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Fascination Issue 139
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T h e U n o f f i c i a l
C i r q u e d u S o l e i l N e w s l e t t e r
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http://www.CirqueFascination.com
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VOLUME 15, NUMBER 8 August 2015 ISSUE #139
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Welcome to the latest edition of Fascination, the Unofficial Cirque
du Soleil Newsletter.
We've got another great issue for you this month, but before we get
to it I just wanted to mention a quick format change for this month;
a test if you will. Because we publish the news for the month as it
is made (and therefore published on Fascination! Web), it can get
somewhat messy here, especially since some items are mini-interviews,
some long exposés, while others are reviews of happenings and just
general news bits. So to keep some semblance of order I've broken up
our news section - CIRQUE BUZZ - into three divisions, which you'll
find noted in the Table of Contents below. These are: "La Presse" -
general news, "Q&A" - Quick chats and press interviews, and "Special
Engagement" - for longer, more in-depth articles published by other
press sources. It's a small change but one that will hopefully benefit
you, the reader!
To that end I'll bypass commenting on headlines this month and get
right to the good stuff (other than to say it looks like TOTEM is
up for a few changes soon!). Keith Johnson, after seeing KURIOS in the
Seattle area recently, reached out to composer Raphael Bëau to ask
a few questions about his work with the show. Since he only speaks
French there was a slight language barrier, but thanks to the show's
publicist we were able to work through it and have a nice email
conversation with him.
A couple of issues back, Keith Johnson (in his review of KURIOS under
the Big Top and VAREKAI in Arena) mentioned the new-style programme
book Varekai now has, praising the way it told the show's story and
how the new "book" made updating it an easier process. A few of you
contacted us wondering more about how the new book went about telling
the show's story. And while it's a bit difficult for us to share images
of the new book (since we're a text-based newsletter), we can share
the text used now to describe the story (thanks to Varekai's timely
appearance in the Atlanta area...) And so you'll find that within
this month.
As always we also have the relevant posts made to Cirque's Facebook
pages, and updates to Cirque's touring schedule.
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
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CONTENTS
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o) Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings
* La Presse -- General News for the Month
* Q&A - Quick Chats & Press Interviews
* Special Engagement - More In-depth Articles
o) Itinéraire -- Tour/Show Information
* BigTop Shows -- Under the Grand Chapiteau
* Arena Shows -- In Stadium-like venues
* Resident Shows -- Performed en Le Théâtre
o) Outreach -- Updates from Cirque's Social Widgets
* Club Cirque -- This Month at CirqueClub & Casting
* Didyaknow? -- Facts About Cirque
* Networking -- Posts on Facebook, YouTube & Twitter
o) Fascination! Features
*) INTERVIEW /// "Raphaël Beau Compositeur des Curiosités"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
*) "Varekai: A NEW Tale of the Forest?"
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
o) Subscription Information
o) Copyright & Disclaimer
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CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
=======================================================================
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LA PRESSE General News for the Month
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Ibiza Opens Exclusive Whimsical Dining Club
{Jul.01.2015}
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Take top Spanish chefs Ferran and Albert Adria, the founder of
circus troupe Cirque du Soleil, Guy Laliberte, and Japans
foremost pop artist Takashi Murakami and mix them all on Spains
Mediterranean party island of Ibiza. The result is Heart an
explosion of taste, colour and sound designed to delight all the
senses.
This is not a restaurant, this is a dream turned into reality,
said Albert Adria, one of the founders of the project which
opened on Tuesday and runs until September. A dream of many
people. We have sound technicians, image technicians, make up
artists, wardrobe masters, he told AFP during a preview party
at the luxury hotel in Ibiza where the event is held.
Around him a group of hooded youths performed urban dance
routines as a DJ spun tunes and guests munched on Peruvian,
Mexican, Japanese and Thai fusion cuisine surrounded by
sculptures and video installations.
It is a very bold project which combines three things that
normally dont mix: cuisine and art with entertainment, said
Laliberte, a former stilt-walker and fire-eater. It is totally
different from Cirque du Soleil, it is more in the spirit of
Ibiza, added the 55-year-old, whose circus troupe and its
whimsical plots have toured all over the world.
The idea for the project was born from Laliberte and the Adria
brothers shared passion for art and cuisine. Laliberte met the
chefs over a decade ago when he ate at their award-winning
elBulli restaurant, which closed in 2011, and they started work
on Heart two years ago.
Murakami, whose sculptures combine Japanese traditional art with
a manga aesthetic, joined the project later, drawn by
Lalibertes creativity. I met him a year ago in Tokyo. He had
brought one of his big Cirque du Soleil shows and it brought
tears to my eyes I cried from the emotion of it all, he said,
while on the stage nearby a painter worked on the body of a
scantily-clad model.
Murakamis works mix with those of New York artist Dan Graham
and Frances Miguel Chevalier, who created two multimedia
installations for Heart. One of them, Fractal Flowers, is a
virtual garden where flowers evolve into new shapes when they
die. The installation is run by a computer programme and it uses
motion sensors to interact with the public. In every age
artists appropriate the tools of the era and art in the 21st
Century can be done with the tools that we use every day for the
Internet, said Chevalier.
In a vast terrace decorated like a street market overlooking the
luxurious yachts in the port, chefs reinterpreted world street
foods with a sophisticated touch including watermelon infused in
sangria, parmesan cheese pizza, tacos al pastor and oysters with
soy sauce. Inside the elegant indoor dining room, the offer is
even more sophisticated. There, guests can make a gastronomic
journey through five worlds the Iberian, Mexico, Oriental,
traditional Japanese and Japanese food with a South American
twist known as nikkei.
But that comes at a price. Mere access to the terrace will set
you back 100 ($110) while to have dinner inside, see the show
and party until sunrise starts at 315 per person.
Heart will be open for just 77 days this year, said Alberto
Adria, coinciding with the high season in Ibiza which draws
celebrities from around the world. It is already almost fully
booked. After September there are no plans to set up Heart
somewhere else. It is too big to take it on tour, I dont even
want to think about it, said Albert Adria.
Laliberte said the project stems from a search for emotion, and
the pleasure of working with these people and their creativity.
Though we also want commercial success, added the showman, who
in April sold a controlling stake in Cirque du Soleil to
American and Chinese investors.
{ SOURCE: The Local ES | http://goo.gl/fX4Yfh }
KURIOS in Denver Evacuated After Gas Leak
{Jul.04.2015}
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KURIOS, The touring Cirque du Soleil show in the Pepsi Center
parking lot (in Denver), was evacuated Saturday after a 150
pound container of liquid propane gas started to leak, according
to the Denver Fire Department. The tank was located around 150
feet away from the shows tent. As of 6 p.m., Denver Fire said
they were in the process of starting to let people back in.
{ SOURCE: Denver 9 News | http://goo.gl/Qcz52P }
BAZ Performs Quick Change at Light
{Jul.05.2015}
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John Katsilometes of the Las Vegas Sun has some news this
morning regarding Cirque du Soleils On The Record: BAZ at
Light Mandalay Bay...
One of the six principal performers in For the Record: Baz at
Light in Mandalay Bay has taken leave from the show. Constantine
Rousoulis, a physical and vocal force as one of the three male
leads in the production, is reportedly back in L.A. and not
currently onstage in the production on the Strip. A spokeswoman
for the production said Rousoulis is performing a final screen
test for an independent film and has taken time away from Baz
to take part in that shoot.
Meantime, Steve Mazurek is covering for him this week, with
Payson Lewis taking over next week in the role originated in Las
Vegas by Rousoulis (who is still listed on the Baz website as
one of the ensemble performers). In the For the Record
operation, such swift swaps of artists is not uncommon, and
while Rousoulis is a major talent, this is not being presented
as a major happening. Word is that hell be back, but no word on
the when of it all.
{ SOURCE: The Las Vegas Sun | http://goo.gl/ehx3py }
PHOTOS /// Premiere: Scalada STORIA
{Jul.07.2015}
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Scalada returns, this year with STORIA, which premiered
Saturday in Andorra. We are still buzzing from the excitement.
STORIA is an acrobatic and metaphoric journey through the
legends of Andorra. In a minimalist décor evoking the vaulted
roof of a contemporary cathedral, somewhere between tradition
and modernity, STORIA takes root in the founding legends of
Andorra. The White Lady the patron goddess of this luminous
land will open one by one the boxes containing the legends of
this magical STORIA. The boxes will in turn reveal their
acrobatic, aerial and choreographic performances living
symbols of the fabulous secrets of Andorras past.
See photos from STORIA here:
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/unc4yV >
{ SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil }
Even More on Soda Stereo Imagined By Cirque
{Jul.08.2015}
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Soda Stereos drummer Charly Alberti reveals new details about
the upcoming Cirque du Soleil Soda Stereo show that has
everybody talking.
Alberti and bassist Zeta Bosio are teaming up with the Canadian
entertainment company to bring to life a spectacle currently
called as Soda Stereo imagined by Cirque du Soleil. The show
is expected to launch in 2017 in the bands native country in
Argentina.
This is a show about Soda Stereo. Its not a tribute to Gustavo
[Cerati] or a tribute to rock en español. Its a show about Soda
Stereo, the same way Cirque de Soleil did a show about Michael
Jackson or the Beatles, he said to Billboard, clarifying that
the show is not a homage to the late singer/guitarist Gustavo
Cerati who passed away in Sept. 2014. They understand that the
story of Soda Stereo, the way we broke barriers, the way we were
the first really big rock en español band, thats what is going
to tell the story.
The creative team from Cirque du Soleil will travel to Buenos
Aires to visit the River Plate Stadium, venues where they have
performed and places where they have rehearsed. To better grasp
the power of Soda Mania, they will also talk to fans and
travel around Latin America.
Once the idea of the show is worked out, Zeta and I will start
working on the adaption of Soda songs for each one of the acts.
The show is set to premiere in 2017. That seems like a long way
off, but with everything we have to do, for us its like the day
after tomorrow, he said.
{ SOURCE: LA Times | http://goo.gl/x8MxGC }
Cirque Closes Previously Announced Transaction
{Jul.09.2015}
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Cirque du Soleil (Cirque), the worlds leading producer of
high-quality live artistic entertainment, today announced the
closing of the transaction under which TPG, a global private
investment firm, has acquired a majority stake in Cirque du
Soleil, alongside partners Fosun and the Caisse de dépôt et
placement du Québec. Cirque founder and strategic advisor, Guy
Laliberté will also retain a minority stake in the Company.
Mitch Garber, Chair of the Cirque Board, Claridge, Stephen
Bronfmans family investment arm, and Cirque President and CEO
Daniel Lamarre will also acquire ownership stakes.
With the assistance of our new partners, we have already begun
laying the ground work for the global expansion of the Cirque du
Soleil brand, as evidenced by our recently announced growth
plans in Asia, said Daniel Lamarre, President and CEO of Cirque
du Soleil. We look forward to working with TPG, Fosun and the
Caisse for years to come, as we continue to bring Cirques
extraordinary artistic vision to audiences around the world.
The incredible team at Cirque du Soleil is in a great position
to continue building upon the legacy of excellence and
imagination fostered by Guy Laliberté and to expand this iconic
brand to new markets, said Mitch Garber, Chairman of Cirque du
Soleil. On behalf of the entire investor group, we look forward
to partnering with the Cirque team and seeing the amazing things
that are yet to come from this truly unique organization.
{ SOURCE: Cirque du Solei | https://goo.gl/Ek4fQp }
Guy Lalibertes final bow as head of Cirque
{Jul.13.2015}
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This week, Monday By the Numbers marks the end of an era as the
co-founder of the Strips predominant production company has
formally stepped down. Or, to use the vernacular of his company,
he has unbuckled the harness.
We speak of onetime street performer-turned billionaire
visionary Guy Laliberte. Last Wednesday, the mastermind behind
Cirque du Soleil sent an email to the vast family of Cirque
announcing that the transfer of ownership of the famed French-
Canadian performance company is finished and the deal officially
closed.
In April, the company announced a new owner, investment giant
TPG Capital, which also holds a significant stake in Caesars
Entertainment and along with investment firm Leonard Green and
Partners is majority owner of the Palms.
Also investing in Cirque are Fosun, a top private investment
group out of China, which has signed on as a minority equity
partner, along with Caisse of Quebec. The new chairman of Cirque
is Mitch Garber of Montreal, long affiliated with TPG and member
of the new investment group.
In his message to the Cirque team, Laliberte gave thanks to the
Cirque community and said, The adventure continues taking a
different path, perhaps, but one that promises to be as
enjoyable as ever. It is important for me to tell you that the
current situation is the one that I had hoped for when I started
exploring our options, and even better. We have a seasoned
leadership team in place along with business partners who
understand Cirques spirit and whose expertise will allow us
to take the Cirque du Soleil adventure to new heights.
If thats the case, Cirque better raise the ceilings at some of
these Strip venues. The troupe is already flying pretty high.
More stats as they relate to Laliberte and his artistic
masterpiece:
31: Years since Laliberte staged the first show under the Cirque
title, a tented production at the 450th birthday celebration of
the province of Quebec in 1984.
18: Lalibertes age when he hitchhiked across Europe and earned
money by playing the accordion.
24: Lalibertes age when he launched Cirque.
55: Lalibertes age today.
$1.5 billion: The reported sales price of Lalibertes ownership
stake in Cirque.
$1.9 billion: Lalibertes reported net worth after the sale.
90 percent: Lalibertes pre-sale stake in the company.
10 percent: His remaining investment stake in Cirque.
3: Acts for which Laliberte was known during his days as a
performer (accordion, stilt walking and fire breathing).
12: Days Laliberte spent on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft as a
private tourist and researcher in 2009.
$35 million: Fee Laliberte paid for that experience.
24: Depth of the pool, in feet, in O at Bellagio.
75: Height, in feet, of the main rehearsal room at Cirques
headquarters in Montreal.
22: Years since the opening of Mystere at Treasure Island,
Cirques first open-ended Strip production.
19: Productions Cirque stages around the world.
8: Cirque shows currently performing on the Strip.
138,000: Tickets that Cirque offers for sale each week in Las
Vegas.
2: Amount, in cents, Laliberte promises to contribute to
Cirques artistic development. As in, I am still here with you
putting in my 2 cents into creation.
{ SOURCE: Las Vegas Sun | http://goo.gl/DGJSBS }
45 DEGREES Delivers Cirques First Opening Ceremony
{Jul.14.2015}
-----------------------------------------------------
The 2015 Pan Am games in Toronto was the perfect stage to host
Cirque du Soleils first Opening Ceremony. In front of a sold-
out live audience of 45,000, with hundreds of millions of
households watching the broadcast across the world, 45 DEGREES
presented an exclusive Cirque du Soleil show that brought the
games spirit to reality and paid tribute to the 41 nations and
their athletes. Honoured delegates present were moved by the
incredible performance and joined the crowd in the multiple
standing-ovations throughout the evening. The spectacle was an
idealistic story inspired by the setbacks and victories
encountered on the way to our dream, and a celebration of the
men and women who together continue to build this beautiful
country and this colourful city.
It was a thrill and our team was seduced by the great challenge
of being part of one of Canadas most important sporting events
in its history where we celebrated humanity, sports, culture,
courage and excellence, values that are embodied in our work. We
are equally thankful to TO2015 to have entrusted us with this
amazing opportunity. explained Yasmine Khalil, Executive
Producer, Opening Ceremony, and President, 45 DEGREES.
Check out some amazing pictures here:
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/GHtLuy >
Fast Facts about the Opening Ceremony:
November 2013 Start date for creation process.
2 hours, 30 minutes Ceremony running time.
10/71 Age of youngest/oldest performers.
22 Rehearsal weeks.
25 Nationalities represented among the performers.
47 Makeup artists.
125 Minutes of original music composed.
530 Costume items created.
600 Protocol and support volunteers.
625 Performers (569 from the Greater Toronto Area).
1,000 Rehearsal hours.
ABOUT 45 DEGREES
In January 2015, the division of Cirque du Soleils Special
Events became 45 DEGREES Inc., a company of the Cirque du Soleil
Group. The company creates and produces events and special
projects under both the Cirque du Soleil and 45 DEGREES brands.
Over the last 10 years, it has successfully developed and
conceived hundreds of projects in both the public and private
sectors worldwide. While currently working on the production of
a dozen projects, noteworthy accomplishments include two Academy
Awards performances, two Super Bowl appearances, the World Expo
Shanghai Pavilion, and several outdoor festivals in Canada,
Andorra and Russia. www.45degrees.com and www.facebook.com/
45degreescirquedusoleil
{ SOURCE: CNW | http://goo.gl/GqOOY7 }
Cirque Teases 2016 Show
{Jul.19.2015}
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Imagine a Cirque du Soleil Big Top show that is creatively
inspired by Mexico in all its exhilarating spirit. You can catch
this incredible adventure when Cirque du Soleil presents its
next touring production in 2016.
The teaser site, which you can find at
https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/cirque2016/ is divided up into
four inspirations: Love at First Sight, Humanscapes, Life
is Art, Art is Life, and Wonderstruck, which gives us a few
more clues about what the next Cirque du Soleil show is all
about.
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT
Some experiences, scenes and encounters enliven our heart and
spirit and set in motion the mysterious forces of attraction
that bind us to a place and its inhabitants. These situations
arouse our passion and are part of the chemistry that binds
Cirque du Soleil and Mexico together.
https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/cirque2016/love-first-sight
HUMANSCAPES
Innovation and renewal are more than just words; they are
perspectives. By melding past and present, tradition and
modernity, rural and urban landscapes in Mexico create rich
tapestries that transcend space and time, all the while infusing
a breathtaking element of surprise. The dizzying spell of beauty
and wonder illustrates the deep connection between Cirque du
Soleil and Mexico.
https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/cirque2016/humanscapes
LIFE IS ART, ART IS LIFE
Artists and artisans in Mexico unleash their creative fiber day
after day to bring their visions into the material world. Each
individual work is a vessel filled with the dreams, passion,
knowledge and expertise of its creator, who breathes in
experience, and breathes out poetry. Like the creators and
artisans at Cirque du Soleil, their work is a tribute to
craftsmanship and the quest for perfection.
https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/cirque2016/art
WONDERSTRUCK
Some moments of sheer beauty become forever etched in our
memory. Time seems to suddenly stand still, immortalized in
freeze-frame images that inspire awe and admiration. Creating,
capturing and offering these fleeting moments of wonder these
dreamlike states is part of what Cirque du Soleil and Mexico
are all about.
https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/cirque2016/wonderstruck
What inspires you? Cirque wants to know.
Share your inspiring photos using #InspireCirque
{ SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil }
Cirque Performers on Extreme Weight Loss Tonight?
{Jul.21.2015}
-----------------------------------------------------
Extreme Weight Loss is an ABC reality television docu-series
that follows participants over a year to document their weight-
loss journey. Tonights episode; however, seems to feature some
performers from Cirque du Soleil
[Tiffany Humperts] episode will air from 8-10 p.m. Tuesday on
ABC. Guest starring in the episode are autism advocate Holly
Robinson Peete, WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins,
Chef Rocco DiSpirito and performers from Cirque du Soleils La
Nouba. I guess check your local listings
{ SOURCE: Wichita Falls Times-Record News | http://goo.gl/MYqRly }
Montreal Gazette on Cirques Pan Am Games Opening
{Jul.21.2015}
-----------------------------------------------------
The Pan Am Games kicked off with an audacious flourish Friday,
featuring a dazzling Cirque du Soleil production, a
constellation of the countrys most accomplished sports stars
and the indelible visual of Canadas fastest man Donovan Bailey
appearing to base-jump from Canadas tallest structure, the CN
Tower.
It was not the only sky-reaching moment in a spare-no-spectacle
opening ceremony that rivaled or topped the scale and sizzle
of the memorable launch of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics with an
inclusive, youthfully skewed presentation that adorned its
Cirque wizardry with a cavalcade of famous faces.
Organizers followed through on a promise to cater the
presentation to a younger generation of viewers who might have
anticipated a stodgier production.
The opening sequence found A Tribe Called Reds DJ Shub twisting
vinyl on elevated turntables as 183 vibrantly clad dancers
nodded to the citys diversity with a Powwow Carnival that
sought to incorporate choreography from countless cultures.
Cirques production featured at various points a fleet of BMX
cyclists hurtling up and over ramps, a cheeky sequence of
jukebox-based choreography set to a mashup of semi-recent pop
tunes and abstractly edgy multimedia accompaniments beamed
imagery that was by turns soothing or ripped from a dystopian-
future sci-fi flick.
Even the mandatory elements of the ceremony were buffed to a
slick finish.
The raising of the flag was accompanied by a performance from
Grammy-winning Canadian pianist Chilly Gonzales (a collaborator
of Daft Punk, Feist and Drake), while the parade of nations
during which flag-bearer Mark Oldershaw led the biggest Canadian
team ever assembled was marked by an insistently pounding EDM
score paying tribute to the unique sound of each of the 41
competing countries, the names of which were beamed through
gaudy LED screens.
And the entrance of the flags for the International Olympic
Committee and Pan American Sports Organization was enlivened by
the presence of a procession of Canuck public figures,
including: political activist Loly Rico; former hockey stars
Mark Messier and Bobby Orr; author Yann Martel; Hall of Fame
right-hander Fergie Jenkins; astronaut Chris Hadfield; and
decorated athletes Marnie McBean, Catriona Le May Doan, Rick
Hansen and Chantal Petitclerc.
The vibrant core of the presentation, however, was provided by a
frequently awe-inspiring presentation from Cirque du Soleil with
an oblique plot intended to pay tribute to the regions First
Nations population and its rich history.
Even without pondering the ornately costumed performances
thematic messaging, it was a sensory feast that encompassed 625
performers, 47 makeup artists, 530 costumes crafted from 600
metres of fabric and 1,000 laborious hours of rehearsal spread
over 22 weeks.
A forest sequence soundtracked by ethereal cooing featured
dancers incubated in sparkling spheres, rising and descending
high above the stage. Later, a 25-metre strip of towering fire
bisected the stage, with 53 hip-hop dancers on each side, before
eight tumblers initiated a series of scalp-scorching flips over
the flames.
Another sequence featured an aerial contortionist cavorting 15
metres in the air, the stage draped in 14 pieces of fabric
billowing 30 metres wide. A storm motif incorporated acrobats
clinging to 10-metre-high ladders while the show-stealing BMX
sequence was furthered by the efforts of three bungee-plunging
aerialists dressed as airline pilots.
{ SOURCE: The Montreal Gazette | http://goo.gl/y9NSuy }
May/Jones Win Mixed Duet in Synchro-Swimming at FINA
{Jul.28.2015}
-----------------------------------------------------
The dreams of male synchronised swimmers came true as mixed duet
made its first appearance at the FINA World Championships in
Kazan. Bill May and Christina Jones (USA) were the favourites of
the first technical routine before the start.
May is 36 years old. He is the most experienced and the most
famous male synchronised swimmer in the world. He is actually
the pioneer of this discipline. Back in 1998 Bill took part in
his first international competition the Goodwill Games, where
he and his partner Kristina Lum competed with ordinary duets
and lost only to Russias Maria Kiseleva and Olga Brusnikina.
Ten years ago May left sport for the Cirque du Soleil show but
got back to synchronised swimming with one goal in mind, to grab
the first world gold medal. And he did it!
Although May and Jones had very strong rivals from team Russia.
Alexandr Maltsev and Darina Valitova with their dramatic war
theme managed to win the preliminary round with 2 points
advantage over the American mixed duet. But the foot tapping and
sexy programme of Bill May and Christina Jones impressed the
judges in the final more than in the qualification. Nevertheless
their dominance was not overwhelming 88,5108 against 88,2986.
The bronze medal went to Manila Flamini and Giorgio Minisini
from Italy (86,3640).
Gold medallist Bill May (USA): Its unreal, a dream come true!
I never thought this would happen because I retired from synchro
ten years ago. So being able to do this has been a long time in
the making. The sport is finally recognising men and it feels
great. I have been stubborn and it has paid off. Allowing men to
the programme will add athleticism to the sport and today truly
showcased that men have their place in synchro swimming.
Gold medallist Christina Jones (USA): Kristina Lum-Underwood
and Bill May are the real pioneers of the sport. They have shown
the world that duet can be mixed at the World Championships. And
here we are twenty years later, its a great honour.
Silver medalist Alexandr Maltsev (RUS): We were underscored,
and all others were clearly overscored. Thats bitter, we are
upset. 0,22 points of deficit from the first place this is
such a bit. If just one judge would have underscored us
significantly, this could have affected the result of the whole
competition.
(on Olympic challenge of mixed duets): Mixed duet combines
mens power and womens grace and beauty. I would love to take
part in the Olympic Games. I think there are all reasons to
include this new discipline in the Olympic programme.
Silver Medalist Darina Valitova (RUS): Of course, it is
disappointing that we only have placed second. We performed the
programme much better today than in the preliminary attempts,
but we were placed in the second line. Anyway it is nice to know
that mixed events are finally included into the programme of the
World Championships.
Bronze medallist Giorgio Minisini (ITA): At this point we
couldnt have pretended more than what we did simply because the
others have such a high level. We have work for what we got, to
be on the podium. We feel it is already an amazing result. Mixed
duet is already so popular within the younger generation in
Italy and were very excited for this evolution.
{ SOURCE: Swimming World Magazine | https://goo.gl/0pxgfu }
Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige Join NBCs The Wiz
{Jul.29.2015}
-----------------------------------------------------
Queen Latifah and Mary J. Blige are the latest singers ready to
make mischief in Oz for NBCs upcoming live production of The
Wiz. Executive producer Craig Zadan shared the news via
Twitter.
Latifah will play the mysterious and powerful wizard who holds
the keys to the Emerald City, but who is keeping the secret that
her metamorphosis from ordinary to extraordinary is a hoax since
she only got to Oz as a result of a faulty hot air balloon ride.
Mary J. Blige will play Evillene, better known as the Wicked
Witch of the West, who holds sway over the Winkies and the
Winged Monkeys that do her bidding. She captures our leads to
avenge the unintentional murder of her evil sister, Evvamean,
and to get back the powerful silver slippers given to Dorothy by
the Good Witch of the North.
NBC is holding a nationwide search to find a fresh face to play
lead character Dorothy. The musicians join cast members who
include Stephanie Mills, who starred in the original Broadway
production of The Wiz and who will play Dorothys beloved
Auntie Em in this version.
The Wiz: Live! premieres Dec. 3 on NBC. Zadan is exec
producing along with partner Neil Meron. Kenny Leon and Harvey
Fierstein are directing. Fierstein also created new material to
the original Broadway book by William F. Brown. A co-production
with Cirque du Soleil, a stage version of this performance will
run on Broadway in 2016-17.
{ SOURCE: Variety | http://goo.gl/9PGkOw }
AXS TV To Premiere 3rd Annual One Night for ONE DROP
{Jul.30.2015}
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XS TV is proud to premiere the third annual One Night for ONE
DROP spectacular, an exclusive event presented by world-
renowned entertainment company Cirque du Soleil, on Wednesday,
August 19, at 8pE. This unique and exclusive performance in
honor of ONE DROP, a non-profit organization established by
Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté, is presented for one
night only in Las Vegas, crafts an incredible visual experience
that captivates the imagination, while raising awareness and
funds for global water issues. All proceeds benefit ONE DROPs
global initiatives that address the ongoing crisis of safe water
necessary for people around the world.
We are so excited to have One Night for ONE DROP featured on
AXS TV nationwide, said Mukhtar O.S. Mukhtar. To be able to
share this once-in-a-lifetime performance with a larger audience
is a dream come true, not just for me, but for the hundreds of
Cirque volunteers that offered their talents and support to
raise awareness for critical water issues around the world
during this special night.
{ SOURCE: TVbytheNumbers.com | http://goo.gl/TthFF4 }
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Q&A - Quick Chats & Press Interviews
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Meet: Kerren McKeeman Varekai Trapezist
{Jul.03.2015}
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As a hybrid of circus and theatre two worlds where
superstitions are extremely common it would be reasonable to
presume that Cirque du Soleil performers are likely to harbour
numerous rituals. Kerren McKeeman, a 30-year-old trapeze artist
performing in Varekai at the Canadian Tire Centre this weekend,
revealed some of hers to the Citizens Bruce Deachman.
Q. What are your rituals?
I have a lot, probably more than I know. I have a few things
that help me get into the character. My character is based on
Diana the Huntress. She protects the forest of Varekai. So in
order to get into that, I always choose somebody to protect,
somebody in my life. Maybe its somebody here in the show, or
someone from my personal life a family member or a friend that
maybe needs a little extra love that day. So when I start my act
in the catwalk, I have that person in mind.
Q. Are there universal superstitions that you hold, like
stepping into a ring with your right foot only, or certain
colours you wont wear?
Theres the circus tradition of never sitting with your back to
the ring. Were a theatrical circus and dont have a ring curb,
but in general you would never sit on the stage looking out. You
always, always, always face in. The ring is sacred, and you
dont want to put your back to it. You also dont want to talk
about what you dont want to happen. Of course a lot of things
can go wrong, so when youre talking about the show, youre
envisioning what you want to happen. You dont talk about
tripping; you talk about what you want to happen.
Q. Are there things you always bring with you on the road?
As an aerialist, I can be up in the clouds sometimes, so I try
to do things to keep me grounded. I have a rock collection that
I travel with, and I collect stones from all over the world.
Sometimes theyre really beautiful and other times theyre just
something I found in a place thats really meaningful. I choose
one every day, and it kind of shapes the day and keeps me
grounded. It may be impractical to keep in your suitcase, but we
all have our things.
Q. Do many of the traditional habits continue, like a bird in
the house being bad luck?
Well, a bird in the house always makes me feel like even a
lost bird thats flying through the rafters I always wish I
could be half as graceful as that. Thats what birds say to me.
As aerialists, we want to fly. In theatre they say break a leg
before a show, but of course we dont say that. We say merde,
which means shit. It comes from having a lot of horseshit in
front of the theatre. If theres a lot of it, theres been a lot
of carriages and a lot of people to see your show.
Q. Are there things you do on performance days that you dont do
on other days?
I love raw sushi, but right before the show I might not test
that out. We have to eat at least an hour-and-a-half before the
show. You need to digest before youre upside-down. And small
meals; you cant have a full stomach when youre doing aerial
stuff. When you live on the road and everything around you is
constantly changing, you start to depend on certain things. Its
a good lesson about attachment. You dont want to be addicted or
attached to things, but at the same time thats the only way
that we can have a consistent lifestyle. There are mental
preparations and physical preparations, and some of our
superstitions are almost just as important as the physical
preparations, because your mind has to be ready, too. And even
if it doesnt matter who goes up the (catwalk) stairs first, we
still hold on to those things because your mind is feeling that
everything is the same, and that takes out all the
improbablilty.
{ SOURCE: Ottawa Citizen | http://goo.gl/sVbQGX }
Meet: Liz Samatis Varekais Head Chef
{Jul.15.2015}
-----------------------------------------------------
Although Liz Samatis has been traveling with the circus for the
past year and a half, it isnt a talent for acrobatics or feats
of strength that got her there. It was a culinary degree and the
allure of life on the road. Samatis, 29, feeds an international
cast and crew of 100 daily as head chef for Varekai, a Cirque
du Soleil production that celebrates the nomadic spirit. The
Reading native found her way to Varekai (which coincidentally
means wherever in the Romani language) after hearing about
touring life from a chef for a rock n roll show. It sounded
like a cool thing, she says on the phone from Baltimore, where
the troupe was performing.
Its been a long ride but Ive really grown to love it, says
Samatis, a Johnson & Wales University graduate, who began her
career in Providence and the Boston area. She returns to Boston
this week when Varekai begins a run at Agganis Arena at Boston
University. But nowadays she considers her home to be the road.
I dont have an apartment anymore. I love to see my family and
travel on my time off. But this lifestyle makes things easier
for me. It doesnt require worrying about paying bills and a lot
of other things, Samatis says. Her main concern these days?
Finding somewhere to do laundry.
Q. Is cooking for the circus what you expected?
A. I didnt have a lot of expectations. Before, I would be
cooking for a different client every night and now Im cooking
for the same client every day, which is a bigger challenge. You
have to keep people enticed. Catering has to be a place where
they feel like theyre eating at home.
Q. Describe what its like to cook on the road.
A. Were in a location for one week. Were [in Baltimore] until
Monday morning and start setting up in Boston on Tuesday. I have
a completely mobile kitchen thats on the truck. When they load
in the stage, I load in my kitchen, set up all my equipment, and
set up our dining room. Every week we pretty much start from
scratch and adapt to the arena where well be working. That can
be anywhere from a loading dock to outside in a tent to a
conference room. We are completely self-sufficient. I have
everything that can be rolled off the truck: two ovens, two
flat-top grills, six induction burners. I carry all my own
spices. I have a refrigerator on the truck so I can keep food
fresh and bring it from city to city.
Q. Whats your everyday schedule like?
A. We feed about 100 people on the staff. Thats 50 performers,
and then technicians, management. We cook a hot lunch and a hot
dinner daily, except for Sunday, when we do a nice big Sunday
brunch for everybody. The menus are based on seasonal
ingredients, as well as keeping things diverse with ethnic foods
representing all the countries on the tour. We provide a lot of
variety. Theres a deli bar, a juice bar, and a salad bar. We
make sure to always have lean protein for the acrobats and we
like to provide a lot of accompaniments.
Q. Since the show moves so frequently, how do you handle buying
groceries for that many people?
A. I have one global provider that will deliver standard items
to any city in North America. Aside from that, I count on my
manager, who has been touring for a while. We research ahead of
time where were going and who the vendors are. We try to use
local products. Thats the fun of it: developing networks of
people all over the country. I really, really enjoy using local
products and supporting local vendors in town, then using the
global provider for other things.
Q. How has cooking for an international cast influenced your
approach in the kitchen?
A. When you have to cook for the same people every day you have
to start researching. We have a lot of [performers] from Russia
and Ukraine, so I started researching what they eat there and
use some of those same ingredients. Before I used to stick to
more of an American style. Now I do a lot more Middle Eastern
food, Asian ingredients, Russian techniques.
Q. What are you looking forward to in Boston?
A. Its such a great season to be cooking. Probably my favorite
season is summer. Getting some seasonal produce and heirloom
tomatoes are all things we look forward to. New England clam
chowder is a must. We try to do one day where we serve something
local. So well be having lobsters, clam chowder, clams.
Q. What restaurant tips will you be giving others on the staff?
A. I will probably just tell people to get a cup of clam
chowder, fried clams, and steamers on the waterfront. Those are
special things you can only really get in this part of the
country.
{ SOURCE: Boston Globe | http://goo.gl/2VdxhM }
Billboard: Cirque Teases SODA STEREO Spectacular
{Jul.22.2015}
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The creative team at Cirque du Soleil has begun work on its
recently announced show inspired by the music and lives of
Argentine rock trio Soda Stereo, set to debut in 2017. After
opening in a Buenos Aires arena, Montreals Cirque and Argentine
partners Pop Art expect to tour the musical and acrobatic
spectacular to Latin American cities and to Miami, Los Angeles,
and possibly other U.S. cities.
A soundtrack album, created by surviving Soda members Zeta Bosio
and Charly Alberti and producers who worked with the band, will
be released.
Cirque du Soleil is creating the show together with leading
Argentine music promoter PopArt, and Triple, Sodas production
company. PopArts Diego Saenz, Triples Daniel Kon, the bands
longtime manager, and producer Roberto Costa proposed the idea
of the show to the theatrical entertainment giant.
I had not heard of them a year ago, confessed Gabriel
Pinkstone, Cirques Senior Director of Special Projects, who has
clearly become an instant fan of the band that broke through
barriers in Latin America in the 1980s to gain a following
throughout the region, and whose popularity has since grown to
include several generations. Its very exciting. People love
them because they are a soundtrack to their lives, but theres
also an inspirational quality about their success that people
find very touching.
In an exclusive interview, Pinkstone talked about Sodas
enduring legacy, and the creative process behind the upcoming
show and its soundtrack. Youll hear some things that have
never been heard before, she promised.
SODA STEREO IMAGINED BY CIRQUE DU SOLEIL | A MINI DOCUMENTAL
LINK /// < https://youtu.be/o5ywgiKdk7o >
# # #
Q. Soda Stereo will be the first Latin artist to inspire a
Cirque du Soleil show. This is great news for fans and it
could be a brilliant idea, but it was still a surprising
choice. What was your familiarity with the band?
It´s only when we organized a focus group with some of our
Latino employees that we started to understand really how huge
they were. We got together a group of our employees who come
from South American countries and Mexico, and [Cirque Director
of Creation] Jean Francois Bouchard said to them, Im not going
to tell you anything else, Im just going to tell you two words,
and I want to hear your reaction. And when he said Soda
Stereo they screamed, somebody cried, they were like, oh my
god were going to do a show with Soda Stereo. It was the first
hint we had of how huge they were.
They are so beloved. Its a very visceral thing. They are very,
very loved as a band. And were all about wanting to touch
people, so its a very special and exciting project for us, and
at the same time a very big responsibility because something
that is so beloved we of course need to treat with the respect
that it deserves.
Q. Why Soda and not one of todays Latin superstars, someone
like Shakira?
When we look for a creative partnership were not, despite what
people could think, scanning around for the most likely
commercial success. The creative challenge, the creative world
that were going to working with, and the partnership with the
people is very important.
The fact that they approached us means they understand what
Cirque has to offer. They came to us understanding what a Cirque
du Soleil show about a musical work can be, and believing that
their work could be applicable in that contest.
And when we looked into it we agreed with them.
Q. What have been the first steps in creating the show?
We started delving into the bands universe. We were very
honored to have Charly and Zeta and Laura, [the late Soda
frontman Gustavo Ceratis sister], here with us, and Daniel Kon,
the bands manager, explaining the bands history and how they
met, and each of the albums and the symbolism behind the
graphics they chose, the words of Gustavo Ceratis songs. They
explained all of that, and we started to really get excited
about the project, and the potential for a Cirque du Soleil show
that could really do justice to that heritage.
Q. Can you give me an idea of what the show will look and sound
like?
Cirque du Soleil shows are about imagination, about touching
people, about human endeavor. In the case of The Beatles and
Michael Jackson, both of those artists have very strong
imaginary worlds, for example, the Beatles, with Lucy in the
Sky With Diamonds, Yellow Submarine
there are a lot of
interesting visual starting points in their songs. Both The
Beatles and Michael Jackson shows use the music remixed in new
ways, with the Cirque du Soleil creative artistic acrobatic
approach. In the case of Michael Jackson, the dance aspect was
of course very important.
Its hard to say right now, because we are in the very early
stages of the creative process, exactly how that will be
translated to the stage for Soda Stereo.
Its not a tribute show at all. Were not following their story
like a documentary, thats not the Cirque approach. So I can say
for sure its not a tribute show and band is not on stage.
Because the band is not physically onstage, its the Cirque du
Soleil content, if you like, that replaces that visually, with
the music of the band in the forefront. Were working with sound
designers and mixers who worked with the band in order to come
up with those remixes.
Its all that recorded music, but remixed especially for the
show. Youll hear some things that have never been heard before.
Q. Will there be a soundtrack album?
Yes.
Q. What are some of the next steps in preparing the show for a
2017 debut?
The creative team will be visiting Buenos Aires to go and
understand where it all came from where Zeta grew up where
Charly grew up, where Gustavo grew up, what was Buenos Aires was
like in the 80s.
Q. Youre working with PopArt, a leading concert promoter in
Buenos Aires whose CEO has previous ties to Soda Stereo. Tell
me something about your partnership with them.
Were providing the creation and production expertise to create
the show, and then PopArt will be producing it. They are way
more experienced in South America than we are, particularly in a
rock n roll context.
PopArt is extremely experienced and very well connected in South
America, so well be taking advantage of that and finding the
right combination of Montreal, Buenos Aires, the right people
and the right places [for the production.]
Q. The show is set to debut in Buenos Aires. Where will it go
next?
It will be Buenos Aires, Latin America, including of course
Mexico. In the States right now we are thinking Los Angeles and
Miami and well investigate [the possibility of runs in] other
cities, too.
{ SOURCE: Billboard | http://goo.gl/1RFfU5 }
Interview with Director Michel Laprise
{Jul.30.2015}
-----------------------------------------------------
Cirque du Soleil is coming to Chicago this August with their
production KURIOS-Cabinet of Curiosities, a show which promises
to touch on Cirque du Soleils roots, to convey a message of
optimism to all ages and to give us a good dose of steam punk
mechanics. Theyll be setting up the Big Top right in the United
Center parking lot and keeping it there for six weeks. I had a
chance to talk with Michel Laprise, director and writer of
KURIOS, to ask him about his work with Cirque du Soleil, and his
vision while creating the show.
The show has a steam punk façade, but underneath the rich
imagery of brass geegaws and quaint contraptions is a message of
optimism about the power of human creativity in our age, says
Laprise. I use the old principle of Shakespeare that if you
want to talk about an era, dont do it right now. Your reference
point should be with some distance and in another country. So we
invented our own steam punk in a Victorian era; its Paris 1900
the Universal Exhibitionwhen everyone got excited about the new
discoveries! But we are in fact talking about our own era.
It seemed as if we were visiting the early 20th century during
our interview, as we sat down in the recently remodeled Chicago
Athletic Association Hotel on Michigan Avenue. The lobby was so
vintage that it was like entering a private gentlemens club,
the kind where men had their midday Scotch and smoked a pipe.
Seating himself in the plush armchair beside me, and raising an
impressed eyebrow at the ornate fireplace next to us, Laprise
launched right in to the pleasantries. Within the first five
minutes, he had consulted me about his wardrobe (he had just
hopped off of a plane and wanted to know if a Hawaiian shirt
would work for the interview), handed me his cellphone so I
could read a fan email that had touched him, and promised to
give me a virtual reality tour of his show before I left.
Clearly, Michel Laprise was a man who was excited about life. He
said as much when describing a day of work, and also leaking
some interesting info, I just started two new shows with Cirque
du Soleil and Im hoping its going to be as fun as KURIOS is
because during the whole creation we worked hard but we laughed
all the time. Its not a job. I go play. I never say the office.
I say creation studio. It changes the way you see thingsit
changes your whole attitude about it.
Laprises optimism is infectious and permeates everything he
does, which may explain his great success in the theater and
circus world. He started out as an actor, moved in to directing
and eventually became an artistic director of spectacles, such
as Madonnas Super Bowl halftime show in 2012. It was in 2001
that he came to Cirque du Soleil as a talent scout, but found
himself soon involved in upgrading the audition process and
eventually landing in the events department, where he produced
corporate shows and attracted many performers due to his artist-
friendly approach to creation, which he maintains in KURIOS. I
am very pro artist. I think Cirque du Soleil exists because of
the artists. For KURIOS, I put the artists back in the middle of
the process. I ask them often to contribute and they really own
the show.
This is saying something, when you consider that there are 46
cast members from 15 different countries. What makes Laprise
most proud is the low rate of injuries among the performers,
which he attributes to their professionalism, Our artists love
to be there and are focused. We have almost no injuries. He has
a photo on his creation studio door that indicates the house
counts and the injury counts of KURIOS. It says House counts
100 percent: Injuries 0'. When the Big Top is full of people
and the stage is full. This is a dream, Laprise explains.
But what is a KURIOS? And how can a cabinet full of stuff tell
us anything about our own times? Before museums became a thing,
there was a period where it was fashionable for educated
households to harbor collections called cabinets of
curiosities. The cabinets were full of artifacts that
represented a microcosm of natural history, culture and travel.
Curios were the objects that were carefully stowed there.
Laprise found that idea fascinating, so he used the metaphor to
make a tale of humanity chock full of characters like the
Seeker, Mr. Microcosmos, Mini Lili and Klara the Telegraph of
the Invisible.
I want people to come out of the tent thinking everything is
possible because of human creativity and human invention and the
pure power of joy. All the problems we have we can deal with and
solve, Laprise explained. His optimism extends beyond
technology and scientific discovery, to the idea that humanity
can be explained and bettered by what our technology says about
us. He marvels over the impact of 19th century inventions on
mankind, like the gramophone, It was the first time in human
history that music could travel. You could be in a humble house
and have a symphonic orchestra playing. You could have your
grandma, who is not able to get out of the house, listen to her
favorite singer. Its tremendous.
While paying homage to the past, Laprise is very conscious of
the roots of Cirque du Soleil and strives to stay true to them
with the creation of KURIOS, where the performers welcome the
audience outside the Big Top and tip their hats to circus
tradition in telling ways throughout the show. The idea was to
go back to the essence of Cirque du Soleil. We were born in the
streets. A street performance is the only performance where the
audience pays after the show, so you have to be very good. When
I did the show I thought What if we were in the street and
there was a hat? When you see the opening act there is a hat in
front of the performers. To me it changes everything, because
when you are performing in the street you dont have your resume
or your press kit. You have just what you have now and you have
to prove yourself to the audience every single time.
Laprise says the optimism towards the future in KURIOS appeals
to all ages, but he appears to have a soft spot for teenagers,
The show is very human, so its for everybody, but Im glad the
young kids love it and they get it. This new generation is
fantastic. I like teenagers because they are really demanding,
so to me they are my best audience. If they like it, everyone
will like it. They dont bullshit and they are really sincere. I
dont know if it is hormonal but they are very political in a
good way and they want to change the world.
After our talk, Laprise lived upto his promise and gave me a
tour of the technology of the future by popping a virtual
reality rig on to my head so I could see a 10-minute preview of
KURIOS. I was immediately plunged in to the world of the Big Top
where I sat within arms length of the characters as they
juggled and played live music. The real room I was in faded in
to the background for a few minutes and I entered Laprises
circus universe.
Someday soon, maybe the circus will travel to your living room,
giving your housebound grandmom a chance to see her favorite
acts, but until then, you might want to see KURIOS-Cabinet of
Curiosities in real time on a 360-degree Big Top stage (called
the chapiteau in French) where Laprise says the magic happens
because When you step on the stage of the chapiteau, you see
there are people all around you, so you cant be closed. Its
beautiful. Every modern circus artist should experience it
because after a while you learn to open up. If you learn to do
that, than you can do everything. Its a growth moment for an
artist.
{ SOURCE: Gapers Block | http://goo.gl/Gfy54r }
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SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT - More In-depth Articles
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Backstage Pass to Pan Am Games Make-up
{Jul.23.2015}
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A line of fire splits the stage as Javelinea character inspired
by the goddesses Nike, Athena and Artemisdances on a platform,
five aerialists whirl in spheres above her, warriors leap over
the flames and viewers hold their collective breath.
The drama is unfolding at the 2015 Pan American Games, held July
10 in Torontos Roger Centre. The event has drawn 45,000
attendees, 625 performers, athletes from 41 countries and Make-
Up Artist magazines senior editor, Cori Stoddard, who is there
to cover the make-up.
Sponsored by M.A.C. Cosmetics and applied by 36 M.A.C. artists
and 30 international make-up volunteers, the make-up has been
six months in development. Cirque du Soleil is producing the
Opening Ceremony performances and Julie Bégin (who worked with
Cirque on its 2009 show Ovo) has signed on as make-up designer.
With the nature of thiscrazy timeline, one night onlythey
needed someone to think outside, be flexible and think on toes,
Bégin explains before the event. Usually the make-up for a
Cirque show has individual instruction books for performers, who
do their own make-up. To gear the instruction to make-up
artists, she created a new app to streamline the documentation:
Persona (set to release in September).
She says the shows narrative is about peoples evolution toward
multiculturalism. Her inspiration started with the native
communities, and she aimed for a contemporary tribal vibe. I
discovered a universe full of colors and textures, not at all
like native art seen in souvenir shops, she says. So many
amazing colors in native looks.
Here Stoddard shares how that vibe came to life backstage on the
day of the event.
# # #
11:15 a.m. I meet up with Jade Hunka, M.A.C. Cosmetics manager
of artist relations. This is the best organized show weve
done. Each artist gets a baggy of the make-up they need for each
look, she explains.
Our first stop is the kids make-up area; there are 153
performers ages 8 to 10. Eleven make-up artists will process
them, matching their eye make-up to their socks.
11:35 a.m. On to the straight make-up. Hunka explains that
everyone has a schedule of what to expect to the minute.
Wranglers bring in the people, and if anyone is one minute over,
they get pulled from the chair. At the moment, Bégin is facing
challenges beyond timing: She wasnt able to work with the
lighting director building up to the show. How is my make-up
going to be lit? she wonders aloud before the event.
Everything crazy. Opposite to normal. Additionally, she and
the team werent able to rehearse in the venue until the night
before the event.
11:53 a.m. Bégin and the M.A.C. make-up team finish a quick
meeting in the Green Room. First looks begin at noon, and the
lead characters will start at 1:30 and 3 p.m. The leads are
Discus, Javeline, Lutus, Runus, Satina, The Messenger and Clay
Juggler.
Each make-up station has a number and an artists name clearly
marked above it, and make-up and brushes are neatly organized.
Artists assigned make-ups, with images of the performers, hang
next to a schedule.
Bégin created every make-up design digitally in Photoshop with
casting shots from the artistic coordinator. She designed
straight onto the photo.
The Fireline Warrior dance make-up is modern tribal. Bégin split
the bulk of the cast into pink and blue tribes. Youll notice
that theres a lot of cyan and fuchsia, she says. She has
designed everything to be high impact and low complexity and
accomplished in a short time.
We did the run-through yesterday and it was really, really well
done, says Bégin. The M.A.C. team is killing it. We had a
little unexpected product shortage yesterday and all of a
sudden, bam! It didnt matter much. The product emerged out of
thin air. (Later Hunka says she ran to the M.A.C. office to get
more Pigment in Silver Fog.)
Even though the artists in this room will process nearly 400
performers, the atmosphere is calm and lighthearted. Dancers
joke with their make-up artists and talk about the latest
YouTube video or celebrity gossip.
In preparation for the big day, Bégin made a design list,
extracted the products and shipping list and gave all the
artists what they needed. Some products are not out of the box,
so she and her assistant, Holly Bradridge, have premixed whats
needed.
Practically speaking, the make-up has to survive profuse
sweating. It has to read well in the arena. And: Worst of all
its an HD live transcript, Bégin says. Those are the things
from a make-up standpoint that are completely opposed to each
other. Ive had a lot of fun finding a happy medium. Its been
intense but it all paid off, really.
12:15 p.m. Nobody needs direction this morning. Its just boom
boom boom, says Bégin as she moves from station to station to
see if artists need help or more products.
12:24 p.m. Bradridge is painting a blue masked female Fireline
Warrior. Next to Bradridges station is a tiled shower room
draped with plastic. Two painters will work on the Javeline and
Satina characters here.
M.A.C. Senior Artist Melissa Gibson (below) says about the
process: Its very smooth. Very organized. Easy to follow. Its
a beautiful look. Shes making up a pink female Fireline
Warrior. Like many artists here, this is her first production of
this size.
At Station 1, I talk to M.A.C. Senior Artist Jane McKay (below),
who will create the make-ups for Discus, Javeline and Lutus, as
well as for Sphere and the head female straps performer.
I dont have a minute to spare for about six hours, says
McKay. Showing me the mock-up for Discus, she says, I love this
whole look when you see him all together. Discus, played by
Freestyle Frisbee world champion Daniel ONeill, was designed
following the directors superhero inspiration. Products for his
look include M.A.C. Studio Sculpt Foundation, acrylic paint in
Black and Landscape; M.A.C. Pigments in Silver Fog, Platinum and
Silver; and Lit Cosmetics waterproof glitter glue. He uses
special nails to perform; they will be painted with dark sparkly
green polish.
Everyone in the room is certified with the M.A.C. organization
at different levels. We know we can bring them into the
environment and know they can do it, says McKay. Julies job
is to be happy with the continuity and adaptation.
When I ask her about the volume of glitter in the various looks,
McKay says, For this, its a staple. It might also be a
hazardher eyes are red from glitter irritation the night
before. She says shell probably turn off her fan.
12:57 p.m. Gibson readies her station to create looks for The
Messenger, Fireline Warriors, DJ Shub and others. Senior Artist
Caitlin Callahan, next to Gibson, is doing looks for Runus
(inspired by the god Hermes, performed by Thomas Evans), Satina
(modeled after surrealist interpretations of Aphrodite and
performed by Erika Lemay) and Clay Juggler (Jimmy Gonzalez).
VIDEO: https://goo.gl/xN3ZdP
Gibson shows me one design shes excited to work on: armbands
for DJ Shub (below). She will use a fine white dust powder that
goes over a gel mixing-medium base; it glows in the light like
safety tape.
I love working with Cirque. Theyre up for anything, right?
says Gibson.
Yesterday it was just a huge pile of glitter and big gobs of
clay on my chair. Im really sorry for whoever has to clean up,
says Callahan.
Callahan describes changing the pink and blue warrior make-ups
into silver make-up as an assembly line of artists slapping
performers with a puff and saying, Go! Go!
1:52 p.m. I like looking crazy! You get into character, says
Toronto dancer Mandy Keating (below), whos made up as a blue
Fireline Warrior. It makes me get fully into character because
then everything feels complete.
2 p.m. McKay is working on The Sphere next. The first look took
45 minutes yesterday and was 30 minutes today. Which is good,
because I need 15 minutes to clean my brushes, she says.
2:15 p.m. Kids Level: With some of the pigments, the more you
buff them in the more they glow, says make-up artist Sarah
Nisbett as she creates a luminous look on a girl. Its exciting
to be a part of this. Its great. Its a nice change of pace and
makes you feel like an artist fresh out of school.
3:40 p.m. Green Room: Bégin checks Callahans station to
replenish the mud jar for the Clay Jugglers make-up (below).
The clay mixture was a little too runny to her taste yesterday,
Bégin says, so shes adding to it. When she first created the
look, she made a recipe that would keep the clay looking cracked
without coming off. Its sandwiched between two layers of Pros-
Aide, she explains.
7:15 p.m. Only 45 minutes until showtime. Many of the make-up
artists are moving with their kits closer to the immediate
backstage areas. DJ Shub, formerly of the group A Tribe Called
Red, just got his forearms painted in the safety-tape look so we
can see how fast his arms move during the ceremony.
Bégin helps McKay complete the look for The Sphere while another
artist finalizes her matte-gray and one-gold-nail manicure.
As theyre finishing, the attention in the room turns to a group
of tall, authoritative men walking in. Hes here, Bégin tells
McKay and apologizes as she pulls The Sphere performer from the
chair. Turns out that the head of the group that just walked in
is Donovan Bailey, a two-time Olympic champion sprinter. He gets
a touch of powder.
8 p.m. I settle into my seat for the performance. It starts with
four groups representing different tribes and then The Messenger
(world champion hoop dancer Nakotah LaRance) appears onstage.
This portion of the performance, dubbed PowWow Carnival, has
183 dancers from 21 dance troupes.
8:10 p.m Baileys role becomes clear when the video monitors
show himand his fellow 1996 Olympic gold-medal winning relay
teamcarrying the Pan American Games torch.
8:25 p.m. Parade of Nations starts, with more than 6,000
international athletes.
9:12 p.m. The Heralds (in silver eye make-up) who led in the
athletes are now bounding acrobatically onto the stage.
9:17 p.m. To blaring music, the five gods appear onstage. The
child performers light the stage with lamps.
9:27 p.m. Clay Juggler appears; his earthen make-up reads well
from my seat.
9:38 p.m. Satina, Guardian of the Long Jump, and other rope
performers sparkle in the air as they twirl; her facial jewels
reflect the lights.
9:43 p.m. Lutus (performed by Wellington Lima) enters to the
sounds of thunder. His body paint glows and shows off his moves.
9:55 p.m. The intense Discus makes his way onstage, his make-up
and hair covered by a large hood which he removes to reveal the
look.
After a series of speeches from dignitaries, Runus and the
Heralds run in place on treadmills on high platforms as other
performers create slow-motion structures below them.
Bégins 1500 hours of work leading up to the show, and the
skilled make-up application just before it, were something to be
proud of.
We LOVED how it went! says Hunka. The show ran so smoothly
and the entire team had overwhelmingly positive feedback. From
start to finish, it was an incredible project to be a part of.
For more on Cirque du Soleil, see Issue 114. For detailed
breakdowns on the lead characters, see the tablet edition of
Issue 116.
This post contained pictures. See them here:
< http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=6291 >
{ SOURCE: Makeup Artist Magazine | https://goo.gl/Fsyiu6 }
Interesting Read: Acrobats or holograms: Whats
next for Cirque du Soleil?
{Jul.31.2015}
-----------------------------------------------------
Las Vegas has been through many reinventions the Rat Pack era,
the family-friendly moment, the uber-luxe resort era. But the
profound, post-recession Vegas reinvention that has gone most
unremarked upon to date is not something the Vegas tourist
authorities like talking about: Its the revenue-generation
reinvention.
As anyone observant who has been to Vegas can see, many of the
once-grand waterfalls and mountains are gone now from the Strip,
obscured by a cacophony of bars and stores squeezing cash out of
visitors. Nobody can afford to waste valuable Strip-side real
estate on a stage set for a pirate-ship battle anymore, not
unless theres a revenue-generating angle, preferably tied to
technology, food, drink and social media.
You can see much the same thing occurring on Michigan Avenue in
Chicago buildings like the Wrigley Building and Tribune Tower
have had their lower levels sliced and diced into busy slots and
squares of streetside commerce. Most of those new stores have an
experiential base.
The Cirque du Soleil still has eight shows running in Las Vegas,
some now two decades old. You no longer see many acrobats or
singers on the billboards coming in from the airports. You see
the faces of Scandinavian DJs, with a few celebrity chefs thrown
in for variety.
That along with the move away from spectacle on the Strip
would appear to pose something of an existential problem for
Cirque, a blue-chip name (qualitatively speaking) for at least
20 years, but also now an aging and perceptually nondigital
brand. These days, people think theyve already seen what Cirque
does. Their parents probably liked to go.
That explains, in part, why it has been three years since the
Montreal-based enterprise, which I first saw in Chicago in 1991,
has pitched its chapiteau in Chicago. It finally does so again
this week, when Kurios Cabinet of Curiosities opens Thursday
alongside the United Center.
Much has changed at Cirque since the company last was here.
In April, Cirque, which had been mostly owned and controlled by
its founder, Guy Laliberte, was sold to a private equity group
led by TPG (Laliberte retained 10 percent of the company). The
new structure also includes the Fosun Capital Group of China.
There are several interesting things about those new owners.
One is that TPG has owned a majority stake in the Creative
Artists Agency (CAA) since 2014, so that presumably will afford
Cirque a new entree into that Hollywood agencys formidable
roster of celebrity clients. The other is that Fosun Capital
Group is there, in part, to help Cirque expand into China,
currently regarded as the promised land for live entertainment,
albeit a landscape pockmarked with land mines, especially for
those lacking a local partner.
So how is the newly resourced Cirque going to change with Vegas,
Chicago and the world?
Daniel Lamarre, the president and CEO of Cirque, was there
before, and hes in place now. He is a formidably smart thinker
on matters of technology and live entertainment. He said this:
The live entertainment of the coming era will be a blend of 3-D
technology and live experience.
The existing Cirque show that puts that most in place is
Michael Jackson One at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, an
eye-popping production that features a hologram-like image of
the King of Pop, allowing him, it feels, to come back to life
and interact with the live dancers. Audience members enjoy
numerous surround-sound speakers in their seats.
Lamarre said that Cirque plans to retrofit its other Vegas
shows, probably one each year, with that kind of technology:
there is much new focus on The Beatles Love at the Mirage
Hotel, a nine-year-old show that already is from a prior
technological era; John, Paul, George and Ringo likely will be
making more of a personal appearance in the future. Kurios,
the show that arrives in Chicago on Thursday, is the first
touring show under Cirques new, younger regime, and it has, so
far, done well in its previous markets.
Aside from the celebrity projects in Vegas, most Cirque shows
historically have shared a similar format: traditional circus
acts presented with more sensuality than youd find at the
Ringing Bros. and Barnum & Bailey arena shows; a self-aware
theme designed to entice without being overly literal or reliant
on language; a house troupe of acrobatic dancers who extol the
theme and act as the connective narrative tissue.
So is that going to be gone now? Lamarre laughed.
The first thing to understand, he said, is that creativity is
the bread and butter of this company. I told our new owners that
the finance department is all theirs but that we have to protect
our creators. They have to be in a bubble. They have to keep
pushing the envelope.
So is that going to be gone?
Heres the thing about millennials, Lamarre said. They love
our shows, but we have always been too traditional in our
advertising not really sharing images from the shows, for
example. That is all going to change. Millennials want you to
approach them. We have never done that. We never have had a
strong enough presence on social media. If you want to stay in
contact with your clientele, either in Vegas or Chicago, social
media now is crucial.
Newspapers like this one, of course, are going through much the
same wrenching transition, although one notable difference is
that newspapers rely on trust and Cirque tends to change its
creatives with pretty much every show. As the director of
Kurios, Michel Laprise well knows, predictability in that
business is not comforting nor trustworthy, but death.
Oh, people would say it politely, he said in a recent
interview, but I was feeling that they thought we were doing
things out of habit. So for Kurios, we decided to get rid of
all the things we were doing out of habit. It demands a lot of
courage but is also our moral responsibility.
But if the new world order means live performers and technology
ensemble, what general predictions can one make about a new
Cirque?
The shows will have to be more immersive from now on, Lamarre
said. Much, much, much, more immersive. You can see the
beginnings of that with Kurios. There has to a better balance
between acrobatics, dance, music and visuals.
Ah, balance. Meaning more of what? Less of what?
The visual, Lamarre said, is only going to be more
important.
Lamarres Cirque, along with its new Chinese partners, is soon
to open a permanent show about an hour outside Shanghai in a
town called Huangzhou, which is emerging as something of a
cultural center in China and an arts hub.
But the next new Cirque show Chicago likely will see will be
something quite different from the past: Its called Toruk
The First Flight and will be a piece derived from the James
Cameron movie Avatar. Cameron is a creative consultant. The
show is beginning one year before the next movie in the Avatar
franchise is slated to hit theaters. In fact, 20th Century Fox,
which is paying for the movie, is a partner on the live show.
Rarely has the line between a movie and a live show been so
blurred.
Film. Theater. Technology. All is almost one.
The new touring production bows in Montreal in December and you
can already find a whole lot of very shareable images on
Pandrora. And plenty more besides.
One gets sucked in: You have to follow a personal quest to
discover a distant moon and unearth artifacts to discover the
identities of five different clans. No acrobatics required. Just
a sense of self, writ large.
{ SOURCE: Chicago Tribune | http://goo.gl/LKcGcW }
=======================================================================
ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION
=======================================================================
o) BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau
{Amaluna, Corteo, Koozå, Totem & KURIOS}
o) ARENA - In Stadium-like venues
{Quidam, Varekai, TORUK & OVO}
o) RESIDENT - Performed en Le Théâtre
{Mystère, "O", La Nouba, Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE,
Believe, Zarkana, MJ ONE & JOYÀ}
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.
For current, up-to-the-moment information on Cirque's whereabouts,
please visit Cirque's website: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/ >.
------------------------------------
BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau
------------------------------------
Amaluna:
PortAventura, ES -- July 3, 2015 to Aug 23, 2015
Brussels, BE -- Sep 10, 2015 to Oct 25, 2015
Paris, FR -- Nov 5, 2015 to Dec 13, 2015
London, UK -- Jan 16, 2016 to Feb 14, 2016
Corteo:
Guadalajara, MX -- Jul 30, 2015 to Aug 16, 2015
Mexico City, MX -- Sep 3, 2015 to Sep 27, 2015
Quito, EC -- Nov 19, 2015 to Dec 10, 2015
Koozå:
Virginia Beach, VA -- Jul 16, 2015 to Aug 16, 2015
Austin, TX -- Sep 2, 2015 to Oct 8, 2015
Vancouver, BC -- Oct 29, 2015 to Dec 13, 2015
Kurios:
Chicago, IL -- Aug 6, 2015 to Sep 20, 2015
Costa Mesa, CA -- Oct 15, 2015 to Nov 29, 2015
Los Angeles, CA -- Dec 10, 2015 to Feb 7, 2016
Atlanta, GA -- Mar 3, 2016 to May 8, 2016
Totem:
Perth, AU -- Jul 31, 2015 to Sep 27, 2015
Singapore, SG -- Oct 28, 2015 to Nov 22, 2015
Tokyo, JP -- Feb 03, 2016 to Apr 10, 2016
Osaka, JP -- TBA
Nagoya, JP -- TBA
Fukuoka, JP -- TBA
Sendai, JP -- TBA
------------------------------------
ARENA - In Stadium-Like Venues
------------------------------------
Quidam:
Bangkok, TH -- Jul 29, 2015 to Aug 3, 2015
Seoul, SK -- Sep 10, 2015 to Nov 1, 2015
Canberra, AU -- Dec 11, 2015 to Dec 20, 2015
Wollongong, AU -- Dec 23, 2015 to Jan 2, 2016
Hobart, AU -- Jan 6, 2016 to Jan 10, 2016
Newcastle, AU -- Jan 15, 2016 to Jan 24, 2016
** FINAL SHOW: February 21, 2016 in New Zealand **
Varekai:
Duluth, GA -- Jul 29, 2015 to Aug 2, 2015
Tampa, FL -- Aug 5, 2015 to Aug 9, 2015
Sunrise, FL -- Aug 12, 2015 to Aug 23, 2015
Nashville, FL -- Aug 26, 2015 to Aug 30, 2015
Toronto, ON -- Sep 2, 2015 to Sep 6, 2015
Berlin, DE -- Oct 8, 2015 to Oct 11, 2015
Leipzig, DE -- Oct 14, 2015 to Oct 18, 2015
Stuttgart, DE -- Oct 21, 2015 to Oct 25, 2015
Mannheim, DE -- Oct 28, 2015 to Nov 1, 2015
Vienna, AT -- Nov 4, 2015 to Nov 8, 2015
Dortmund, DE -- Nov 11, 2015 to Nov 15, 2015
Cologne, DE -- Nov 18, 2015 to Nov 22, 2015
Innsbruck, AT -- Nov 25, 2015 to Nov 29, 2015
Munich, DE -- Dec 2, 2015 to Dec 6, 2015
A Coruña, ES -- Dec 22, 2015 to Dec 28, 2015
Barcelona, ES -- Jan 1, 2016 to Jan 10, 2016
Valencia, ES -- Jan 14, 2016 to Jan 17, 2016
Malaga, ES -- Jan 21, 2016 to Jan 24, 2016
Vitoria-Gasteiz, ES -- Jan 27, 2016 to Jan 31, 2016
Lyon, FR -- Feb 3, 2016 to Feb 7, 2016
Hamburg, DE -- Feb 10, 2016 to Feb 14, 2016
Luxembourg, LU -- Feb 17, 2016 to Feb 21, 2016
Hanover, DE -- Feb 24, 2016 to Feb 28, 2016
Bordeaux, FR -- Mar 10, 2016 to Mar 13, 2016
Montpellier, FR -- Mar 17, 2016 to Mar 20, 2016
Nice, FR -- Mar 23, 2016 to Mar 27, 2016
Nantes, FR -- Nov 16, 2016 to Nov 20, 2016
Toulouse, FR -- Nov 23, 2016 to Nov 27, 2016
Strasbourg, FR -- Nov 30, 2016 to Dec 4, 2016
TORUK - The First Flight:
Allentown, PA -- Nov 12, 2015 to Nov 14, 2015
Lafayette, LA -- Nov 20, 2015 to Nov 22, 2015
Richmond, VA -- Nov 27, 2015 to Nov 29, 2015
Worcester, MA -- Dec 11, 2015 to Dec 13, 2015
Montreal, QC -- Dec 21, 2015 to Jan 3, 2016
Auburn Hills, MI -- Jan 22, 2016 to Jan 24, 2016
North Little Rock, AR -- Feb 19, 2016 to Feb 21, 2016
North Charleston, SC -- Feb 26, 2016 to Feb 28, 2016
Tulsa, OK -- Mar 25, 2016 to Mar 27, 2016
Kansas City, MO -- Apr 1, 2016 to Apr 3, 2016
Oklahoma City, OK -- Apr 6, 2016 to Apr 10, 2016
Louisville, KY -- Apr 29, 2016 to May 1, 2016
Cincinnati, OH -- May 5, 2016 to May 8, 2016
Hamilton, ON -- May 20, 2016 to May 22, 2016
London, ON -- May 27, 2016 to May 29, 2016
Providence, RI -- Jun 3, 2016 to Jun 5, 2016
Raleigh, NC -- Jun 24, 2016 to Jun 26, 2016
OVO:
Rumored to begin touring in Arenas in April 2016!
---------------------------------
RESIDENT - en Le Théâtre
---------------------------------
Mystère:
Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark: Thursday/Friday
Two shows Nightly - 7:00pm & 9:30pm
2015 Dark Dates:
o September 10 - 18
o November 11
Added performances in 2015:
o December 31 (only 7 pm performance)
"O":
Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark: Monday/Tuesday
Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:00pm
2015 Dark Dates:
o August 3 - 11
o October 11
o November 30 - December 15
Added performances in 2015:
o December 29
La Nouba:
Location: Walt Disney World, Orlando (USA)
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday
Two shows Nightly - 6:00pm and 9:00pm
2014 Dark Dates:
o November 2 - 5
o December 7 - 9
Zumanity:
Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark Sunday/Monday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
(Only 7:00pm on the following days in 2015: January 20,
May 8, May 15, May 19, May 20, and December 31)
2015 Dark Dates:
o August 16 - 31
o October 31
o December 6 - 14
Added performance in 2015:
o December 27
KÀ:
Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark Thursday/Friday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
(Only 7 pm performances on May 9, 16 and June 21)
2015 Dark Dates:
o August 5
o September17 - 25
o November 18
LOVE:
Location: Mirage, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Thursday through Monday, Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
(Only 7:00p.m. performances on May 15-16, June 19-21, December 31)
(Only 4:30p.m. & 7:00p.m. performances on July 4)
2015 Dark Dates:
o July 28 August 5
o September 15 17
o October 20 22
o December 1 16
Added performances in 2014:
o December 30
CRISS ANGEL BELIEVE:
Location: Luxor, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark: Monday/Tuesday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
2015 Show Schedule:
o Wednesday: 7:00pm & 9:30pm (only 7:00pm on January 7,
February 4 - 25, September 30)
o Thursday: 7:00pm & 9:30pm (only 7:00pm on January 8-29,
December 31)
o Friday: 7:00pm & 9:30pm (only 7:00pm on January 930,
February 6, February 20 27, March 6 13,
May 1 22, June 5, June 19, September 1125,
October 29, October 2330, December 4 11,
December 25)
o Saturday: 7:00pm & 9:30pm (only 7:00pm on May 216,
June 20, July 4, October 31)
o Sunday: 7:00pm & 9:30pm (only 7:00pm on February 822,
March 115, April 26, May 24, June 7, June 21,
September 1327, October 425, November 18,
November 2229, December 613)
2015 Dark Dates:
o August 31 September 8
o November 9 17
o December 14 22
Added Performances in 2015:
o December 29
ZARKÀNA:
Location: Aria, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark: Wednesday/Thursday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
2015 Dark Dates:
o July 14
o September 6 - 14
o November 10
Added Performances in 2015:
o December 28
MICHAEL JACKSON ONE:
Location: Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Two Shows Nightly - Dark: Wednesday/Thursday
Schedule: 7:00pm & 9:30pm on Friday, Saturday, Monday & Tuesday
4:30pm & 7:00pm on Sunday
2015 Dark Dates:
o August 11
o October 14 22
o December 15
Added performances in 2015:
o August 19
o November 25
o December 30
JOYÀ:
Location: Riviera Maya, Mexico
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday
One/Two Shows Nightly:
9:00pm (Weekdays)
7:00pm & 10:15pm (Fri, Sat & Holidays)
=======================================================================
OUTREACH - UPDATES FROM CIRQUE's SOCIAL WIDGETS
=======================================================================
o) Club Cirque -- This Month at CirqueClub & Casting
o) DidYaKnow? -- Facts About Cirque
o) Networking -- Posts on Facebook, G+, & YouTube
---------------------------------------------------
CLUB CIRQUE: This Month at CirqueClub & Casting
---------------------------------------------------
VIDEO /// "Top 5 Juggling Acts"
{Jul.20.2015}
-----------------------------------------------------
The year: 1984. The groundbreaking new spectacle: Cirque du Soleil.
Amidst the mindboggling array of creative performances, a juggling
act. In an instant the ancient art of juggling is thrust back into the
spotlight and its fascinating history revived.
Today Cirque du Soleil is proud to juggle back through time with you,
featuring a retrospective of the most unforgettable juggling
performances of the past thirty years.
Most of us know that juggling (technically known as toss juggling)
refers to the art keeping two or more objects up in the air without
letting them stop or drop. Weve seen breathtaking examples of it
during Cirque du Soleil performances, but the unique history of
juggling carries us back to exotic scenarios from far earlier eras.
The first signs of juggling were discovered on a wall painting in the
Egyptian tomb of an unknown prince, between 1994 and 1781 BCE. In the
depiction, a group of women can be seen tossing small round objects in
the air. (Perhaps this is the true origin of the modern reference to
those capable women who are able to successfully juggle their
career, family, and social life!)
Throughout the next millennia, juggling would continue to pop up
intermittently in various parts of the worldfrom China to Greece,
India to Englandwith some fascinating impacts.
Chinese warriors during the Zhou Dynasty juggled their way out of
battle by impressing their enemies with their skills. (Seems they
figured out how to toss their differences aside!)
Things got particularly fragile during the Roman Empire, when one
Romans gravestone proclaimed that he was the first to juggle with
glass balls. Had he been born a bit later, during the fall of the
Empire, his epitaph may have read differentlyits during this time
that juggling became viewed as a witchcraft-like art, banished to the
streets where jugglers would perform for pocket change. Little did
they know that on the cusp of the next millennium Cirque du Soleils
founder, Guy Laliberté, would follow directly in their footsteps with
his fire-eating feats!
Not until the creation of the first modern circus in the 1700s did
jugglers begin to regain their star-like status. They became staple
acts of vaudeville and variety shows, forcing them to hone their
skills and develop specialties as they tried to out-toss, and thus
toss out, the competition!
We can see the results today in the breathtaking juggling acts that
punctuate many Cirque du Soleil performances. From an ancient tool of
war to a modern-day art of wonder and delight, juggling has become a
highlight for circus-goers around the world. What it will become over
the next centuries is still up in the air!
{ SOURCE: CirqueClub | https://goo.gl/bsgMMt }
---------------------------------------
DIDYAKNOW?: Facts About Cirque
---------------------------------------
o) Did you know that JOYÀ's VIP package includes access to the
exclusive lounge? This along with priority access to the theatre,
unlimited Mercier Champagne and an exquisite dinner including
Chef's special appetizers pamper yourself with this truly VIP
experience!
o) Did you know KA's artists apply their own make-up, and it takes
from 45 minutes to two hours to complete?
o) Did you know La Nouba's 1,671-seat showroom is the first free-
standing permanent theatre ever built for Cirque du Soleil?
o) Did you know the fedoras featured in Michael Jackson ONE come from
the same hat maker who made Michaels iconic hats?
o) Did you know more than 300 headpieces are used in Mystere? Each
latex headpiece is an exact duplicate of the artists head.
o) Did you know each artist in Mystere has an average of 3 costumes
per look (character)? Each costume is custom-made in Montreal for
each artist.
o) Did you know the wardrobe in "O" has a relatively short shelf life?
For instance, the swimmers need to their costumes replaced every 3
months.
o) Did you know everything in "O" - from actual costumes to wigs and
headpieces - had to be customized to work in water? For instance,
the headpieces in this photo had to have chinstraps added.
o) Did you know each performer in "O" has an average of 5 different
looks they wear on stage?
o) Did you know the lead female singer in Zarakana had her entire
body, together with the harness she wears throughout the show,
scanned with 225 precise measurements? The data was used to
produce a cast that minimized the need for in-person costume
fittings.
o) Did you know the attire for the Jovians in Zarkana were inspired
by a fictional tribe that lives off of the sea? Their costumes are
made to make them look like fish, complete with bubbles, a ploy to
fool their prey.
---------------------------------------------------
NETWORKING: Cirque on Facebook, YouTube & Twitter
---------------------------------------------------
{Compiled by Keith Johnson}
---[ AMALUNA ]---
{Jul.04}
The first night of Amaluna at Portaventura has been magical,
you are going to come?
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/klBLvQ >
{Jul.15}
This is how the boys of Amaluna relax before the show...
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/aLwPAj >
{Jul.23}
Happening now: Cali is getting ready to get on stage...
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/UMhDTd >
---[ CORTEO ]---
{Jul.01}
We hope to see all of our friends yucatecos in the big
tent! We will be in Merida just one more week!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/KBS0Q1 >
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/PJgwbx >
{Jul.07}
Our artists spent a great last day off in this wonder of
the world! Ready and full of energy for the last week in
Merida!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/oEWPvI >
{Jul.12}
Our last day in Merida! We very much enjoyed the amazing
people of this beautiful city and are delighted to have been
there! We are going to miss you!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/crz78i >
{Jul.24}
Our Horse / puppet is taking his nap in Guadalajara, until
the arrival of the artists next Monday.
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/WYBokV >
---[ KOOZA ]---
{Jul.01}
It's almost time to say goodbye, Columbus!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/lOJVCi >
{Jul.13}
Just three days until KOOZA premieres in ?#Virginia Beach!!
LINK /// < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFBy6l-hzlk >
{Jul.15}
KOOZA? is premiering tomorrow at the Virginia Beach Convention
Center! We can't wait for you to discover our zany kingdom,
Virginia Beach - Live The Life
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/jj0f3c >
{Jul.16}
Putting the final touches to our make-up! Time to leave the
beaches to come and see KOOZA
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/JzCze0 >
{Jul.16}
A huge THANK YOU for the warm welcome, Virginia Beach! We
couldn't wish for a better start!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/hfZ2Fg >
{Jul.18}
Do you have what it takes to be a KOOZA artist? Today on the
beach a lineup of people are trying out their skills on the
flying trapeze!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/TYyZjC >
{Jul.19}
If youve ever dreamed of flying through the air just like
a trapeze artist, nows your chance! Come by the beach today
to try the KOOZA trapeze!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/Dniwgs >
---[ KURIOS ]---
{Jul.03}
Bonjour Chicago! Our aviator was in your city for a quick
visit and advanced media day this week! We are very excited
to open on August 6th at United Center under the Grand
Chapiteau!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/lraB7c >
{Jul.08}
Lunchtime at Union Station in Denver had some KURIOS surprises!
Happy to be a part of the State Of Kind challenge.
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/wG6G6l >
{Jul.09}
Bonjour Chicago! KURIOS will be in your city really soon.
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/HhLgaK >
{Jul.10}
1 Show. 2 countries. 7 cities. 15 months. And were close
to 1 million fans seeing KURIOS. Thank you Denver and all
our fans for getting us here!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/LgFTvB >
{Jul.13}
Hey Denver! Don't miss your chance to see KURIOS!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/Jtch1U >
{Jul.14}
Last Sunday in Denver we had our 1 millionth visitor at
KURIOS. To celebrate this milestone we invited the special
guest backstage to meet with our artists!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/J02S2Z >
{Jul.23}
Time flies by so fast! It's almost time for KURIOS
to leave Denver!
LINK /// < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyXFIrWamMA >
---[ LA NOUBA ]---
{Jul.08}
Ready to take flight? Dont just watch the show.
Be a part of it.
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/rf0Ohk >
{Jul.28}
300 flips. 60 twists. 27 artists. 1 60-foot power track.
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/7tL25U >
---[ QUIDAM ]---
{Jul.02}
Quidam is opening in Tel Aviv tonight! Watch our surprise
street performance at Dizengoff Square.
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/yxDxFK >
{Jul.11}
We love Friday night crowds! Photos taken from the band pit
by violinist C. Zardé
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/sVjD4i >
{Jul.14}
We love reading our fans! And we couldn't resist sharing
these kind words... From all the Quidam cast and crew,
THANK YOU Barbara for being such an amazing fan!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/rcS2eA >
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/TKOoTh >
{Jul.29}
On stage, backstage, in the media... EVERYWHERE! After
months of preparation, we are finally ready to present our
very first Cirque du Soleil show in Thailand!!! Sawasdee Ka
Bangkok!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/9wKQkj >
{Jul.30}
"Sometimes watching trainings you just witness a perfect..."
Do you know what this Cordes Lisses move is called?
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/suhnCP >
---[ TORUK ]---
{Jul.02}
All the shades of a world beyond imagination.
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/C2m6hf >
{Jul.03}
Check out the TORUK Zone at Montreal ComicCon and journey
back thousands of years to the beginning of Pandora.
TORUK The First Flight opens December 21 in Montreal,
get your tickets now!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/67yp3E >
{Jul.09}
High is our only level of expectations.
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/yS52wQ >
{Jul.16}
A laboratory of creators: where it all began.
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/s5bDcT >
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/txVH4b >
{Jul.23}
Kite dancing.
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/4mjwjl >
---[ TOTEM ]---
{Jul.04}
appy 4th of July to our American fans from our Native Hoop
Dancer Eric Hernandez! Even down under, we do not forget you!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/kMX0WT >
{Jul.07}
Thank you Perth for great media opportunities! Now back to
Adelaide for our last week of performances!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/Q4aG1K >
{Jul.07}
There is talent on stage and backstage at TOTEM! Props
technician Keiko Lemon hand-paints regularly many of our
large pieces, including the Roller Skates platform, the
Hand Balancing blocks and the Scientist boxes!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/DqPVEc >
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/4jgoeP >
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/coCtru >
{Jul.14}
Last week, our Hoop Dancer Eric Hernandez visited Perth for
media interviews and photo sessions! Watch his vlog about
this busy PR day all around the city! TOTEM opens in Perth -
its last Australian tour stop - on 31 July!
LINK /// < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I3Oted83a0 >
{Jul.21}
"What's the next level after impressed? Amazed? Awe-stuck?
Whatever it is, that emotion arrives often in TOTEM." - The
New York Times
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/3btaAT >
{Jul.22}
The bridge and the stage are being set up inside our Big
Top - only 8 days to go until our Perth Opening Night at
Belmont Park Racecourse!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/KKN0cA >
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/PYJ3n4 >
{Jul.23}
New information regarding the performance schedule, ticket
sales and the show has been announced for the Japanese
tour of TOTEM!
LINK /// < http://totem-jp.com >
{Jul.24}
Our artists have arrived in Perth and are starting training
today in preparation for our 31 July Opening Night!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/l2miqD >
{Jul.26}
Ever wondered how it is to attend a Cirque du Soleil Opening
Night? You are lucky, we've just released a few tickets for
our Perth Premiere! Exclusively after the performance,
audience members will get to meet and take photos with
numerous TOTEM characters, enjoy live music performed by
the TOTEM band, and take part in celebrations inspired by
the show!
LINK /// < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3icAA9AYK-k >
{Jul.28}
A lot of activity backstage this week getting ready for our
last Australian Premiere in Perth this Friday! Shandien
"Sonwai" Larance is showing media how make-up should be
done.
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/Rpqm7tv
{Jul.30}
1,000 lucky West Australian Cirque Club members attended e
arlier today a free exclusive media preview of TOTEM inside
the Big Top! They were the first ones to experience our Hoop
Dance and Rings Trio acts before we officially open in Perth
tomorrow night!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/OJDmbQ >
---[ VAREKAI ]---
{Jul.08}
What a fun day in Baltimore yesterday! Skywatcher and
Magioso toured the city and made a few stops at Maryland
Science Center and Phillips Seafood! Check out the show
July 8-12 at the Royal Farms Arena!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/dLlSxZ >
{Jul.13}
Take a look at this slow motion jump part of the Russian
Swing act!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/AEqzxJ >
{Jul.19}
We had a great time performing at the Agganis Arena this week.
Thank you for the laughs and applause. Can't wait to be back!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/kjNlEW >
{Jul.21}
Good morning! We are in Miami for Univision's Wake Up America!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/t0edrz >
{Jul.24}
Afternoon warm up in the sun!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/Hn6pH7 >
{Jul.28}
Getting ready for our premiere at the Gwinnet Arena Center
in Duluth, GA!
LINK /// < https://goo.gl/xkRoNi >
=======================================================================
FASCINATION! FEATURES
=======================================================================
o) INTERVIEW /// "Raphaël Beau Compositeur des Curiosités"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
o) "Tales of the Forest: The NEW Story of Varekai"
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
------------------------------------------------------------
INTERVIEW /// "Raphaël Beau Compositeur des Curiosités"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
-----------------------------------------------------------
Responsible for the fun Steampunk sound that propels Kurios-Cabinet
of Curiosities is Raphaël Beau. Raphaël was educated at the
Conservatoires national de region of Toulouse and Paris. He also
studied at the Paris Sorbonne where he became a certified music
teacher. He composed the soundtrack for Micmacs, a film by Jean-
Pierre Jeunet with whom he subsequently collaborated on some
commercials. In 2011 he composed the soundtrack for the cute short
film Defective Detective by Avner Geller and Stevie Lewis, which won a
bronze award at the 38th Student Academy Awards (you can see it here):
< https://youtu.be/tiy1MeXzhfA >.
We sent Mr. Beau some questions via email and here are his responses
in French, kindly translated into English by Kurios publicist Amelie
Robitaille. One of our rare bi-lingual interviews! Enjoy!
Q. How did you come to write the score for Kurios?
Le cirque m'acontacté et m'ademandésij'étaisintéressé pour vivre
l'aventure "cirque 2014" qui deviendrait "Kurios-Cabinet des
curiosité". Après unemise à l'épreuve sur un certain nombre de
situations compositionnelles, j'aiétéretenu et l'aventure a pu
commencer... ouplutôt, elle a continué car cesdeux premières semaines
de travail avait déjà été pour moi un grand voyage. Eneffet, la
relation avec Michel Laprise et Chantal Tremblay a été tout de suite
d'unegranderichesse et d'unegrandeintensitéémotionnelle.
Cirque contacted me asking if I was interested in participating in
the Cirque 2014 adventure that would eventually become Kurios-Cabinet
of Curiosities. After auditioning afew compositions I was chosen and
the adventure began, or should I say kept going because those two
first weeks of working with Cirque were already quite a journey! My
relationship with (Director)Michel Laprise and (Director of
Creation)Chantal Tremblay quickly became a very rich emotionally
intense one.
Q. What guidance did the director, Michel Laprise, give you?
Michel m'a tout d'abordparlé du scénario pour me plongerdans son
univers, puisdès que je suisvenu à Montréal, nous avonsregardé avec
lui et Chantal des illustrations magnifiques formant un storyboard du
spectacle. Nous échangions sur ce que nous évoquaientces images et
Michel me donnait des mots-clefs qui me guideraient pour proposer les
premières "capsules" ou intentions musicales. Une des directions
stylistiquephareétaitl'électroswingence que ce style contenait de
festif, énergique et joyeux.
Michel first talked to me about the storyline of the show so I could
dive into his universe, and from the moment I came to Montréal, we
(Michel, Chantal and I) started looking at magnificent sketches that
were forming the storyboard of the show. We would discuss what these
images meant to us and Michel gave me keywords that would help me
propose the first excerpts or musical intentions. One of the main
stylistic directions was electro swing, with the festivity, energy and
happiness that goes along with that style.
Q. What inspired you while writing the score?
Je crois que ce qui m'ainspiréc'est le fait que j'aimais tout ce que
j'avaisluentermesscénaristiques, toutes les illustrations de décors,
de costumes, d'ambianceslumineuses, de couleurs. L'esthétique
Steampunk estaussiquelque chose dont je me sensproche car
j'aimebienm'amuser à créer des mécanismesmusicaux. D'unecertainefaçon,
la musiqueconcrètepeutavoir un caractère Steampunk. Ce qui
m'aégalementinspiré, c'est de venirvoir les acrobates aux séances
d'entraînement, de création, et d'être avec eux, de m'apercevoir de
leur talent, de leur courage et de leurgrandehumanité. Je me
suisditqu'ilfallait que j'essayecommeeux de faire des acrobaties
musicales et que je prenneaussi le risque de composer "sans
filet"...C'estavant tout unegrandeaventure collective et c'estcela qui
est un souffleinspirant pour donner le meilleur de soi-même. Et puis,
il y a cemagnifiquechapiteaujaune et bleu. Quand on entre dedans et
que l'onvoit tout cequ'ils'ypasse, ildoit se produirequelque chose de
magique, d'impalpable. Et comme a pu me dire Michel Laprise,
"ilfautaussilaisser le spectacle venir à soi".
I believe that what inspired me is the fact that I liked everything I
had read in the script and seen in the storyboards, illustrations, set
and costumes, as well as colors and light ambiances. The Steampunk
aesthetic was also something that I felt close to because I love to
play around and create musical mechanisms. In a certain way, concrete
music can have a Steampunk character.
Another thing that inspired me was to see the acrobats in their
training sessions and creation classes; to be with them and see how
talented, courageous and human they were. I told myself I would have
to try to do just like them by creating music in an acrobatic way and
to take the risk of composing without a safety net. It is primarily a
great collective adventure and that is what gives you the inspiring
breath of fresh air to give the most of yourself.
And then there was this beautiful yellow and blue Big Top. When you
enter it you realise what really happens, that something magic is
occurring, something impalpable. And like Michel Laprise told me, We
also have to let the show come to us.
Q. Some Cirque composers will not write a note of music until they
have seen the act it would accompany, some have melodies already in
mind and adapt them to fit. Can you describe the process of writing
the Kurios music?
La composition s'estfaiteendeux phases principalement. La première
était de composer des intentions musicales qui
accompagneraientchaquenuméros, ils'agitd'unerecherched'émotions.
Eneffet, initialement la musique ne s'attache pas à suivre les
tensions/détentes ou les climax chorégraphiques, c'est justeune
atmosphère musicale, commeune première esquissepicturale
avec quelques traits et quelquescouleurs, maisl'idéeestlà et ilpeut se
passer un certain temps avantqu'ellen'apparaisse... Ensuite, vient la
seconde phase de développementoù la musiquecherche à s'adapter plus
finement aux numéros et à leurcontenuchorégraphique et acrobatique.
C'est un travail d'artisanat fait "d'allers et retours", de
changements, d'essais et d'interactions avec tous les
autresconcepteurs et acrobates qui fait que le spectacle est déjà très
vivant duranttoutesapériode de gestation.
The composition happened in two different phases. The first was to
compose musical intentions that would accompany each act, actually the
research of emotions. Initially, the music does not follow the tension
or mood or choreographic climax, it is a musical atmosphere. Like a
first sketch or draft with a few lines and a few colors, but the idea
is there even if it might take a while to really appear. Then comes
the second phase of development where the music is trying to adapt to
the acts and their acrobatic choreography and content in a more
precise way. It is a craftsman's work made of give and take, changes,
try outs, and interactions with all the different creators, designers
and acrobats which make the show come alive in its gestation process.
Q. Some Cirque composers are very particular about their arrangements
and want very little change. Others appreciate what musicians can do
with their score. What is your process of working with the band?
Encore unefois, il me semble que la richessevientavant tout de la
miseencommun des compétences de chacunes et de chacuns, ce qui
peutparfoisamener à rendre les choses que l'onpeutcroireimpossibles,
possibles. C'estpourquoi, mêmesij'aiparfoisététrès attaché à
certainsdétailscompositionnels et interprétatifs, j'aiaussiétéouvert
aux idées que pouvaientapporterchaquemusicien du band. J'aitoujoursététrès
admiratif de leur talent et puisc'esteux qui
chaque jour jouent la musique et la font vivre. Le fait
d'avoirpartagé des moments où nous jouions ensemble nous a permis de
nous rencontrermusicalement et de mieux nous connaîtrehumainement.
C'est encore une idée de partage et d'amour de la musique qui nous a
amener à prendre beaucoup de plaisir ensemble et à
concentrernosénergies pour que la musique de "Kurios-cabinet des
curiosités" soitunemusique du coeur.
Once again, it feels like the richness comes first from the common
input of everyone's competencies, which sometimes makes a thing that
we believe to be impossible, become possible. This is why, even if I
was sometimes very attached and holding on to certain compositional or
interpretative details, I was also open to the ideas that each
musician in the band were bringing. I always kept a great admiration
for their talent because they are the ones playing the music and
giving life to it every day. The fact that we were able to share some
moments where we all played together allowed us to meet each other in
a musical way and to know each other better in an human way. Once
again it is the idea of sharing and love of music that brought us a
lot of pleasure and fun, concentrating our energies for the music of
Kurios, making music from the heart.
Q. Do you have a future project(s) we can look forward to?
J'ai de nouveaux projetsen perspective dont je ne peux pas
parlericimaisdont je pourraism'entretenir volontiers avec vousdèsqu'il
serontrendus plus officiels.
I do have new projects that I cant speak of right now but that I
would love to talk about as soon as they become more official.
Merci pour toutesvos questions qui m'ontpermis de me replonger un
temps danscette belle aventure...
Thank you for your questions that made me dive back into this
beautiful adventure [if only] for a brief moment.
See more about Raphaël at www.raphaelbeau-compositeur.com.
------------------------------------------------------------
"Tales of the Forest: The NEW Story of Varekai"
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
-----------------------------------------------------------
A couple of issues back, Keith Johnson (in his review of KURIOS under
the Big Top and VAREKAI in Arena) mentioned the new-style programme
book Varekai now has, praising the way it told the show's story and
how the new "book" made updating it an easier process. After hearing
about Keiths description of Varekais new and quite interesting
programme book, I was anxious to see a copy for myself. As luck would
have it, the final leg of Varekais North American arena tour brought
the show through the Atlanta area, setting up in the Gwinnett Center
over in Duluth for a few days, which afforded me the opportunity to
see for myself how different this book may be. And its certainly
interesting to say the least, but thats not a bad thing. While I have
my own opinions about the new programme book style (it is bulky,
though I mostly agree with Keiths sentiment), as well as thoughts
about the arena conversion of the show itself (some not so nice), my
purpose here isnt to dissect the conversion, speak ill of the show,
or even denounce it as not being a worthy successor of its Big Top
counterpart. With the shows new tagline Tales of the Forest my
purpose here today is to dive into the new storyline of the show as
depicted in the new book. And I have to say
its different.
While it's a bit difficult for us to share images of the new book
(since we're a text-based newsletter), I can share the text used now
to describe the story. A dormant volcano, a mystical forest, and an
ancient prophecy
The adventure of Icarus begins! Explore the world of
Varekai, it says on the back cover. And follow the awesome
adventures of Icarus with 20 double-sided storyboards and a bonus
full-size poster.
Aninteresting quirk about the story within is that its narrated by
Icarus himself: My name is Icarus, he begins. The Lost Adventurer
This is the story of how my wandering soul learned to trust fate.
Dont get me wrong fate can be scary. But surrendering to it is the
most thrilling ride of all! And he continues narrating his story at
each beat of the show...
THE FALL/THE FLIGHT OF ICARUS: It all begins with falling on broken
wings
A flight of fancy, and a gamble in the sky. The thrill of
flying was followed by the bitterness of my fall! I tried reaching for
the sky again. But its no use. Im stuck here in this forest.
Wounded. And surrounded by these kaleidoscopic creatures that wont
let me go. Oh, to touch the heavens again! Ill be the first to admit
it I flew too close to the sun. But it was awesome. At least until I
started going down! What a ride! I dont know how to get back. And Im
not sure I want to. Besides, a voice keeps urging me on Find the
courage to wander. There is no destination.
THE BETHROTHED (ENCOUNTER/SEPARATION): A spellbinding figure emerged
from the earth, and has captured my soul as securely as any net. My
betrothed is destined to transform herself and the world. Afraid and
fearless, vulnerable and infinitely powerful, she is the chosen one.
And in her turn, must choose the fallen voyager as her mate. The
entire forest waits in anticipation of this union of sky and earth.
Her sensual beauty has ignited a fire within me. And love has given me
new wings. The heart sees deeper than the eye. I won her trust for an
instant. And then thunder and she was gone.
ICARIAN GAMES: Its as though the forest itself wants to fly.
Continuing my stroll through the forest, I happened upon these
cheerful creatures in a clearing. And laughed out loud! They were
celebrating the union of two strangers. Flying and flipping through
the air, they juggled one another as though they weighed nothing at
all. We need one another to survive
TRAPEZE/HOOP: You only give when you love. Hovering among the treetops
was a messenger from the future. In a prophetic cycle thats as old as
time, she too has been transformed by love. It seems every branch and
creature must play its part. And its only a matter of time
THE SKYWATCHER: The Skywatcher is adrift in his own world. Thriving
amid the chaos and collecting the worlds memories along the way, the
Skywatcher is equal parts joker, astronomer and inventor. And seems to
know whats going to happen before it does! This itinerant castaway is
stuck here just like me, but stays put even though he could build
himself a balloon and fly away.
THE ENGAGEMENT/ABDUCTION: He offered us a chance to float away, but
she refused. Im not yet ready, she said
Before they took her away,
she grabbed my hand. Well meet again when its time
GEORGIAN DANCE: With pride and precision, these virile warriors
conjured up benevolent spirits as a council of the wise looked on.
They are the spirit guides along my journey. Every experience here
seems to convey a message. And just as my spirits were flagging, their
courage and confidence inspired mine. Find the strength within
SLIPPERY SURFACE: Like weightless creatures darting along the waters
surface, these whimsical sprites seemed to be celebrating me! Im
starting to like it here. And this mysterious world inspires me. Joy
is contagious!
SOLO ON CRUTCHES: The friend within. I saw myself in this young man.
As though summoned here, he too fell from the sky and into this world.
But after his tumble, was too injured to play his part. He was
aggressive towards me at first, but now wants to spare me his fate.
No one can break the soul, he said. Stand up. And never give up.
THE GUIDE: He is a grumpy visionary. Weathered by the sun of several
centuries, everyone listens to the Guide. And why wouldnt I? He keeps
leading me through this mystical realm and straight into the arms of
my beloved! At first his manner seemed hostile. But this tamer of
shadows has a warm heart. He, too, once had wings. Now hes got a
lightbulb instead! And though it often needs replacing, it helps him
forge a trail through the darkness.
AERIAL STRAPS: They are beacons in the darkness. Marking the
passageway of time, these heavenly warriors appear whenever I need
them most. They are shadows of the sky and reflections of one another
Theres a path even when you cant see it.
JUGGLING: Deep in the forest, a jester appeared among the trees. And
like a prophet, he can hold time in his hands. He seems able to bend
and spin the very substance of nature. Absurd and extraordinary, the
forest is buzzing with life; a spiral of perpetual life.
METAMORPHOSIS/REUNION: My love descended from the sky, transformed by
the eternal prophecy and by her devotion to this mystical place. And
at long last, a hypnotic dance and a heavenly kiss
HANDBALANCING ON CANES: A delicate balancing act of love. Celebrating
her own lyrical metamorphosis and the future that now opens before us,
her dance was like nothing Ive ever seen before. Like an emerging
butterfly, her sinuous and sensual elegance took my breath away.
SINGERS/CLOWNS: Harmonizing the world every step of the way, these
forest minstrels were my steadfast companions.
And of course I kept
bumping into these two. Theyre hilarious, but who are they?
RUSSIAN SWINGS: Fleeting moments of zero gravity. A new age has dawned
for us all. And the entire forest vibrates with joy. Heroic acrobats
lift our spirits even higher as we catapult towards the future.
Without love, none of this would be possible. Love makes every
journey worthwhile
CELEBRATION: Together we can do anything! The celebration lasted for
days, and I was no longer alone. Submit to your destiny, and remember
Wherever the wind guides you, you are home.
# # #
And there you have it: Icarus new tale of the forest. It's certainly
less sophisticated than, say, the storyline as told in the Veronica
Vial picture book, but it is more than we normally see in a Cirque
du Soleil programme book these days. If you happen to catch Varekai in
arena here in North America or wherever the show may go and you happen
to see one of these new "books" - give it a go!
=======================================================================
COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
=======================================================================
Fascination! Newsletter
Volume 15, Number 8 (Issue #139) - August 2015
"Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (c)
2001-2015 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
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{ Aug.07.2015 }
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