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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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E X P A N D E D I S S U E
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Issue #43e www.CirqueFascination.com April 2005
=======================================================================
We're off and running again!
And we are running... and running... and running... and running! In a
matter of hours now Fascination! will descend upon Montreal for the
premiere of Corteo, Cirque du Soleil's newest touring production, as
part of the festivities surrounding CirqueCon 2005 Montreal. There's
not much to tell about the show at this stage (a press-release by
Cirque du Soleil is featured in our news section this month); however,
next month we'll blow the canvas off the big top with reviews,
analysis and reflections about the show's premiere, about CirqueCon
and about Corteo -- so stay tuned!
Want to know more about CirqueCon? Visit the official web page for the
convention at < www.CirqueCon.com >.
Speaking of official websites, last month we introduced a new home for
Fascination! on the web, at a temporary address. This month we'd like
to welcome everyone to join us at our new permanent home:
< www.CirqueFascination.com >. Through this website you'll have access
to all our back issues, certain historical columns, the issue/photo
archive and much, much more. So come take a look at our new permanent
home and let us know what you think!
Inside our pages this month we conclude the three-part review of KÀ,
Cirque du Soleil's newest permanent production at the MGM-Grand in Las
Vegas, Nevada. Wayne attended a "preview performance" and shares his
insights on all aspects of this "finished" production. If you've yet
to see KÀ and aren't bothered by spoilers you'll want to read Wayne's
Review, as he concludes with his own personal reflections. We also
continue our series about auditioning for Cirque du Soleil. Keith and
his wife LouAnna received the opportunity to observe the audition
process and share their experience. Fascination! proudly presents the
third part of this four-part series.
Also, check the TV Listings this month for an updated schedule to
Bravo's Cirque-a-Thon. They snuck in "Lovesick", the Zumanity behind-
the-scenes documentary, at the beginning of the month; however, Bravo
USA will re-run the documentary during the Cirque-a-Thon week so mark
your calendars! You can find more information regarding this
documentary by visiting its website:
< http://www.lovesickthemovie.com/ >.
We hope you enjoy this issue of Fascination!
/// EXPANDED ISSUE: There's just one small item we expanded upon for
this issue, a brief mention of Cirque in Tokyo for the news section
this month. You'll find it in CIRQUE BUZZ! ///
- 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:
"New Kid on the Block: KÀ, Cirque du Soleil's Fourth
Resident Show in Las Vegas (Part 3 of 3)"
By: Wayne Leung - Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)
* Special Engagement:
"CirqueCon Montreal 2005 Update"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
* Behind the Curtain:
"Who Has What It Takes? (Part 3 of 4)"
By: Keith Johnson & LouAnna Valentine - Seattle, Wash (USA)
* Parting Quote
* Subscription Information
* Copyright & Disclaimer
=======================================================================
CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
=======================================================================
Cirque 2005 is CORTEO
---------------------
MONTREAL, April 5 /CNW Telbec/ - Corteo(TM), Cirque du Soleil's
latest touring show, will premiere in Montreal's Old Port on
April 21. This 17th production from Cirque du Soleil will be
joining ten other productions currently in performance around
the world.
Corteo, which means "cortege" in Italian, combines the craft of
the actor with the prowess of the acrobat to plunge the audience
into a world of playfulness and spontaneity situated in a
mysterious area between Heaven and Earth. Corteo is a grand
procession, a festive parade imagined by a clown. Juxtaposing
the large with the small, the ridiculous with the tragic and the
magic of perfection with the charm of imperfection, the show
highlights the strength and fragility of the clown, as well as
his wisdom and kindness, to illustrate the portion of humanity
that is within each of us. The clown is Everyman, a cunning
idiot, a colourful loser who shines a light on all that is
difficult and beautiful in life.
Corteo evokes the full spectrum of emotion and experience: love,
friendship, pain, joy, wisdom, beauty, life and even death.
Corteo, a timeless revel in which illusion teases reality.
The cast of Corteo brings together over 50 artists from 14
different countries: Armenia, Belarus, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada,
France, Italy, Kenya, Romania, Russia, Spain, Ukraine, the
United Kingdom and the United States.
Corteo explores the circus arts in a way that is brand new to
Cirque du Soleil. Once again, the very limits of acrobatics are
challenged as Daniele Finzi Pasca lends his unique touch to
Cirque du Soleil's spectacular performances. Corteo redefines
the springboard, the Korean frame and the tightwire, and
presents acts that are as original as they are innovative. The
desire to surprise and move audiences is a big part of the
inspiration behind Corteo.
Daniele Finzi Pasca is the director of this new production,
which calls on the talents of 14 different creators, nearly half
of whom are working with Cirque du Soleil for the first time.
Members of the creative team are:
Guy Laliberté Guide
Daniele Finzi Pasca Creator and Director
Line Tremblay Director of Creation
Jean Rabasse Set Designer and Decorator
Dominique Lemieux Costume Designer
Philippe Leduc Composer and Musical Director
Maria Bonzanigo Composer and Musical Director
Martin Labrecque Lighting Designer
Jonathan Deans Lighting Designer
Hugo Gargiulo - Teatro Sunil Acting Designer
Antonio Vergamini - Teatro Sunil Acting Designer
Dolores Heredia - Teatro Sunil Dramaturgical Analyst
Danny Zen Acrobatic Rigging Designer
Nathalie Gagné Make-up Designer
After its Montreal run, Corteo's North American tour will take
it to Quebec City and Toronto before the show goes on to the
United States.
Fascination! will attend some of the very first public runs of
Corteo! We'll have full coverage of Cirque's newest touring
production and on CirqueCon 2005 in our next issue. What may we
see? According to Umbridge.com, a Cirque du Soleil fan-site,
Corteo has a myriad of acts: Chandelier Cradle, Korean Plank,
Tightrope, Juggling, Combination High Bar/Korean Plank/Fast
Track, Wrestling and perhaps a contortion number. We, of course,
will have full details after the premiere. Stay tuned!
Cirque to open Permanent Theater in Japan!
------------------------------------------
It's official! Cirque du Soleil has come to an agreement with
the Oriental Land Co, Ltd. and the Walt Disney Company to open a
permanent theater at the Tokyo Disneyland Resort. "This will be
Cirque du Soleil's first permanent theater and show in Japan and
its first permanent venture outside North America," mentions a
Cirque du Soleil press release. Currently all permanent ventures
reside in the United States (Mystère, "O", Zumanity and KÀ in
Las Vegas, Nevada and La Nouba in Orlando, Florida), but there
have been rumors of possible installations in London, England;
Paris, France; Berlin, Germany and, of course, Tokyo, Japan
throughout the years. Cirque will develop an original exclusive
show, which is set to premiere August 2008. This as yet named
project is to cost approximately $140-million US ($115-million
provided by Japan's Oriental Land Co.) and include a theater for
2,000 spectators. [Source: Cirque du Soleil; Oriental Land Co;
Yahoo! News]
Delirium Now Available
----------------------
The new Solarium/Delirium Combination Album is now available in
the Cirque du Soleil Online Boutique for $35.00 US!
"Solarium is a cool, ambient chill-out album that includes
remixes by Ibizarre, A Man Called Adam, Cottonbelly, Christophe
Goze and Thievery Corporation, to name but a few. Delirium
captures the hot, sparkling energy of a festive dance party and
features innovative remixes by several key DJs and producers
such as Louie Vega (featuring Jaffa), Julien Jabre, Roger
Sanchez, Sasha, François K and Eric Kupper... and many more!"
Delirium Track Listing:
1. Emballa - Louie Vega featuring Jaffa "Album Mix"
2. Querer - Julien Jabre Remix
3. Kumbalawé - Roger Sanchez Release Mix
4. Aborigenes Jam - François K / Eric Kupper "Vocal Mix"
5. Pokinoï - Sasha Remix
6. Africa - Quicksound / Alain Vinet Remix
7. Terre aride - Jori Hulkkonen Remix
8. Spiritual spiral - Carmen Rizzo Remix
9. Mer noire - Tiësto Remix
For a more detailed look at Delirium, see Keith Johnson's
review featured in Issue #42 - March 2005.
Cirque in Tokyo! [EXPANDED]
---------------------------
The Cirque du Soleil is taking advantage of its popularity in
Japan to establish a permanent theatre at the Walt Disney Resort
in the suburbs of Tokyo.
The deal with the American entertainment conglomerate and
Oriental Land Co. Ltd. was announced Wednesday by Daniel
Lamarre, the Cirque's president and chief of operations. The
$140-million project is to include a theatre for 2,000
spectators. Oriental Land is providing $115 million to build an
earthquake-proof building, with the remainder coming from the
Cirque, Lamarre said during a conference call from Japan.
An original show is scheduled to premiere in August 2008. The
Tokyo project is expected to create 150 jobs at the Cirque's
headquarters in Montreal. The company will continue its strategy
of running unique shows in each permanent location, Lamarre
said. "People who want to see 'O' (show) have to go to Las Vegas
and people who want to see this show will have to come here to
Tokyo," he told reporters.
The most Cirque du Soleil tickets in the world are sold in
Tokyo, the conference call was told. The company is also
interested in establishing permanent sites in Paris, London and
several other cities, said Lamarre. "There are certainly five or
six big cities in the world where we wish to have a permanent
show in 10 years." [Source: Yahoo News]
=======================================================================
CRQ-TV -- CIRQUE ON TELEVISION!
=======================================================================
* CIRQUE-A-THON
-------------
Network: BRAVO (USA)
* April 22nd (Friday)
08:00pm -- Varekai
10:00pm -- Dralion
* April 23rd (Saturday)
12:00am -- Varekai
02:00pm -- Nouvelle Experience
03:00pm -- Varekai
08:00pm -- La Nouba
10:00pm -- Alegría
* April 24th (Sunday)
12:00am -- La Nouba
02:00am -- Lovesick (Documentary)
02:00pm -- Saltimbanco
03:00pm -- Dralion
09:00pm -- La Nouba
11:00pm -- Saltimbanco
* NOTE: Check your local listings for complete information. Schedule
is subject to change.
=======================================================================
CRQ.NET -- CIRQUE DU SOLEIL ONLINE
=======================================================================
This Month in Cirque Club
(By: Keith Johnson)
-------------------------
With the press conference for new touring production Corteo concluded,
Cirque Club has archived the performance section on its website. They
didn't, however, include the comments by Guy Laliberte, Line Tremblay
and director Daniele Finzi Pasca. We, being the completists we have
always been, would have liked these translated from French and placed
on the site, as they had been done for some of the other press events.
The complete press release for the show can be found in the Press
Services section of the site. The Boutique, on the other hand, has
been relatively silent, with no new items we can see.
In Cirque Club marketing messages, Anne-Josée was busy:
She wrote about a special appearance by Varekai characters:
"With only eleven days left of our stay in Austin, we couldn't have
asked for a better send-off! Today-Thursday, March 17-Texas State
Senator Gonzalo Barrientos and Texas State Representative Dawnna
Dukes, on behalf of the Texas State Legislature, will commemorate
Cirque's 20th anniversary and its return to Texas with Varekai by
reading a special proclamation prior to the beginning of session on
the House and Senate floors of the Capitol. A few Varekai characters
will be on hand to create a little havoc!"
She also wrote about the winner of their Cirque du Soleil and Me
contest: "I wanted to thank Cirque Club members for all your wonderful
stories and for making our contest such a great success. The Grand
Final Vote ended last Sunday and we are proud to announce that the
winner is Claire Martel from Jonquière with her story entitled "First
Steps." She will be living out her dream to go to Orlando and see La
Nouba with her family. The first 20 years of our history have been
filled with many memorable experiences and we thank you for having
been there throughout. And with the worldwide launch of Cirque 2005
less than a month away, we look forward to many more!"
Mentioning a "special performance" during Quidam's Melbourne run:
"I thought you might like to hear about a very special event taking
place in Melbourne. We are delighted to be working with four local
artists specializing in stencil and aerosol art, who will create a
unique Quidam-inspired panel during a live "performance" this
Saturday, April 9 between noon and 6 p.m. at Federation Square. This
unique project is in keeping with the spirit of Cirque du Soleil's
Arts du Monde program, which encourages local artists to express
themselves and share their own creativity with the world. Drop by on
Saturday to enjoy the artwork in person as it is created!"
And Saltimbanco is now performing near Paris! Anne-Josée again:
"After months, even years, of meticulous planning, last night
Saltimbanco performed for the very first time under the Grand
Chapiteau in Boulogne-Billancourt, just a short distance from the
heart of Paris. The evening was simply magical! The audience loved
the show and truly embraced the spirit of Saltimbanco. A number of
famous faces were spotted in the crowd enjoying the evening's
festivities, including Caroline Barclay, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Guillaume
Canet, Roberto Cavalli, Catherine Deneuve, Charlotte Gainsbourg,
Garou, Jeanne Moreau, Sandrine Bonnaire, Marie-Laure De Villepin and
Roman Polanksi."
And Madame surfaced again, to remind us of the "Lovesick" documentary
on Zumanity being broadcast on Bravo: "Hello gorgeous. I have great
news for the voyeur in you! On April 8, 9 and 24 on Bravo USA, you
will have the chance to put your eye to the keyhole and take a peek
into the lives of some very special people. Director Lewis Cohen was
given unprecedented access to what was going on during the creation of
ZUMANITY, and he captured some exceptionally raw and intense moments
for you to see.
The lens focused on five incredible creatures from the human zoo, and
followed them as they challenged their limits and in the end redefined
their identities. Lovesick is tailor-made for those yearning to delve
into the intense, sensual and chaotic personal lives of these artists.
So turn down the lights, pour yourself a nice glass of wine and
prepare to be riveted to your loveseat! This is no ordinary reality."
Above text courtest of Cirque Club.
La Presse
---------
1. [ Varekai Photo Shoot - Bride's Magazine]
< http://www.brides.com/fashion/bride/popup_photo.ssf?
index=0&g_id=4823 >
2. [Zink! Varekai Photo Shoot, Behind the Scenes]
< www.stylezonetv.com/cirque.html >
=======================================================================
ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION
=======================================================================
[Touring Shows]
Alegría:
* Fukuoka, Japan:
Feb 9, 2005 to Apr 3, 2005
* Nagoya, Japan:
Apr 20, 2005 to Jun 12, 2005
* Osaka, Japan:
Jun 25, 2005 to Aug 10, 2005
* London, England:
Jan 5, 2006 to Jan 29, 2006
Corteo:
* Montreal, Quebec, Canada:
Apr 21, 2005 to Jun 19, 2005
* Quebec City, Quebec, Canada:
Jun 30, 2003 to Jul 24, 2005
* Toronto, Ontraio, Canada:
Aug 4, 2005 to Sep 11, 2005
* Minneapolis, Minnesota:
Sep 23, 2005 to Oct 23, 2005
* San Francisco, California -- TBA
* San Jose, California -- TBA
Dralion:
* Barcelona, Spain:
Mar 17, 2005 to May 20, 2005
* Rotterdam, Netherlands:
Jun 3, 2005 to Jun 19, 2005
* Oostende, Belgium:
Jul 21, 2005 to Aug 14, 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:
* Melbourne, Australia:
Mar 4, 2005 to May 1, 2005
* Adelaide, Australia:
May 12, 2005 to Jun 5, 2005
* Perth, Australia:
Jul 1, 2005 to Jul 17, 2005
* Singapore -- TBA
Saltimbanco:
* Boulogne Billancourt (West of Paris):
Apr 8, 2005 to Jun 3, 2005
* Sao Paulo, Brazil -- TBA
Varekai:
* Pittsburg, Pennsylvania:
Apr 9, 2005 to May 8, 2005
* Baltimore, Maryland:
May 19, 2005 to Jun 19, 2005
* East Rutherford, New Jersey:
Jun 30, 2005 to Jul 17, 2005
* Columbus, Ohio
Aug 11, 2005 to Sep 11, 2005
* Hartford, Connecticut -- TBA
* Charlotte, North Carolina -- TBA
* St. Petersburg, Florida -- TBA
* 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:
-- February 6th - 9th -- August 28th - 30th
-- April 3rd - 6th -- October 9th - 12th
-- June 5th - 20th -- November 13th - 15th
-- August 14th - 17th -- December 4th - 13th
Mystère:
* Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm
Beginning June 13th: Except Sundays; 4:30pm and 7:30pm
* Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark Wednesday/Thursday
Beginning June 9th: Wednesday - Sunday, Dark Monday/Tuesday
* Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA)
* 2005 Dark Dates:
-- January 3rd - 18th -- July 10th - 12th
-- February 6th - 8th -- September 12th - 20th
-- March 13th - 15th -- November 13th - 15th
-- May 16th - 24th
"O":
* Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm
* Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark Monday/Tuesday
* Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA)
* 2005 Dark Dates:
-- February 20th - 22nd -- October 16th - 18th
-- April 18th - 26th -- December 5th - 20th
-- August 22 - 30th
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:
-- February 7th - 10th -- August 15th - 18th
-- April 18th - 21st -- October 10th - 13th
-- June 8th - Jun 16th -- December 7th - 22nd
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:
-- January 24th - 27th -- June 6th - 7th
-- February 1st - 4th -- August 1st - 2nd
-- March 23rd - 31st -- September 9th - 13th
-- April 1st - 14th -- November 14th - 15th
=======================================================================
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 asked a musician what recommendations they would give to young
folks just starting out, musicians who are interested in a career in
music (as opposed to those who think they'll make the rare "big
splash"):
"As with anything getting a real foundation in the basics of a craft
is essential to having longevity in the chosen industry. These kids
that just want to "be a star" are living very dangerously. They have
no real skills at the craft, and I think it's more reliable and
desirable to have a real, tangible ability to perform a service that
cannot be subjective in it's inherent worth. For example; you may
think you're going to be the next Madonna but not everyone else will
think so. But if you spend 20 years becoming a great musician no one
can dispute that you are a great musician, if that's what happens from
it. You will most likely always work. But as the next Madonna you may
work, but most likely you will not. It's about choices and about how
much time and effort you are willing to put into something.
"I always thought that investing in developing content and quality as
a musician was much smarter than trying to figure out how to fool
people with image and glitz. What I do and what I am as a musician may
not be as "sexy" as what Billy Idol, does but I'm not complaining. I
take great comfort in knowing that, despite what trends may come and
go, no one can dispute that I am a competant player and that I know my
stuff. And this is because of the time and work I have put in and
nothing more. It was a choice.
"But this has definitely come at a price; a lot of time, sacrifice and
work. But I wouldn't have it any other way. To me you either do
something right or you don't do it at all. To think that you can
depend upon what's "trendy" at the moment to propel yourself to riches
and fame is a crapshoot at best.
"To aspiring musicians wanting to have a long, enjoyable career in the
arts I say this: learn the fundamentals, learn the basics, and learn
them well. Do it right from the beginning and you won't regret it.
There is no shortcut. Even if you become an amazing musician it is
still a hard, tough road, full of uncertainty. And that's where you
need to hone your people skills. You need both - hard work at the
basics of your craft and great people skills. One without the other
and you won't make it. And then be prepared to spend 20 years making
it happen. And then keeping it happening. I never let my guard down
for a minute. The time I do someone will come in and move me out. And
one more thing to remember: have fun and don't take it too seriously.
Important words. But by all means - learn music and your craft FOR
REAL, not a shortcut via image and fads."
=======================================================================
LE SPECTACLE:
"New Kid on the Block: KÀ, Cirque du Soleil's Fourth
Resident Show in Las Vegas (Part 3 of 3)"
By: Wayne Leung - Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)
=======================================================================
PART III: Impressions:
======================
----------------------------------------------------------------------
** SPOILER WARNING **
I should warn the reader that this article will be choc full of
spoilers, so for those who have yet to see the show and want to keep
its contents a surprise I suggest you skip through to the end. Also,
I am writing this article based on preview performances of the show,
and the information contained herein may no longer be completely
accurate once the show has officially premiered.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
With KÀ, it is evident that Cirque du Soleil set forth its loftiest
set of goals ever and the production meets these goals with varying
degrees of success. While I thoroughly enjoyed the show I also think
that it still needs some work to be a truly great production.
My first impression of the show is that it is very big, visually
stunning and technologically spectacular but it's also emotionally
distant. After the show I overheard a comment that sums up the
experience, "Oh it was spectacular . . . but y'know, the real star of
the show was that stage!" The show would benefit from stronger
character development in order for the Twins to really connect with
the audience so that we actually care about their fate. Also, the
motives of each of the factions and even individual characters need to
be more fleshed out. KÀ is supposed to be an epic and while it is
epic in its scale, truly great epics also need to have emotional depth
provided through strong characters.
Another element that needs improvement is the show's pacing, while
some scenes flow very well others seem kind of slow and meandering.
Unlike other Cirque shows where each scene is a dreamscape replete
with activity and images, KÀ's focused narrative means that the
staging is also much more linear so the slower moments of the show
tend to drag out and seem longer.
One of my favourite scenes in the production is the aerial Forest
Scene, in which performers fly through the air, jump from swinging
poles and perform on aerial straps. It is a visually arresting scene
and although only marginally important to the narrative it most
closely resembles scenes from a traditional Cirque show.
The final climactic battle viewed from an overhead perspective with
characters performing on a vertically oriented Sand-Cliff Deck is also
visually stunning. The sheer size of the battle and the fact that
it's performed while the stage is vertical is amazing to behold.
However, the way in which the battle is staged lacks focus; a well-
staged battle should be very tightly scripted and choreographed, a
good theatrical fight should go through different beats towards its
conclusion, very much like dance. The choreography for the battle
lacked this focus and resulted in a somewhat sloppy looking scene once
the novelty of the vertical stage wore off.
One thing that was really lacking for me is the lack of metaphorical,
symbolic and interpretive elements that the good Cirque shows are
usually replete with. Aside from the very obvious overarching themes
of good versus evil, love, the abuse of power and the ability of
technology to create and to destroy, the show's linear storyline can
really only be taken at face value. Through interpretive elements,
shows like Quidam, Alegría, Mystère and "O" tell much more powerful
and moving "stories" because they are allegorical shows and can be
interpreted in ways that have meaning for each individual spectator.
Another slight disappointment was the show's surprising lack of fire
effects. Having been heavily advertised as an exploration of the
theme of fire, there are very few pyrotechnics and the few effects
that are in the show are run-of-the-mill theatrical fireworks. No
work was done to develop new pyrotechnic effects and their absence
detracts from the overall show.
It became evident after viewing KÀ that this is a completely different
kind of Cirque show directed at new demographics. The director has
described the show as "more masculine" than other Cirque shows and the
incorporation of martial arts will undoubtedly attract an audience
that may not otherwise be interested in Cirque du Soleil. However,
being a Vegas show places many burdensome limitations on KÀ The show
is limited to just over 90 minutes in running time which means there
isn't a lot of time to fully flesh out a story. Also, there is an
unwritten requisite for Vegas shows to be "light" and as such it feels
as if many of KÀ's darker moments have been toned down; the combat
sequences are muted in their level of violence and fights never result
in death. This limitation is regrettable, I think if the show were
darker in some parts the emotional gravity would be increased and the
contrast with the light moments would make the action much more
compelling.
Having said all of that, KÀ is not at all a bad show. At face value
it is spectacular and entertaining and contains many grand,
spectacular moments. Also, the individual design elements of the show
are some of the best ever created by Cirque du Soleil.
I'm a huge fan of Robert Lepage, he is arguably Canada's foremost
stage director and he is well known for his inventive use of imagery
in his theatrical productions and I'd say this show is really equal
parts Robert Lepage and Cirque du Soleil in terms of style.
René Dupéré's score is sweeping and epic and serves to drive the story
forward. It is structured and arranged much more like a movie
soundtrack than a traditional Cirque score. The music is a fusion of
rock and sweeping orchestral and choral arrangements. While there is
also a definite world beat influence it is much less prominent than in
other Cirque scores. There is a very talented live band for KÀ
consisting of Band Leader Richard Oberaker, Principal
Singer/Percussionist/Hammered Dulcimer player Beth Quist, Keyboard
player/Vocalist Janine de Lorenzo, Drummer Serge Durocher, Accordion
player Hubert Gall, Guitarist Lionel Hamel, Cellist/Vocalist/Guitarist
Julie McInnes. However, much of the music is pre-recorded;
specifically, the large orchestra and choir sound that adds much of
the depth to the arrangements. Because the show is so cinematic in
its scope, the score requires a full orchestra and choir. However, it
would have been nice if Cirque could have actually invested in a live
orchestra for KÀ as many shows on Broadway do, for a truly live
experience. Though the recorded tracks suffice, Cirque cannot claim
to have spared no expense for the show because of the lack of live
musicians.
Luc Lafortune's lighting design is excellent on this production. He
rises up to the challenge of illuminating the massive performance
space and expertly designed the lighting to establish the scope of
each scene, whether it is the intimately lit shadow puppet scene or
the grand epic forest scene. Because the theatre is so large, the
show relies heavily on the lighting to establish the magnitude of the
locations.
Jonathan Deans' sound design is stunning, a superlative not usually
associated with a sound design. The level of intimacy that is
achieved with the speaker placement is unprecedented. With the
speakers in the seats, the sound effects can be very precisely
delivered and the spectator feels completely enveloped by the music,
often it sounds as if you're listening to the show through headphones.
It's almost disorienting at first but once you're used to it, it
really accentuates out the sound environment for both the intimate
moments and epic moments of the show.
KÀ's costumes are superb; truly some of Cirque du Soleil's best work.
Designer Marie-Chantale Vaillancourt's costumes are evocative and
original. While some costumes are heavily-Asian influenced
(specifically referencing the Peking Opera), others have ancient Aztec
and Egyptian accents. Building on these traditional influences, the
designer also stylizes some costumes to look futuristic. Being a
heavily story-driven show the costume design along with the make-up
design (by Nathalie Gagné) is especially important as the characters
must be recognizable and differentiated through their appearance.
In the end, KÀ is a big, spectacular show with many well-designed
elements. Cirque shows are living entities and as such KÀ will
continue to evolve and improve even after its opening date. There is
a lot of potential for KÀ to become a truly great epic show.
References:
Article: "Into the Abyss for KÀ" by Ellen Lampert-Greaux,
Entertainment Design Mag, January 2005
Article: "Into the Void" by Richard Corliss and Steven Frank, Time
Canada, November 2004
Article: "Spend! Spend! Spend!" by Dan Glaister, The Guardian, January
27, 2005
{end}
=======================================================================
SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT:
"CirqueCon Montreal 2005 Update: "
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
=======================================================================
Along with the announcement of Cirque 2005's official name - "Corteo"
- we are pleased to announce the schedule for our Montreal weekend.
We now have 133 total members, with almost 90 folks either paid
Standard members of part of a members' group. I'm aware of 108 who
actually have tickets to the show, and so far 52 have purchased
tickets to our "Group Dinner."
On to the schedule! We won't be telling people where to go or whom to
go with; that's their business. Also note we offer NO TRANSPORTATION.
Please note the following group activities.
FRIDAY - APRIL 22, 2005
-----------------------
3:00pm-5:00pm
TOHU - La Cité Des Arts du Cirque
2345, Jarry Street East
Montreal, QC H1Z 4P3
514-376-TOHU
www.tohu.ca
"TOHU Tour" - A combination of dream merged with reality (kind of like
a Cirque show), TOHU is creating a "hub" of circus performing arts in
Montreal. The tour will take two hours and probably require lots of
standing. It covers all aspects of the site, from environmental
considerations to their burgeoning circus memorabilia and art
collection. Since I arranged this outside of Cirque's influence, this
isn't an "official" Cirque du Soleil experience. So this will be
limited to our PAID STANDARD MEMBERS ONLY, limited to FIFTY PEOPLE
MAXIMUM for the tour.
6:00pm-7:30pm
Keith Johnson/LouAnna Valentines room (Room # TBA)
Marriott SpringHill Suites Vieux-Montreal
445, rue St-Jean-Baptiste
Montreal (Quebec) Canada H2Y 2Z7
514-875-4333
www.springhillmontreal.com
"Welcome to CirqueCon Montreal 2005 - Meet and Greet"
OPEN TO EVERYBODY! We invite everyone (not attending a show) to stop
by our room (we'll try and announce the room number ahead of time) for
a little "get to know you." We'll have a few munchies and stuff for
consumption, all laid out by my lovely wife LouAnna. We'll get a
chance to meet each other and also start talking about our next
sojourn - CirqueCon Vegas 2006 (shh, we're trying to keep it a
secret.)
We'll also show off rare Cirque collectible. Have something
interesting you're sure other people would want to see? Label it as
yours and bring it along!
YOU CAN HELP!! We invite our members to bring brochures from their
part of the country. We also welcome delicacies and drinks for our
munchie table, too! Don't bring a lot, just stick something unique to
your area of the country in your luggage (candies are good - no fresh
fruits or meat, and don't try and bring something that won't cross the
border). Bring a sign saying who donated it, and where it came from.
If necessary, also please bring a serving utensil.
Then it's off to an evening of shopping, sightseeing, or clubbing -
whatever! But some may wish to join a group of us who are going off
to what looks like a fun show...
8:30pm-10:00pm
La Basilique Notre-Dame de Montreal
110 Notre-Dame St. West (about a two-minute walk from our hotel)
Montreal, QC H2Y 1T1
514-842-2295
866-842-2925
www.therewaslight.ca
$10.00 CDN adults
"And Then There Was Light" - Looking at the website, this sounds neat.
A multi-media presentation in the Basilica, which tells the history of
Montreal and the Basilica, in words, lights, and sounds. Projections
are played across large screens and pieces of canvas throughout the
sanctuary. (The soundtrack is presented on headphones in English or
French). I'm a sucker for these "cutting-edge" kind of theatrical
presentations even if one of my Cirque sources called it "Montreal for
Dummies." We invite anyone interested to join us.
SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 2005
------------------------
11:45am-approx. 4:00pm
Cirque du Soleil International Headquarters
8400 2nd Avenue East
Montreal QC H1Z 4M6
1-514-722-2324
www.cirquedusoleil.com
"Special International Headquarters Tour" - This is it! Cirque du
Soleil opens its doors especially for CirqueCon Montreal members.
Note they will be checking ID at the door. No cameras are allowed
inside. I have no idea what they have planned for it. A facility
tour, presentations, who knows?!
5:00pm-7:00pm
Restaurant du Vieux Port
39, Saint-Paul Street East
Old Montreal, QC H2Y 1G2
514-866-3174
www.restaurantduvieuxport.com
(At the corner of Saint-Paul Street East and Saint Gabriel, just down
the block and east of our hotel) "CirqueCon Montreal 2005 Group Meal"
- Note we have moved this forward one hour. We'll gather with like-
minded Cirque fen, eat, drink, and talk of our shared "passion." A
perfect way to prepare for the wonders to come.
7:00pm-10:30pm
Jacque Cartier Pier
Vieux Port - Montreal
"Cirque du Soleil's Corteo" - Finally! The show, in only it's fourth
public performance. With many of us sitting together in our special
seats (purchased oh, so long ago) we will watch as Cirque "combines
the passion of the actor with the grace and power of the acrobat to
plunge the audience into a world of playfulness and spontaneity
situated in a mysterious area between heaven and earth. Corteo evokes
the full spectrum of emotion and experience: love, friendship, pain,
joy, wisdom, beauty, life and even death, through a timeless
celebration in which illusion teases reality." WHEW!
AFTER THE SHOW
Restaurant du Vieux Port
"Time for Dessert!" - After the show ends, some of us might go back to
the Restaurant du Vieux Port (open till Midnight), or even other
places in Old Montreal, to have dessert or coffee and "de-compress."
SUNDAY, APRIL 24
----------------
Sunday is totally free of any scheduled activities.
It's been a very busy time preparing for the weekend. So I better
stop writing this update and get back to it!
=======================================================================
BEHIND THE CURTAIN:
"Who Has What It Takes? (Part 3 of 4)"
By: Keith Johnson & LouAnna Valentine - Seattle, Wash (USA)
=======================================================================
10:45am - Richard and Charles look for another song for Charmaine to
use. They search through the CD collection, finally settling on a
track. Charmaine teaches them a piece of choreography from one of
Cirque's shows. LouAnna shoots more pictures and is already through
here first roll. But the "No Flash" rule means she has to increase
her exposure time, and attempt to capture the candidates in a rare
moment of relative stillness.
The selection process, Richard comments, is like carving a statue.
The Audition Team are the miners of the rock, while the Director of
Creation and Artistic Directors are the carvers, taking the raw stone
and creating a thing of beauty.
Cirque du Soleil is always in the process of creating, from KÀ to
Cirque 2005 to the Celebrity Cruise Lines shows to the Beatles/Mirage
show. The Montreal headquarters is now constantly buzzing with
creative activity. "Cirque du Soleil: Fire Within" gave us a peek
into that process for Varekai. How true-to-life is it?, we ask
Richard.
"What I liked about Fire Within was how well it documented what the
artists went through. It showed the reactions to the different
environment that's been created in Montreal. The creation process is
one of the most wonderful things an artist can go through because
something is created on them based on what they do and who they are,
as opposed to something that's been done before by somebody else. But
it's also incredibly demanding, physically, emotionally. That's what
makes it wonderful, that intensity that you live with. But it's not
for everyone, not everybody likes it, but some people thrive on it."
"For some people, creation is all they'd like to do; go from one
creation to another. Because artists are extreme, they love the
intensity of emotions of the creation process. It starts out like a
honeymoon and gets intense until the completion is in sight. When
they look back on the creation they feel it was all worth it."
Outside of roles in existing shows, the audition team is also on the
lookout for artists that can be used in new shows and creation
processes. "What's coming is a lot of fun too, because we don't know
what they're going to ask for, so we just look for something special.
People that are different, an open personality. For example, for a
touring show you look for someone that likes to tour. So we look to
what's already there and what might be coming later."
"Anyone that can impress us in any kind of way - to show us their
individuality - even if we can't see it in our shows right now, it's
important for us to keep and document. Because what we in casting and
the scouts present to the creators and artistic directors of our new
shows can influence which direction they're going to go. Because if
there's a "weird" talent or something they've never seen before they
might say, "Oh yes, I want that person, I want that image." We feed
them. And it's important to find these people so that we don't miss
anything and we can present these things. It's all about getting new
things."
"Sometimes an artist creates a character that resembles themselves.
It's what they do, they do one thing great and that's what we want.
So they could perhaps have a career out of that [one thing]. One of
the synchro swimmers in O, he had his arm behind his head in an
unconventional way. One moment he was part of a group and the next he
has a solo. Why? Because of one thing he does well. And it was a
powerful dramatic image."
How does the creation process work? "There's no formula. Each
creator has a storyboard, and as the creation process develops things
change. Artists might suggest certain things. A lot of times they'll
start with too much. Zumanity was once a three-hour show and had to
be cut. It's always better to have too much than not enough."
"Sometime some elements get eliminated in the process. But eventually
[the artists] understand why. Especially if it's the first time they
go through the creation process, at the end they "get it." They
understand why it happens [like it does]. It's usually because of the
product that ends up on stage. Because it's trial and error. Some
things will work, some things will change, and that's the creation
process."
"That's why Guy Laliberté, in his role as Guide, is wonderful. His
strength is his eyes, his vision. The ability to look at what is on
stage and simply see what works and what doesn't. With his experience
and what he's done he's able to pinpoint - "This is what will work, I
need more of this" - and that's one of his main roles now. That's
probably why this company is doing so well artistically."
11:30am - A break is called. Several of the candidates hang out in
the back room, chatting amiably with each other. This doesn't seem to
be a high-pressure situation for them; this isn't a winner-take-all
reality show. They come from such diverse places as Seattle,
Portland, Vancouver, Phoenix, LA and Toronto. They sent in their demo
tapes from 2 months to 1.5 years ago. I mention to one how much
people are sweating. His answer, "Yeah, but we love to sweat."
We ask Richard what kind of atmosphere they try to maintain during an
audition. "It's tricky because some people are incredibly good at
auditions but when they're in front of an audience it's a different
story. And some people are not as strong in auditions but you put
them on stage and they shine. So you have to try to see it. That's
why we try to help them relax and create an atmosphere almost like a
game. And you can see on the second day there's already a connection
between the artists. All the auditions I've seen for dancers and
actors it happens this way. They might never see each other the rest
of their lives but during that moment they are sharing the same
experience and emotions. So there's a very strong bond. And because
of the nature of the roles we have, and how different we are, they
understand very quickly that there's a place for each one of them so
they're not in competition with each other."
11:45am - The improv section of the audition starts. The candidates
watch from the far end of the room as each takes their turn in front
of the team (and the camera). As we watch the Argentinean woman do
her improv, Richard suggests, "It must be fun for them to watch the
other do something independently."
Would those who go later and can consider their reactions, we wonder,
have an advantage over those who go early? "Sometimes the people at
the beginning have more spontaneity," Richard responds. "Sometimes
when you think too much about something it doesn't work because it's
not natural."
It is here we begin to see the difference between other auditions and
Cirque du Soleil auditions. These artists are being asked to show
their minds, their personality, their very essence to the audition
team. It's obvious that just having the dancing chops won't be
enough; candidates should be well versed in acting skills as well.
"Some of the exercises we do are tools for evaluation to get to know
the candidates," says Richard. "But acting and emoting skills are
important. You have to be as complete as possible. It's important
because of what we require from the artist, because of what they have
to do on stage."
12:38pm - As we break for lunch, cuts are made. A tall lanky young
man, a girl with cornrow hair, and one other girl. They will not be
back this afternoon and pack their things, faces grim. Ten of the
original 27 artist candidates remain. Before heading off to lunch I
comment to Richard how, with his help, we can see how people we
thought would be cut in the morning are still here. "It's nice to
know our process makes sense to other people" he smiles. "There's a
purpose behind our madness."
1:40pm - After lunch, the group re-convenes. Anne-Marie gathers them
again in a semi-circle to give instructions about the rest of the
afternoon. Charles manipulates lights in the ceiling to better aid
the videotaping; Richard helps by controlling the light board. An
older woman with white hair has joined the troupe (we later find out
she is 78 years old). She is a tap dancer who was here yesterday and
has been asked to attend the last half of today as the morning session
wasn't geared toward her skills. She's very open, we're told, and
they want to test other aspect of her talent. LouAnna and I refer to
her as "Taps."
1:55pm - The audition continues. The artists line up against the near
wall, Anne-Marie sits on the floor near the audition table. The music
is a lilting repeating melody from a French film soundtrack. One by
one each is called forward for a solo improv exercise.
Why do some of the exercises you do, we wonder. "The people on our
stage are not just dancers, they're not just musicians or singers,
they're characters," Richard says. "So we need to evaluate that. We
want to see their range and their imagination, their quickness to
respond to direction. It's a way for us to clarify our decision.
Somebody could have beautiful legs and feet, but if that's all they
have and they're totally blank up here [in the mind] and can't do
anything else, can't communicate with the public, then they are not
ready for us."
"We're testing a different aspect of their talent. Some will be OK
with it, some won't. For us it's easy to find the ones that fit right
away. It's easy to find the ones that don't fit at all. The ones in
the gray area, that's the hard part. Can we see them in one of our
shows? There are so many questions, so you test. We give them a
chance to show us what they can do, and if they can respond well."
Anne-Marie often has to remind the artists not to move. Playing a
character while not moving, Richard says, is "incredibly telling. The
hardest part for an artist is to just stand there and project. It's
easy to attract attention by a whole bunch of frantic movement."
Is it the same process with musicians as well? "Musicians it's a
little bit different because they are often in the background, or in
the booth. But we do a little exercise with them to see their
openness. Are they willing to participate with us or not? If you're
not willing to be taken outside your comfort zone you might not be the
best person to go into a creation. Also we want to know how easy they
are to work with."
2:40pm - Time for a different exercise, this time a group improv.
With this exercise, "we want them to show their creativity outside of
dance, their versatility," Richard advises.
3:12pm - Time for a break. As the remaining candidates relax in the
back room, LouAnna asks if she can get a group photo. They all huddle
together and smile as if they were already a close-knit family.
Shortly afterward, Anne-Marie asks if anyone has anything special they
would like to share. If any of them has a specialty now's the time to
show it! The Argentinean couple hands Richard a CD. With the video
camera watching they perform a dance number, and they shine. They are
very good! One candidate (influenced by street dancing) does a work-
in-progress improvisation of an opera singer interrupted by a piece of
hip-hop music and becoming influenced by it.
3:30pm - Taps does a tap number. To our eyes she isn't as polished
and technical as we were expecting. One sings a song a cappella. The
girl from Toronto shows off her athletic prowess, striking various
gymnastic poses. Another also shows some skills. Anne-Marie asks her
to do splits to both sides, which she executes flawlessly.
3:45pm - Anne-Marie announces a final exercise.
4:10pm - A break, and more cuts. Another girl is cut, as is Toronto.
We were disappointed; we had been rooting for her since this morning
when she had entered the building with us. She had gotten so far only
to be cut at the last minute. But in watching her we could see she
lacked maturity in her movements and thinking. To her credit she
waits until the audition is over, asking Anne-Marie for feedback about
why she wasn't chosen.
Out of an initial group of 27, the group is down to 8, less than a
third of what they started with. These are the finalists, the ones
going into the database with positive marks and video highlights.
While being videotaped, each is asked to walk from the left side of
the room to the right, then forward to the audition table. What can
you tell about a person by the way they walk, we ask Richard. "Self
confidence. And posture. For singers it's very revealing. In
Saltimbanco for example the singer has to walk in high heels, so we
need to make sure the candidate would be able to walk with such shoes
on."
When they reach the camera Anne-Marie stands next to them for a
moment. Everyone at Montreal IHQ knows Anne-Marie, Richard mentions,
so at 5' 10" tall she is used as a height comparison. Then they speak
their name and anything they would like artistic directors to know.
They also sing. "We like to test the voice. They don't necessarily
have to sing, but if they sing well and a creator wants to use that
then we know they have it. It's a process of documentation. We try
to document everything and not miss anything. Because that one little
thing may be the difference between their getting the job and not
getting the job."
4:46pm - The street-influenced dancer does her walk-up. At the end
she points excitedly to herself and exclaims, "Pick Me! I'm the one!"
Everyone laughs at her enthusiasm.
5:12pm - The audition is finished. Gathered again in a semi-circle,
the entire audition team solicits feedback from the artists on how the
audition went, what they liked, what they didn't like. This is as
important a part of the process as the auditions themselves are for
the team. Richard leaves his seat beside us to listen to the
discussion.
Each remaining artist is given a letter with a form to fill out.
Several sit cross-legged on the floor, bending far forward to reach
the paper as they write their information. The letter begins:
"CONGRATULATIONS! YOU'VE MADE THE FIRST CUT! We are adding your name
to our list of potential candidates. Of course, this does not
represent an immediate commitment on our part. Making it through this
first stage means that you may be selected for a position requiring
your expertise. What happens now?" The letter asks for a photocopy
of their passport (and advises them to keep it valid) as well as a
recent resume and videocassette, and reminds them to keep Cirque
appraised of any changes to their contact information. The letter
concludes, "If we wish to approach you about replacing someone in one
of our current shows or in any new production, someone from our
Casting Department in Montreal will contact you. Please be patient
while you wait to hear from us." There is also a form asking for a
more detailed breakdown of their skill set.
We ask Richard, as things are winding down, what he finds most
rewarding and challenging about his job. The challenge in working for
Cirque, Richard notes is not so much doing the work as it is thinking
about how you're doing it. "You constantly have to re-examine your
process and question it. To see if it's still valid, if you're going
in the right direction, if you can do it better. It's the same thing
creators do with shows, from show to show; you do Varekai, now what
next? How can you do better? We go through the same process with our
techniques, our process of auditions and casting. It's challenging
because you're not second-guessing yourself, you're questioning.
"It's part of our day-to-day routine. [After every audition day] we
sit down and ask, "How did we do today? Are there things we did that
we could have done better?" And we find we can push our limits and
find new ways to do our thing. What we did 10 years ago may not work
now, so you try something else. It's always encouraging to find
you're able to do it, it gives you hope and an incentive to go through
that questioning process; it's not threatening anymore. I think it
makes us better at what we do. It makes us better people, too."
Being able to work for a company you love and respect is a blessing
too few of us enjoy. But not so for Cirque du Soleil employees.
"There's a pride to working for Cirque. Yes, there's a lot of work;
Cirque is a big machine and there's lots of work to be done. But
people work incredibly hard. The interesting thing is that a lot of
them will work late into the evening, 7-8pm. The scouts are renowned
for working late and hard. Me too!
"And it's because we love our jobs. I don't have any problem getting
up in the morning to go to work. Going on an audition trip for me is
a treat but I don't mind having to go home (to Montreal) and catch
up."
"You're proud of what you do and you want to do a good job. Like the
scouts, looking for a particular type of artist. They'll search all
over the world until they find what they're looking for. (This was
strongly illustrated in "Fire Within" as they searched for a male
singer.) That feeling is so strong that they want to deliver a good
product. Because they know they have to live up to the quality of
Cirque, or better it."
"Cirque treats us right. At the Cirque Headquarters there are lots of
things they do to enliven the atmosphere. Sometimes on Friday they'll
have a big popcorn machine and they'll give us popcorn. Or the winter
carnival. They organize trips for us to ski in the winter. So
there's always something. And we get a lot of feedback. The letters
people send are distributed throughout the company, "Here's the effect
you have.
"All those t-shirts [you see Cirque employees wearing], they're free
for us. And we're proud to wear them. Like my Cirque jacket, I love
that jacket. When I'm in the Montreal subway and I'm wearing my
Cirque jacket, I won't sit down. I'll stand with my back to the
biggest window of the car so the back of my jacket, with the Cirque
logo, can be seen through the window."
"At one point, Cirque was voted one of the best places in Canada to
work, and I agree!"
Cirque du Soleil has worked hard to achieve and maintain its
reputation as the premiere circus arts production company. They have
literally changed the face of circus, and have grown far beyond its
creator's wildest dreams. But as Richard reminds us, it didn't start
out that way. "I don't think Cirque du Soleil took on the mandate of
changing the world of circus. Yes, one of the shows was titled, "We
Reinvent the Circus" but I don't think that was meant as pretentiously
as people think. There is one goal, and Guy reminds us of it all the
time, to bring a smile to people faces. That may sound a bit hokey,
but that's what it is. You put on a good show so that for an hour and
a half people forget theirproblems and have a good time."
"It just happened that in the process all those other things [came
about]. And I think that's because of the integrity of keeping that
goal. It's not about money, it's about putting out good product so
that people live a wonderful experience through our shows and
appreciate it."
"And it brings good people to work for us. The working conditions at
Cirque are really good, the artists and employees are well treated.
And that's why we are able to get good people, good creators. That's
why we end up with the type of product we have, because we innovate."
And it all comes back to the man at the top of the triangle, Guy
Laliberte. "I think the people that work for him have a lot of
respect for him because of his vision and the way he runs the company.
Because of what he gives back to us and to the community with Cirque
du Monde and all that. Anybody who has that kind of vision is OK in
my book."
5:23pm - The artists leave, knowing they're going into the database
and, as is typical of the artist's life, may or may not be called.
The audition team packs up and leaves, their day far from over. They
will spend the rest of their evening de-briefing the day and making
notes, ending about 10pm. They will then move on to the auditions in
their other disciplines, staying in Seattle another two weeks.
And the artists will go on with their lives, hoping for that special
phone call.
We'd like to express our deepest gratitude to those special Cirque
people who helped us immeasurably with this series, most especially to
Richard Dagenais - Head of Auditions and Logistic, Casting (our host)
for his openness and willingness to let us in on the process. Also to
the rest of the Seattle audition team; Anne-Marie Duchène - Artistic
Scout, Charles St-Onge - Audition Coordinator, and Charmaine Hunter -
Dance Evaluator. Also thanks to Chantal Côté - Corporate Publicist,
and Simon Frances - Marketing Agent, Casting for helping arrange our
day. And finally, thanks to all of the artists who allowed us to
eavesdrop on their job interview.
END OF PART THREE
Next Issue: In Part 4 we're going to speak with a couple of candidates
who made it all the way through the process!
=======================================================================
PARTING QUOTE
=======================================================================
"I grew up surrounded by images and imagery. And I put
them into motion"
- Daniele Finzi Pasca
Creator and Director for Corteo
=======================================================================
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"Fascination!" is Ricky Russo, Keith Johnson, and Wayne Leung.
"Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (c)
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