Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Fascination Issue 084 expanded
=======================================================================
______ _ __ _ __
/ ____/___ ___________(_)___ ____ _/ /_(_)___ ____ / /
/ /_ / __ `/ ___/ ___/ / __ \/ __ `/ __/ / __ \/ __ \/ /
/ __/ / /_/ (__ ) /__ / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /_/ / / / /_/
/_/ \__,_/____/\___/_/_/ /_/\__,_/\__/_/\____/_/ /_(_)
T h e U n o f f i c i a l
C i r q u e d u S o l e i l N e w s l e t t e r
------------------------------------------------------------
E X P A N D E D I S S U E
------------------------------------------------------------
=======================================================================
VOLUME 11, NUMBER 1 January 2011 ISSUE #84e
=======================================================================
Bonne Année! / Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu / Happy New Year!
Welcome to the latest edition of Fascination, the Unofficial Cirque
du Soleil Newsletter.
Two Thousand and Eleven promises to be another great year for Cirque
du Soleil with the premiere of ZARKANA on the east coast (New York
City, New York) and IRIS on the west coast (Hollywood, California);
But a sad one as well: this month we bid farewell to Cirque du
Soleil's "winter tale" - Wintuk - which has been a holiday favorite
in New York City these past four seasons.
In addition to all the latest news items posted to Fascination! Web
and, of course, all the pertinent posts on Cirque du Soleil's various
social widgets in our OUTREACH section (not to mention the updated
touring schedules), we're also excited to continue our interview
series this month with an exclusive chat with the composers of Cirque
du Soleil's TOTEM: Bob & Bill! Find out all the trials and tribulations
the dynamic duo undertook to turn this recording around in record time.
Okay, so, let's get started!
Join us on the web at:
< www.cirquefascination.com >
Realy Simple Syndication (RSS) Feed (News Only):
< http://www.cirquefascination.com/?feed=rss2 >
- Ricky "Richasi" Russo
===========
CONTENTS
===========
o) Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings
o) Itinéraire -- Tour/Show Information
* Arena Shows -- In Stadium-like venues
* BigTop Shows -- Under the Grand Chapiteau
* Resident Shows -- Performed en Le Théâtre
* Venue Shows -- Venue & Seasonal Productions
o) Outreach -- Updates from Cirque's Social Widgets
* Club Cirque -- This Month at CirqueClub
* Networking -- Cirque on Facebook, YouTube & Flickr
o) Compartments -- A Peek Behind the Curtain
* Historia -- Cirque du Soleil's History
o) Fascination! Features
* INTERVIEW /// "Bob & Bill - Believing & Dreaming"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
o) Subscription Information
o) Copyright & Disclaimer
=======================================================================
CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
=======================================================================
Soaring Determination Leads Gymnast
to Mystère Roost [EXPANDED]
{Dec.01.2010]
------------------------------------------------------
For three years, British gymnast Ross Gibson made little headway
in trying to land a part with Cirque du Soleil. The show would
offer a part that did not interest him or he would suggest
something that was not available.
In 2003, he switched from asking to demanding, an unconventional
approach that would horrify most job-search consultants.
"I laid all my cards on the table and told Cirque that I only
wanted to be a principal character," Gibson recalled. "I
remember them telling me, 'Who are you to say that to Cirque du
Soleil?' I told them, 'I'm no one, but I just know what I have
to offer you.'"
His background included both acrobatics and dance training, an
unusual combination for men. That, coupled with his burst of
temerity, led in early 2004 to being cast as Red Bird, the lead
role in Cirque's "Mystère."
Since then, he has become something of an oxymoron, a largely
unknown Strip headliner. Red Bird is the face of "Mystère,"
including on the Treasure Island sign that faces Interstate 15.
But due to the makeup and feathered headdress that go with his
costume, few people ever pick him out as a star, even outside
the theater after a show.
Gibson was fascinated by gymnastics while a boy growing up in
the English coastal resort of Blackpool. His parents took him to
a club where he started training in tumbling.
"Just running and throwing myself around was a huge thrill for
me," he said, finding it less confining than working with rings
or bars.
He also liked the solo aspect.
"I would just go to an open field and do as many somersaults and
backflips as I could to impress myself and whoever was
watching," he said. "I was definitely a performer and a show-off
at a young age."
As a tumbler for the British national team, he was ranked as the
third-best tumbler in the world at age 16 and came in second at
the 2002 World Cup Final at age 22. He first auditioned with
Cirque in 2000, but began training in dance with an eye toward
landing a role in musical productions playing in London's West
End theater district. When he finally came together with Cirque,
he opted for a radical change in scenery.
That has included a large say in shaping the character. He would
go to parks and study bird movements, keying in on the constant
head movements.
He also retains major latitude in how to play Red Bird day in
and day out.
"It's great with a principal character," he said. "While I'm on
stage, I can be attracted by anything, whoever in the audience I
want, whichever character I want, whichever sound from the
musicians I want. I bring my own emotions to the role every
day."
Q. You turned 30 this year, an elderly age in gymnastics. How
long can you keep going?
I finished competing at age 23 after starting at age 10, so I
had a good 13 years of competitive gymnastics. For men,
gymnastics can go on a lot longer than it does for women. The
role I have is a very physically demanding role, probably one of
the most demanding in Cirque. Very dance-based, very acrobatic-
based. Always in character and very prominent on stage. It's a
role I love so I want to continue as long as my body holds out.
I've had my fair share of injuries and bruises and setbacks, but
I'm hoping I have still another five years. In sports, 30 is old
but not at Cirque, I think the average age of our performers (in
"Mystère") is somewhere in the mid-30s. There's lots of
veterans.
Q. How do you condition yourself to minimize the physical
punishment?
I have a workout regimen twice a week with one of the personal
trainers that Cirque provides us. I go to the gym myself. I take
ballet and dance classes regularly. Just the show itself, an
hour and a half 10 times a week, is enough to keep my body in
shape. You just have to try to avoid those odd, random injuries
that will pop up. It can be anything from stepping over a wall
to doing a triple somersault. You can never really avoid the
injuries and I've had a fair share of them. I just hope each
time is the last time.
Q. Have you missed a move and had to limp through the rest of
the show?
The main injury I've had came when I lost myself in the air,
landed on my back and my knees went into my face, giving myself
nine facial fractures in the middle of a show. Fortunately, I
was on a mattress on wheels so I was very quickly wheeled off.
There was lots of surgery to put my face back together with lots
of metal. Six weeks later I was back in the show. With injuries
on stage, you fake your way through them. You find a way to make
it look as if it never happened. The last thing an audience
wants to see is a performer limping off. Any time I've hurt
myself on stage, fortunately with my character, I can get down
into my bird position on my knees and assess myself and work out
how I am going to get off stage.
Q. Do you think of yourself as a tough guy?
To do what we do, 10 shows a week, 48 weeks a year, I think it's
tough. It may not be your typical boxing ring fight toughness
but it's definitely grueling on the body and something not
everyone can do, for sure.
Q. When football players get injured, the game is stopped while
they are on the ground. You can't do that.
I think they play on the sympathy. We can't because that will
ruin a show for the audience.
Q. Do people recognize you on the street?
I'm starting to get a little more recognition now that I have
been in the role for a while. You would think that once you walk
outside the theater everybody would recognize you, but they very
rarely do.
Q. Do you ever wish you had more of the celebrity that goes with
a leading role?
Honestly, it would be nice to have a taste of heads turning when
you walk down the street. But on the other hand, it could go the
other way. If I had too much of that I might want to stick to
the anonymity I have now. It would be nice to see what it's like
for a while, but I am quite happy knowing myself that this is
what I do and people enjoy it without having to tell it to my
face.
Q. You don't speak except for bird squawk, but the sequence of
routines are scripted. How much room do you have to
improvise?
I have about 95 percent room to improvise. The work I do on
stage is all choreographed by me. That's the best way of
bringing yourself into a character, bring your own movements,
your own stylization, your own mannerisms. I have to get from A
to B on stage, but I can change it day to day as long as I keep
it within the realm of a bird. You can play within whichever
scope you feel like that day. If I'm sad that day I will play a
sad bird. If I am happy that day, I'll play a happy bird.
Q. Does changing the role help keep you alert and avoid injury?
Yes, and I learn from my mistakes. That one time (I was
injured), I just had that split-second lapse of concentration.
If you do that flipping around 20 feet in the air in a dark
environment with spotlights on you, a lapse will cause you to
lose every sense of aerial awareness. You have to keep your head
in the game and I learned from that time you never take for
granted what you are doing on the stage or gymnastically.
{ SOURCE: The Las Vegas Review-Journal }
Rating Vegas' Topless Revues: Zumanity [EXPANDED]
{Dec.02.2010}
-------------------------------------------------
I'm headed out to check out "Fantasy," a topless revue on the
Las Vegas Strip, because I'm supposed to interview the show's
then-star, former Playboy centerfold Angelica Bridges. But I
hadn't spent much time with my Little Brother from Big Brothers
Big Sisters in a while, so I ask him if he'd like to join me.
"Really?" Jamie asked. "I can do that?"
Indeed, he's 20 now. He's not old enough to legally gamble,
drink or visit nightclubs here. In other words, he can't do much
of anything fun on the Strip. But yes, he can do this; the
minimum age for production shows with nudity in them is,
surprisingly, only 18. (It's 21 for strip clubs, however.)
"I've never done that before," he said en route. "I don't know
what to expect."
And therein birthed a story idea. As a gay man, I'd largely
shied away from covering the topless shows on the Strip because
they're really not built to entertain -- or at least not to
titillate -- me. But here was Jamie, a red-blooded straight male
who, as a topless show virgin, had no preconceived notions. What
if we saw all eight of the shows that contain females who
disrobe and I turned over the grading system to him, enhanced
with my own more seasoned, non-hetero point of view?
After we saw them all, Jamie ranked them from best to worst. I
added my perspective but I didn't alter his order. Take it all
for what it's worth, but remember that you've got finite time
and money in Vegas. Jamie and I are here to help.
ZUMANITY
Pros: Cirque du Soleil poured $50 million into its 2003 entry
into the Vegas adult entertainment show business, and every
dollar of it seems to have been spent to create a unique and
credible sequence of scenes exhibiting both impressive sex
appeal as well as the sort of eye-popping athleticism that the
Montreal circus troupe is known for. The intimacy of the theater
and the live music provided cues that this would be a high-
quality endeavor, and even the scene that could have been crass
and exploitative -- two topless women frolicking together in a
gigantic fishbowl -- was executed with sensuous grace thanks to
beautiful synchonized-swimming choreography.
Cons: Jamie's biggest objection was to the contortionist, a guy
in boxers who inverted his body in impressive but thoroughly
disgusting ways. I'm pretty sure that sequence has been
shortened over the years; I always look away, too. Blech.
Steve's Side: Of all these shows, Zumanity offered by far the
most eye candy for gays and straight women, although an explicit
gay ballet that culminated in a male-on-male kiss is no longer
in the production. There's a full-on male striptease and even
one scene in which a male and female performer strip each other;
such interactivity is unique to this genre anywhere on the
Strip. There were so many stacked male torsos, in fact, that
Jamie remarked that it was mildly distracting and made him feel
inferior.
Jamie's Bottom Line: "It's more of an entertaining show than an
arousing one, but everything was really awesomely executed."
{ SOURCE: Steve Friess, LA Times }
The Stars Align for Guy Laliberté [EXPANDED]
{Dec.06.2010}
-------------------------------------------------
Check out this fantastic article about Guy Laliberté, Cirque du
Soleil's founder and guide, By Reed Johnson of the Los Angeles
Times!
# # #
A few days ago at Hollywood & Highland, a smooth-scalped man in
a black leather jacket, jeans and sneakers got a red-carpet
treatment that royalty might envy.
Not one, but two, L.A. City Council members took turns gushing
over him. His fellow countryman, the director James Cameron,
praised the honoree as a theatrical magus who conjures "living
dreams," populated with aerialists, acrobats and clowns that are
actually amusing. Then, as a beaming Hollywood Chamber of
Commerce representative looked on, Guy Laliberté, the press-shy
billionaire founder and CEO of Cirque du Soleil, stepped forward
to unveil his and Cirque's shiny new star, the 2,424th on the
Walk of Fame.
The VIP theatrics were telling. On July 21, the Montreal-based
Cirque will pull the drapes off its latest high-flying
extravaganza, the Hollywood-themed "Iris." The new show has a
10-year contract to perform at the Kodak Theatre in the
Hollywood & Highland Center, which annually hosts the Academy
Awards ceremony but has had trouble filling its cavernous 3,400-
seat enclosure year-round.
Written and directed by French dancer-choreographer Philippe
Decouflé, who staged the opening and closing ceremonies of the
1992 Winter Olympics, with music by Danny Elfman, "Iris" is
shaping up both as a valentine to the movie industry and a mash
note to the city that, perhaps more than any outside Canada, has
put Cirque's blue- and gold-striped tent on the global map. Over
the years, Laliberté said, Cirque has conducted "a love affair"
with L.A., and in an interview he spoke of how working on "Iris"
has fired up the group's creative juices.
"This opportunity for Cirque du Soleil to pay tribute to an
industry that has an amazing history, we were like little kids
in a candy store," said the 51-year-old impresario, who likes to
depict Cirque, one of the world's most lucrative entertainment
brands, as a humble troupe of hard-working acrobats, and still
regards himself as the scrappy Quebec street busker he started
out as 30 years ago. Never mind that he's now one of the world's
500 or 600 richest people, a recipient of the Order of Canada
(his nation's top honor), and a top-tier philanthropist in
environmental causes.
So far, Laliberté and his colleagues have revealed few details
about "Iris" (pronounced, in the French-Canadian mode, more
like ee-rees than eye-ris). But they acknowledge that it will
reference specific films and characters, and that the design
will include projected images. "There's so much history in [the]
cinema industry that was very inspiring," Laliberté said.
City officials, retailers and tourism promoters hope that
Cirque's Hollywood residency will provide a major infusion of
visitors and cash to the theater and the shops and restaurants
that surround it. "Iris," with a cast of 75 performers and a
cost of $100 million, including theater renovation, is
contracted for a minimum of 368 performances a year. Cirque
plans to use a roughly 2,500-seat configuration by closing off
part of a balcony, and is excavating 45 feet under the Kodak
stage to accommodate its sprawling sets. Tickets will run from
$43 to $133, and higher for VIP packages.
The theater is part of the Hollywood & Highland Center retail
complex, whose current owner, CIM Group, bought it in 2004. One
of the center's biggest boosters, Council member Eric Garcetti,
whose district encompasses the Babylonian-motif mall, declared
at the Walk of Fame ceremony that "Iris" would draw about 2
million visitors annually and create hundreds of jobs, and "not
just for the folks in the show."
Those are big expectations for the big-top ensemble, which
almost single-handedly reinvented Las Vegas entertainment by
mounting seven shows in custom-built theaters along the Strip.
It also has full-time productions running in Tokyo; Macau,
China; and Orlando, Fla. Yet another new Cirque spectacle,
"Zarkana," is scheduled to open a 15-month engagement in June at
New York's Radio City Music Hall and a new touring show, "
Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour" will launch in
October.
Sounding purposeful but relaxed, Laliberté, who oversees every
Cirque project, said he's not concerned about his company
growing overextended. Cirque now employs 5,000 people worldwide,
including 1,200 performing artists from nearly 50 different
countries. "At the end, we live or die from our public, they're
the ones who will decide," Laliberté said. "And at this point
they're still coming, they still want more."
As for L.A., he said, Cirque has met big-time challenges here
before. Founded in 1984 by a tatterdemalion band of jugglers,
stilt-walkers and fire-belchers, Cirque had performed across
Canada by the mid-1980s and was scouting out potential new
venues, preferably in a year-round warm-weather market. The
troupe made its U.S. debut in Los Angeles in 1987.
{SOURCE: LA Times}
Cirque in 3D? [EXPANDED]
{Dec.08.2010}
-------------------------------------------------
Director Andrew Adamson has begun production on an enterprising
family-oriented feature film that marries James Cameron's 3D
wizardry with the precision and spectacle of Cirque du Soleil.
I'm told the untitled film is a hybrid combining narrative
storytelling with Cirque performances that are being captured in
3D from different themed Cirque du Soleil shows in Las Vegas.
Those performances serve as the backdrop of a magical world
where the film's lead character has been transported.
The film is being financed primarily by Cirque du Soleil, and
Cameron is serving as producer. Also producing are Reel FX
Entertainment partners Cary Granat and Ed Jones, Cirque du
Soleil, and Adamsons Strange Weather Films partner Aron
Warner. The intention is for this to launch a series of family
features that incorporate Cirque du Soleil into their
storylines. Adamson, who directed the first two installments of
the Shrek and Chronicles of Narnia franchises, hatched the story
for the first film. Hes currently in New Zealand, shooting the
narrative sequences that will give the movie its shape. He has
also worked with Cameron already in capturing some of the Cirque
du Soleil footage using 3D cameras.
The project is about one-third completed, and Im told that
major distributors have been shown sample footage. Several are
interested in making a deal, and Im told that a distributor
will likely be locked before production wraps. It is unclear
whether they will make a deal beyond domestic, though.
Cameron, who recently committed to direct two more installments
of Avatar, is separately producing two other high profile 3D
films. There is a remake of Fantastic Voyage at Fox, and the
Guillermo Del Toro-directed adaptation of HP Lovecrafts At the
Mountains of Madness at Universal. Adamson is executive producer
of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,
which opens Friday.
{SOURCE: Deadline.com}
beLIEve CD Now Available!
{Dec.13.2010}
-------------------------------------------------
A Dark & Thrilling Dreamlike World
With the original score for the show CRISS Angel Believe, Cirque
du Soleil fans are provided an in-depth look at renowned French
composer Éric Serra's work which features key tracks from the
pre-opening of the show in September 2008 to today. Éric Serra
created the initial music composition for the show CRISS ANGEL
Believe and incorporates his vast experience in film music
scores (The Big Blue, The Last Combat, Subway, La Femme Nikita,
Atlantis, The Fifth Element, etc.). Inspired by the show's
themes and written and arranged to blend with the visuals, Serra
takes the listener on a thrilling, dreamlike exploration
beginning with sounds of vintage children-inspired melodies to
rock and gothic moments with heavy, industrial, electronic beats
to classical and operatic influences.
Tracks:
1. Homage to the rabbits
2. The life factory
3. Sexy pet
4. Flying with the birds
5. Kayala and the poppies
6. Sympathy for Crimson
7. The magic doors
8. The cockroach dance
9 In and out of the dream
10. Shadows and whispers
11. Being houdini I
12. Being houdini II
13. Prewed
14. Blow me a tornado
15. She is gone to the sky
16. The magic wedding
All tracks composed and arranged by Eric Serra
Get your copy today at:
http://eboutique.cirquedusoleil.com/
{SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil}
Cirque in the Cloud? [EXPANDED]
{Dec.14.2010}
-------------------------------------------------
For those who enjoy the technical aspect of Cirque du Soleil's
operation...
# # #
Cirque du Soleil, the world-renowned entertainment provider, has
chosen Orange Business Services to implement messaging and
collaboration services with the Microsoft Office 365 cloud
platform. The initial engagement has Orange Business Services
delivering Microsoft Exchange Online to thousands of Cirque du
Soleil employees around the world, adding collaboration tools
with the needed flexibility to adapt to the constantly evolving
workforce demands.
Orange Business Services will provide the consultancy, project
management, implementation and operational support behind the
platform, covering both Cirque du Soleil's travelling and
permanent shows, as well as its corporate offices. Employees at
these sites will now have access to cloud-based messaging and
collaboration tools, such as email and document sharing.
Cirque du Soleil will benefit from a scalable and cost-effective
collaboration solution environment that is perfectly suited for
the demands of its business. Through the cloud, the system
administrator can easily add or remove new users as needed for
the numerous travelling shows it runs throughout the year.
Network infrastructure will be better utilized and extra
capacity will be available to support Cirque du Soleils
enterprise growth.
The main drivers behind this move were to obtain cost-effective
scalability of collaboration services and seamless operational
integration with our IT services outsourcing partners, said
Bernard Hébert, Vice President, Improvement, Technologies and
Knowledge Management, Cirque du Soleil. The initial engagement
will be completed in the first half of 2011. Document sharing
services migration into the cloud will be the objective of the
second half of 2011.
As a global integrated solutions provider, Orange Business
Services has been at the forefront of delivering the most
comprehensive cloud offering on the market today. Earlier this
year it announced its Flexible 4 Business alliance with leading
industry players Cisco, EMC and VMware to create end-to-end
cloud computing services for enterprises.
Todays announcement is further proof of the evolution of
Oranges cloud offering, said Diana Einterz, senior vice
president for the Americas, Orange Business Services. We have
played an integral role throughout the years in refining a next
generation IT infrastructure for Cirque du Soleil and welcome
the opportunity with Microsoft to now move them into the future
that is cloud computing.
Microsoft Online Services Premium for enterprises brings
together cloud versions of our trusted communications and
collaboration software enabling people to work together more
easily from anywhere on virtually any device, said Pierre
Chadi, Regional Director, Quebec, Microsoft Canada. We are
pleased to partner with Orange to offer Cirque du Soleil a
solution that meets their IT needs for robust security,
reliability, and user productivity.
{SOURCE: Vadvert, UK}
Quebéc's Garou to star in Zarkana [EXPANDED]
{Dec.15.2010}
-------------------------------------------------
Garou will play, and sing, the starring role of Zark in Zarkana,
the Cirque du Soleil show scheduled to open at Radio City Music
Hall in New York City next June (2011).
The sexy Quebec pop singer with the growly, gravel-toned voice
has been referred to in the francophone press as Our Quasimodo
National because of the role he created in the musical Notre-
Dame de Paris, based on the novel by Victor Hugo known in
English as The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Garou will sing nine songs, composed by Nick Littlemore, with
the participation of Elton John, in Zarkana. (Which is beginning
to sound like more of a musical than a circus. Francois Girard
directs.)
In this mega-spectacle, which will feature 71 performers the
character Zark is a magician who has lost his true love and,
along with her, his magical powers. Garou has just completed a
solo tour in Europe and a concert tour with other former members
of the cast of Notre-Dame de Paris in Kiev, Moscow and St.
Petersburg. Hes planning to launch his latest album, Version
integrale, in January.
How will Garou fare in this role? Wonderfully, Im thinking.
Hes at his best singing heart-wrenching songs.
{SOURCE: Montreal Gazette}
Keeping the Cirque's performers in top form [EXPANDED]
{Dec.21.2010}
------------------------------------------------------
For the first time in almost three years Miranda Sallaway sat in
the audience and watched KA, the Cirque du Soleil show at the
1,900-seat MGM theatre.
She saw the artists on the 30 foot by 30 foot, 7,000-pound
Tatami deck as it tilted upward. "It was incredible. Watching
the artists gave me goose bumps. My heart raced. I heard the
people talk about it in awe and realized what these artists give
to people."
For the last three years this delightful, quiet Canadian, born
and raised in Peterborough, has been working backstage as a
physical fitness therapist watching monitors, taping artists and
giving them strengthening advice as they perform more than 400
shows a year, five days a week.
The 28-year-old's journey from Peterborough to Vegas started
when she attended Guelph University, enrolling in biology. She
was "flipping through a program" one day and saw the sports
injury management program, a joint program between Guelph and
Sheridan College in Oakville that no longer exists.
You could get your BSc in Human Kinetics with three years in
Guelph and a sports injury diploma with two years at Sheridan.
She did both and graduated four years ago. She had attended
Westmount and PCVS schools in Peterborough. Her mother, Wendy
Hibberd, is a teacher at Immaculate Conception, her father,
John, a veterinarian specializing in horses.
"I used to tag along with my father when he went to work and I
got interested in the animals so maybe that was in the back of
my mind when I went to Guelph (which has a veterinary school)."
She also played basketball, volleyball and rowed in Peterborough
and was on the Guelph volleyball team before becoming its
trainer for two years, which fit in perfectly with the sports
injury curriculum.
When she went to Sheridan a lot of internship and fieldwork was
mandatory to get experience in conditioning, emergency and acute
care as well as work in clinical settings providing care for
injuries. She spent some time at the Sports Medicine Specialist
in Toronto, a "wonderful clinic, but very much a traditional
clinical setting."
Her next internship changed her life.
It was "a scholarship to spend several months with the National
Ballet of Canada. What a difference. This was a setting where
you had highly motivated individuals, individuals from all over
the world and individuals with a flare for performing. It was
fun. Work was fun, work was a challenge and I was hooked. From
there on I started to look in the direction of working with
performers.
"In 2007 I got the opportunity to work with Cirque du Soleil
working for the creation of a production called Wintuk in
Montreal. This show went annually to New York for the Christmas
holidays. When this left town I went to a different part of town
to work at Cirque du Soleil's International Headquarters in
Montreal. I spent almost a year working here. In the time I was
there the creation for three different shows went through
(Believe, Zed and Zaia)."
Then in 2008 it was on to Las Vegas where Cirque has seven shows
running at the moment everything from KA to O, the Beatles and
Elvis.
As she takes me backstage, where photos and video are not
allowed, she tells me about the nine-storey theatre and the
production. She finds the work and people riveting. The artists,
as they like to be known, come from all over the world and speak
many languages. Her job is preventing injury, showing these
superb athletes how to get stronger and do things better with a
program of maintenance.
Shoulder, arm and leg injuries are common as they perform
repetitive exercise that over the years can lead to serious
problems, but there are few injuries in a show.
"Safety is all the concern here."
The monitor in the injury clinic shows the artists as they
perform and she can notice if one is slowing down or pick out
weaknesses. She speaks to their coaches about it.
Most of the performers are in their mid-20s but they go up to 54
years old. They are acrobats, martial artists and world champion
baton twirlers and unlike baseball or hockey players they will
perform three different acts in their routines during the two
nightly shows. These are world-class performers.
The artists have a massage therapist and Pilates instructor to
help them through the 476 shows per year. There is a gym built
for them at the theatre that features everything from trapeze to
climbing board. A shoe and clothing department is packed with
costumes that they will use, all brought in from Montreal.
The cast members walk by, jabbering at and joking with Miranda,
asking her questions about tonight's show. You can tell they are
both co-workers and friends.
She found the move to Vegas to be without any major problems.
The cost of living is similar, the cost of housing is coming
down and she likes that there are happy hours in the bars and
restaurants any time of day.
"I go home (to Ontario) sometimes and forget you have to get
beer before the beer stores close," she laughs.
When she first came to Vegas it was a bit of culture shock but
she knew a few of the people in the show and most of the artists
are outgoing personalities so it didn't take long to feel at
home.
Two months ago in Las Vegas Miranda married a fellow Canadian,
Brian Oudyk from Edmonton, who is also a fitness therapist and
did internships with the Blue Jays and Edmonton Eskimos. They
met at Sheridan. He works for Cirque du Soleil's Chris Angel
production in Vegas.
"My husband and I had a Las Vegas wedding two months ago where
our officiant was a clown, our photographer was a contortionist,
the videographer was an acrobat and a head coach was kind enough
to let us have the whole thing in his backyard. We are
constantly surrounded by wonderful people down here and it makes
being so far away from home easier."
They live in Red Rock Canyon just outside Vegas where they love
the outdoors and enjoy hiking, walking and getting away from it
all. "Here I am, almost three years later still loving my job
and enjoying the city."
* * *
* The MGM theatre is 149 feet from the high ceiling to low floor
level.
* The storm scene boat weighs 1,800 pounds and is manipulated by
the onstage artists.
* The beach scene is created with 350 cubic feet of cork from
Portugal.
* Artists fall 60 feet during the show.
* Corrugated steel tubes four feet in diameter and 80 feet high
make up the 14 trees.
* The battle scene features 16 artists controlling their
movements through wireless remotes in their costumes.
* There are 3,300 lighting fixtures.
* The sound system weighs 43,868 pounds and takes up 1,980,000
cubic feet of air space.
* Every theatre seat has two speakers built into its headrest.
* 70 specialists worked more than 35,000 hours to produce the
first full set of costumes in Montreal.
* All costumes are custom made for the 86 artists.
* There are 400 pairs of shoes, 15 wigs.
* One forest hat takes 40 hours to make.
* The artists apply their own make up taking 45 to 120 minutes.
* Make-up technicians airbrush the faces. The counsellor's son's
make-up involves 33 steps and eight different brushes, four
sponges and a powder puff.
* 120 fireballs are discharged before the show measuring 30 feet
high and 1,200F.
* Liquid nitrogen used to create the fog is contained in a
13,000-gallon storage tank.
* 119 pyrotechnic devices are fired throughout the show.
* There is a props and puppet department for more than 500
props, 10 larger than life puppets, 21 mini-puppets and six
butterflies.
* The stick bug puppet is more than six feet long and operated
by two artists.
* The snake is 80 feet long.
* 1,300 hours went into making one crab puppet.
* More than 110 live arrows are shot through the air at each
performance.
* There are more than 160 harnesses and 21 types; each has to be
inspected daily before and during each show.
* Safety nets are used for artists falling less than 20 feet
while bags and safety nets are used for higher falls.
{ SOURCE: The Peterborough Examiner }
You Want OUR Opinion? Oookay...
{Dec.23.2010}
-------------------------------------------------
We love it when Cirque does surveys; it can sometimes clue us in
to where their corporate thinking is with regard to fans. We
were (randomly we're sure) selected to take part in another just
last month, with some interesting questions. (Surveys like this
can be tailored so that different responses engender different
questions, so others who took the survey might not get the same
questions.)
They first started with a set of typical survey questions about
what we thought of Cirque du Soleil, Cirque Club and other
entertainment options. Then questions got interesting, asking
about music and whether we preferred a "live" recording of a
show or a "studio" recording (our answer - Yes! Both!). They
also wanted to know if we'd pay extra for exclusive access to
videos online or backstage tours of shows (no to the first, yes
to the second). They then wanted to know about our interest in
"limited edition artwork specially designed by local artists"
and being able to submit photos/videos to an online community
(not for extra money, please).
Then they asked about our interest in a "CDS Gift Card." This,
according to the survey, would be a card whose value could be
used for tickets to two or more Cirque shows in a set length of
time. They seemed to be interested in sweetening the deal,
asking about our interest if there were a big discount, access
to tickets in advance of public sale, or a special gift or
privilege. We like this idea, though wonder how it might work
with the various price points of the arena, tent, and resident
shows. We'd need to know more about which category of tickets
they'd be offering under this idea, but the idea of getting
tickets ahead of the general public at a discount intrigues us.
(SOURCE: Keith Johnson)
=======================================================================
ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION
=======================================================================
o) BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau
{Corteo, Koozå, OVO, Totem & Varekai}
o) ARENA - In Stadium-like venues
{Saltimbanco, Alegría, Quidam, Dralion
& Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour}
o) RESIDENT - Performed en Le Théâtre
{Mystère, "O", La Nouba, Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE,
ZAIA, ZED, Believe & VIVA Elvis}
o) VENUE - Venue & Seasonal productions
{Iris, & Zarkana}
NOTE:
.) While we make every effort to provide complete and accurate
touring dates and locations available, the information in
this section is subject to change without notice. As such,
the Fascination! Newsletter does not accept responsibility
for the accuracy of these listings.
.) Dates so marked (*) are not official until released by Cirque
du Soleil.
For current, up-to-the-moment information on Cirque's whereabouts,
please visit our website: < http://www.CirqueFascination.com/ >.
------------------------------------
BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau
------------------------------------
Online at: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=39 >
Corteo:
Brussels, BE -- Jan 4, 2011 to Jan 30, 2011
Vienna, AT -- Feb 10, 2011 to Mar, 6, 2011
Madrid, ES -- Apr 2, 2011 to May 8, 2011
Valencia, ES -- Jun 16, 2011 to Jul 10, 2011
Alicante, ES -- Jul 28, 2011 to Aug 21, 2011
Sevilla, ES -- Sep 8, 2011 to Oct 9, 2011
Paris, FR -- Nov 11, 2011 to TBA
Koozå:
Miami, FL -- Nov 12, 2011 to Jan 2, 2011
Tokyo, JPN -- Feb 2, 2011 to May 8, 2011
Osaka, JPN -- Aug 4, 2011 to Oct 10, 2011
Nagoya, JPN -- Nov 23, 2011 to Jan 22, 2012
Fukuoka, JPN -- Feb 9, 2012 to Apr 1, 2012
Sendai, JPN -- Apr 19, 2012 to Jun 3, 2012
Ovo:
Atlanta, GA -- Nov 4, 2010 to Jan 2, 2011
Dallas, TX -- Jan 28, 2011 to Feb 20, 2011
Houston, TX -- Mar 10, 2011 to Mar 27, 2011
Cincinnati, OH -- Apr 21, 2011 to May 8, 2011
Minneapolis, MN -- May 26, 2011 to Jun 12, 2011
Chicago, IL -- Jun 30, 2011 to Jul 31, 2011
Seattle, WA -- Nov 17, 2011 to TBA
Totem:
London, UK -- Jan 5, 2011 to Feb 17, 2011
Charlotte, NC -- Mar 3, 2011 to Mar 20, 2011
Baltimore, MD -- Apr 7, 2011 to Apr 24, 2011
Pittsburgh, PA -- May 12, 2011 to May 29, 2011
Montreal, QC -- Jun 16, 2011 to Jul 17, 2011
Toronto, ON -- Aug 11, 2011 to Sep 4, 2011
San Francisco, CA -- Oct 21, 2011 to TBA
Varekai:
Barcelona, ES -- Nov 5, 2010 to Jan 2, 2011
Taipei, TW -- Jan 20, 2011 to Mar 6, 2011
Seoul, SKR -- Apr 6, 2011 to May 29, 2011
------------------------------------
ARENA - In Stadium-Like Venues
------------------------------------
Online at: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=1831 >
Saltimbanco:
Antwerp, BE -- Dec 22, 2010 to Jan 2, 2011
Lille, FR -- Jan 5, 2011 to Jan 9, 2011
Paris, FR -- Jan 13, 2011 to Jan 16, 2011
Friedrichshafen, DE -- Feb 11, 2011 to Feb 13, 2011
Istanbul, TR -- Feb 18, 2011 to Mar 5, 2011
Johannesburg, ZA -- Mar 9, 2011 to Mar 20, 2011
Cape Town, ZA -- Mar 23, 2011 to Apr 3, 2011
Perth, AU -- Apr 21, 2011 to May 1, 2011
Adelaide, AU -- May 12, 2011 to May 20, 2011
Melbourne, AU -- May 25, 2011 to Jun 3, 2011
Hobart, AU -- Jun 15, 2011 to Jun 19, 2011
Brisbane, AU -- Jul 8, 2011 to Jul 15, 2011
Newcastle, AU -- Jul 20, 2011 to Jul 24, 2011
Sydney, AU -- Jul 27, 2011 to Aug 5, 2011
Wollongong, AU -- Aug 17, 2011 to Aug 21, 2011
Auckland, NZ -- Aug 25, 2011 to TBA
Alegría:
Wichita, KS -- Dec 29, 2010 to Jan 2, 2011
Baton Rouge, LA -- Jan 5, 2011 to Jan 9, 2011
Colorado Springs, CO -- Jan 12, 2011 to Jan 16, 2011
Broomfield, CO -- Jan 19, 2011 to Jan 23, 2011
Loveland, CO -- Jan 26, 2011 to Jan 30, 2011
Laredo, TX -- Feb 2, 2011 to Feb 6, 2011
Hidalgo, TX -- Feb 9, 2011 to Feb 13, 2011
Corpus Christi, TX -- Feb 16, 2011 to Feb 20, 2011
Tulsa, OK -- Feb 23, 2011 to Feb 27, 2011
North Charleston, SC -- Mar 17, 2011 to Mar 20, 2011
Knoxville, TN -- Mar 23, 2011 to Mar 27, 2011
Charlotesville, VA -- Mar 30, 2011 to Apr 3, 2011
Atlantic City, NJ -- Apr 6, 2011 to Apr 10, 2011
Greensboro, NC -- Apr 13, 2011 to Apr 17, 2011
Biloxi, MS -- Apr 20, 2011 to TBA
Southaver, MS -- Apr 27, 2011 to TBA
Roanoke, VA -- May 4, 2011 to May 8, 2011
Columbia, SC -- May 11, 2011 to TBA
Toledo, OH - May 18, 2011 to TBA
Louisville, KY -- Jun 9, 2011 to TBA
Nashville, TN -- Jun 15, 2011 to Jun 19, 2011
Tampa, FL -- Jun 22, 2011 to TBA
Jacksonville, FL -- Jun 29, 2011 to TBA
Raleigh, NC -- Jul 6, 2011 to TBA
Duluth, GA -- Jul 13, 2011 to TBA
Sunrise, FL -- Jul 20, 2011 to TBA
Charlotte, NC -- Aug 3, 2011 to TBA
Estero, FL -- Aug 10, 2011 to TBA
Oberhausen, DE -- Sep 7, 2011 to Sep 11, 2011
Leipzig, DE -- Sep 14, 2011 to Sep 18, 2011
Stuttgart, DE -- Sep 21, 2011 to Sep 25, 2011
Munich, DE -- Sep 28, 2011 to Oct 2, 2011
Salzburg, AT -- Oct 5, 2011 to Oct 9, 2011
Berlin, DE -- Oct 12, 2011 to Oct 16, 2011
Bremen, DE -- Oct 19, 2011 to Oct 23, 2011
cologne, DE -- Oct 26, 2011 to Oct 30, 2011
Frankfurt, DE -- Nov 2, 2011 to Nov 6, 2011
Mannheim, DE -- Nov 9, 2011 to Nov 13, 2011
Quidam:
Quebec, QC -- Jan 4, 2011 to Jan 9, 2011
Chicoutimi, QC -- Jan 12, 2011 to Jan 16, 2011
Vancouver, BC -- Mar 9, 2011 to Mar 13, 2011
Everett, WA -- Mar 16, 2011 to Mar 20, 2011
San Jose, CA -- Mar 24, 2011 to Mar 27, 2011
San Diego, CA -- Mar 30, 2011 to Apr 3, 2011
San Francisco, CA -- Apr 6, 2011 to Apr 17, 2011
Long Beach, CA -- Apr 20, 2011 to Apr 24, 2011
Ontario, CA -- Apr 27, 2011 to May 1, 2011
Reno, NV -- May 4, 2011 to TBA
Sacramento, CA -- May 11, 2011 to May 15, 2011
London, ON -- Jun 2, 2011 to TBA
Hamilton, ON -- Jun 8, 2011 to TBA
Wilkes-Barre, PA -- Jun 15, 2011 to TBA
Ottawa, ON -- Jun 22, 2011 to TBA
St. John's, NL -- Jul 6, 2011 to TBA
Saint John, NB -- Jul 13, 2011 to TBA
Providence, RI -- Jul 27, 2011 to TBA
Hershey, PA -- Aug 18, 2011 to TBA
Baltimore, MD -- Aug 31, 2011 to TBA
Amherst, MA -- Sep 7, 2011 to TBA
State College, PA -- Sep 14, 2011 to TBA
Fort Wayne, IN -- Sep 21, 2011 to TBA
Hartford, CT -- Sep 28, 2011 to TBA
Reading, PA -- Oct 5, 2011 to TBA
Pittsburgh, PA -- Oct 12, 2011 to TBA
Milwaukee, WI -- Oct 19, 2011 to TBA
Washington, DC -- Nov 16, 2011 to TBA
Fayetteville, NC -- Nov 23, 2011 to TBA
Greenville, SC -- Nov 30, 2011 to TBA
Hampton, VA -- Dec 7, 2011 to TBA
Worcester, MA -- Dec 14, 2011 to TBA
Toronto, ON -- Dec 20, 2011 to TBA
Dralion:
Philadelphia, PA -- Dec 21, 2010 to Jan 2, 2011
Boston, MA -- Jan 5, 2011 to Jan 9, 2011
Grand Rapids, MI -- Jan 12, 2011 to Jan 16, 2011
St. Louis, MO -- Jan 19, 2011 to Jan 23, 2011
Chicago, IL -- Jan 26, 2011 to Jan 30, 2011
Mobile, AL - Feb 2, 2011 to Feb 6, 2011
Columbus, OH - Feb 9, 2011 to Feb 13, 2011
Detroit, MI -- Feb 16, 2011 to Feb 20, 2011
Austin, TX -- Mar 10, 2011 to Mar 21, 2011
San Antonio, TX -- Mar 23, 2011 to Mar 27, 2011
Des Moines, IA -- Mar 30, 2011 to Apr 6, 2011
Springfield, IL -- Apr 6, 2011 to TBA
Council Bluffs, IA -- Apr 13, 2011 to Apr 17, 2011
Moline, IL -- Apr 19, 2011 to TBA
Peoria, IL -- Apr 22, 2011 to Apr 24, 2011
Madison, WI -- Apr 26, 2011 to Apr 27, 2011
Green Bay, WI -- Apr 29, 2011 to May 1, 2011
Rockford, IL -- May 3, 2011 to TBA
Kansas City, MO -- May 11, 2011 to TBA
Abbotsford, BC -- Jun 2, 2011 to Jun 5, 2011
Eugene, OR -- Jun 8, 2011 to TBA
Portland, OR -- Jun 15, 2011 to TBA
Victoria, BC -- Jun 22, 2011 to Jun 26, 2011
Edmonton, AB -- Jul 6, 2011 to TBA
Saskatoon, SK -- Jul 13, 2011 to TBA
Winnipeg, MB -- Jul 20, 2011 to TBA
Frisco, TX -- Jul 27, 2011 to TBA
Indianapolis, IN -- Aug 3, 2011 to TBA
Atlanta, GA -- Aug 25, 2011 to TBA
Albany, NY -- Sep 7, 2011 to TBA
Syracuse, NY -- Sep 14, 2011 to TBA
Binghampton, NY -- Sep 20, 2011 to TBA
Glens Falls, NY -- Sep 24, 2011 to TBA
Portland, ME -- Sep 28, 2011 to TBA
Cypress, TX -- Nov 17, 2011 to TBA
Beaumont, TX -- Nov 23, 2011 to TBA
Springfield, IL -- Nov 30, 2011 to TBA
Richmond, VA -- Dec 7, 2011 to TBA
Montreal, QC -- Dec 19, 2011 to TBA
Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour:
Montreal, QC -- Oct 2, 2011 & Oct 3, 2011
Ottawa, ON -- Oct 7, 2011 to Oct 8, 2011
Hamilton, ON -- Oct 12, 2011
Detroit, MI -- Oct 15, 2011
London, ON -- Oct 18, 2011
Toronto, ON -- Oct 21, 2011 & Oct 22, 2011
Winnipeg, MB -- Oct 26, 2011
Saskatoon, SK -- Oct 29, 2011
Edmonton, AB -- Nov 1, 2011 & Nov 2, 2011
Vancouver, BC -- Nov 4, 2011 & Nov 5, 2011
Seattle, WA -- Nov 9, 2011
Portland, OR -- Nov 18, 2011
Salt Lake City, UT -- Nov 29, 2011
Las Vegas, NV -- Dec 3, 2011 to Dec 11, 2011
Denver, CO -- Jan 6, 2012
Sacramento, CA -- Jan 10, 2012
San Jose, CA -- Jan 13, 2012
Oakland, CA -- Jan 18, 2012
San Diego, CA -- Jan 21, 2012
Anaheim, CA -- Jan 24, 2012
Los Angeles, CA -- Jan 27, 2012 & Jan 28, 2012
Houston, TX -- Feb 10, 2012
Miami, FL -- Mar 2, 2012
Montreal -- Mar 20, 2012 to Mar 22, 2012
Quebec City, QC -- Mar 24, 2012 & Mar 25, 2012
New York City, NY -- Apr 3, 2012
Philadelphia, PA -- Apr 10, 2012
Atlanta, GA -- Jun 29, 2012
---------------------------------
RESIDENT - en Le Théâtre
---------------------------------
NOTE: (*) Prices are in United States Dollars (USD) unless otherwise
noted.
(*) Ticket prices exclude the 10% Live Entertainment Tax, the
$7.50 per-ticket processing fee, and sales tax where
applicable.
Online at: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=40 >
Mystère:
Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark: Thursday/Friday
Two shows Nightly - 7:00pm & 9:30pm
2010 Ticket Prices (adult) / (child 5-12):
o Category 1: $109.00 / $54.50
o Category 2: $99.00 / $49.50
o Category 3: $79.00 / $39.50
o Category 4: $69.00 / $34.50
o Category 5: $60.00 / $30.00 (Limited View)
2010 Added Performances
o December 31st
2011 Dark Dates:
o January 5-19
o February 6
o March 2
o May 8-11
o July 6
o September 3-7
o November 2
2011 Added Performances:
o July 14th
o December 30th
"O":
Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark: Monday/Tuesday
Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:00pm
2010 Ticket Prices:
o Orchestra: $150.00
o Loggia: $130.00
o Balcony: $99.00
o Limited View: $93.50
2010 Dark Dates:
o December 8-19
2011 Dark Dates:
o February 6-9
o April 13-17
o June 12
o August 10-14
o October 9
o December 5-18
La Nouba:
Location: Walt Disney World, Orlando (USA)
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday
Two shows Nightly - 6:00pm and 9:00pm
2010 Ticket Prices (adults) / (child 3-9):
o Category 0: $120.00 / $97.00
o Category 1: $105.00 / $85.00
o Category 2: $85.00 / $69.00
o Category 3: $69.00 / $56.00
o Category 4: $55.00 / $45.00
2011 Dark Dates:
o January 18-22
o March 22
o May 17-28
o July 26
o September 20-24
o November 22
Zumanity:
Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Friday through Tuesday
Dark: Wednesday & Thursday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:00pm
2010 Ticket Prices (18+ Only!):
o Duo Sofas: $129.00
o Orchestra Seats: $105.00
o Upper Orchestra Seats: $79.00
o Balcony Seats: $69.00
o Cabaret Stools: $69.00
2010 Dark Dates:
o November 15-16
o December 17-21
2010 Added Performances:
o November 24th
o December 31st
2011 Dark Dates:
o February 6, 15
o April 15-19
o June 21
o August 26-30
o Septembre 2-6
o October 17-18
o December 16-20
2011 Added Performances:
o November 23rd
o December 31st
KÀ:
Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark Sunday/Monday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
2010 Ticket Prices (adult) / (child 5-12):
o Category 1: $150.00 / $75.00
o Category 2: $130.00 / $65.00
o Category 3: $99.00 / $49.50
o Category 4: $69.00 / $34.50
2010 Added Performances:
o December 26
o December 31
2011 Dark Dates:
o January 18-29
o April 5
o May 31 - June 4
o July 12
o August 30 - September 7
o November 15-16
2011 Added Performances:
o January 16
o May 29
o November 27
o December 26
o December 31
LOVE:
Location: Mirage, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Thursday through Monday, Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
2010 Ticket Prices:
o Lower Orchestra: $150.00
o Upper Orchestra: $130.00
o Lower Balcony: $99.00
o Middle Balcony: $93.50
2010 Dark Dates:
o December 2 - 15
2011 Dark Dates:
o February 7-8
o April 7-11
o May 16
o June 6
o August 4-8
o October 3
o December 1-12
2011 Added Performances:
o May 18th
o December 28th
o December 31st
ZAIA:
Location: Venetian, Macao (China)
Performs: Every Day, Dark: Wednesday
One to Two Shows Daily - Times Vary
2010 Ticket Prices (adult) / (child 2-11):
o VIP Seating: MOP$ 1288 / MOP$ 1288
o Reserve A: MOP$ 788 / MOP$ 394
o Reserve B: MOP$ 588 / MOP$ 294
o Reserve C: MOP$ 388 / MOP$ 194
ZED:
Location: Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo (Japan)
Performs: Varies
One to Two Shows Daily - Showtimes vary
2010 Ticket Prices (Non-Peek / Peek Time):
o Category 1 ("Premium"): ¥15,000 / ¥16,000
o Category 2 ("Stage-Side"): ¥12,500 / ¥13,500
o Category 2 ("Center"): ¥12,500 / ¥13,500
o Category 3 ("Wide View"): ¥9,500 / ¥10,500
o Category 4 ("Value"): ¥7,500 / ¥8,500
BELIEVE:
Location: Luxor, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark: Wednesday/Thursday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 10:00pm
NOTE: Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by
an adult. Children under the age of five are not permitted
into the theater.
2010 Ticket Prices (all):
o Category 1: $160.00
o Category 2: $130.00
o Category 3: $109.00
o Category 4: $89.00
o Category 5: $59.00
2010 Added Performances:
o December 31 at 4:30pm and 7:00pm
2011 Dark Dates:
o January 11-15
o March 1-5
o June 7-14
o September 6-10
o December 6-17
VIVA ELVIS:
Location: Aria, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
2010 Ticket Prices
o Category 1: $175.00
o Category 2: $150.00
o Category 3: $125.00
o Category 4: $99.00
2011 Dark Dates:
o January 18-19
o March 15-19
o May 10-11
o July 5-16
o September 13-14
o November 8-12
2011 Added Performances:
o May 29th
o November 27th
o December 26, 31
--------------------------------------
VENUE - Venue & Seasonal Productions
--------------------------------------
Online at: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=251 >
IRIS:
Location ///
Kodak Theatre
Hollywood, CA (USA)
Performances ///
Opens July 22, 2011
Ticket Prices ///
Previews:
Category 0 = $203.00
Category 1 = $100.50
Category 2 = $78.00
Category 3 = $59.25
Category 4 = $33.00
Weekday Matinee:
Category 0: $253.00
Category 1: $123.00
Category 2: $93.00
Category 3: $68.00
Category 4: $43.00
Saturday Matinee:
Category 0: $253.00
Category 1: $133.00
Category 2: $103.00
Category 3: $78.00
Category 4: $43.00
ZARKANA:
Location ///
Radio City Music Hall
New York City, NY (USA)
Performances ///
June 9, 2011 through September 4, 2011.
2011 Dark Dates:
o June 13-15, 20-22, 27-28
o July 4, 11, 18, 25
o August 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
o September 5, 12, 19, 26
o October 3
Ticket Prices ///
Previews:
Category 1 = $250.00
Category 2 = $120.00
Category 3 = $70.00
Category 4 = $47.00
Fri Eve, Sat Mat, Sat Eve, Sun Mat:
Category 1: $300.00
Category 2: $130.00
Category 3: $75.00
Category 4: $52.00
Tues Eve, Wed Mat, Wed Eve, Thurs Eve,
Fri Mat, Sun Eve:
Category 1: $250.00
Category 2: $130.00
Category 3: $75.00
Category 4: $52.00
=======================================================================
OUTREACH - UPDATES FROM CIRQUE'S SOCIAL WIDGETS
=======================================================================
---[ CIRQUE WEEK ]---
Cirque Week Day 1: Registration
LINK /// < http://www.flickr.com/photos/cirquelasvegas/
sets/72157625502266140/ >
Cirque Week Day 1: LOVE / BELIEVE
LINK /// < http://www.flickr.com/photos/cirquelasvegas/
sets/72157625501674212/ >
Cirque Week Day 2: Zumanity - Rehearsal and Q&A
LINK /// < http://www.flickr.com/photos/cirquelasvegas/
sets/72157625383814489/ >
Cirque Week Day 3: Criss Angel Meet & Greet
LINK /// < http://www.flickr.com/photos/cirquelasvegas/
sets/72157625390238693/ >
Cirque Week Day 3: Viva Elvis
LINK /// < http://www.flickr.com/photos/cirquelasvegas/
sets/72157625390079327/ >
Cirque Week Day 4: KA Demonstration and Q&A
LINK /// < http://www.flickr.com/photos/cirquelasvegas/
sets/72157625544235582/ >
Cirque Week Day 5: "O" Q&A Panel
LINK /// < http://www.flickr.com/photos/cirquelasvegas/
sets/72157625419823587/ >
Cirque Week Day 6: Creative & Technical Panel
LINK /// < http://www.flickr.com/photos/cirquelasvegas/
sets/72157625550973698/ >
Cirque Week Day 7: Mystere - Taiko Drum Demonstration
LINK /// < http://www.flickr.com/photos/cirquelasvegas/
sets/72157625552230014/ >
---[ ALEGRIA ]---
{Dec.24}
Best wishes from Alegria!
FOTO [3] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php?
aid=316367&id=38543815745 >
{Dec.22}
Everything (well almost...) you always wanted to know about
Clowns and Physical Actors at Cirque du Soleil but were afraid
to ask !
VIDEO [7:50] /// < http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?
v=10150112325881210&oid=102959066704&comments&ref=mf >
{Dec.21}
Premiere in Oklahoma City @ Cox Convention Center, tomorrow
Wednesday, December 21. Watch a performer!
VIDEO /// < http://newsok.com/cirque-du-soleil-alegria-
performer/multimedia/video/709313474001 >
---[ CIRQUE DU SOLEIL ]---
{Dec.21}
Cirque du Soleil Are you more like the Scientist from TOTEM? Or
like Jamie from Wintuk? Learn how your personality aligns with
Cirque du Soleil characters and Infiniti vehicles with
Infiniti's Performance Personality quiz!
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/HCXxa >
{Dec.20}
Together, we can change the world. Happy Holidays! | Ensemble
pour changer le monde. Joyeuses Fêtes!
VIDEO /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7BAA81zc_0&sns=em >
{Dec.14}
Don't miss your chance to win an all expenses paid trip for two
to Montreal to see the premiere of Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL
World Tour in Montreal! Enter now:
LINK /// < http://bit.ly/bsJWy4 >
{Dec.01}
Did you know that Cirque du Soleil has been involved with the
Journées de la culture for more than 10 years now? Here's a
glimpse of the 2010 edition at Cirque Studio in Montreal.
VIDEO /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v46m4_xJm4&sns=em >
---[ DRALION ]---
{Dec.31}
Best wishes for the New Year from all Dralion cast and crew:)
{Dec.30}
During Cirque du Soleil's Dralion, a gorgeous spectacle of
acrobatic accomplishments, it's tough not to let one's mind
wander toward the Spider-Man debacle unfolding on Broadway.
LINK /// < http://www.philly.com/inquirer/columnists/
wendy_rosenfield/20101223_Special-effects-
free_creativity.html >
{Dec.22}
Watch, live this morning, Amanda Orozco teach aerial tissue to
the NBC-10 anchors at Liacouras Center.
VIDEO [1:25] /// < http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?
v=487863620352&oid=39340140194&comments&ref=mfK >
{Dec.22}
And now.... Watch Katy, reporter on Fox 29, trying a move on the
Aerial Hoop with Marie-Eve Bisson.
VIDEO [0:26] /// < http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?
v=487938825352&oid=39340140194&comments&ref=mf >
{Dec.20}
Dralion in Philadelphia!
FOTO [5] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php?
aid=595893&id=39340140194&ref=mf >
{Dec.20}
Cirque du Soleil's 'Dralion' unites the East and West
LINK /// < http://www.dailylocal.com/articles/2010/12/
17/entertainment/srv0000010319801.txt >
{Dec.15}
Woohoo! Watch Han Yuzhen performing live at Fox 25 this morning.
Opening tomorrow night at the DCU Center!
LINK /// < http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/morning/cirque-du-
soliels-dralion-20101215 >
{Dec.13}
A New Twist on Dralion | Cirque du Soleil performances are
always intense but not always in tents. The Montreal-based
circus has folded up its famous big top and gone indoors for the
current arena tour of 'Dralion,' which includes seven
performances at the DCU Center Dec. 16 through 19.
LINK /// < http://www.telegram.com/article/20101205
/NEWS/12050586 >
{Dec.01}
Coming soon to the DCU Center in Worcester!!! Read a preview
from our Artistic Director Sean McKeown and the Goddess of Water
- Oceane performed by Tara C. Pandeya.
LINK /// < http://www.thepulsemag.com/wordpress/2010/12/
cirque-du-soleil-brings-dralion-to-the-dcu-center >
---[ IRIS ]---
{Dec.31}
IRIS' Float!
LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?
fbid=173536572684691&set=a.173536262684722.34125.
161171830587832 >
{Dec.30}
Countdown to the Rose Parade - 2 days to go! Decorating
underway, check out the newest photos.
FOTO /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php?
aid=33695&id=161171830587832 >
{Dec.27}
The 2011 City of Los Angeles float features Cirque du Soleil and
Hollywood. We're honored to be a part of the city's 113th year
of participation in the Rose Parade. Here are pics of the float
in process. Cirque artists will be performing on it during the
parade. Don't miss it! Saturday, January 1, 2011, starting ...at
8am (PST). Check your local listings for details.
FOTO [12] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php?
aid=33695&id=161171830587832&ref=mf >
{Dec.03}
Here's a look at IRIS -- coming to the Kodak Theatre in 2011!
Tickets are on sale now!
VIDEO [0:30] /// < http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?
v=10100265603001339&oid=161171830587832&comments&ref=mf >
---[ KOOZA ]---
{Dec.24}
Happy Holidays to all the KOOZA fans!
{Dec.11}
KOOZA cast out on the streets of Miami beach! KOOZA by Cirque du
Soleil is now performing until January 2nd, 2011 under the Blue
and Yellow Big Top at Bicentennial Park in Miami! Don't miss
out!
VIDEO /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCI5b_UGliw >
{Dec.07}
KOOZA in the streets of South Beach, Florida - December 7, 2010
FOTO [39] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php?
aid=250680&id=34324811338&ref=mf >
{Dec.02}
LA SOIRÉE ONE DROP in Miami, to benefit the ONE DROP foundation,
was held last night at KOOZA by Cirque du Soleil under the Blue
and Yellow Grand Chapiteau at Bicentennial Park. Gloria & Emilio
Estefan, Guy Laliberté, the founder of Cirque du Soleil & ONE
DROP Foundation walked the Blue Carpet with many more co-hosts
a...nd suporters. To learn more about ONE DROP, please visit
www.onedrop.org.
FOTO /// < http://www.flickr.com/photos/
onedropfoundation/5226437018/ >
---[ LA NOUBA ]---
{Dec.31}
Cheers to 2010!
VIDEO [2:07] /// < http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?
v=1802843953849&oid=16315569901&comments&ref=mf >
{Dec.24}
Friends are like snowflakes, each one different and beautiful.
Wishing our beautiful friends happiness in your celebrations
this season!
{Dec.23}
We're celebrating an anniversary today! Can you guess (or
remember) which one?
VIDEO /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=h-YcBVEnLT8&feature=related >
{Dec.14}
La Nouba recently shot lots of footage to be used in a new TV
spot to promote the show. This has been in the works for quite
some time and needless to say... We're excited about it. (Photos
by Laura Murphy)
The Making Of: La Nouba's TV Spot
FOTO [51] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php?
aid=253555&id=16315569901&ref=mf >
{Dec.08}
La Nouba Rigger Takes Vacation, Makes the News (nice work,
Barry!)!! | ORLANDO, Fla. -- A man climbs to the top of a 68-
foot flag pole more than 300 feet in the air to unsnarl a stuck
flag that ripped in half atop an Orlando hotel. Tuesday,
December 7, 2010.
LINK /// < http://www.clickorlando.com/news/
26047545/detail.html >
---[ MYSTERE ]---
{Dec.22}
If you're on Twitter, tweet about your experience at or love for
Mystère using hashtag #Mystere and see it reflected on the
'Share Love' tab on our Facebook page!
LINK /// < http://on.fb.me/MystereShare >
{Dec.21}
Thank you to all of you who stayed up late to see us on "Lopez
Tonight" last night! For those of you who were fast asleep
(don't worry, it was past my bedtime too...), here's a link to
help you procrastinate at work and school. Enjoy!
VIDEO /// < http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/6SXCHp/
www.lopeztonight.com/episode_recaps_and_
highlights/cirque_du_soleil.php >
{Dec.18}
Hello Mystère fans! Today is part three of our behind-the-scenes
en español fiesta party, but we have some front-of-scenes TV
news: be sure to tune in to "Lopez Tonight" on TBS this Monday,
Dec. 20th at midnight to see an exclusive performance from
Mystère featuring Hand-to-Hand and Aerial Cube!
Mystère Technical Tour on "Acceso Total" (Telemundo L.A.) [HQ]
VIDEO [2:00] /// < http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?
v=1766425086851&oid=18155469918&comments&ref=mf >
{Dec.16}
Hi everyone! We're going to have some big TV news for you later
this week, but in the meantime here's part two of our behind-
the-scenes en español fiesta party. (I know "fiesta" means
party, but it's worth repeating.)
Mystère Wardrobe on "Acceso Total" (Telemundo L.A.) [HQ]
VIDEO [2:00] /// < http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?
v=1763198006176&oid=18155469918&comments&ref=mf >
{Dec.11}
Hola, Mystère fans! Today we're taking the first in a four part
journey behind-the-scenes en español. Enjoy!
Mystère Taiko Drums on "Acceso Total" (Telemundo L.A.) [HQ]
VIDEO [2:00] /// < http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?
v=1755403331314&oid=18155469918&comments&ref=mf >
{Dec.08}
We've got our Twitter chat with Taiko drummer and percussionist
Carlos Lopez today at 4 pm EST over on the @Cirque Twitter.
Carlos has put together an awesome video about a day in his life
at Mystère, you can check it out below!
A Life in the Day - Carlos Lopez from Mystère [HQ]
VIDEO [1:44] /// < http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?
v=10100270066566319&oid=18155469918&comments&ref=mf >
---[ QUIDAM ]---
{Dec.20}
Entrevue avec Fabrice Lemire (Directeur Artistique) à ne pas
manquer aujourd'hui à 15h40 à Désautels sur La Première Chaine
de Radio-Canada
LINK /// < http://www.radio-canada.ca/emissions/
desautels/2010-2011/ >
{Dec.19}
Quidam in Montréal, QC
FOTO [11] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php?
aid=258920&id=35752277045&ref=mf >
{Dec.12}
The buzz around the Quidam Press conference in Montreal - La
conférence de Presse de Quidam à Montréal fait jaser...
LINK /// < http://www.webpresse.ca/#!/video/788118/
quidam-du-cirque-du-soleil >
LINK /// < http://www.flashquebec.info/Culturels/autres/
quidam_extrait_cirque_du_soleil_061210/ >
{Dec.11}
The reviews are in, thank you Kingston!
LINK /// < http://www.thewhig.com/
ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2887148 >
{Dec.10}
Quidam in Kingston, ON
FOTO [12] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php?
aid=256511&id=35752277045&ref=mf >
---[ SALTIMBANCO ]---
{Dec.26}
Très bientôt en France !!! | Cirque du Soleil : toujours aussi
incroyable Saltimbanco - Les journaux du Week-end - Vidéo
VIDEO /// < http://videos.tf1.fr/jt-we/cirque-du-soleil-
toujours-aussi-incroyable-saltimbanco-6197245.html >
{Dec.16}
Great crowd in Nürnberg, thanks for the warm welcome !!
LINK /// < http://www.nordbayern.de/nuernberger-
nachrichten/politik/magisch-der-cirque-du-soleil
-in-der-arena-1.383698 >
{Dec.10}
A review of the show in Budapest!
LINK /// < http://www.magyarhirlap.hu/kultura/a_szurrealis_
vilag_lakoinak_paradeja.html >
{Dec.10}
Comments about the show in Budapest !
LINK /// < http://www.metropol.hu/kultura/cikk/663110 >
{Dec.03}
Great story for the first ever visit in South Africa!!
Carte Blanche - Carte Blanche: Cirque (Part 1)
LINK /// < http://beta.mnet.co.za/mnetvideo/browsevideo.aspx?
ChannelId=35&vid=36164&Search&Category
Id=0&sortby=5&CPage=0 >
---[ TOTEM ]---
{Dec.18}
TOTEM New CD is now online!! You can find the music of TOTEM on
our website and for a limited time Cirque club members can
download the song "Omé Yo Kanoubé" for free! The album is
available at our online boutique and under the Big Top.
LINK /// < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/
totem/videos-extras/music.aspx >
{Dec.05}
Sinterklaas visiting TOTEM - December 5, 2010!
FOTO [11] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php?
aid=38763&id=111798252174207&ref=mf >
---[ THE BEATLES LOVE ]---
{Dec.05}
You've never seen head-spinnning and air-flares quite like this
before....from Youssef, backstage at LOVE....wow wow wow
VIDEO /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys8m5kIXYOs >
{Dec.03}
A fun little profile story on one of the LOVE dancers from
Pointe Magazine:
Jacqui Guimond never dreamed shed end up in a Cirque du Soleil
production. After graduating from the University of Arizonas
ballet-oriented dance program, she performed with Les Grands
Ballets Canadiens de Montréal and contemporary ballet company
David Taylor Dance Theatre in Colorado. Then last year, on a
whim, she auditioned for Cirque du Soleils Beatles LOVEmore
for the experience than anything else, she saysand, to her
surprise, landed a spot as a dancer.
Curious, Guimond embarked on an adventure performing with LOVE
in Las Vegas. Its mostly a street dance show, with a lot of
hip hop and breakdancing, and I end up doing a little bit of
everything, she says. Its very eclectic and cool, though
there isnt much ballet involved. At one point, Im in big
rainboots doing gumbo, a body percussion dance from South
Africa!
Guimond has worked hard to keep up her classical technique. She
teaches a weekly ballet class for the Cirque teamEveryone from
break dancers to acrobats takes itand fits in classes at nearby
Nevada Ballet Theatre whenever she can. In a repetitive show like
this, its easy for your body to get out of whack, Guimond
explains. Ballet keeps you aligned so that youre less likely to
get injured. Plus, in LOVE the stage is moving up and down and
theres fog and crazy lights. Its helpful to have that strong
ballet center to keep you balanced.
Would she recommend the Cirque experience to other ballet
dancers? Absolutely, she says. The company is amazingworld
renownedand to be a part of that is very special.
{Dec.03}
Congrats to The Beatles for a GRAMMY 2011 nomination in the
category of Best Historical Album for 'The Beatles' stereo set!
LINK /// < http://www.examiner.com/beatles-in-national/beatles-
mccartney-both-grab-nominations-53rd-annual-grammy-awards >
{Dec.02}
LOVE DARK TRIVIA! Ever wonder what the LOVE Theater looks like
during the extended dark period? Yesterday, all 2,013 seats
were individually covered with trash bags - so they stay
protected during the maintenance happening in the grid above the
stage! Guess how many LOVE crew members it took to accomplish
covering each chair in less than an hour?...80!
LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/notes/the-beatles-love-by-
cirque-du-soleil/love-dark-trivia/10150097818910180 >
{Dec.01}
Check out this fun review on LOVE! | Beatles Love show review -
"Get Back,Loretta"... - National Las Vegas | Examiner.com
LINK /// < http://www.examiner.com/las-vegas-in-national/
love-at-mirage-get-back-lorettaK >
---[ VAREKAI ]---
{Dec.22}
Varekai participó a La Marato de TV3 el domingo pasado. EL
Espectaculo esta en Barcelona hasta el 2 de Enero!
LINK /// < http://www.tv3.cat/videos/3275570/Lespectacle-
Varekai-del-Cirque-du-Soleil-a-La-Marato-2010 >
---[ VIVA ELVIS ]---
{Dec.29}
Here are some great fitness and nutrition tips from two of our
fittest performers!
LINK /// < http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/stretch-flex-
and-tone/5-stay-fit-tips-from-cirque-du-soleil-las-vegas >
{Dec.28}
Check out this new video featuring Elvis and the Viva ELVIS band
doing Burning Love!
LINK /// < http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/marc_malkin/
b216770_elvis_presley_alive_see_yourself.html >
{Dec.25}
The cast and crew is wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!
And congrats to our friends at Mystère on their 17th anniversary!
{Dec.18}
Carly Smithson, American Idol contestant from season 7 has
joined our cast. Tonight is her debut in the show. Break a leg Carly!
{Dec.16}
Happy 1 Year Anniversary to ARIA! Today is also the 1 year
anniversary of our soft opening. Can you believe it's been a
year already?!
{Dec.05}
Toscha got the Las Vegas Marthon runners All Shook Up this
morning!
FOTO [1] /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?
fbid=462912549108&set=a.167799494108.119733.167136344108 >
---[ WINTUK ]---
{Dec.15}
Check out some of our artists performing on Good Morning America
this morning!
LINK /// < http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/cast-
wintuk-performs-12401378 >
{Dec.09}
Just another day at Cirque du Soleil: a Wintuk Snowball from our
promo team waits in the lobby for her shift to start!
FOTO [1] /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?
fbid=10150336210885321&set=a.222882910320.
276944.98244255320 >
{Dec.01}
Wintuk at Rachel Ray Show
FOTO [4] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php?
aid=568336&id=98244255320&ref=mf >
---[ ZARKANA ]---
{Dec.02}
Here's a look at the first teaser trailer for Zarkana! Anybody
get their tickets yet?
VIDEO [0:30] /// < http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?
v=10100264831921589&oid=139797212738843&comments&ref=mf >
---[ ZED ]---
{Dec.21}
Look who I found in the training room! Her name is Margarita
Gibadullina and she's one of our amazing juggling artist. Now,
let me introduce a fan fact! Did you know that our juggling act
is performed by the actual family members? She's not only a
great artist but also a great mother. We have a kitchen in the
theater and she often does amazing cook for her family.
FOTO [1] /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?
fbid=10150144377111164&set=a.10150144377101164.
342824.41326571163 >
{Dec.13}
Okay, here's the sneak peak photos from last week photo shoot...
Hope you all like it.
FOTO [10] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php?
aid=338410&id=41326571163&ref=mf >
{Dec.03}
We created a special Christmas photo location for our visitors.
If you have chance to visit us in December, don't forget to take
pictures there!
FOTO [5] /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php?
aid=334317&id=41326571163&ref=mf >
---[ ZUMANITY ]---
{Dec.14}
We have the perfect cocktail for you to mix up this holiday
season! See below for the recipe to our super sexy Zumanitini!
LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?
fbid=480144208846&set=a.103927633846.92609.13931088846 >
{Dec.03}
Zumanity, Out & About!
LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/album.php?
aid=160312&id=13931088846&ref=mf >
{Dec.03}
Zumanity was the proud recipient of a Localites Vegas 2010 award
in the category of Sexiest Las Vegas Show last night at HAZE
Nightclub. A huge thanks to all of our fans that voted - we
couldn't have done it without you!
FOTO [1] /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?
fbid=474322253846&set=a.103927633846.92609.13931088846 >
=======================================================================
COMPARTMENTS -- A PEEK BEHIND THE CURTAIN
=======================================================================
------------------------------------
HISTORIA: Cirque du Soleil History
------------------------------------
* Jan.02.2009 -- Koozå opened Atlanta, GA
* Jan.03.2008 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Quebec, QC
* Jan.04.2007 -- Quidam opened Dubai, UAE
* Jan.04.2009 -- Quidam opened London
* Jan.04.2011 -- Corteo opens Brussels
* Jan.04.2011 -- Quidam Arena opened Quebec, QC
* Jan.05.1996 -- Saltimbanco opened London
* Jan.05.1999 -- Alegría opened London
* Jan.05.2006 -- Alegría opened London
* Jan.05.2007 -- Alegría opened London
* Jan.05.2007 -- Varekai opened Auckland, New Zealand
(Asia-Pacific Tour Begins)
* Jan.05.2007 -- REVOLUTION Lounge opens (based on Beatles/LOVE)
* Jan.05.2010 -- Alegria Arena opened Quebec City, QC
* Jan.05.2011 -- TOTEM opened London, UK
* Jan.05.2011 -- Saltimbanco Arenao opened Lille, FR
* Jan.05.2011 -- Alegria Arena opened Baton Rouge, LA
* Jan.05.2011 -- Dralion Arena opened Boston, MA
* Jan.06.2003 -- Premiere of Fire Within on BRAVO
* Jan.06.2005 -- Saltimbanco opened Manchester
* Jan.06.2005 -- Varekai opened Houston
* Jan.06.2005 -- Dralion opened London
* Jan.06.2008 -- Varekai opened London, UK
* Jan.06.2010 -- Varekai opened London, UK
* Jan.07.1998 -- Alegría opened London
* Jan.07.1999 -- Saltimbanco Asia-Pacific Tour Began (Sydney)
* Jan.07.2003 -- Saltimbanco Euro Tour II began London
* Jan.07.2003 -- Varekai CD Released in US (BMG/CDS Musique)
* Jan.08.2009 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Tupelo, MS
* Jan.08.2010 -- Koozå opened Irvine, CA
* Jan.08.2010 -- Quidam opened Rio de Janiero, BR
* Jan.09.2004 -- Dralion opened London
* Jan.09.2004 -- Alegría opened Miami
* Jan.10.1999 -- Alegría: Le Film showcased in Palm Springs
* Jan.10.2001 -- Alegría opened Auckland, Australia
* Jan.12.2011 -- Alegria Arena opened Colorado Springs, CO
* Jan.12.2011 -- Quidam Arena opened Chicoutimi, QC
* Jan.12.2011 -- Dralion Arena opened Grand Rapids, MI
* Jan.13.2006 -- Saltimbanco opened Mexico City
* Jan.13.2010 -- Alegria Arena opened Chicoutimi, QC
* Jan.13.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Salzburg, AT
* Jan.13.2011 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Paris, FR
* Jan.14.1997 -- Quidam CD Released in US (RCA/Victor)
* Jan.14.2009 -- Alegría opened Taipei, Taiwan
* Jan.14.2009 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Biloxi, MS
* Jan.16.2003 -- Varekai opened San Jose
* Jan.16.2004 -- Saltimbanco opened Seville
* Jan.16.2004 -- Varekai opened Costa Mesa
* Jan.16.2008 - Saltimbanco Arena opened Chicoutimi, QC
* Jan.17.1999 -- Banquine Act awarded in the 23rd Festival du
Cirque de Monte-Carlo.
* Jan.17.2002 -- Dralion opened Houston, Texas
* Jan.17.2008 -- Quidam opened Monterrey, Mexico
* Jan.17.2010 -- Dralion's Final Curtain Call [Mexico City]
* Jan.19.2006 -- Quidam opened San Diego
* Jan.19.2006 -- Dralion opened Seville
* Jan.19.2006 -- Corteo opened San Jose
* Jan.19.2011 -- Alegria Arena opened Broomfield, CO
* Jan.19.2011 -- Dralion Arena opened St. Louis, MO
* Jan.20.2000 -- Quidam opened Barcelona
* Jan.20.2006 -- Varekai opened Miami
* Jan.20.2008 -- Corteo celebrated 1,000th performance [San Diego, CA]
* Jan.20.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Stratsbourg, FR
* Jan.20.2011 -- TOTEM opened Taipei, Taiwan
* Jan.21.2009 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Hoffman Estates, IL
* Jan.23.2003 -- Alegría opened Dallas
* Jan.23.2008 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Detroit, MI
* Jan.24.1995 -- Alegría opened Costa Mesa
* Jan.24.2007 -- Delirium opened Detroit, MI
* Jan.25.2000 -- Saltimbanco opened Hong Kong
* Jan.25.2008 -- Dralion opened Tokyo
* Jan.26.1991 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened San Diego
* Jan.26.2011 -- Alegria Arena opened Loveland, CO
* Jan.26.2011 -- Dralion Arena opened Chicago, IL
* Jan.27.2004 -- Order of Canada bestowed upon Guy Laliberté
* Jan.27.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Frankfurt, DE
* Jan.28.1999 -- La Nouba Premiere Gala (Previews End)
* Jan.28.2011 -- OVO opened Dallas, TX
* Jan.29.1997 -- Quidam opened Orange County
* Jan.29.2008 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Cleveland, OH
* Jan.29.2009 -- Dralion opened Perth, Australia
* Jan.30.1993 -- Saltimbanco opened Costa Mesa
* Jan.31.2007 -- Delirium opened Grand Rapids, MI
* Jan.31.2008 -- Koozå opened San Jose, CA
* Jan.31.2009 -- Dralion celebrated 3,500th performance [4:00pm, Perth]
=======================================================================
FASCINATION! FEATURES
=======================================================================
-------------------------------------------------------
INTERVIEW /// "Bob & Bill - Believing & Dreaming"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
-------------------------------------------------------
The pressure cooker of a Cirque du Soleil creation can't be for the
faint of heart. Being creative to a deadline isn't for everyone. Our
interviewees this month found themselves thrust from one deadline-
driven pressure cooker to another, resulting in the quickest show
premiere to CD turnaround we've seen.
The tasks of both creating the music and producing the soundtrack for
Cirque du Soleil's latest touring creation, Totem (2010, Cirque du
Soleil Musique CDSMC-10034), fell to the Montréal musical team of "Bob
& Bill." Their 'real' names are Guy Dubuc (Ge Doo-BOOK) and Marc
Lessard (Mark Less-ARD) - so who is "Bob" and who is "Bill?" "It's a
big secret," Marc hinted, when we talked in late October. Explained
Guy, "It's a team actually. Nobody's nobody, the team is called Bob &
Bill."
Musique Redux
That teams' first major project was the musical soundtrack for the
popular UbiSoft video Game Splinter Cell (Pandora Tomorrow). Though
their production of the Kooza CD was the first time Cirque fans had
heard of the team, it wasn't the first show they did for the company.
That would have been the show that turned into Soleil de
Minuit/Midnight Sun. "As a matter of fact, that was the first show we
ever did with Cirque," explains Marc. "It [came about] from one of
our friends [at] the International Festival de Jazz de Montréal
(www.Montréaljazzfest.com), Laurent Saulnier (Ed: Vice-President,
Programming and Production). He talked to the circus about us and
that's how we ended up doing the special for the 25th anniversary of
the Jazz Festival and the 20th anniversary of Cirque du Soleil." They
were responsible for Remixing, Arrangements and Orchestrations and
were Musical Directors for the 2004 show. "We had an orchestra of at
least 70 musicians, and a lot of singers. And we were also playing.
[We worked with] two great Directors, Michel Lemieux and Victor Pilon,
who did Delirium after that."
Two years later a concept album with arrangements and production by
the pair was released, Pink Floyd Redux (2006, Zone 3 ZON-22176).
"It's a concept album we wanted to do, with lounge [versions] of Pink
Floyd music sung by girls only," said Guy. "We re-arranged some of
Pink Floyd's biggest hits in an electronica, lounge-ey, all-girls
aspect." It was two years after that that they released their first
album under the team name Bob & Bill, Crime Report (2008, Orange Music
OMCD-5551).
It was also in 2008 that they were asked to arrange and produce the
Jean-François Côté-composed soundtrack for the Cirque show Kooza
(2008, Cirque du Soleil Musique CDSMC-10028). In an interesting
aside, Marc confided that the DVD was recorded before the CD. "The
same team that [mixed] the DVD sounds did the mixing of the CD (Ed:
that would be Rob Heaney and Brian Mercier), [and] we used tracks from
the DVD to start building the [CD's] songs. So we kept some tracks
from the DVD." This led to some interesting track credits on the CD,
including guitar and percussion tracks taken from the DVD.
They also expanded the horn-infused soundtrack with three different
brass sections. Guy: "As we worked with [composer] Jean-François Côté
we wanted some [of the] brass parts to have a big band sound. In the
live show it's only two brass [pieces], sometimes three, but [with
some of] his songs it's really cool to [include] big brass. So in
Montréal we hired a small big band to play on some songs, more like a
basic big band track. And we used the instrumentalists of the show to
do the solos, to [reflect] the personality of the show. We also had a
classical brass section, [which was] used for the orchestral parts."
First Nation Influence
But it wasn't just their production of the Kooza soundtrack that gave
them the inside track on the composers job for Totem (which these
French-Canadians pronounce tow-TEM, not TOW-tum as Americans might).
Guy: "We were already working with Cirque du Soleil as arrangers and
occasional composers for special events, so we [were working] a lot
with [Cirque Musical Director] Alain Vinet. And he proposed to
director Robert Lepage and (Totem Director of Creation) Neilson
Vignola [that we] do the music for Totem."
The soundtrack melds many forms of World Music, but places special
emphasis on First Nation (what those in the USA might call "Native
American") music. But to incorporate that music successfully involved
special care. Guy: "We worked with a First Nations guy from Quebec
City who is the singer in the show right now, Christian Laveau (LAV-
oh, www.christianlaveau.com). He's a Huron, and [we] proposed [him
to] Robert Lepage because we knew him from working on other projects.
This way we had somebody [whom] we could consult musically, to ask
questions about the music."
Marc added, "And of course the show is based on the evolution of man,
so we had to find music of all different nations..."
"...In the world actually," said Guy, completing the sentence. "For
[First Nations] music, we consulted with Christian a lot. Not only
about the music, but also for the staging. That was the point of
having somebody [like Christian], we could ask if we could go [to a
musical place] or [even] further." They also utilized Mr. Laveau for
lyrics to "Onta," composing the others themselves in "traditional
Cirque-ish."
Songs can be like children to their composers, but do the pair have
any favorites? "I'm pretty happy with "Koumaya" (Koo-MY-uh), for the
girls with the bowls," answered Guy. "It's a mixture of African and
Chinese music. We got the idea and it was a good flash."
"And it's a song we wrote really fast, it [took] ten minutes to
write," said Marc. "It's been [in the show] from the demo [stage] and
everybody liked it. When we tried it with the girls it worked
perfectly."
"I also like the finale, "Omé yo Kanoubé," Guy continued, "because
it's a very happy song. And for a show it's fun to write something
really happy. Sometimes we wrote stuff that was too dark. We always
came back to listening to the old [Cirque] shows and [re]working the
parts that were too dark. We wanted a really nice happy soundtrack."
"From the beginning it was important for us to have some happiness in
the music," commented Marc. "It's hard to bring happiness to music;
it's easy to get into really dark things, and we were telling
ourselves, 'Let's get more happy.'"
Quick Turnaround
With Totem premiering in Montréal in late April, 2010, and the CD
being available in October, the six-month turnaround must be the
quickest in Cirque history. How did it come about, and why? Guy
elaborated, "We had a quick OK from Guy Laliberté to start producing
the CD. Guy asked us to do the CD right after the premiere." It was
important to Laliberté to produce the CD more quickly than had been
done in the past. Which was not easy, Marc said, but, "We had a
deadline. That's what we do in life, too, [when] we produce albums.
With our [own] music it was not easy but it was quick."
The request to immediately start work on a soundtrack CD after being
involved in the vortex of creation meant jumping from one frying pan
to another. Marc: "We took like a two-week break and then started
recording everything. It took about three months, we started in May
and finished in August. [Cirque Musical Director] Alain Vinet
produced the album with us, which is really important to say. Which
was good; we're so into our music that it was a big help with Alain
being there, [it was] another set of eyes on the music."
The experience the duo had working on the Kooza CD didn't directly
apply to the recording of the Totem CD: "It's completely different,"
Marc explained. "With Kooza we were only arranging Jean-François
Côté's music. [With] Totem it was our music so it was a bit
different." Guy added, "Yeah, because for Totem we wrote the music
from A to Z. For Kooza we were the producers and arrangers."
One of the earliest decisions was who should play on the album,
explained Marc. "We're musicians, that's what we do in life. I
always play drums, bass and guitar, and Guy plays keyboards." But he
then reassured, "First of all, it was a must to incorporate everybody
in the process of the album, which we did on Totem for sure."
Guy concurred. "To Alain Vinet it was important to incorporate the
band and to have album versions [of the songs in the show]. It was
important that the album have songs that you recognize from the show
and have the same sound. It was also important to go other places and
incorporate other people and different sounds to make the production a
CD [that stands by] itself."
"There were some parts where we used other people, as in "Toreador."
In the live show (drummer) Nick D'Virgilio's singing the whole part,
but on the CD we used a really traditional Spanish guy from Montréal
(Marcos Marin). We still kept Nick in the response in the chorus
though, because he has such an amazing voice."
"The production [used] many instrumentalists and we decided by
feeling. For example, we would think - OK, it would be nice to have
Nick the drummer on "Crystal Pyramid" - and we started adding people
this way, instead of recording all the tracks ourselves."
Marc elaborated. "Sometimes we kept drummer Nick's track and I
[would] play drums over it, and then we [would] decide which track
works best for the CD. It wasn't so much a matter of us wanting to
play on the album, it was [trying to get] the best sound we could. We
love the guys so much that we tried to put them on the album as much
as possible. That was important to us, they are a big part of the CD.
Because those guys have been there since the beginning of [the shows]
creation; they were there for three months of rehearsal in Montréal.
They worked really hard and we know it. It's a big thing at Cirque
that it's really important to incorporate the musicians and we did it
as much as we could."
On the finished CD, there were two songs fans wondered about since
they didn't seem to be in the show. Marc explained, "["Cum Sancto
Spiritu"] is not in the show right now. It was a number that was
supposed to be [in the show] but didn't make it. "Kunda Toyé" is the
backup number, for a hand-to-hand act. But we liked the music and
with Alain Vinet we decided to put both "Cum Sancto" and "Kunda Toyé"
on.
Of all the musicians that appear on the CD, one, Daniel Taylor,
appears courtesy of another label (Sony Classical). Guy: "He's a guy
we've worked with before (Ed: On Crime Report), a star international
classical countertenor singer. We thought about him because the part
is really really high, so he has a little feature part."
In addition to the creation musicians, several musicians familiar to
Cirque fans also appear on the disk. Francine Poitras and Mathieu
Lavoie (From Saltimbanco and Quidam/Varekai respectively) sing on
"Terre-Merre," and Wayne Hankin (also from Varekai) plays woodwinds on
several cuts. Guy: "We work a lot with them on [Cirque's] special
events, and they're good friends. We used them on the demos where we
presented the songs, so it was natural for us to include them in parts
of the CD."
A wide variety of musical styles is evident throughout the CD,
including two songs that, on first blush, stick out. "Indie-Hip," the
music that accompanies the Rings scene in Act One is one such piece.
What inspired it's Indian musical leanings in a piece whose setting is
Muscle Beach? "It actually was the aesthetic of the number; if you
[look at] the costumes they come from Krisha colors," Guy explained.
"So that's why we went with Indian music, a mix of Indian and hip-
hop."
In a departure from most other Cirque soundtracks the music from the
Act Two clown piece, "Fast Boat," is also on the CD. This wasn't a
hard choice, according to Marc. "Working in collaboration with Alain
we put all the songs [together] and then decided which ones we
[should] put on the CD. We really liked "Fast Boat;" it's a clown act
but it's kind of groovy. Of course it's a different song, but one
nice thing about the circus is you can go anywhere [musically], and we
went somewhere else with that track."
"And it's kind of cool that it's on the CD," Guy added, "because it's
in the show and if you saw the show it would be a reminder of that
number."
Marc also clued us in to a worthy musical inclusion. "Charles Denard,
Jr., who is our chief musical director (Ed: and plays keyboards in the
show), has [pretty much] the only keyboard solo on the CD and it's on
that track. He's from New Orleans and he's a really good Hammond B3
organ player. So if you listen carefully to the song there's a big
solo by Charles on it."
When we asked if there was anything missing from the CD they wished
they could include, we got an interesting answer from Guy. "There's a
remix from Alain Vinet we wanted to put on the CD. Because Alain is
[also] a DJ, and whenever there's a big premiere or party for Cirque
he DJ's. And he was always playing that [remixed] track and everybody
was liking it. So we wanted to put it on [the CD], but it was a
matter of budget."
Dreaming the Future:
Completion of the Totem CD doesn't mean their collaboration with
Cirque ended. "We just came back from Shanghai (China) playing a big
show with the circus [at] Expo 2010 Shanghai (www.expo2010.cn)," said
Guy. "It was our personal Bob & Bill project - our songs, with a
singer and brass section, Marc playing drums and [myself on]
keyboards."
"And it's house music, so it's party music," Marc added. "And we did
pretty well there."
Guy agreed. "People were really happy. We made the Chinese people
move, we had a great time. Thanks again to the circus because it was
so well organized. Sound and everything was amazing." The duo is now
on to working on their second studio album, a house music project.
Their ability to tackle the wide variety of musical influences needed
for a show about man's evolution was something for which they have
been preparing for a long time. Marc: "The thing that helped us most
was the variety of styles we'd been performing before. It's been
happening a lot in Montréal, which is a big cosmopolitan town. Guy
and I have been partners for ten years, but we've been playing
together in [many different] bands for 20 years. African bands,
Brazilian bands, a lot of jazz music, all [types of] music actually.
That's why we were so happy to work on the Totem project, because it's
the way we've always worked, [with] different sounds and [music from
different] places on the planet."
Guy was quick to add, "We must [give] flowers to Cirque du Soleil and
Guy Laliberté. From (Musical Director) Alain Vinet to (Director of
Creation) Neilson Vignola to (Director) Robert Lepage to (Founder and
Guide) Guy Laliberté to (Vice-President of Creation for New Shows)
Jean-François Bouchard. They respect the creators. They always let
us do our thing and then choose our stuff. They never said, "Don't do
this, don't do that." So for us having done so many different styles,
it was natural to do a show like this. They just [pointed us] in a
[particular] direction."
And their words for young artists? Marc was quick to answer.
"Believe in yourself. And keep working. You know, it was a big break
for Guy and I to do a Cirque creation. But it's been since Soleil de
Minuit (in 2004) that we [first] thought that we could and would like
to do this. We kept believing in ourselves and we kept saying don't
give up, keep dreaming."
"Yeah, believe in your dreams," Guy added. "It took as many years as
it [did] because we had to go through [what we went through] to make
this. That's what we did. It's all about dreaming."
My sincere thanks go to: Mr's. Dubuc and Lessard for so graciously
spending time with us, Chantal Côte, Corporate PR Manager, And my wife
LouAnna for putting up with my sometimes obsessive hobby.
=======================================================================
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
=======================================================================
Fascination! is a monthly publication, available through subscription
via the World Wide Web in text format at the newsletter's website:
< http://www.CirqueFascination.com/ >. To subscribe, please visit
our website and enter your name and email address in the "About
Fascination" box and press Subscribe. You'll receive an email to
confirm your selection. Once confirmed you'll be added to our mailing
list. To Subscribe via Realy Simple Syndication (RSS) Feed (News)
use the following: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?feed=rss2 >.
To view back issues, or other online Newsletter content, please visit
us at: < http://www.CirqueFascination.com/ >.
Join us on the web at:
< www.cirquefascination.com >
Realy Simple Syndication (RSS) Feed (News Only):
< http://www.cirquefascination.com/?feed=rss2 >
=======================================================================
COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
=======================================================================
Fascination! Newsletter
Volume 11, Number 1 (Issue #84) - January 2011
"Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (c)
2001-2010 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.
{ Jan.05.2011 }
=======================================================================
