Henderson on
Sept. 4. You also may register on-line at active.com (search
word: Cirque). Pre-registration entry fees are $20 for the 5K
run and $15 for the 1 mile fun walk. There is a $2 early bird
discount if registering before Aug. 26. On the day of, both
events are $40. The Center for Independent Living is a
residential facility for at-risk youths ages 16 to 20.
According to a Cirque marketing message written about the event:
"It will be a day of entertainment, exercise and prizes! There
will be live music from Cirque du Soleil musicians, and you'll
have a chance to meet some of the performers from our Las Vegas
shows. The day will also include face painting for kids,
massages, food, refreshments and a whole lot more! Prizes will
be awarded to the winners in each category. Also, all
participants will be entered in a raffle where they can win
other great prizes including tickets to La Nouba, KÀ, Mystère,
"O" and ZUMANITY!" [Source: The Las Vegas Sun, Cirque du Soleil]
An Eye on Cirque
----------------
On August 7, 2005, Cirque du Soleil was once again featured on
the CBS News Evening Magazine, "60 Minutes". Some of the more
interesting pieces released in the transcript (which is
available on the CBS News/60 Minutes website) are:
- Today Cirque employs 3,000 employees worldwide.
- 700-750 of the employees are performers.
- There are 3 new shows currently planned.
- Ka's moving stage weighs 175 tons.
- 170 behind-the-scenes technicians are needed to support
Ka's cast of 80.
- Mystere was a sell-out 10-days after it opened.
- Cirque du Soleil keeps 50-percent of all ticket sales
for every show in Las Vegas.
- Guy Laliberte does not believe Cirque has reached a
saturation point in Vegas. He believes there is yet
more Cirque can do in that desert town.
Gilles Ste-Croix, Cirque du Soleil's Director of Creation, also
spoke briefly about what to expect for the Mirage 2006 Beatles
show: "We discovered in India, in Agastan, a little
contortionist. And the number is done while they are carrying a
little bowl with a little candle on their forehead. While
they're doing all their contortion," says St-Croix. "And it's so
meditative, I would say, to have this tiny little girl who does
that. And she climbs a rope while she's doing it. And it's just
whooo." Which Beatles song is the act supposed to illustrate?
"'Sun King'" and 'Here Comes the Sun'," says Ste-Croix.
The transcript of Leslie Stahl's feature is available online:
< http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/08/05/60minutes/
main760725.shtml >
Clowning Around Pays!
---------------------
The Wall Street Journal takes notice when unusual occupations
start turning into big bucks. And so it noticed - circus
clowning! An article entitled, "The Power Clown" appeared on
page D1 of the Friday, August 12 edition of the Journal.
Written by Kelly Crow, the article discussed the new breed of
"superstar clown," the reasons star clowns are becoming more
important parts of the circus structure, and some of the perks
they are receiving. Since only paid subscribers can access the
article, we can't simply post a link. But we can pull out some
interesting tidbits...
- The circus industry is estimated to be worth $1.8
Billion dollars. Ringling Brothers is said to control
80% of it. For most circuses, almost 20% of the overall
budget goes to insurance.
- Big Apple Circus' "Grandma" (Barry Lubin) gets 5% of the
pre-tax gross on sales of Grandma souvenirs. The
company also let him write its latest show, "Grandma
Goes to Hollywood." In addition, a substitute Grandma
fills in for Lubin during 80% of the spring and summer
shows. Taking the "syndication" approach favored by Bob
Bell's "Bozo," Mr. Lubin suggests, "...if it were up to
me, there'd be a thousand Grandmas all over the world."
- Bello Nock, one of the two star clowns in Ringling
Brothers, makes $600,000 per year, and has a staff
including a personal assistant and driver for his 78-
foot custom RV. He also negotiated for more creative
control of his routines and to appear in about 40
minutes of each 2-hour show.
- David Larible, the other Ringling star clown, has
copyrighted seven of his acts, and also gets royalties
from dolls of his likeness.
- The article also points out that Francois Dupuis, who
plays "Baby" in Cirque's "Mystere" gets royalties - on
top of his salary - from licensing his character to the
company.
The article points out the evolution circus has gone through
since the turn of the last century. Much of the reliance on
clown stars comes from economics; animals can be very expensive
to keep and maintain, and engender protest from activists. And,
by being able to focus their marketing efforts on one person,
they can compete with other live-action shows such as "Rugrats"
and "Barney" that rely on characters youngsters instantly
recognize.
They've also had to reduce the size and length of their shows.
Ringling has found that youngsters with shorter attention spans
prefer show lengths no more than two hours, and so has reduced
the number of acts they employ accordingly (another budget
saver!). [Source: Wall Street Journal, Keith Johnson]
Another Cirque Book on the Way? Not quite.
-------------------------------------------
With her impending "retirement" as COO of Cirque, Lyn Heward
will certainly have more time on her hands. But she's filling
up her time already, by branching out and - writing a book!
"The Spark: Igniting The Creative Fire That Lives Within Us
All", written by Lyn with John Bacon, is due to be published
next February by Currency. This sounds like a title just
perfect for a high-placed former executive in the Cirque
organization! The English-language book looks to retail for
about $20.00 and hopefully will have more than it's reported 128
pages. To keep track of it, the ISBN is 0385516517. [Source:
Amazon.com, Keith Johnson]
Who Knows, This Might Just be a Skill Cirque Needs!
---------------------------------------------------
The Saturday, July 9 Dilbert had a funny payoff. Dilbert's boss
is pictured in the doctor's office with his left arm crooked
behind his left shoulder. The doctor sites it as a case of
"Manager's Elbow." "It's caused by patting yourself on the back
and covering your butt at the same time," he explains.
His prognosis: "I recommend you join the Cirque Du Soleil. I'm
giving you a prescription for a leotard."
Actually, it might be a good career change. Sharp-minded
readers will recall an anecdote in our "audition" series, where
our host mentioned an artist who, while walking around the
rehearsal space with his arm crooked behind his back (much in
the same way as the boss), was noticed by Franco Dragone, and
recruited to do just that very thing during "O". Sometimes
that's all it takes!
See the original strip at: < http://news.yahoo.com/comics/
050709/cx_dilbert_umedia/20050907 >
Filling Up La Nouba
-------------------
Disney is always pro-active in its promotional activities, often
gobbling up dozens of website names way before it might ever
want to use them. Jim Hill, who writes interesting articles
about Disney over at jimhillmedia.com, has taken to occasionally
listing recent site acquisitions by the Disney Company. A few
that struck our eye:
-- Lanoubadvc.com
-- Lanoubapassholder.com
-- Lanoubaregistration.com
-- Lanoubavipcast.com
Looks like Disney might be gearing up to sell discounted (or
otherwise "special") La Nouba tickets to passholders or maybe
Disney Vacation Club members. But what really intrigues us is
the "lanoubavipcast" title. "Vip Cast" huh? Wonder what that
could mean.
Check out the Jim Hill article: < http://www.jimhillmedia.com/
mb/articles/showarticle.php?ID=1562 >
Jacques Méthé joins the Cirque
------------------------------
Éric Fournier, Senior Vice-President, New Ventures at Cirque du
Soleil, is pleased to announce the arrival of Jacques Méthé as
head of Cirque du Soleil Images. As General Manager, Mr. Méthé
will manage all television, film and DVD projects for Cirque du
Soleil.
For the past thirty years, Mr. Méthé has actively taken part in
the production of dozens of films and television series in
Canada and abroad. Among other things, he was General Manager of
Atlantique Productions in Paris, and President of Allégro Films
in Montreal. "Cirque du Soleil will benefit from his
international expertise and his strong management skills,"
stated Éric Fournier. "His background will certainly be a major
asset for the development of Cirque du Soleil Images. "
"It is an honor for me to make a contribution to such a
motivated team, dedicated to the production of original and
innovative products for film and television," commented Jacques
Méthé. "In addition to its regular activities, our division will
develop films and programming which will meet the high standards
of quality and originality of Cirque du Soleil. There are many
exciting challenges ahead." [Source: Cirque du Soleil]
Final CD Reissues on their Way
------------------------------
The final set of three "reissues" from Cirque du Soleil Musique
are scheduled to hit US record stores on September 6 (and make
their way to Canada on September 20). On that date you'll be
able to "complete your collection" with the CD's from La Nouba,
O, and Mystere (Live) - all sporting new graphics. Sadly, it
looks like the original studio version of Mystere has joined
"Cirque du Soleil" and "Nouvelle Experience" in soundtrack
heaven, to be seen again only on EBAY.
And have you heard about the "tribute" Cirque CD? Global Stage
Orchestra (which has previously put together a Beatles Tribute
CD), now has "Music You Heard at Cirque du Soleil Shows" coming
out stateside any day now. The three-CD set sports 29 remakes
of Cirque songs, with quite an eclectic collection. When we
snag a copy, we'll be sure to review it for you. If you want to
see more, check out Amazon.com and search for "Global Stage
Orchestra." [Source: Keith Johnson, amazon.com]
In The Ring
-----------
According to the Tampa Bay Business Journal, Cirque du Soleil
will hire between 150 and 180 local staff members to work box
office and other sales for Varekai in St. Petersburg, Florida
{starting December 1, 2005}. It will spend about $300,000 on
local advertising, $40,000 to $350,000 in site improvement costs
and $125,000 on equipment and office rental.
[tampabay.bizjournals.com]
According to the Associated Press and WPRI-TV, in September,
Cirque du Soleil will help kick off a campaign to re-open the
Adams Theater in Adams, Massachusetts. "The gala will include
former Ringling Brothers jugglers and trapeze artists from
Cirque du Soleil." [www.wpri.com]
=======================================================================
CRQ-TV -- CIRQUE ON TELEVISION!
=======================================================================
Discovery Channel Canada
< http://www.exn.ca/dailyplanet/ >
==================================
Daily Planet: Secrets of Cirque airs Tuesday, September 6th through
Friday, September 9 at 7:00pm Eastern/8:00pm Pacific.
Tues, Sept 6 - Daily Planet: Secrets of Cirque "KÀ"
---------------------------------------------------
KÀ tells the epic story of twins who set out on a perilous
journey to discover their shared destiny - but the danger is not
limited to the fictional story of the twins. Currently in
production at the MGM Grand hotel in Las Vegas, the producers of
KÀ have created a performance space out of a void - with no
traditional stage. Instead, inspired by the mechanics of an oil
rig, the show employs twin platforms - 116 m² and 84 m² - that
rise, rotate and tilt, forcing the performers to fight gravity
and physics to keep from falling into the void. How do they do
it? And how do the producers marry aesthetics with engineering
to serve the battle-filled quest of KÀ's storyline?
Wed, Sept 7 - Daily Planet: Secrets of Cirque "O"
-------------------------------------------------
In contrast with KÀ, Cirque du Soleil's resident production at
Las Vegas'Belagio hotel, O, is a mesmerizing and lyrical
interpretation of the elements - but every bit as challenging.
Centre stage is a 46 x 30-metre pool - synchronized swimmers,
high divers and aerialists are among the spectacular athletes
and artists in the spotlight. But equally impressive are the
mechanics of a "stage" where 5.7 million liters of water
disappears in seconds only to fill the pool again moments later.
In this episode, Daily Planet: Secrets of Cirque explores the
pool as a stage and the unique consideration for lighting,
sound, how the artists hear underwater and manage breathing - on
cue - and the safety and engineering challenges tackled in this
aquatic spectacular.
Thurs, Sept 8 - Daily Planet: Secrets of Ccirque "Performance Physics"
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The trapeze, the Russian swing and the trampoline are common to
circus acts everywhere - but Cirque du Soleil reinterprets these
circus staples, taking the engineering and acrobatic execution
to the extreme. Daily Planet: Secrets of Cirque meets with
Rigging Designer Jaque Paquin to learn how he made a seemingly
impossible modification to the Russian swing, making it half the
weight of the usual swing - and witness the resulting
spectacular aerial feats in Varekai. Then, on the rebound, Daily
Planet: Secrets of Cirque explores La Nouba's trampoline wall, a
vertical trampoline designed like a high-rise building that the
acrobats bounce in, out and around the walls, "windows" and
roof. Performers must master spatial relationships - knowing
where they are during each flip in relation to the trampoline,
the wall, the "windows" and other performers. This episode also
looks at the extreme athleticism of these international
performers; the masters of gymnastics, diving and other
disciplines that make each Cirque du Soleil =company so
distinctive.
Fri, Sept 9 - Daily Planet: Secrets of Cirque "Costumes"
--------------------------------------------------------
The world's most extreme stage show has the power to captivate
the imagination even before the first acrobatic stunt is
executed - the vivid and exotic costumes are showstoppers in and
of themselves. But beyond beauty, go inside the Cirque costume
shop and learn how the designers work with the performers and
producers to develop one-of-a-kind costumes that meet the safety
and aesthetic needs of each show. From a contortionist's
caterpillar costume that metamorphoses into a butterfly, to a
design that allows performers to "body skate" across the stage
and the special underwater needs for O, see how every costume
element is given life through extensive collaboration.
[ Broadcaster Magazine - http://www.broadcastermagazine.com/
article.asp?id=46267&issue=08092005 ]
=======================================================================
CRQ.NET -- CIRQUE DU SOLEIL ONLINE
=======================================================================
This Month in Cirque Club
(By: Keith Johnson)
-------------------------
So much can happen when you take a break! Since our last installment,
Cirque web sites have been very busy.
In Cirque Club, reports from Saltimbanco's "Eddy" and Dralion tour
member Jeroen discuss returns to their home towns (Paris and
Rotterdam, respectively). Setting up a Cirque tent site after a
hurricane hits is well documented by Rob Mackenzie, Tour Manager for
Saltimbanco, as their setup in Monterrey, Mexico had to be moved!
There is also a report about load-in of Varekai in New Jersey, and a
short piece on a Saltimbanco "hockey game" in Paris. And there's a
nice rundown of the facts and figures behind the Corteo Tour, and an
interesting article about how show names are chosen.
But the best article to come out of Cirque Club in some time is a long
one about picking audience victims out of Cirque audiences. It's
longer than most other articles, and gives a good rundown of its
topic, concentrating on the clown acts in Quidam. Nice job - we would
have loved to have that one for ourselves!
In the Press Room, Cirque announces the Loto-Québec Complex proposal
(commented on in this issue), trumpets how more people saw Corteo
during its Montréal run than any previous touring show, and talks
about the arrival of Jacques Méthé as new head of Cirque du Soleil
Images.
Cirque also has good coverage of "Reflections in Blue," their special
Opening Ceremonies show for the XI Fina World Aquatics Championships.
They covered it well on their general site, only being a little late
to the gate with a listing of worldwide Official Broadcasters who
might have carried the ceremonies. Afterword, Cirque Club has some
nice coverage with two galleries, a summary of the show and interviews
with cast and crew members.
Having not been too deeply into the CDS site lately, I was happy to
find more Wallpapers in the "Goodies" section, for Solstrom, O, and
Mystere. There are two new virtual cards for O and Mystere as well.
And the sections of the site talking about O and Mystere have also
been enhanced.
And the Boutique has a bunch of new items as their Fall line debuts.
Much new and darker colored clothing can now be found on the site.
They've added a very cute series of figurines from the shows to their
offerings, as well as what looks like the beginning of a new set of
refrigerator magnets. And they have a couple of interesting (if
expensive) items, a "swingpack" bag ($90.00) and "courier" bag
($190.00) made from authentic Cirque tent canvas. Way to recycle!
Looking at other Cirque-related sites produced some surprises as well.
"Madame" is back at Zumanity.com with some Q&A with the ladies who
were involved in the August Playboy pictorial. And KA.com has several
new installments of the "From The Abyss" series from Carpenter Wayne
C. Robinson.
In Cirque Marketing Messages, Anne-Josée "wrote" quite a bit, taking
credit for almost all of the entries we excerpt below:
The Pre-Sale of tickets for Saltimbanco's premiere in Monterrey,
Mexico included an interesting caveat. In order to purchase advance
tickets, you could only use a Visa card! Visa is a prime sponsor of
the Saltimbanco tour in Mexico, but even then the restriction was
interesting. But it came with a nice payoff, as tickets were
discounted 10%!
Varekai arriving in Columbus (a surprising two-parter) -- "Before the
bright colors of our Grand Chapiteau can grace the skyline of
Columbus, there is a lot of work to be done! Despite the fact that
performances are still in full swing in East Rutherford, a number of
Varekai crew members have gone ahead to the corner of Neil Ave. and
Nationwide Blvd. Why, you ask? Before our trailers roll into town,
technicians will spend the next few days in Columbus making sure that
the area designated for our enormous tent is good to go! Any debris
or broken asphalt will have to be cleared away, markers set up to
indicate exactly where our masts will be erected, and hook-ups with
local water and telecommunications systems secured. Only once these
details have been finalized will we be able to roll in and set up our
temporary home in your city."
"You may have already spotted them: our tractor-trailers have rolled
into town, and set-up for next Thursday's premiere of Varekai in
Columbus is already well under way. In my message last week, I
promised to share some amazing details about our Grand Chapiteau.
Here are just a few! Did you know that the entire infrastructure, or
as we prefer to call it, our "village on wheels," occupies an area of
170,000 square feet (16,000 square meters)? The central tent or
"Grand Chapiteau" is manufactured in France, measures 184 feet (56
meters) in diameter, and is supported by four steel masts 89 feet (27
metres) in height. The stage, built of steel, aluminum, and wood,
takes 48 hours to set up. Finally, we are completely self-sufficient
in electrical power: the site needs only a local water supply and
telecommunication facilities to be operational."
Dralion in Oostende -- "Just recently I was lucky enough to chat with
Simon Howett, our Hospitality Supervisor currently on tour with
Dralion in Oostende. "When you travel a lot like we do and every few
months brings another town," says Simon, "it's nice to go somewhere
where it's not all new. Oostende is definitely familiar territory for
me and really brings back a lot of memories. "I was born in Belgium
but grew up in England. I was 6 years old when I first went to
Oostende with my parents and grandparents. Since my first visit, I've
driven through the city many times to get to the ferry to England. I
have also worked in Oostende; during my teenage years, I worked on the
busy terraces, and later in several casino shows as a dancer. My last
visit was two years ago when I came with Cirque du Soleil's
Saltimbanco show. "I'm looking forward to eating "garnaalkroketten"
(shrimp croquettes) with a cool beer on a terrace, going to the beach,
taking walks on the dike, enjoying the many festivals going on during
our stay and having fun with my friends who live there."
Quidam leaving Australia -- "August just last year marked our arrival
down under with Quidam! Since then, we've had the good fortune to
discover what it's like to live on the opposite side of the world. It
all began in Sydney, our first stop, and one we're not likely to
forget soon. While in town, we were honoured to perform at the TV
Week Logie Awards. We were also lucky enough to visit several of
Sydney's hot spots, including our favourites the Harbour, the rocks,
Centrepoint Tower and Chinatown. From Sydney, we wove our magic (and
more than 48 tractor trailers hauling our set-up) all the way to
Brisbane. And despite the pesky, poisonous cane toads that seemed to
adore the atmosphere beneath the Grand Chapiteau, we had a wonderful
stay! Then, in March, at Federation Square in Melbourne, a team of
local graffiti and stencil artists created two colourful murals
featuring characters and acts from Quidam. In fact, we've just
learned that these two creations will be displayed at Cirque's
International Headquarters in Montreal. After Melbourne, it was off to
Adelaide! One of the highlights of this stop was the gobsmacked look
on Channel 10 sports presenter Mark Alston's face when our clown, Voki
Kalfayan, planted a big, sloppy kiss right on his lips! Then, at last,
Perth, a fantastic and cheery city, but our last stop in Australia
before cast and crew head to Singapore. All of you welcomed us with
open arms and bright smiles, and we cannot thank you enough! We hope
to be back in Australia more sooner than later..."
Saltimbanco in Mexico -- "I can hardly wait to bite into a spicy
burrito! Allow me to explain: the everyday dishes we've become
accustomed to while on tour with Saltimbanco in Europe are getting
repetitive. Thankfully, with our arrival in Mexico, menus will soon
reflect local, spicy cuisine! In fact, our chefs are already hard at
work scoping out local markets for fresh and zesty ideas to complete
their Mexican-inspired menus. Have you ever wondered what and where we
eat? Without a doubt, one of the most amazing amenities on tour is
the kitchen, the heart and soul of our mini-village! In a facility
made up of six trailers, a dining area and two outdoor terraces, the
Saltimbanco kitchen crew (12 members in all) prepares approximately
400 meals a day, six days a week. While in Mexico, several of these
meals will certainly include tacos, nachos, tortillas, beans, salsa,
chili and jalapeño! And to wash down these spicy new flavors,
thousands of litres of fruit juice (we drink an average of 31,200
litres a year) will provide welcome relief for our overexposed taste
buds."
Alegria in Japan (planning to leave for England) -- "Just last week I
was lucky enough to chat with Montse, a crew member with Alegría,
which is currently visiting Nagoya, Japan. She explained that with
only nine months to go before Alegría's premiere in London, the team
has been planning and preparing for the huge changeover from Japan to
the United Kingdom for several months already. She went on to say that
our transfer team at the Cirque du Soleil International Headquarters
in Montreal and our own tour crew are both used to transporting the
Grand Chapiteau and its surrounding facilities from city to city, but
we have to admit the transport from Asia to Europe is a bit of a
challenge! Just imagine the preparations needed to move 145 cast and
crew members and 12 huge sea containers carrying 800 tons of show
equipment overseas for thousands of miles in an operation that will
take over a week. Also, imagine the culture shock we'll be facing:
changing from sushi and noodles to shepherds' pie and scones, from the
Japanese yen to the Great Britain pound, and from riding the Japanese
bullet train to "mind the gap!" Montse continues: "To perform, work,
live in and discover a country like Japan has been an amazing
experience for me. Japan has surprised me with its colorful costumes,
amazing culture, beautiful shrines, typhoons and even earthquakes!
However, I'm very much looking forward to the premiere at the Royal
Albert Hall in London on January 5, 2006. I hope to meet you at
Alegría!"
And there is a special offer available for La Nouba -- "Have you ever
sat back in your seat during a Cirque du Soleil show and wondered:
"How on earth did they do that?" Well here is your invitation to ask
the unbelievable performers from La Nouba in person! This summer we
will be holding special Question and Answer sessions with some of the
gymnasts, bicyclists, trapeze artists and other great performers that
bring La Nouba to life. All Cirque Club members who have purchased
tickets to see La Nouba between June 21 and September 30 can register
to attend one of the three sessions to take place in the Cirque du
Soleil Theater at Downtown Disney West Side on select Saturdays
between July 23 and September 17. Places are limited, so register
soon!"
And finally, Madame wrote again, about the Playboy spread. Her
writing is just so delicious! -- "Here is my personal little summer
forecast for you: July is going to be HOT! And I'm not just talking
about the weather... A few short months ago, on a steamy afternoon in
the ZUMANITY theatre, eight gorgeous seductresses from the show
encountered the intimate lens of Playboy. The human zoo was exposed
like never before as one by one these fabulous creatures donned a
seductive glance... and not much else. What a beautiful afternoon that
was! If you so desire, I invite you to read all about that sexy day,
including a brief Q&A with the ladies, in a little something I call
Exposé! And keep an eye out for the August issue of Playboy that came
out just recently: it promises to bare all the secrets of that
unforgettable afternoon! Oh, one more little thing. You are cordially
invited to come down to Vegas on July 15 and 16 to join our beautiful
sirens, who will be signing copies of their Playboy pictorial... Get
all the delicious details below! P.S. I'm glad you decided to come
this far. Now go a little further... The girls will be at the
ZUMANITY boutique on July 15 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., and on July 16
they'll be at The Playboy Concept Boutique (at The Forum Shops at
Caesars) from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Hope you can make it! P.P.S. Good
things come in threes... forward this message to someone special!"
Above text courtesy of Cirque Club.
La Presse
---------
1. ["Cirque's Siren Call to Athleets" - USA Today]
< http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/usatoday/
20050707/sp_usatoday/cirquessirencalltoathletes >
2. [Cirque in Singapore - Manilla Bulletin Online]
< http://www.mb.com.ph/I2005070938942.html >
3. ["Baalbeck Opens with a Sizzle" (Deborah Brown) - Ya Libnan]
< http://www.mb.com.ph/I2005070938942.html >
4. [Cirque to help Raise Money in Singapore- Channel News Asia]
< http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/
view/157432/1/.html >
5. [On Cirque and Varekai in New Jersey - NJ.COM]
< http://www.nj.com/entertainment/ledger/index.ssf?/base/
entertainment-0/1119596358164070.xml&coll=1 >
6. [Dream Weaver: Dragone talks Le Reve - Las Vegas Sun]
< http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/sun/2005/jun/17/
518922344.html?dragone >
7. [The Costume Crew: Show Business Wearables - Review-Journal]
< http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Jun-16-Thu-2005/
fashion/2073555.html >
=======================================================================
ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION
=======================================================================
[Touring Shows]
Alegría:
* Osaka, Japan:
Jun 26, 2005 to Sep 25, 2005
* Tokyo, Japan:
Oct 13, 2005 to Nov 13, 2005
* London, England:
Jan 5, 2006 to Jan 29, 2006
* Milan, Italy -- TBA
* Rome, Italy -- TBA
Corteo:
* Toronto, Ontraio, Canada:
Aug 4, 2005 to Sep 11, 2005
* Minneapolis, Minnesota:
Sep 23, 2005 to Oct 23, 2005
* San Francisco, California:
Nov 11, 2005 to Jan 8, 2006
* San Jose, California::
Jan 19, 2006 to Mar 5, 2006
Dralion:
* Oostende, Belgium:
Jul 21, 2005 to Aug 28, 2005
* Zurich, Switzerland:
Sep 8, 2005 to Oct 16, 2005
* Bilbao, Spain:
Nov 18, 2005 to Dec 4, 2005
* Seville, Spain:
Jan 12, 2006 to Jan 29, 2006
* Valencia, Spain -- TBA
Quidam:
* Singapore:
Sep 8, 2005 to Oct 2, 2005
* Hong Kong:
Nov 3, 2005 to Nov 20, 2005
Saltimbanco:
* Monterrey, Mexico:
Aug 4, 2005 to Sep 11, 2005
* Mexico City, Mexico:
Sep 22, 2005 to Oct 16, 2005
* Guadalajara, Mexico:
Nov 24, 2005 to Dec 11, 2005
Varekai:
* Columbus, Ohio:
Aug 11, 2005 to Sep 11, 2005
* Hartford, Connecticut:
Sep 22, 2005 to Oct 9, 2005
* Charlotte, North Carolina:
Oct 28, 2005 to Nov 20, 2005
* St. Petersburg, Florida:
Dec 1, 2005 to Dec 18, 2005
* Miami, Florida -- TBA
[Resident Shows]
La Nouba:
* Two shows Nightly - 6:00pm and 9:00pm
* Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark Sunday/Monday
* Location: Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando (USA)
* 2005 Dark Dates:
-- August 14th - 17th -- November 13th - 15th
-- August 29th - 30th -- December 4th - 13th
-- October 9th - 12th
Mystère:
* Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm
Beginning June 13th: Except Sundays; 4:30pm and 7:30pm
* Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark Monday/Tuesday
* Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA)
* 2005 Dark Dates:
-- September 12th - 20th
-- November 13th - 15th
"O":
* Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm
* Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark Monday/Tuesday
* Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA)
* 2005 Dark Dates:
-- August 22nd - 30th -- December 5th - 20th
-- October 16th - 18th
Zumanity:
* Two Shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm
* Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday
* Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA)
* 2005 Dark Dates:
-- August 15th - 18th -- December 7th - 22nd
-- October 10th - 13th
KÀ:
* Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 10:30pm
* Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark Wednesday/Thursday
* Location: MGM Grand: City of Entertainment, Las Vegas (USA)
* Note: One show nightly at 8:00pm from Nov 26 to Dec 7.
* 2005 Dark Dates:
-- August 1st - 2nd -- November 14th - 15th
-- September 9th - 13th
=======================================================================
DIDYAKNOW? -- FACTS ABOUT CIRQUE
=======================================================================
IN THEIR OWN WORDS - Questions and answers from people we've had the
honor of meeting and talking with in the last three years. While we
can't reveal identities, since several of them still work for Cirque,
we think some of the things they have to say would be interesting to
fans and aspiring artists and musicians.
We wondered if the Guy Laliberte you see in "Fire Within" - making
quick decisions and dashing weeks of work with a word - is the true
man. A kind source had another take, "It's his talent, and you have
to give him his due for that. It's not done in a malicious way; it's
done with a specific purpose. He knows what's going to work and
what's not going to work. Even if he wasn't the owner any company
would hire him to do that, because he's really good at it. But it's a
very difficult role because sometimes somebody has to say that things
have to change, somebody has to say no and disappoint someone. It's
not easy to do but he has to do it. But he doesn't do it in a
capricious way."
=======================================================================
LE SPECTACLE:
"Cirque du Soleil vs. Mark Brown"
By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA)
=======================================================================
It's unfortunate that we must cover yet another lawsuit against Cirque
du Soleil. Yet this lawsuit was quite different from those we've
reported on in the past. It wasn't about trademark rights to the word
"Cirque" or even about Discrimination, as in the 2003 case involving
Matthew Cusick. This time Cirque du Soleil was dealing with a more
fundamental problem: an injury - a catastrophic injury that had mostly
incapacitated its victim. Who was he? What happened? Who was to blame?
"Fascination!" reserves the right to hold its judgment; instead, we
will present the facts of the case as detailed and let you decide who
is at fault.
What are the facts in the case? Let's start by answering the questions
posed by the six most important interrogative words in the English
language:
Who -- Mark Brown, an electrician at the Bellagio.
What -- A 14-foot, 1,000-pound, prop that looks similar to an
alligator's head suspended approximately 50-feet in the air fell upon
the electrician, injuring him.
Where -- Backstage at the "O" theater at the Bellagio; the show was
not performing at the time.
When -- The incident took place on Wednesday, January 30, 2002.
Why -- The lawsuit was filed because Mr. Brown has sustained severe
injuries, including, but not limited to complete paralysis of the
lower torso and the loss of 25% of his skull.
How -- No one is sure how the incident occurred. The original suit was
filed in April of 2002.
What was Cirque Saying?
- Attorney: D. Lee Roberts
- Cirque placed the blame on the Bellagio (but the Bellagio was
not named in the lawsuit).
- Cirque placed the blame on Brown, citing negligence on his
part.
- They maintain the prop was hung (by Bellagio) from the ceiling
using the wrong type cable.
- This cable had a tendency to spin, causing the rigging to
unscrew.
- The Bellagio never inspected the rigging in over 194 weeks of
use.
- They did provide technical schematics showing how rigging was
done.
What was Brown saying?
- Attorney: James Crockett
- They said Cirque spent months designing the prop in Montreal
but the rigging design took about a week.
- Guy Plante, the project manager, was a recent college
engineering graduate who had never before worked on a show of
this complexity.
- There was never a final inspection of the prop in Montreal.
- Cirque never told the Bellagio how to inspect the prop (which
was to be done once a week).
- Only a screw "about the size of a baby's tooth" held the prop.
The amount of money Brown was originally asking for was not originally
disclosed. However, according to Brown's lawyer as reported in the
Las Vegas Sun, Brown needed approximately $10 million for medical
bills and lost wages since the incident. At the time, both sources
stated the proceedings were scheduled to last about three to four
weeks.
Later, in a most surprising turn of events, Cirque du Soleil settled
with Brown for an undisclosed sum just as the verdict was about to be
delivered! The jurors had reached a verdict and a settlement amount,
and were called back into court only to hear from the judge that a
settlement had been reached in the case and their services (and
verdict) were no longer needed.
Interviews with jurors later reported that, should the verdict have
been handed down, jurors were looking to award almost $40 million to
Brown. Cirque du Soleil has not admitted any wrong doing in the
settlement, though some of the jurors were upset that all their time
spent listening to the evidence and reaching a verdict was all for
naught.
Sources:
The Las Vegas Sun:
< http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/sun/
2005/jun/30/518984276.htm >
< http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/sun/
2005/aug/01/519138732.htm >
The Las-Vegas Review Journal:
< http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Jul-02-Sat- 2005/news/26818827.html >
=======================================================================
LE SPECTATEUR:
"It's a Tough Job, But Somebody's Gotta Do It"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
=======================================================================
The blurb on the plastic bag (that keeps prying hands from thumbing
through the pages) proudly proclaims, "Stars of the hottest show in
Vegas bare all!"
The August, 2005 Playboy Magazine hit the stands recently, with a
pictorial featuring some of the female (and male) stars of Zumanity
within. While I myself am no expert on the subject of men's
magazines, the duty fell to me. And with all the arguments of whether
Playboy objectifies women acknowledged, we shall plunge ahead.
Playboy has been known as a magazine that glorifies the image of a
nude woman, while not overly stressing her sexuality in its
pictorials. So the pictures of the women featured there have tended
to be on the "soft-core" side, and such is also the case with the
Zumanity feature. Add to that the idea that this is more of a
"celebrity" pictorial (the "celebrity" in this case being Cirque du
Soleil) and you get a variety of beautiful pictures of beautiful nude
women, while not stressing the erotic factor these pictures might have
the capacity of containing.
The women here are showing their beauty, and their bodies, but very
few pictures bare the artists soul. In Madame's Zumanity.com artist
Q&A several ladies spoke of their discomfort - not of appearing nude,
but from having to hold their poses for long periods of time. These
pictures (taken by Stephen Wayda) are stylish and sensual, but not
sexual. While comfortable in their bodies, it would have to be noted
that those bodies, as demanded by the physicality of the artists life,
are fit and trim. There is beauty in that, to be sure, but not a
great deal of voluptuousness. (Not to worry, cover girl Doira Baird
fills that quotient quite nicely.)
The accompanying article, written by Scott Dickensheets, is short and
pedestrian, with no new information. But it does contain a great
quote from Joey Arias, who says, "If people leave with an attitude,
great or crappy, we did our job."
It opens on Page 72 with a two-page spread of Tissu artist Olga
Vershinina with Alan Jones Silva. The striking lighting adds a
purplish tint to her body. Then Dancer Agnes Roux holds a bouquet of
Roses in front of Alex Castro's privates. Elena Gatilova poses in
front of the TV she uses for her "TV Dance" with several castmembers
(Alex, Ugo Mazim and Anton Drija) surrounding her. Below that, ex-
Zumanite Laurence Jardin leans back onstage, wearing a lace mask and
killer stiletto heels.
Jonel Earl, in one of my favorite pictures, looks powerful with her
ruby-red hair and corset, surrounded by the admiring Anton, Jeronimo,
Antonio, Stephane and Alex. On the following page, Dancer Wassa
Coulibaly poses with nicely placed body jewelry. Next to her, in my
favorite of the feature, Hoops Artists Julia Kolosova twirls her
hoops. The picture manages to convey both her sensuality and athletic
ability at the same time, something I wish more of these pictures were
able to capture.
The Water Bowl act is represented by a picture of contortionists
Gyulana Karaeva and Bolormaa Zorigtkhuyag, emphasizing Gula's backside
with some nice water trails. And finally, in what might be considered
the most "erotic" picture of the bunch, Vanessa Convery allows Ugo
Mazim to pour milk over her naked backside.
And that's it! About what I was expecting when I first heard about
the photo shoot. Zumanity can't be hurt by their appearance in the
magazine, it is, after all, a show about sexuality. It would have
been interesting to have the more extreme examples of Zumanity's
talent represented (Joey Arias? the Botero Sisters?) but that might
have been outside the bounds of Playboy's mandate. Even Playboy has
it's foibles.
Thanks to Rod Mariano for help with the castmembers names.
For more on the Playboy layout, read some tantalizing reviews by Las
Vegas' premiere publications: the Review-Journal and Las Vegas Sun:
< http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Jul-15-Fri-2005/weekly/2470028.html >
< http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/sun/2005/jul/15/
519054919.html?cirque%20du%20soleil >
=======================================================================
SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT:
"Cirque Passionates at IHQ"
Special Reprint from Cirque du Soleil =======================================================================
(Note: After our weekend for CirqueCon 2005: Montreal, Cirque
published a short series of articles on the weekend over their company
Intranet. They were able to supply us with parts two and three of
their coverage, but they couldn't locate part one to send us. We'll
have more coverage of CirqueCon in the coming months.)
The Internet Marketing team came up with an agenda for the day,
including a tour of the Studio's lobby and cafeteria. In addition to
discovering the International Headquarters, the super-fans were
treated to a presentation by Michel Leblanc, Rigging Team Leader and a
Cirquester since our beginnings, and Bernard Petiot, Vice-President of
Artistic Products, who explained the process by which an athlete is
transformed into a performance artist. Bernard was pleasantly
surprised by the meeting, and says that he learned a lot from their
impressions and comments. A happy meeting indeed!
True fandom is often made clear in the souvenir department, and this
bunch certainly stepped up to the plate. In one hour, the
Merchandising boutique, specially opened for the occasion, sold almost
CAN $8,000 worth of merchandise!
A buffet was provided by our partner Celebrity Cruises, and the fans
were introduced to the concept of the Bar at the Edge of the Earth.
Keith Johnson (left on the photo) is the main organizer for the Cirque
Passionates. The first Cirque show he saw was Mystère, in 1997.
"Before then, I'd seen shows on TV, on Bravo, but never on stage," he
explained. The first meeting of the Passionates took place when Quidam
visited Vancouver in May and June 2004. Keith recounts: "A guy from
the Yahoo Groups website talked about organizing a group to go see the
show in Vancouver. I was organizing the same thing at the same time
with friends, and had already made bed-and-breakfast reservations in
Vancouver.
"So I went to the Yahoo group in question to say that if they moved
their reservation to another weekend, I could reserve an adjacent bed-
and-breakfast and we could go together. They agreed, and we joined
forces. And that's how the Cirque fans met!
"André Bélanger then got in touch with one of us-the Yahoo group
organizer-to say he could give us a hand. During our e-mail
conversation, he offered us a tour of the site. André took charge of
the concept of bringing together a fan group, and we had an excellent
time.
"For the second meeting, I thought Las Vegas would naturally be the
destination. But André suggested we come to Montreal to see the new
show. We thought about it, we worked with André, and here we are!"
Did you say "Cirque Passionates"?
---------------------------------
An Australian couple stay in Montreal is the beginning of a ten-week
journey that will take them all over the world to see almost every one
of Cirque's shows!
They started in Perth, and headed to Montreal to see Corteo. Next,
they're heading to Toronto and Niagara Falls, and then to Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania (to see Varekai). Then they go to New York, and will fly
from there to Orlando for La Nouba. They'll hit Las Vegas and see
Cirque's four shows there, and then hop over to Europe and visit Paris
(where they'll see Saltimbanco) and London, followed by a final stop
in Tokyo, where Alegría is visiting for the second time. Then they'll
head home to Perth and finish things off in style with Quidam.
Now that's a trip!
---
Kristi lives in Arizona. After seeing "O" a few years ago, she saw
Varekai in December 2003, where the Atherton twins' act had a profound
effect on her. Starting right then, she started to look for a way to
work at Cirque, without having any knowledge of acrobatics. She
checked the job openings on Cirque's website and saw a posting for a
physiotherapist. From that moment on, she wanted to be a therapist.
She sent a letter to the Atherton twins to thank them for having
inspired her towards a professional goal. Since then, she's been
exchanging e-mails with them every once in a while, and feels lucky to
have become their friend.
---
Manuel came from Mexico just for this meeting. Once he entered the
Studio, he asked to meet Kim Patenaude, from Cirque Club's customer
service team, with whom he had exchanged a few e-mails. He was very
happy to meet his correspondent, and gave her a candy he had brought
specially from home for her.
After seeing Corteo, Manuel was blown away. "I've seen all the DVDs of
the shows and live I've seen Varekai, Mystère, "O", Zumanity and now
Corteo. My best Cirque experience had been Varekai but Corteo totally
surpassed it. It is my top Cirque experience now. Everything was just
amazing and the music was so great that I was sad that the CD wasn't
available yet. I'll have to wait for it!"
=======================================================================
PARTING QUOTE
=======================================================================
"It does us good to imagine our funeral. For a moment, we feel
needed, and that inspires us to keep moving along, to continue
the journey--which, in the end, is nothing more than a long trip
home."
- Daniele Finzi Pasca
Creator and Director for Corteo
=======================================================================
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
=======================================================================
Fascination! is a monthly newsletter, available through subscription
via Yahoo! Groups or on the World Wide Web in text format at the
newsletter's website: < http://www.CirqueFascination.com/ >. To
subscribe, please send an email to: < CirqueFascination-
subscribe@yahoogroups.com >. To unsubscribe, please send an email to:
< CirqueFascination-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com >. To view back
issues, or other online Newsletter content, please visit us at:
< http://www.CirqueFascination.com/ >.
Have a comment, question or concern? Email the Fascination!
Newsletter staff at: < CirqueFasincation-owner@yahoogroups.com >.
We are anxious to hear any and all comments!
=======================================================================
COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
=======================================================================
"Fascination!" is Ricky Russo, Keith Johnson, and Wayne Leung.
"Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (c)
2001-2005 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.
=======================================================================
