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Fascination Issue 156
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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 17, NUMBER 1 January 2017 ISSUE #156
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Welcome to the latest edition of Fascination, the Unofficial Cirque
du Soleil Newsletter. It's been a hell of a month...
Just weeks after Benoit Glazer announced that January 13, 2017 would
be his final performance with Cirque du Soleil's La Nouba, the
conductor and trumpeter was seriously injured in a Thanksgiving
weekend fall. According to the official Facebook page for Timucua
White House, the arts venue operated out of his home, Glazer is
recuperating from surgery after fracturing his skull, wrist and three
ribs.
"On Saturday morning, Timucua Founder and Board President (and chief
engineer, architect and visionary) Benoit Glazer fell from a ladder
and fractured his wrist, three ribs, and his skull. He was immediately
taken to the hospital. His condition remained stable overnight and
surgery was not required for his skull. Today he was cleared for
surgery on his ribs." Benoit's surgery went extremely well, according
to Timucua on December 1st. "He is already back on his feet, getting
up and down stairs, talking about music, and making big plans. His
doctors expect a complete recovery, and Benoit expects to come back
better than ever."
And that's very good news! What's also good news is that Karina, also
from La Nouba (who had a very nasty fall from her silks a few months
back, is also getting better!
* * * SURPRISE! KURIOS FILMED IN MIAMI! * * *
The only major Kurios disappointment for many in the Cirque fan
community was that the show would never be recorded for DVD
release," Jose Perez said over at TheChapiteau. "The recording of the
DVD was actually scheduled to take place at the beginning of 2015, but
the plans were later scrapped for reasons unknown. Cirques response
to our inquiry was that there were no plans to film Kurios at that
time. And just like that, the hope of many to own what seems to be one
of the most popular shows, was gone.
Out of nowhere on the 14th, however, an Instagram post from Christa
Mercey (Bella Donna in Kurios), surprised many fans. (Which you can
see here: http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=9417). Although no
official announcement has been released by Cirque du Soleil, Christas
caption clearly states theyre filming the DVD. But if Christas post
was not enough to convince you, Kurios General Stage Manager post
pretty much confirms it. (Which you can also see here:
http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=9417). As with any filming, it
will be months before the DVD is released, so stay tuned. And heres
hoping well see TOTEM recorded for home consumption in the near
future!
* * * BUT... ERINI IS LEAVING! * * *
But the announcement comes with a caveat... because Erini Tornesaki
KURIOS's singer - is leaving the show during the Dallas engagement.
From Erini's various social media pages: "BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: After 3
incredible years with Cirque Du Soleil, I have decided not to renew my
contract with Kurios and to seek new adventures! My last city will be
Dallas, TX and my last show will be on March 26. I feel extremely
lucky to have been part of such a phenomenal show, to have done the
creation in Montreal, to have performed 1,000 shows in front of 2
million people, to have lived in 15 cities in Canada and the USA, to
have recorded the soundtrack and filmed the DVD, and above all to have
worked with some of the most talented and amazing people on Earth!
First, I will be taking a little break to rest and spend time with my
family and then, I will share with you my next steps! Thank you all
for your love and support throughout these years."
We wish Erini all the best in her new endeavors! Sophie Guay, who is
currently the lead singer in JOYA, will replace Erini shortly. Flor De
María López will become JOYA's new singer!
* * * AND WE SAY GOODBYE TO "Z" * * *
End of the year marked some goodbyes for Mystère. After 23 years,
Zdzislaw Pelka (affectionately referred to as Z) has left the show
and Cirque du Soleil. If youve seen Mystère at any time over these
last few years, you would have seen him as the Vache à lait character.
Previously, he was part of the house team as a Korean Plank artist
(and was also featured in SOLSTROM and Nouvelle Experience). Although
I personally did not know Z, I will miss him. He owned that role!
But hes not all Mystère is saying goodbye to at years end. Alexey
Turchenko, who was performing the cube act, has left and been replaced
with a new mixed duo straps act by Stu McKenzie and Luba Kazantseva
(LOO-bah KUH-zant-suh-va). Neither are strangers to Cirque du Soleil.
Stu joined Cirque in 2008, traveling with Kooza for just over five
years before transferring to KURIOS to perform Aerial Straps. And Luba
is a former Aerialist/Dancer at Zumanity, at Michael Jackson THE
IMMORTAL World Tour, at the LIGHT Nightclub, at KA, and with 45 Degrees.
Both joined Mystère in November 2016 and fully took on the opening of
the show on January 1st.
Additionally, Mystere said goodbye to the fast track and butterfly
trampoline at years' end, with the fast track being replaced with
a power track and the butterfly trampoline's ultimate replacement to
be determined. Stay tuned!
* * * WHERE'S THE WIZ? * * *
When The Wiz Live was announced for television, it was also announced
that the production seen on NBC would come to Broadway soon thereafter
(for the 2016-2017 season). But according to Playbill, producers Craig
Zadan and Neil Meron are unable to find a theatre.
The goal was to get The Wiz Live to Broadway, said Meron to invited
press on a Hairspray Live conference call. But, as anybody on the
call who knows about what is going on in the theatre [knows that]
there is always a log-jam in terms of the available and appropriate
theatre that we need for this show. Its kind of like jets lining up
on the runway. Unfortunately, were still on the runway with that.
Zadan added, We did plan to do The Wiz immediately after we did the
television production, and as Neil said, there was a problemnot with
the show, but the fact that when we went to the theatre owners, there
were no theatres available, so it kept getting delayed because there
were no houses. The future of that has not been determined
With no solid plans in place for a Broadway revival of The Wiz,
casting for the production is up in the air, but the producers hope to
transfer as many of the NBC productions players as possible. The cast
included Shanice Williams as Dorothy, Stephanie Mills (The Wizs
original Dorothy) as Auntie Em, Queen Latifah as The Wiz, Mary J.
Blige as Evillene, David Alan Grier as the Cowardly Lion, Uzo Aduba as
Glinda, Amber Riley as Addaperle, Elijah Kelley as the Scarecrow, Ne-
Yo as the Tin Man and Common as the Bouncer.
It's an interesting conundrum as Cirque du Soleil Theatrical is
currently facing housing issues for it's first-ever Broadway
production - PARAMOUR - booted from The Lyric Theater to make way for
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and for the company's upcoming
installation of a resident show at the oft-delayed American Dream
entertainment/retail project in New Jersey. Where they all will end up
is still a mystery, but at least the powers that be over at PARAMOUR
have something to smile about... their best week ever! Take a look,
For the week ending 1/1/2017 the show grossed over $1.9 million!
Week This Week Potential Difference Seats % Cap
Ending Gross Grosses in Dollars Sold
------------------------------------------------------------------
06-Nov $884,873.95 $1,805,456.00 -$120,514.45 10,981 72.40%
13-Nov $917,418.25 $1,805,456.00 $32,544.30 11,378 75.01%
20-Nov $883,963.20 $1,805,456.00 -$33,455.05 10,527 69.40%
27-Nov $1,078,535.00 $1,805,456.00 $194,571.80 10,412 68.64%
04-Dec $927,404.50 $1,805,456.00 -$151,130.50 10,356 68.28%
11-Dec $1,029,466.15 $1,805,456.00 $102,061.65 11,102 73.19%
18-Dec $1,039,208.90 $1,805,456.00 $9,742.75 11,230 74.04%
25-Dec $1,100,772.00 $1,805,456.00 $61,563.10 10,615 69.98%
01-Jan $1,908,018.00 $1,805,456.00 $807,246.95 15,125 99.72%
08-Jan $1,218,860.80 $1,805,456.00 -$689,158.15 14,491 95.54%
Paramour hit show #250 on December 30, 2016 the final for the year
but unless it finds a new home soon, it wont have very many more.
So dont forget, the final show at The Lyric Theater is April 17,
2017. Catch it while you can!
Well, that's all I have time for this month. Let's get to the rest!
/----------------------------------------------------\
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- Ricky "Richasi" Russo
===========
CONTENTS
===========
o) Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings
* La Presse -- General News & Highlights
* Q&A - Quick Chats & Press Interviews
* CirqueTech - The Technical Side of Cirque
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
* Webseries -- Official Online Featurettes
* Videos -- Official Peeks & Noted Fan Finds
o) Fascination! Features
* "New Media to Fill Your Stockings!"
Written By: Ricky Russo Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
* "Online Casino: Kooza Slot Review"
A Special to the Fascination! Newsletter
* "Casting Q&A's - Meet an Artist, Part 5 of 6"
Edited By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
o) Copyright & Disclaimer
=======================================================================
CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
=======================================================================
---------------------------------------------------
LA PRESSE -- General News & Highlights
---------------------------------------------------
Dominic Champagne Going Off The Wall
{Dec.07.2016}
-------------------------------------------------------
It was the spring of 2014 when Pierre Dufour, then general
director of the Opéra de Montréal, and Michel Beaulac, the opera
companys artistic director, approached Quebec composer Julien
Bilodeau with the idea of turning Pink Floyds classic album The
Wall into an opera.
The company had a good contact, a person who was able to put
them in touch with former Pink Floyd singer/bassist Roger
Waters, who was the main songwriter and creative force behind
The Wall. Waters responded by saying Bilodeau should come up
with a sample of his proposed adaptation and theyd take it from
there.
So Bilodeau went straight to work and composed an operatic
adaptation of three songs from The Wall Another Brick in the
Wall (Part I), The Happiest Days of Our Lives and Another Brick
in the Wall (Part II) in one block. Then they met noted
Montreal director Dominic Champagne, best known for his
involvement in Cirque du Soleils Beatles show Love, and he
joined the team as stage director.
Now came the tough part: they had to convince a fairly skeptical
Waters that he should give them the rights to transform his most
famous work into a full-scale opera.
The Montrealers suggested they meet in person to play him what
Bilodeau had composed, and the rock star agreed in the fall of
2014 to see them at his opulent home on Manhattans Upper East
Side.
Bilodeau said they made the trip to New York with one thing in
mind: If its no for him, then its no for us. That was the
spirit we had.
So in December we went to New York to play music for him, and
that was the moment. He was really touched and we felt that he
was a wiser man that he was detached from this anger (in The
Wall). We felt that the (recent solo) tour hed done with this
project gave him the freedom to leave his baby. He had two
things in mind that he was afraid of. The first was a pop
arrangement of the album. The other one was, is the composer
going in (an atonal) direction?
What he liked about Bilodeaus score was that it remained in
some ways faithful to his songs but that it was very much an
opera, not a symphonic rearrangement of a rock album.
Another Brick in the Wall: The Opera was played in rehearsal for
the first time Tuesday, in the basement of Place des Arts, by
the Orchestre Métropolitain with Alain Trudel conducting. The
work will be performed March 11 through 26 at Salle Wilfrid-
Pelletier of Place des Arts. The production will feature a 72-
piece orchestra, a 48-member choir and a number of soloists.
Trudel says Waters had been approached with other proposals to
turn The Wall into an opera in the years since the albums
release in 1979, but was at last won over by Bilodeaus work.
Roger Waters said, You get it, recalled Trudel. In opera,
its the story thats the lead of everything. A good story
doesnt need any kind of artificial (frills); a good story
doesnt need Botox. Roger Waters is the librettist, (the author
of) the lyrics, and of course the tunes, the melodies, are the
melodies from The Wall. But were going from 80, 90 minutes of
the album to 2 1/2 hours, and the story has to be told.
He gave Julien all the liberty in the world. Its a trust
thing. He had to trust Julien because hes giving away his baby
to Julien. So Julien had the biggest pressure. The real pressure
is taking the notes of Roger Waters, his words, and coming up
with (Bilodeaus) own take on it. Its not a rock opera. Its
The Wall. It respects the core essence of what The Wall is, but
its not with electric guitars or drums. Like Comfortably Numb
has a classic guitar solo, but theres no guitar solo here. So I
think he came through with flying colours.
The central metaphor of The Wall is, of course, the wall that
the main character, the tormented rock star Pink, builds between
himself and his audience. The idea was inspired by Waterss
troubled memories of a terrible Pink Floyd concert at Montreals
Olympic Stadium in 1977 that included him spitting on a fan.
The image is particularly timely, says Champagne, who points out
that the man just elected president of the United States has
promised to build a massive wall between the U.S. and Mexico.
CHECK OUT A VIDEO OF EXCERPTS FROM ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL
HERE: < VIDEO: https://youtu.be/eKVcl4KAD8c >
Were now living in a world where people are building walls
everywhere, said Champagne. You go into (Maison) Radio-Canada
and theres a wall. Theres someone who says, Who are you?
Where are you going? Put your name here, give us your number,
heres your badge. You go see a concert at the Bell Centre,
its the same thing. Everything has to be secure and safe and we
put walls everywhere.
The ultimate example of that is Trump. We didnt invent it. In
the climax of Pinks paranoid delirium, Waters uses neo-Nazi
choreography. But we dont need Waterss choreography in todays
world. The ordinary fascism is there, and its democratic. So
were bringing out this work right when this is happening in the
U.S. and were going to go say, Tear down the wall
all in
all, its just another brick in the wall.
Its also the story of someone who tries to protect himself
from the rest of the world by building a wall, and Pink comes to
a realization in The Wall. He starts by complaining: My dad is
dead, my mother over-protected me, my wife left me. He
complains and he becomes the fascist leader who killed his
father. And finally he says: Stop. Then he decides to tear
down the wall and once again live in the world. Thats the
fable.
There are plans to bring the opera to other cities around the
world, but no dates have been booked yet.
So here we may well take this piece to opera houses across a
country where someone has just been democratically elected to
build walls between the U.S. and Mexico
and maybe the rest of
the world. So I think this work is more pertinent than ever.
Sometimes you have this kind of synchronicity. You cant say The
Wall is just something from the past, good for nostalgic Pink
Floyd fans.
Another Brick in the Wall: The Opera will be performed March 11,
13, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 and 26 at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier of
Place des Arts. Tickets are available at operademontreal.com.
{ SOURCE: Brendan Kelly, Montreal Gazette | https://goo.gl/f39ZyP }
Cirque Announces VOLTA to stop in
Gatineau?
{Dec.08.2016}
-------------------------------------------------------
Cirque du Soleil is coming to the Zibi site in Gatineau next
August, and if the shows are a hit and construction allows it
could be the start of a six-year series of Cirque shows.
The coming of Cirque du Soleil to Gatineau, which was the
subject of discussion for several months, was confirmed
Wednesday in an announcement involving politicians, business
people, and representatives of the regional tourism scene.
The Cirques new show is called VOLTA, and CEO president Daniel
Lamarre promises it will be full of youth and dynamism. Its
still under development. Artists, he said, are sweating right
now in our Montreal studio.
The Zibi site is probably the best in the world, Lamarre said.
We are always influenced by our sites, he said. For one rare
time we will have access close to the water, and we will have
visibility all around not only in Gatineau but also in Ottawa.
So for us it could not be a better site.
He said VOLTA will be extremely different from all our previous
shows. Publicity materials say it tells a spellbinding story
about the freedom to choose.
The 31 performances will run from Aug. 3 to 27 in a single tent
that will seat 2,500. Tickets, as reporters were reminded five
times at Wednesdays announcement, are on sale now for Cirque
Club members, and Dec. 10 for everyone else.
The Cirque played just across the river on LeBreton Flats back
in the 1990s, and crowds packed the seats. This will be the
first Gatineau visit.
We always start our tour with us to Montreal because its close
to our studios, but the first city [well] visit later is
Gatineau, said President and CEO of Cirque du Soleil Daniel
Lamarre. This is a historic opportunity for us, because usually
we visit the world we are ambassadors for Canada and this
time around, well celebrate the 150th anniversary of our
country in Gatineau.
The site will be vacant in the medium term, and Jeff Westeinde,
executive chairman of Windmill Development Group, said this will
bring a string of shows to the area looking downstream over the
Ottawa River.
Place des festivals has a lease with us for six years, to
attract not only Cirque du Soleil but also other major events to
the site. There are very few sites in the region that can host
such a large show. So depending on our construction schedule we
will make the site available to the for up to six years.
Place des festivals is a not-for-profit group that works with
Gatineau to bring in large shows.
He said the Cirque itself is looking to come back regularly
over the next six years, not just the VOLTA show but with future
show as well.
Windmill is investing $400,000 and the city of Gatineau $300,000
to make the site suitable.
{ SOURCE: Ottawa Sun, La Presse | https://goo.gl/dlL5FQ,
https://goo.gl/CUhKl1 }
Lisa Skinner in Good Spirits During Recovery
{Dec.12.2016}
-------------------------------------------------------
Cirque du Soleil aerialist Lisa Skinner is in good spirits
despite a horror fall in front of thousands of people. Ms
Skinner is recovering from a fractured C1 vertebrae and a
fractured radial bone on her right arm sustained during the
November 27 performance of Kooza.
Speaking from her parents Clear Mountain home, the former
Albany Creek gymnast said she had been touched by how friends,
family and strangers had rallied around her. I received bunches
of flowers from people I didnt know so that was so lovely, she
said. (I just want) to let people know that Im doing better
than ever and Ive got a little bit of a road to recovery but I
should be better than ever very soon. Im in good spirits and
thank you for everyones messages and such heartfelt messages
and words sent my way.
Although she was in a neck brace, she said she was recovering
very well. She expects to have a better idea of her recovery in
five weeks. I should know a bit more and be in the thing (neck
brace) for a week or two longer then (have) some physio. Its
amazing (with the extent of injuries) from where I fell
considering other people have done a lot worse falling from
lower heights. Im very, very lucky and I know Ive used up one
of my nine lives and I dont really want to use up any more of
them at this point.
A Workplace Health and Safety Queensland spokesman said there
had been no breaches of safety regulations. A Cirque du Soleil
spokeswoman said it was reviewing carefully all possible
causes for the incident and was looking at ways to improve its
already stringent safety standards.
{ SOURCE: Courier Mail | https://goo.gl/d0Mcb1 }
A7X Hires Cirque for UK Tour?
{Dec.13.2016}
-------------------------------------------------------
Avenged Sevenfold have hired the company behind Cirque du Soleil
to manage the production on their upcoming live shows.
The band launch their next wave of tour dates next month,
starting in Glasgow, UK, on January 10 before a string of
appearances across Europe. And frontman M Shadows says the band
will consider restructuring entire venues to realise their
vision for a unique stage setting.
Wait. Who are Avenged Sevenfold? According to Wikipedia
Avenged Sevenfold (sometimes abbreviated as A7X) is an American
heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in
1999. The bands current lineup consists of lead vocalist M.
Shadows, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Zacky Vengeance,
lead guitarist and backing vocalist Synyster Gates, bassist and
backing vocalist Johnny Christ, and drummer Brooks Wackerman.
Avenged Sevenfold is known for its diverse rock sound and
dramatic imagery in album covers and merchandise. Avenged
Sevenfold emerged with a metalcore sound on the bands debut
Sounding the Seventh Trumpet. However, Avenged Sevenfolds style
had evolved by the bands third album and first major label
release, City of Evil, into a heavy metal and hard rock style.
The band continued to explore new sounds with its self-titled
release and enjoyed continued mainstream success.
Of course, we know that Canada-based Cirque du Soleil is the
biggest theatrical producer in the world and is known for its
spectacular shows.
Shadows tells Metal Hammer: The production thats being built
is different for us, different for anyone Ive ever seen, the
people weve hired dont do tours, they do Cirque du Soleil.
This is gonna be drawn out into different types of touring,
were not going on tour for six months, itll be two weeks on,
two weeks off. Itll be a longer cycle but were gonna roll with
the punches.
He continues: Were an oddball. A lot of bands live, breathe
and die the 2016 metal scene, but we just live in our own world
and try to do things different than everyone else. I dont ever
feel like we fit in. Were going to be whatever we feel is
right, and if it changes the industry, then great.
Avenged Sevenfold tour dates 2017:
o) Jan 10: Glasgow SSE Hydro, UK
o) Jan 12: Newcastle Metro Radio Arena, UK
o) Jan 13: Birmingham Genting Arena, UK
o) Jan 15: Sheffield Arena, UK
o) Jan 16: Manchester Arena, UK
o) Jan 18: Nottingham Motorpoint Arena, UK
o) Jan 19: Cardiff Motorpoint Arena, UK
o) Jan 21: London O2 Arena, UK
o) Jan 22: London O2 Arena, UK
o) Feb 12: Frankfurt Festhalle, Germany
o) Feb 13: Hamburg Sporthalle, Germany
o) Feb 15: Berlin Arena, Germany
o) Feb 16: Dusseldorf Mitsubishi Electric Halle, Germany
o) Feb 18: Amsterdam Ziggo Dome, Netherlands
o) Feb 20: Stuttgart Schleyerhalle, Germany
o) Feb 21: Milan Forum, Italy
o) Feb 23: Vienna Wiener Stadthalle, Austria
o) Feb 25: Munich Zenith, Germany
o) Feb 26: Zurich Halle 622, Austria
o) Feb 28: Lille Zenith Arena, France
o) Mar 01: Luxembourg Rockhal, Luxembourg
o) Mar 02: Paris AccorHotels Arena, France
o) Mar 04: Copenhagen Valby Hallen, Denmark
o) Mar 07: Helsinki Hartwall Arena, Finland
o) Mar 09: Stockholm Ericsson Globe, Sweden
o) Mar 10: Oslo Telenor, Norway
{ SOURCE: Team Rock | https://goo.gl/IDysfv }
How Cirque du Soleil Contorts to Create Change
{Dec.14.2016}
-------------------------------------------------------
Something on everyones mind these days: whats next? The end of
a year heralds a period of reflection and anticipation, and this
year is no different. For marketers, its an opportunity to
ruminate on what could be the next big thing in content or
strategy.
To keep a brand fresh, one must inevitably change it, but Alma
Derricks, VP of sales and marketing for the Resident Shows
Division at Cirque du Soleil, knows that not every trend is
suited to reach customers in every industry. In fact, Derricks
discerning tastes are part of why The CMO Club awarded her with
a Customer Experience Award earlier this year.
Lets follow this marketing ringleader as she guides us through
how Cirque Du Soleil twists and turns to keep delighting
audiences in a highly unusual, highly competitive market.
STEP RIGHT UP
Throughout her career, Derricks has gravitated towards moments
of inflection, the latest of which found her with Cirque Du
Soleil last July under a new ownership structure. It was her
ideal scenario. I love getting to ask questions, top to bottom,
without any regard for how things have always been done. And
thats what I walked into, she says.
She soon learned that Cirque, a 30-year-old institution, largely
grew organically. As a consequence, it hadnt relied on
marketing thinking to drive sales. Today, although ticket sales
are still strong, the market has tightened in Las Vegas, thanks
to competing residencies from artists like Britney Spears and
Celine Dion. In Las Vegas, we sell as many as 20,000 tickets a
night, she says. Its a lot of inventory in a very, very busy
town. My job is all about keeping our shows top of mind.
To make Cirque the most prominent carnival barker in town, if
you will, Derricks team must continually reinvent their
marketing. We have to always make the loudest noise in that
environment and make sure that visitors are still aware that
were around, that were exciting and that were vital, she
says.
BACKSTAGE ACCESS
A big barrier for Derricks team is helping consumers
differentiate between Cirques shows. One of the real
challenges we have is needing to flip the brand script in Vegas
and emphasize the show ahead of the Cirque brand, she says.
After all, no two productions are alike. They all have very,
very different personalities, she says. The thing that Ive
been working on quite a bit is, How do you communicate that each
show is the only show you have to see?
One strategy involves pulling back the curtain something
Cirque had previously been reluctant to do. Its something that
our founder was very, very cautious about in the early days of
social media, she says. However, audience expectations have
changed, and social media is one marketing tool not to ignore.
So were trying to find ways to facilitate that via social
media and social content and by creating events in Las Vegas
that are complete behind-the-curtain experiences, she explains.
THE SHOW MUST GO ON - AGAIN
Another strategy one that Derricks says shes most proud of
WAS to refresh one of its most popular shows: The Beatles
LOVE. I didnt completely understand until we were well into
the process that Cirque has never rebranded an existing show,
Derricks says. For LOVEs tenth anniversary, Cirque refreshed
the music, show and visual identity of the production,
recognizing that advancements in tech over the last decade would
enable an enhanced experience. Derricks and her team reimagined
the marketing program in parallel.
Cirque has always taken pride in its fusion of technology and
artistry, she says, so it seemed very natural as the tenth
anniversary approached to rethink the staging, effects, and
imagery. The original show was very nostalgic. Today, its more
colorful and, at the same time, showcases the fact that The
Beatles are as relevant today as they were in the 60s. For
fans, the revamp was a couldnt-miss.
AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION
Lastly, Derricks and her team seized the chance to use their
expertise to generate an additional source of income. Weve
actually created an entire line of business called SPARK that
serves as a learning laboratory for corporate teams, she says,
adding that this provides interactive business training and team
building with a customized curriculum. Companies like Adobe and
Google number among the participants. Its both an amazing
bucket list moment and a chance to really learn about trust,
team building, operational excellence and customer service in a
very tangible way, Derricks says. Its taking off like a
rocket, and has not only created a new way access the brand but
also makes a strong statement about who we are. In other words,
Derricks team has Cirque Du Soleil primed and ready for 2017.
{ SOURCE: Drew Neisser, Advertising Age | https://goo.gl/kdVIcr }
45 DEGREES Presents: Série Hommage Luc Plamondon
{Dec.15.2016}
-------------------------------------------------------
Its official! The next show in the Hommage Series by 45 DEGREES
is one in tribute to Luc Plamondon, a French Canadian lyricist
who has written for many artists, notably the Québécois singers
Bruno Pelletier, Diane Dufresne, Robert Charlebois, Céline Dion,
Ginette Reno, Fabienne Thibeault, Martine St. Clair, and Garou,
as well as the French singers Julien Clerc, Nicole Croisille and
Johnny Hallyday. He is the co-author of a number of musicals.
The two most successful are Starmania (music composed by Michel
Berger) and Notre-Dame de Paris (music composed by Riccardo
Cocciante).
Creative team:
o) Daniel Fortin Executive Director, Creation
o) Jean-Guy Legault Director
o) Jean-Phi Goncalves Musical director and arrangements
The show Homage Series Luc Plamondon, imagined by Cirque du
Soleil will be presented at Cogeco Amphitheatre on July 19,
2017. Tickets from $ 49 go on sale Saturday, December 17 from 11
am online at www.amphitheatrecogeco And at the ticket office of
the J.-Antonio-Thompson Room at 819-380-9797 or 1-866-416-9797.
{ SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil }
45 DEGREES Designs Helene Fischers 2017 Arena Tour
{Dec.16.2016}
-------------------------------------------------------
{Translated from German via Google Translate}
She is the most successful artist in Europe and has broken all
records in the German-speaking music business in recent years.
In the course of her last live tour to the hit album
Farbenspiel she was able to inspire more than 1.2 million
viewers. But not only the scale of their tour, but above all
also the bombastic, imaginative and breathtaking production of
the stage shows, can withstand any international comparison
effortlessly.
The live shows of Helene Fischer have always been very special,
and you can safely say without exaggeration that in recent years
you have set new standards and created a genre of your own. For
me it is the most beautiful thing in my profession to be able to
perform live with my band and my dancers. We just want the fans
a great, perhaps prepare unforgettable evening , says the
exceptional artist.
Helene Fischer is currently working on her new album, which will
be released in the first half of next year. At the same time,
the plans for a new live tour, which will be launched in the
autumn of 2017, are already running in the background. The show
is produced in co-operation with 45 DEGREES, a department of
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL specializing in exceptional major events so
you can surely say today that this show is unrivaled. We really
want the audience to present something spectacular and unique
the creative expertise of Cirque du Soleil in combination with
Helene Fischer is something very special to be so creative and
Stage Director Mukhtar Omar Sharif Mukhtar, the artistic head of
these and other productions The famous Canadian entertainment
company.
It is extraordinary that Helene Fischer does not appear every
day in a different city, but in every city a week at a time, and
will give five concerts per hall. Altogether, Helene Fischer is
playing a total of 69 shows in fourteen cities in Germany,
Austria and Switzerland as part of her new live tour in autumn
2017 / spring 2018.
45 DEGREES a division of Cirque du Soleil, is approaching the
new show concept innovatively and experimentally with the aim of
creating a unique entertainment experience together with Helene
and her team. Guided by the shared vision of creating a
symbiosis of the latest technical achievements and highly
professional artistic performance. At the same time, however,
with the best entertainment, the positive ease of a Helene
Fischer concert with the most popular as well as new hits.
{ SOURCE: 45 DEGREES | https://goo.gl/UU2OPh }
Sarah Steben Looks Ahead to a Career Move in LA
{Dec.21.2016}
-------------------------------------------------------
West Islander Sarah Steben, raised in Beaconsfield and presently
a resident of Ste. Anne de Bellevue, is a professional dancer on
the rise and en route to Los Angeles. Shell head there for a
few weeks in January, with the hope of returning in April for a
more extended stay.
Sarah, 27, recently performed on the La Voix Junior Finale,
viewed by 2.3 million on TVA. In past years she made it to the
top 60 on CTVs former So You Think You Can Dance Canada show,
where her drive for pursuing dance professionally blossomed. She
was selected amongst thousands of dancers in 2013 to be a part
of the Monsters of Hip Hop cast in LA, where she is also now
part of a hybrid dance company (R.ED) directed by celebrity
choreographer Rhapsody James.
For Sarah, a career in dancing began at the age of 15 at Studio
A. During her time there she became a member of the two-time
world Hip Hop champion crew Extreme, which allowed her the
opportunity to travel to various cities in the US, Canada and
Europe. Following her experience with Extreme, Sarah became a
part of the all-female crew Aftermath, directed by Erik
Saradpon. This was a pivotal moment in her career as she also
became passionate about teaching and choreography. Since then,
she has had the opportunity to work choreographically with local
artists such as Jaden Chase, Red Roche and Chris James. She has
made several network TV appearances and worked with large local
production companies like Moment Factory and Cirque du Soleil.
My ultimate career goals are to teach internationally overseas,
as well as dance for a major recording artist whether it be a
world tour, music video, or award show, Sarah says.
In the meantime, Sarah earns a living here as a kickboxing
instructor at 30 Minute Hit in Kirkland. My sister was a
trainer there, she explains. I started out as a member and
became a trainer as well. I enjoy the experience. It is good for
self-defence.
Sarah also spends several nights a week in studio to keep her
dancing up to speed. I am really appreciative of my boss at 30
Minute Hit, she says. I come and go due to my dance
commitments, but he always holds my spot.
Want to know more about Sarah? Log on to her website here:
< http://www.sarahsteben.com/about/ >
{ SOURCE: The Suburban | https://goo.gl/KjRxFL }
Saudis Draw on Cirque Talent for Entertainment
{Dec.28.2016}
-------------------------------------------------------
Saudi Arabias new entertainment agency has brought Cirque du
Soleil inside its tent.
As the kingdom tries to expand its tourism offerings, the
governments council of ministers has approved board members for
the new General Entertainment Authority, said a news release
yesterday.
Among the board members are Jonathan Tétrault, the executive
vice-president and chief operating officer at Cirque du Soleil.
Also approved was Joe Zenas, the chief executive at Thinkwell, a
US theme park designer whose resume includes work in Dubai and
Abu Dhabi.
Cirque du Soleil shows are a popular fixture on the Dubai
entertainment calendar. And next year the Montreal-based circus
is expected to perform in Saudi Arabia, reported Arab News.
California-based Thinkwell was behind the concept design of Ski
Dubai at Mall of the Emirates and was involved in the design
packages for Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Dubais Expo 2020
winning bid.
We are particularly delighted to welcome international experts
who will further help us in our aim of both developing and
investing into the burgeoning Saudi entertainment industry,
said Ahmed Aqeel Al Khateeb, the chairman of the board of the
entertainment authority, which was created in May. We have made
progress in recent months and there will be much more delivery
over the next year.
Other members of the board include Majid Abdullah Al Qasabi, the
kingdoms minister of trade and investment; Lama Abdulaziz
AlSulaiman, a former vice chair and board member of the Jeddah
Chamber of Commerce; and Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel, the
chairman and chief executive of the Jeddah-based conglomerate
Abdul Latif Jameel.
The Saudi entertainment authority has helped bring live
performances to the country and expects to organise Saudi
Arabias first Comic Con in February. Other Arabian Gulf
countries such as the UAE have gained popularity among Saudi
tourists as a holiday destination thanks to their shopping and
leisure facilities.
In Dubai, Saudi Arabia was the second largest source market for
tourists after India in the first 10 months with 1.36 million
visitors, a rise of 4 per cent compared with the same period
last year, according to Dubai Tourism.
The Saudi tourism industry is heavily dependent on religious
tourism for Haj and Umrah and while there has been a
proliferation of the hotel sector in the country, it has been
largely concentrated in Mecca and Medina.
In July, though, Riyadh-based Al Othaim Leisure and Tourism
Company opened Snow City in the Saudi capital. US company Six
Flags Entertainment Corporation said is in talks with Saudi
Arabia to build three theme parks in the country, with the first
one by 2021, according to Reuters.
The low oil price for the past couple of years has taken a toll
on its non-oil economy but consumers began to regain confidence
in the fourth quarter. Consumer confidence is showing signs of
recovery, following lull in the second and the third quarters,
said Nayal Khan, the head of institutional equities sales at
Saudi Fransi Capital in Riyadh.
The Saudi governments Vision 2030 includes plans to expand the
non-oil economy, including tourism.
---------------------------------------------------
Q&A - Quick Chats & Press Interviews
---------------------------------------------------
Soda Stereos New Album and Cirque Spectacular
{Dec.14.2016}
-------------------------------------------------------
While members of Cirque du Soleil were in Buenos Aires this week
rehearsing their acts for Sép7imo Dia the show inspired by the
music and story of Argentine rock band Soda Stereo Charly
Alberti and Zeta Bosio were in a studio in Los Angeles working
with Grammy-winning engineer Gustavo Borner on the mixes of the
music that will be heard both in the show and on an album set to
be released to coincide with its March 9, 2017 premiere.
The songs that people want to hear will be there, assures
Alberti. For now, he names just two: Primavera Cero, and the
song that gives the Cirque show its name, (En) El Séptimo Día.
The album (and recorded music for the show, as there will be no
live band), represents a year of work by Alberti and Soda
bassist Zeta Bosio, who have gone through Sodas legacy, to
take apart the songs and then totally rebuild them.
Cirque has staged few productions dedicated to musical artists;
its performers have paid tribute to The Beatles, Michael Jackson
and Elvis Presley. The collaboration between Cirque and the
Latin American rock heroes has proved to be as anticipated as it
was unlikely: 50,000 tickets were sold in the first day of sales
for the Buenos Aires shows, breaking a record in Argentina.
Twenty-six of 65 consecutive over 5,000-capacity performances at
Buenos Aires Luna Park are sold out.
Sép7imo Día comes ten years after Soda Stereo, who sowed their
fame in the 1980s, first in Buenos Aires and then by forging a
path in Latin America, played a reunion tour attended by over a
million people in nine countries, including the US. Since then,
the artists, and Sodas now multi-generational fans, have
mourned the loss of Gustavo Cerati, the trios frontman, who
died in 2014 at age 55. If this wasnt about the music we
wouldnt have done it, says Alberti. During an early morning
phone conversation earlier this week in which his voice revealed
a rollercoaster of emotions, he deemed the Cirque show both an
homage and a fantasy.
Q. Would you call the new album a soundtrack?
ALBERTI: Yes, basically its a soundtrack. It represents almost
the entire show. The show is 90 minutes long and you cant put
90 minutes on an album, so possibly what will be left out is,
more than anything, the intervals that come between each song;
the incidental music that allows for scene changes or preparing
for a new act. The important thing is that the songs are there,
and the album will respect the set list of the show
it will
allow you to navigate through your memories of one act after
another as experienced in the show. For a concert, we consider
each song and we put together a set list according to the
emotions that you want to keep following with that music during
the length of the concert. This has that too, but obviously its
led by visual concerns and by the artistic interpretations you
see in the show. So the set list might not be exactly in the
order that we would have put together, but the songs themselves
are the ones that we would have chosen. And that really makes it
even more interesting, because it breaks with the norm for what
we would have done.
Q. How closely does Sep7imo Dia follow the Soda Stereo story?
Basically, it is a fantasy. It takes you to a place where
listening to Soda Stereo takes you. Michel [Laprise, Cirque du
Soleils Creative Director] understood that Soda Stereo was a
band whose career was driven by creativity and by going further.
He and other people from Cirque du Soleil spent months and
months of being immersed in our world, interviewing us,
interviewing people around us, interviewing our fans, going to
my house where we had started rehearsing. They went to Buenos
Aires several times, and they experienced Latin America. In
creating the show they were immersed in what it was that made
this world of Soda Stereo. And thats what its based on. But
its not chronological, it doesnt respect time.
Q. So you wouldnt call it biographical?
Maybe you would expect something more of a story, something that
documents historic moments. But its nothing like that. Its
much more about fantasy, and that makes it much more amazing for
me; incredible things happen.
Q. You and Zeta worked together in the studio for the past year.
How did you approach the project?
What we basically did was take the multi-tracks of the [Soda]
albums, digitize them, take apart the songs and then totally
rebuild them. New mixes, new versions, things that people have
never heard, different takes
technology has allowed us to do
incredible things. What was always a priority for us, and for
Cirque also, was that the musical parameters were set by Zeta
and I. Its not like all of a sudden a song is going to cut off
after two minutes. If this wasnt about the music, we wouldnt
have done it. Two things will come out of this mix the album
and the music for the show. The album will be in stereo, and the
music for the show will be have surround, it wil have effects;
There are incredible things that happen with the music in the
show that you cant do on an album.
Q. How did you feel about re-visiting Sodas past, especially
after Gustavos death?
There were so many different emotions, because listening to the
albums, listening to Gustavos voice, listening to the three of
us laughing, it makes you sad. But the same way that we would
have done with Gustavo, we respected the process. This work has
the same characteristics as it would have if Gustavo had been
with us. People may say, well Gustavo isnt here and its not
the same. No, hes not, and obviously we wish he were. But the
truth is that we worked the same way as if he were. We always
worked as a band in the studio. It was the three of us in the
rehearsal room. We had to get used to not working as a trio. It
was always so great, because if two of us didnt agree, there
was always someone who would make the decision. When Zeta and I
were together, there was no one to break the tie. So that was a
little conflict for us, but it also made us work on our personal
relationship.
Q. Is there a moment in the show when there is a specific
memorial or homage to Gustavo?
Were sure that in each country a lot of amazing things are
going to happen, because its not about one specific moment
thats a tribute to Gustavo. The whole thing is the moment. From
the moment you come in until the moment that you leave, its an
homage to the band, and the fact that one of us is no longer
here makes it much more emotional. And youre going to think
about him and youre going to envision him. We wanted to avoid
that sometimes kitsch element of a tribute. It is implicit in
the show. When we first got together to talk with the people
from Cirque du Soleil, it was a very delicate moment because it
was just after Gustavo had passed. And the first thing that we
said was, were going to celebrate the story of the band.
Q. Have you been going to the rehearsals?
No. I want to give them time to rehearse and see the show when
its ready. Because you can get really anxious about it, and
really we havent had time. Ive been with Zeta this whole time
preparing the album. But soon will come the moment for us to see
everything. They have been rehearsing for the last two months in
Buenos Aires, and January 1 theyll be moving to Luna Park to
rehearse there until the show premieres. Once they are there, we
will have to prepare the music with the sound system well have
at Luna Park.
Q. Will you and Zeta actually be present at the shows?
We will be at the premiere, and at the premieres in each
country. The first year, the show will go to Argentina, Chile,
Peru, Colombia and Mexico. Then after, other countries in Latin
America and the United States. Theres a lot of demand, the
tickets are selling fast. Maybe it will do a tour of Latin
America and then come back to Buenos Aires for more shows. Or
maybe it will be installed permanently there. It remains to be
seen. At this point, we know when it starts, but not when it
ends.
{ SOURCE: Judy Cantor-Navas, Billboard | https://goo.gl/69DiL0 }
Meet Laura Kmetko Kooza Teeterboard Flyer
{Dec.21.2016}
-------------------------------------------------------
Acrobat Laura Kmetko recently marked her 900th show with Cirque
Du Soleils KOOZA in Brisbane. Brisbane is my 18th city with
this show, she said of her far-flung schedule, which includes
up to 10 shows a week. Ive been through a lot of Europe, North
America, Vancouver in Canada, three cities in South America...
Now homeward bound, the bubbly 32-year-old performer was looking
forward to getting away to the mountains and visiting family.
Born in Moonee Ponds, Kmetko grew up in the Macedon Ranges
before moving to Melbournes eastern suburbs.
The former elite gymnast was scouted by the Victorian Institute
of Sport in Albert Park with her twin sister at nine and
represented Australia before a career flip, swapping the uneven
bars and balance beam for life under the big top.
With her sights set on Cirque Du Soleils Grand Chapiteau she
trained at the National Institute of Circus Arts in Prahran,
specialising in the Chinese pole and handstand contortion. As a
gymnast her favourite event was the floor. I started with
ballet, and I enjoyed doing the tumbling and dance. I still
enjoy the movement and the artistic side of things that we do in
our show, she said.
Now a teeterboard flyer, Kmetko had to wait years before earning
her chance to run away with the worlds best known circus. I
think it was the opportunity to travel, to still use the skills
I had from gymnastics on a performing scale, and artistically
their shows are known for being awe-inspiring and I wanted to
see if I could be a part of it, the high-flyer said of the
inspiration for her dedication.
I definitely love the teamwork aspect, which is very different
from gymnastics, which is a solo kind of a sport. The
teeterboard act that I am part of is definitely the part of the
show I enjoy the most. Its exciting for me, and feeling like I
contribute to a really exciting finale.
Her fellow Australian in Cirque du Soleil, former Olympic
gymnast Lisa Skinner, fell during a trapeze act in November. She
is recovering from a fracture in her neck and a broken arm, but
that doesnt scare Kmetko.
The show must go on.
Shes an incredible human being, Kmetko said.
Ive actually been really inspired by the bravery that Ive
seen from a lot of the artists over the years. Doing what we do,
its important that we overcome those challenges. Ive always
believed that how you get up is more important than how you get
down
Its something I learnt from gymnastics.
{ SOURCE: Hearald Sun | https://goo.gl/vWf8zo }
---------------------------------------------------
CirqueTech -- The Technical Side of Cirque
---------------------------------------------------
Quebec helps Moment Factory with its growth spurt
{Dec.14.2016}
-------------------------------------------------------
Montreal company Moment Factory, for instance, has seen such a
surge in demand for its innovative multi-media creations in
recent years that it cant keep up with demand. We get about 20
invitations a week now. We cant do them all. Were actually
handling only about 10 per cent, said the companys executive
producer, Eric Fournier.
Moment Factory is hoping to significantly increase that
percentage in the next three years by doubling, to 500, a
workforce where the average age is 30. The Quebec government
will help that happen with a contribution of $2.6 million toward
manpower training.
At a press conference Tuesday at the companys spacious new
studios on Parc Ave., where employees skateboard through the
halls and pets are welcome, Employment and Social Solidarity
Minister François Blais said it was a large outlay for his
ministry, but Moment Factory was a model enterprise for many
Quebecers, a creative and forward-thinking business with
international reach in a sector experiencing rapid growth. The
company also is investing an extra $7.8 million of its own, he
noted.
Fournier thanked the government for encouraging Quebec
enterprises in their expansion dreams.
Finding qualified workers is a development challenge for many
Quebec companies these days, particularly with the provincial
unemployment rate lower than Ontarios at 6.2 per cent, Blais
said. Moment Factorys multi-disciplinary team includes graphic
and motion designers, multimedia directors, illustrators,
architects, lighting designers, programmers and engineers.
Founded 15 years ago, Moment Factory has grown exponentially
thanks to the exposure provided by Madonnas Super Bowl halftime
show in 2011, installations like Singapores Changi Airport and
travelling shows by the likes of Miley Cyrus, Arcade Fire and
Cirque du Soleil (helping to bring the Microsoft Kinect Launch,
the launch of the McLaren F1, The Beatles Revolution Lounge, and
more to life). About 85 per cent of its revenues now are
generated outside Quebec. For Montreals 375th anniversary in
2017, it will be lighting the Jacques Cartier Bridge and
providing effects for a special Orchestre Symphonique de
Montreal performance.
{ SOURCE: Montreal Gazette | https://goo.gl/6XFl2E }
=======================================================================
ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION
=======================================================================
o) BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau
{Amaluna, Koozå, Kurios, Luzia & Totem}
o) ARENA - In Stadium-like venues
{Varekai, TORUK, OVO & Séptimo Día}
o) RESIDENT - Performed en Le Théâtre
{Mystère, "O", La Nouba, Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE,
MJ ONE, JOYÀ & Paramour}
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/ >,
or for a more comprehensive tour listing, visit our Itinéraire
section online at: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=6898 >.
------------------------------------
BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau
------------------------------------
Amaluna:
London, UK -- Jan 12, 2017 to Feb 26, 2017
Vienna, AT -- Mar 9, 2017 to Apr 17, 2017
Rome, IT -- Apr 30, 2017 to May 28, 2017
Koozå:
Brisbane, AU -- Nov 24, 2016 to Jan 8, 2017
Melbourne, AU -- Jan 20, 2017 to Mar 26, 2017
Perth, AU -- Apr 13, 2017 to May 7, 2017
Manila, PH -- Jun 25, 2017 to Jul 30, 2017
Kurios:
Miami, FL -- Dec 10, 2016 to Jan 29, 2017
Dallas, TX -- Feb 17, 2017 to Mar 26, 2017
Houston, TX -- Apr 6, 2017 to May 21, 2017
Winnipeg, MB Jun 2, 2017 to Jun 25, 2017
Portland, OR Aug 28, 2017 to Oct 8, 2017
Vancouver, BC Oct 19, 2017 to Dec 31, 2017
Luzia:
San Francisco, CA -- Nov 17, 2016 to Jan 29, 2017
San Jose, CA -- Feb 9, 2017 to Mar 19, 2017
Seattle, WA -- Mar 30, 2017 to May 21, 2017
Denver, CO -- Jun 1, 2017 to Jul 9, 2017
Chicago, IL -- Jul 21, 2017 to Aug 20, 2017
Phoenix, AZ -- Sep 22, 2017 to Oct 22, 2017
Totem:
Nagoya, JP - Nov 10, 2016 to Jan 15, 2017
Fukuoka, JP - Feb 3, 2017 to Mar 19, 2017
Sendai, JP - Apr 6, 2017 to May 21, 2017
Sochi, RU -- Jul 1, 2017 to Jul 30, 2017
Brussels, BE -- Aug 31, 2017 to Oct 29, 2017
Paris, FR -- Nov 2017
VOLTA:
Montreal, QC -- Apr 20, 2017 to Jun 11, 2017
Gatineau, QC (Ottawa, ON) -- Aug 3, 2017 to Aug 27, 2017
Toronto, ON -- Sep 7, 2017 to Nov 26, 2017
------------------------------------
ARENA - In Stadium-Like Venues
------------------------------------
Varekai:
Lisbon, PT--Jan 5, 2017 to Jan 15, 2017
Seville, ES -- Jan 18, 2017 to Jan 21, 2017
Gijon, ES -- Jan 25, 2017 to Jan 29, 2017
Sheffield, UK -- Feb 2, 2017 to Feb 5, 2017
Dublin, IR -- Feb 8, 2017 to Feb 12, 2017
Newcastle, UK -- Feb 15, 2017 to Feb 19, 2017
Leeds, UK -- Feb 22, 2017 to Feb 26, 2017
Birmingham, UK -- Mar 1, 2017 to Mar 5, 2017
Nottingham, UK -- Mar 8, 2017 to Mar 12, 2017
Glasgow, UK -- Mar 15, 2017 to Mar 19, 2017
Copenhagen, DK -- Mar 23, 2017 to Mar 26, 2017
Lyon, FR -- Apr 13, 2017 to Apr 16, 2017
Amsterdam, NL -- Apr 20, 2017 to Apr 23, 2017
Bratislava, SK -- Apr 27, 2017 to Apr 30, 2017
Bucharest, RO -- May 3, 2017 to May 7, 2017
Budapest, HU -- May 12, 2017 to May 14, 2017
Prague, CZ -- May 19, 2017 to May 21, 2017
Sofia, BG -- May 26, 2017 to May 28, 2017
Ljubljana, SL -- Jun 2, 2017 to Jun 4, 2017
Vilnius, LT -- Jun 8, 2017 to Jun 10, 2017
Helsinki, FI -- Oct 5, 2017 to Oct 8, 2017
TORUK - The First Flight:
Inglewood, CA -- Jan 12, 2017 to Jan 15, 2017
Las Vegas, NV -- Jan 18, 2017 to Jan 22, 2017
Wichita, KS -- Jan 26, 2017 to Jan 29, 2017
New Orleans, LA -- Feb 1, 2017 to Feb 5, 2017
Guadalajara, MX -- Feb 10, 2017 to Feb 12, 2017
Mexico City, MX -- Feb 16, 2017 to Feb 19, 2017
Monterrey, MX -- Feb 23, 2017 to Feb 25, 2017
Cleveland, OH -- Mar 3, 2017 to Mar 5, 2017
Philadelphia, PA -- Mar 8, 2017 to Mar 12, 2017
Hartford, CT -- Mar 15, 2017 to Mar 19, 2017
Dayton, OH -- Mar 22, 2017 to Mar 26, 2017
OVO:
Sioux Falls, SD -- Jan 4, 2017 to Jan 8, 2017
Loveland, CO -- Jan 11, 2017 to Jan 15, 2017
Colorado Springs, CO -- Jan 18, 2017 to Jan 22, 2017
Tulsa, OK -- Jan 25, 2017 to Jan 29, 2017
Spokane, WA -- Feb 16, 2017 to Feb 19, 2017
West Valley City, UT -- Feb 22, 2017 to Feb 26, 2017
Rio Rancho, NM -- Mar 1, 2017 to Mar 5, 2017
Lubbock, TX -- Mar 8, 2017 to Mar 12, 2017
Cedar Park, TX -- Mar 15, 2017 to Mar 19, 2017
Laredo, TX -- Mar 22, 2017 to Mar 26, 2017
Corpus Christi, TX -- Mar 29, 2017 to Apr 2, 2017
Oklahoma City, OK -- Apr 6, 2017 to Apr 9, 2017
El Paso, TX -- Apr 12, 2017 to Apr 16, 2017
Tuscon, AZ -- Apr 17, 2017 to Apr 23, 2017
Jacksonville, FL -- Aug 2, 2017 to Aug 6, 2017
Salzburg, AU -- Oct 18, 2017 to Oct 22, 2017
Leipzig, DE -- Oct 25, 2017 to Oct 29, 2017
Hamburg, DE -- Nov 1, 2017 to Nov 5, 2017
Berlin, DE -- Nov 8, 2017 to Nov 12, 2017
Mannheim, DE -- Nov 15, 2017 to Nov 19, 2017
Cologne, DE -- Nov 22, 2017 to Nov 26, 2017
Stuttgart, DE -- Nov 29, 2017 to Dec 3, 2017
Nuremberg, DE -- Dec 6, 2017 to Dec 10, 2017
Munich, DE -- Dec 13, 2017 to Dec 17, 2017
SÉPTIMO DÍA NO DESCANSARÉ:
Buenos Aires, AR -- Mar 9, 2017 to May 14, 2017
Cordoba, AR -- May 25, 2017 to May 31, 2017
Lima, PE -- Jun 17, 2017 to Jun 21, 2017
Santiago, CL -- Jul 19, 2017 to Jul 27, 2017
Bogota, CO -- Sep 3, 2017 to Sep 23, 2017
Mexico City, MX -- October 2017
Guadalajara, MX -- November 2017
Monterrey, MX -- December 2017
Select US Cities -- 2018
---------------------------------
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
2017 Dark Dates:
o January 7 - 19
o February 5
o March 8
o May 6 - 10
o July 12
o September 9 - 13
o November 8
Special Performance Dates:
o Fri, Dec 30, 2016
o Fri, Jan 20, 2017 | Dress Rehearsal 7:00 pm
o Thu, Apr 6, 2017
o Thu, Aug 17, 2017
o Fri, Nov 24, 2017
o Fri, Dec 29, 2017
o Sun, Dec 31, 2017 | 4:30pm & 7:00pm
2017 Single Performance Dates:
o Fri, Jan 20 | 9:30 pm
o Sun, Jan 29 | 7:00 pm
o Fri, Mar 03 | 9:30 pm
o Sat, Mar 11 | 7:00 pm
o Sun, Mar 26 | 7:00 pm
o Sun, Apr 02 | 7:00 pm
o Sun, Apr 09 | 7:00 pm
o Sun, Apr 16 | 7:00 pm
o Sat, Jun 17 | 7:00 pm
o Sun, Aug 13 | 7:00 pm
o Sun, Oct 01 | 7:00 pm
o Fri, Oct 20 | 7:00 pm
o Sun, Oct 22 | 7:00 pm
o Fri, Dec 08 | 7:00 pm
"O":
Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark: Monday/Tuesday
Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 9:30pm (as of Aug 12, 2015)
2017 Dark Dates:
o February 5
o April 5 - 9
o June 11
o August 2 - 6
o October 8
o November 29 - December 12
La Nouba:
Location: Walt Disney World, Orlando (USA)
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday
Two shows Nightly - 6:00pm and 9:00pm
Zumanity:
Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark Sunday/Monday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
KÀ:
Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark Thursday/Friday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
LOVE:
Location: Mirage, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Thursday through Monday, Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
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
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)
PARAMOUR:
Location: Lyric Theater, Broadway, New York City
Performs: Wednesday through Monday, Dark: Tuesday
*** CLOSING APRIL 17, 2017 ***
One/Two Shows Daily:
2:00pm (Wednesday)
7:30pm (Thursday & Monday)
8:00pm (Friday)
2:00pm & 8:00pm (Saturday)
2:00pm & 7:00pm (Sunday)
=======================================================================
OUTREACH - UPDATES FROM CIRQUE's SOCIAL WIDGETS
=======================================================================
o) WEBSERIES -- Official Online Featurettes
o) VIDEOS -- Official Peeks & Noted Fan Finds
---------------------------------------------------
WEBSERIES: Official Online Featurettes
---------------------------------------------------
*) C:LAB WORKSHOP SERIES
o) EPISODE 14: TRAPEZE
January 10, 2017
In the Workshops series, Cirque du Soleil explores a
new acrobatic repertoire by reaching out to athletes
from other disciplines. In this episode, acrobats from
different disciplines explore new Trapeze techniques!
LINK /// < https://youtu.be/rKIRnvrwoz4 >
*) VOLTA - "FREEDOM MOMENTS"
"Freedom Moments" is a new series about how the artists from
Cirque du Soleil's NEW 2017 Big Top show, VOLTA, found their
free. VOLTA is a story about the FREEDOM to choose and the
thrill of blazing your own trail. Get up close and personal
with VOLTA's artists, discover their "Freedom Moments and
share yours with #FindYourFree!
o) EPISODE 1: ELENA SUAREZ - BALLERINA
January 6, 2017
Freedom = dance for VOLTA's s ballerina Elena, who
says being onstage is the best feeling in the world.
LINK /// < https://youtu.be/23DBoIQU6cI >
---------------------------------------------------
VIDEOS: Official Peeks & Noted Fan Finds
---------------------------------------------------
*) CIRQUECAST
CirqueCast is a Vodcast (thats video podcast) for Cirque fans
by Cirque fans featuring artist interviews, Cirque headlines,
and the inside scoop to your favorite Cirque du Soleil shows!
Join your hosts José Pérez (TheChapiteau), Richard Richasi
Russo (Fascination!), Ian Rents (Hardcore Cirque Fans), and Dario
Shame (a big 'ol fan), as we bring you a behind-the-scenes look
into Cirque du Soleil, complete with discussions and the latest
Cirque news.
o) EPISODE 9 - DAVID RESNICK INTERVIEW
November 8, 2016
David Resnick is an acrobat currently touring with TOTEM,
currently in Japan. Watch our exclusive interview where
David shares his experience with Cirque du Soleil, including
how he made it to the famous circus. Want to know what
Cirque show David is going to next? Watch to find out!
LINK /// < https://youtu.be/PGZ_WjI8sKM >
o) EPISODE 10 - DAVID RESNICK INTERVIEW
November 22, 2016
We are back with another discussion episode! In this episode,
we discuss the Toruk DVD and Paramour Soundtrack, Corteo's
return in arena format, the NFL + Cirque du Soleil project
announcement, and Richard goes over a few details from the
Celebrate Project, Cirque du Soleil's first theme park
opening in Mexico in 2018.
LINK /// < https://youtu.be/ASAXKfh7sOs >
o) EPISODE 11 - INTERVIEW WITH JAMIESON LINDENBURG
December 10, 2016
Jamieson Lindenburg is a singer currently touring with
Cirque du Soleil's Varekai. Join us this episode as Jamieson
graciously answers some of our questions about his time at
Quidam, his transition to Varekai, and his solo projects!
LINK /// < https://youtu.be/WFpBtKiGqZY >
o) SPECIAL - BLOOPERS AND OUTTAKES FROM EPISODE 1
December 29, 2016
We recorded our first episode almost a year ago! Check out
some bloopers and outtakes from our first attempt to create
our very first CirqueCast episode!
LINK /// < https://youtu.be/5FpHvtGc2F4 >
=======================================================================
FASCINATION! FEATURES
=======================================================================
o) "New Media to Fill Your Stockings!"
Written By: Ricky Russo Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
o) "Online Casino: Cirque du Soleil Kooza Slot Review"
A Special to the Fascination! Newsletter
o) "Casting Q&A's - Meet an Artist, Part 5 of 6"
Edited By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
------------------------------------------------------------
"New Media to Fill Your Stockings!"
Written By: Ricky Russo Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
------------------------------------------------------------
Its morning and a small shard of light has prickled across your face,
tempting you to stir from a blissful nights rest. You resist,
snuggled in under a large, fluffy comforter because theres still a
chill in the air. The sun has not had enough time to bring warmth to
the day yet and youd rather wait it out than face the cold, harsh
reality of a frosty morning.
But then a stray thought wanders into your consciousness
theres
something about this particular morning youve been waiting for.
Slowly your eyes open and focus; blood begins to flow more freely as
your heart begins to beat more strongly. Then it hits you: its no
ordinary morning, its Christmas morning! A time for making snowmen,
savoring a big mug of hot cocoa with melted marshmallow by a warm
fire, snuggling into a big, warm sweater and
oh yeah! Presents!
Off the comforter is thrown and at once you bolt out of bed cold or
not and rush downstairs to check under the tree and in your
stockings hanging neatly over the fireplace for the wonderful things
Santa may have brought you. What do you find? This year I found three
special somethings from Cirque du Soleil in my stockings: The TORUK
DVD, the LUZIA DVD, and the FLOWERS IN THE DESERT DVD.
Now, lets unwrap our presents and take a quick peek into these new
media offerings...
LUZIA DVD
---------
UPC - 4-00005-23445-3
Catalog 523445
Video 1.78:1 Wide screen
Audio English 2.0/5.1
Run Time - 81 minutes
Region - 0/All
If you can imagine a Cirque du Soleil show that is creatively and
freely inspired by the richness of Mexican culture in all its
exhilarating spirit, then you've conjured Luzia - A Waking Dream of
Mexico. Where rain predicts the future and light reveals the truth.
Through its set design, costumes, acrobatic performance, and music,
LUZIA (loo-zee-ah), fusing the sound of luz (light in Spanish) and
lluvia (rain) two elements at the core of the shows creation
becomes a poetic and acrobatic ode to the rich, vibrant culture of a
country whose wealth stems from an extraordinary mix of influences and
creative collisions a land that inspires awe with its breathtaking
landscapes and architectural wonders, buoyed by the indomitable spirit
and mythology of its people.
Filmed in Montreal in May, and released on November 17, 2016 on site
in Toronto, the LUZIA DVD is an interesting conundrum to me: At once
its a record of the live show we fans wanted, and yet the filming
feels all over the place: disjointed, off, and wrong, like its a mere
shadow of what youll experience live under the Grand Chapiteau. While
this has been a criticism by many fans of many Cirque du Soleil shows
recorded for DVD Amaluna, Varekai, and Alegria immediately come to
mind - this is the first time Ive actually felt the filmed
presentation did not live up to the full potential of its subject.
I personally have no issues with the way Alegria, Varekai, Kooza, and
Amaluna were filmed, even though their run times vary wildly (Alegria
is 90 minutes, Varekai is 112 minutes, Kooza is 120 minutes, and
Amaluna is 108 minutes). I recognize this view places me in the
minority of fans, but having seen those shows live again either
shortly before or shortly after they were filmed presents a great
souvenir from my time at each. This doesnt mean the recordings are
perfect... I wouldnt mind a slightly longer Alegria, or perhaps a
little edited down version of KOOZA (I could do without the extended
pick-pocket/clown running-around scene with the confetti cannon fire,
if you please.) That being said, coming in at just 81 minutes in
length, the LUZIA DVD is TOO edited for my tastes.
While it comes as no surprise that most of the clowns antics were
removed to shave off some run-time (which was just fine with me, as
many of his numbers run a bit long in the live show), many of the
remaining edits served only to water down LUZIAs acrobatic
presentation. I mean, switching angles in the middle of a twist, dive,
throw, or some other trick (although I am loath to use that word) is
simply cinematography 101 - DONT DO IT. I dont know how many times I
screamed out in frustration in the first five minutes alone, as the
camera would cut right in the middle of a dive during the Hoop Diving
act to switch angles. And what was with the choice of some of the
angles anyway?
Blocking and angles did get better for the Adagio Quatuor act, but I
felt there was something missing out of that routine. Cyr Wheel &
Trapeze was a mess, in my opinion. Same for Hand-balancing, the
filming seemed to sap all the fun and charm out of that presentation.
And dont even get me started on the Pole Dancing and Contortion
numbers. During these acts it seemed to me the camera didnt know
where they should be focusing! A number of times during Contortion I
wanted to kill them for the angles they chose they were ridiculous!
Some were so far away! As my friend Jose Perez reflected, Its like
the people who recorded the show didnt really watch it!
For all my kvetching, Cirque, it IS nice to have a visual
representation of the show I can enjoy at home, I just wish the
editing team wouldnt have made so many cuts and quick camera shots in
this one, but what can you do? Maybe my feelings about it will change
with future viewings. But one thought will not change: Luzia should
have gotten a blu-ray release. Or at the very least, be available in
High-Definition online! (But thats a gripe for another time.)
Besides the show itself, the DVD also comes with one bonus feature, a
25 minute documentary on the creation of the show, entitled The Story
of an Encounter. The Story of an Encounter was a web series that
explored the inspiring love affair between Cirque du Soleil and
Mexico, shining a spotlight on some of the creators of LUZIA,
revealing their longstanding or budding love affair with Mexico and
its people. The series also explored the protagonists individual
roles and respective approaches in the creation of LUZIA. Everything
you saw in the original web-series is available here.
At present the DVD can only be bought on site at the show, but I have
it on good authority you can find one or two copies on eBay. Happy
hunting!
TORUK DVD
---------
UPC - 4-00005-23002-8
Catalog 523002
Video 1.78:1 Wide screen
Audio English 2.0
Run Time - 82 minutes
Region - 0/All
Cirque du Soleil presents the cinematographic adaptation of TORUK-The
First Flight, a multimedia experience inspired by James Cameron's
Avatar and imagined by Cirque du Soleil. TORUK The First Flight
envisions a world beyond imagination set thousands of years before the
events depicted in the film. The word Toruk, in the Na'vi language,
refers to the great leonopteryx, the mighty red and orange predator
that rules the Pandoran sky. Central in Na'vi lore and culture, this
fascinating creature is crucial to the Na'vi clans' sense of destiny
and interconnectedness and is about to be ridden for the very first
time by a Na'vi. Narrated by a "Navi Storyteller", the show follows
three young adults - Ralu, Entu, and Tsyal - and the first flight of
the Toruk.
Before I progress any further I have to tell you something: unlike
Luzia, I have yet to see TORUK live. Considering the upcoming touring
schedule, it doesnt appear that Ill ever get the opportunity to do
so. The DVD will likely become my only window into this live
production, which I find a little disappointing. Seeing the movie four
times in the theater, its safe to say I rather enjoyed AVATAR and
its world. When Cirque du Soleil announced this show I was quite
skeptical, but looking forward to seeing what they could do.
Technologically, the show is a marvel; the projections look fantastic!
But I was concerned that the human factor would be dwarfed by it all,
lost in all the colorful eye-candy. I wasnt wrong, but I also wasnt
right.
The recording started off well enough... the storys set up from the
Storyteller comes across loud and clear, and is quite visually
impressive, but then he largely disappears and scenes seem to come and
go without any kind of context. I got lost on Pandora and I almost
never came back. Where were the main characters going? Where were they
at now? And who did they meet this time? It wasnt until I read
through the new programme book again that I understood what was
happening, which could have been alleviated if the Storytellers
narrations had continued to be included along the way. I also find it
unfortunate that TORUK was recorded so early in its run at the
premiere in Montreal rather than later on, as the show went through
a few changes afterward, bringing on a number of acrobatic additions
that would have been very welcome in fleshing out what was on-screen.
I also feel this release should have been given HD treatment via Blu-
ray, for the colors alone. Scaling up the standard definition video of
the DVD to HDTV proved problematic during many action scenes,
especially those involving multi-colored props and costumes the
quality of the video degraded so much it looked like I was watching
TORUK on a VHS tape; quelle horreur!
Cirque, we know theres a High-Def version of the show because both 4K
and HD versions were broadcast via bell Fibe TV1, so if youre not
interested in releasing a Blu-Ray of the show (which I can understand
why you wouldnt be interested), how about releasing this on your On-
Demand page instead? Some of us would love to pay for a 1080p or
higher quality version of the show!
Okay, moving on...
Like the Luzia DVD, the TORUK DVD comes with one bonus item a 23-
minute long documentary on the creation of the show. In Toruk Takes
Flight, viewers will meet Michel Lemieux and Victor Pilon, the
writers and directors of TORUK: The First Flight; Jean-François
Bouchard, the shows creative guide; Cirque du Soleil founder Guy
Laliberté; and the director of Avatar, James Cameron. Viewers will
also go behind the scenes with several of the productions main
designers and performers and witness their struggles and uncertainties
as the pressure builds towards the launch of this unprecedented
multimedia experience. Toruk Takes Flight is directed by award-
winning Montreal film maker Adrian Wills, who received a Grammy Award
for Best Long Form Music Video for All Together Now, a documentary
on the creation of another Cirque du Soleil show, The Beatles LOVE.
He also filmed LUZIA.
The TORUK DVD is presently only available on its tour.
FLOWERS IN THE DESERT DVD
-------------------------
UPC - NONE
Catalog NONE
Video 16:9 Wide screen
Audio English 2.0 Stereo
Run Time - 84 minutes
Region - 0/All
One of the most enigmatic DVD releases for Cirque du Soleil fans is
Flowers in the Desert, a special release from PBS films in late 2010
for viewers who gave $100 or more to their local PBS station. Copies
of the DVD would appear on eBay from time to time, but at
prohibitively high prices. But if youre lucky enough to snag one at
auction, youll find a wonderful collection of mesmerizing
performances of Mystère, "O", KÀ, LOVE, and Viva ELVIS, as well as
small sneak peeks of Zumanity and BELIEVE. Although the materials for
the package suggest all these segments were recorded in High
Definition, upon viewing I find that not to be the case. Many times
compression artifacting in some of the footage is so prevalent, its
embarrassing. But, that being said, the visuals we do receive from
this package are very, very welcome. Since many of the Las Vegas shows
have not been fully recorded and released (no, documentaries dont
count), its good to have these elements for our viewing pleasures at
home.
So, what will you find on this DVD?
o) MYSTERE (12:10) After a brief introduction into the world
of Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas, this segment features clips
and long-views of the shows arousing Opening, the
Bungees (the Kunya Sobe segment only), Hand-to-Hand with
the Alexis/Lorador Brothers, and a good run of the Korean
Plank / Fast Track / Trampoline numbers.
o) O (8:43) Here youll find brief peeks at the shows
Synchronized Swimming number, and then longer views of
Bateau, Russian Swings, and the shows closing segments.
o) KÀ (19:41) This segment features a number of scenes from
the show, including: Pageant, The Storm (aka The Boat),
The Deep, an amalgam of Archers Den and Flutes, the
Slave Cage (aka The Wheel of Death), and the Final
Battle.
o) THE BEATLES LOVE (20:24) Featuring goodly portions of Get
Back / Glass Onion, Octopus Garden, Within You, Without
You, A Day in the Life, and Sgt. Pepper (Reprise)
segments of the show, interspersed with documentary footage
and interviews. Great stuff!
o) VIVA ELVIS (17:16) Here youll find Blue Suede Shoes in
all its big shoe glory, Jailhouse Rock, Heartbreak Hotel,
Got a Lot of Livin to Do, and Hound Dog scenes from the
show.
Disappointingly, the last two or three minutes of the main event is
all that is given to ZUMANITY and BELIEVE, with very little footage
from either actually seen on-screen. The documentary suggests these
two shows represent a darker representation of Cirque du Soleil and
although PBS is not wrong, theyre also not entirely correct. Still, I
can understand why PBS would not want to film and broadcast the sexy
Zumanity, or the bizarre magical world of BELIEVE, as neither make for
good family-friendly public programming. But perhaps to make up for
this oversight, the DVD does contain three extra performances as a
bonus (from the extras menu option on the main menu) from KA: the
Wash Up on Shore scene (5:49), from Mystere: Aerial Cube (5:16),
and from O: Aerial Hoops (4:20).
Now thats more like it!
Since this DVD was never wide-released publically, its availability is
spotty at best. Your best chance is to monitor eBay religiously and
pounce on a listing for it as soon as it becomes available. Prices
have been known to reach above $100.00 on the auction site, so be
prepared to pay heavily for this DVD if you really want it!
And there you go, all the goodies in my Cirque Christmas stocking
this year!
------------------------------------------------------------
"Online Casino: Cirque du Soleil Kooza Slot Review"
A Special to the Fascination! Newsletter
------------------------------------------------------------
Kooza is one of the touring circus productions of the famous Cirque du
Soleil, a Canadian entertainment company that is the largest
theatrical producer across the globe. The Kooza show consists of
impressive acrobatic and clown acts, was used as a main theme in a
couple of films so far, but for the first time it is used as a topic
for a video slot game. SG Interactive developed an entertaining five-
reel, 40-pay-line slot packed with action, which just might leave the
audience in awe, just like the famous circus show, thanks to plenty of
fun and rewarding features that will keep spinners chained for their
seats.
DEVELOPER
---------
SG Interactive is one of the leading casino software provider in the
iGaming industry, using cutting edge software technology, which is why
their product are easily integrated into most of the platforms used in
the online gambling market. The company houses several independent
studios under its roof, such as Barcrest, Williams, Shuffle Master and
Bally. The company has been in the business for more than 70 years
now, providing excellent video slots, table games and 3rd party brands
to their respective clients.
CHECK OUT A DEMO OF THE GAME HERE:
https://www.onlinecasino.org/slots/cirque-du-soleil-kooza-slot-review
HOW TO PLAY IT
--------------
Before you enter the circus ring of this amazing colorful show, you
first need to set the desired bet, which can go from $0.20 per spin,
up to whopping $400. The slot offers 40 fixed pay-lines that pay left
to right, starting from the leftmost reel, with three of a kind being
the minimum for landing payouts.
You will notice that symbols may appear in stacks during the base game
by themselves, or by the little help of the animated figurines of the
Cirque, and this is called Mystery Stacked Reels. Before the reels
stop spinning, those figurines will randomly appear and mark one or
more random reels on which a certain symbol may appear in stacks,
creating plenty of possibilities for hefty payouts.
And, since we are talking about symbols, you will be entertained by
the most important members of the Kooza show: the Wheeler, Skelly,
Chari and Innocent. There will also be a Red Mask, a Pink Mask and
Ace, King and Queen playing cards, representing low-paying symbols.
Wild substitutes for all regular symbols, while Bonus Box and Bonus
symbols are Scatters crucial for triggering of the Bonus Features.
SPECIAL FEATURES
----------------
Bonus Box Scatters land only on reels 1, 3 and 5, and once you get all
three of them on the reels, you will trigger the Box Pick Bonus
feature, with three boxes on the screen. You need to pick one of the
boxes to win an instant 6.00 100.00 coin prize, or to get to the
Bonus Wheel.
When talking about Bonus Scatters, they appear on reels 2, 3 and 4 and
three of them give you an instant access to the Bonus Wheel, plus a
prize of 2x the triggering bet.
The Bonus Wheel will offer you several instant cash prizes, Trickster
Free Games, Wheel of Death Free Games and a Jackpot. The Trickster
Free Games award you with 10 freebies and a 2x multiplier, while the
Trickster may appear and form stacked symbols from high-paying
symbols, giving you the opportunity to land bigger payouts.
If you land the Bonus Wheel on the Wheel of Death Free Games, you will
get 7-12 freebies to start with, accompanied by a 2x-4x multiplier.
More Free Games icon may appear on reels 2, 3 and 4, and if you land
at least two of them, you can get from 4 to 15 additional free spins.
If the Bonus Wheel stops on Jackpot, you will now have to spin the
Jackpot Wheel, and win one of four possible Jackpots Mini, Grand,
Colossal, or Tres Magnifique. The amount you can win in Jackpot will
depend on the triggering stake. The bigger the stake is, the bigger
the Jackpot gets.
MAXIMUM PAYOUTS
---------------
Jackpot feature offers the maximum possible payout in Cirque du Soleil
Kooza slot. The Tres Magnificue Jackpot can get up to insane $200,000,
provided you place the maximum possible bet of $400. Lots of rewarding
payouts can be landed during the Bonus features, thanks to lots of
freebies and multipliers, but you can be generously rewarded during
base game as well, thanks to Mystery Stacked Reels.
SUMMARY
-------
Even though the 2016 release may seem complicated at first glance due
to plenty of additional features incorporated, after a couple of spins
gamers will realize that the game-play is simple as 1, 2, 3. There is
a lot to play for in the SG Interactive product, because spinners
might be lucratively rewarded both during the base game and during the
Bonus features. Truth being told, the Bonus Wheel is pretty damn hard
to trigger, so you will need to invest time and money in this circus
show before you get some results. Visually speaking, Cirque du Soleil
Kooza is simply impressive, boasting state-of-the-art graphics and a
matching soundtrack.
{ SOURCE: Online Casino | https://goo.gl/B1BYgF }
------------------------------------------------------------
"Casting Q&A's - Meet an Artist, Part 5 of 6"
Edited By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
------------------------------------------------------------
Ever wonder what it would be like to become a Cirque du Soleil artist?
Of course you have! Who hasnt? Wonder no longer! Through a series of
interviews on their casting website, Cirque du Soleil invites us to
get to know some of their performers (past and present), and discover
how each of them went from a career as an athlete, circus performer,
instrumentalist, singer, dancer, actor, clown, or in another specialty
to becoming a Cirque performer. Theyre fantastic reads if youve had
the pleasure, and if you havent, well, dont despair. Weve collected
all 30 artist interviews for you to peruse in this series, which, due
to the page count, well publish in six parts.
In September, we began with Q&A's from Anthony Gatto, Claudel Doucet,
Denise Stefanie Gonzalez, Eric Scribner, and Eve Castelo Branco. Then
Hassan El Hajjami (Hip-hop & Breakdance), Jean-François Houle
(Bandleaders), Jeanne Dioman Gbou (Ethnic & Traditional dance), Julia
Lopatkina (Acrobatic gymnastics), and Kristin Allen (Gymnastics) in
October. We continued in November with Lionel Hamel (Stringed
instruments), Lisa Skinner (Artistic gymnastics), Marco De Santi
(Extreme sports), Melissa Urbano (Martial arts), and Michael Joseph
Hachey (Stringed instruments). And last month with Miho Kono
(Synchronized swimming), Miro Lacasse (Physical Actors), Noriko
Takahashi (Diverse abilities), Odmaa Bayartsogt (Other disciplines),
and Oleksandr Pylypenko (Athletes). And now in Part Five: Paulo
Lorador (Balancing), PJ Bogart (Diving), Raphaël Sanchez (Keyboards),
Ross Gibson (Tumbling), and Sabú Alegría (Wheels).
# # #
PAULO LORADOR | Portugal
Hand to Hand
Q. PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND PREVIOUS TO JOINING CIRQUE:
I was performing Hand to Hand with my brother, Marco (we are
third generation circus performers).
Q. WHEN DID YOU JOIN CIRQUE DU SOLEIL?
April 1992.
Q. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CONTACT WITH THE ORGANIZATION?
My brother and I were performing in Monte Carlo at the Circus
Festival when Cirque du Soleil approached us.
Q. WHAT KIND OF AN EXPERIENCE WAS YOUR AUDITION?
Because our act is so specialized we did not have to audition.
Q. HOW DID YOUR INTEGRATION GO (EITHER IN MONTREAL OR IN A SHOW)?
We arrived before the premiere of Saltimbanco and only had to
make changes to our costumes and music.
Q. WHAT DO YOU LIKE THE MOST ABOUT BEING PART OF CIRQUE DU SOLEIL?
The work conditions are great.
Q. HOW DID THE TRANSITION GO BETWEEN YOUR FORMER CAREER TO YOUR
CURRENT CIRQUE CAREER?
For us there was no transition in our career because we were
already performing in a circus setting, we just moved into
better working conditions.
Q. WHY WOULD YOU RECOMMEND AN ARTIST TO JOIN CIRQUE?
Its a great company to work for.
Q. HOW IS LIFE ON TOUR AND IN LAS VEGAS?
I enjoyed touring but I prefer being in Las Vegas.
* * *
PJ BOGART | United States
Diving
Q. WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENT PRIOR TO JOINING CIRQUE?
Alternate 2000 Olympics 3m, 3 time NCAA Champion, 7 time
National Champion, 1998 World Championship team member
Q. PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR ATHLETIC BACKGROUND PREVIOUSLY?
I have been a diver since I was 11.
Q. WHEN DID YOU JOIN CIRQUE DU SOLEIL?
November 2001.
Q. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CONTACT WITH THE ORGANIZATION?
I saw Saltimbanco in 1998 in Australia.
Q. WHAT KIND OF AN EXPERIENCE WAS YOUR AUDITION?
I loved every minute of it but it was very challenging.
Q. HOW DID YOUR INTEGRATION GO IN MONTREAL AND IN THE SHOW?
Being in Montreal was an adjustment, but joining "O" was easier
for me.
Q. HOW DOES BEING PART OF A CIRQUE DU SOLEIL SHOW ALLOW YOU TO EXPRESS
YOURSELF IN YOUR DISCIPLINE?
Ive always considered myself a showman, and Cirque du Soleil
gives me an outlet for that.
Q. WHAT DO YOU LIKE THE MOST ABOUT BEING PART OF CIRQUE DU SOLEIL?
I love that I can earn a living doing what I love to do!
Q. HOW DID THE TRANSITION GO BETWEEN YOUR FORMER CAREER TO YOUR
CURRENT CIRQUE CAREER?
Before Cirque I was working as a waiter/bartender so I really
enjoyed the change.
Q. WHY WOULD YOU RECOMMEND AN ARTIST TO JOIN CIRQUE?
It is the best job in the world and who wouldnt want to be able
to say that they get paid to do something they love.
Q. HOW IS LIFE IN LAS VEGAS?
There is always something to do in Vegas at any time of day, so
I love it here!
Q. ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US?
Once you join the Cirque du Soleil team, you will never want to
leave!
* * *
RAPHAËL SANCHEZ | France
Music Conductor
Q. WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT PRIOR TO JOINING?
My ten-year artistic collaboration with Annie Fratellini (Cirque
Fratellini, Paris) as composer and music director
Q. PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR ARTISTIC BACKGROUND?
Composer for movies, theatre and traditional circus (Annie
Fratellini) Conductor for many productions including, Les
Miserables, Cats, Chicago, Hello Dolly, 42nd Street and Les
Ballets de Monte-Carlo Conductor, arranger and/or orchestrator
for many movie soundtracks, albums and other experimental
projects Pianist with a strong classical background, I also play
jazz, fusion, and traditional music like Argentinean tango
Q. WHEN DID YOU JOIN CIRQUE DU SOLEIL?
November 2004.
Q. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CONTACT WITH THE ORGANIZATION?
I met the Cirque casting/scouting team in Paris while they were
auditioning singers.
Q. WHAT KIND OF AN EXPERIENCE WAS YOUR AUDITION?
I didnt really do an audition": I gave Cirque a DVD of my work
and they called me a few months later for Varekai. They sent me
the DVD of the show and a CD with 4 songs on which I was to
record some keyboard parts.
Q. HOW DID YOUR INTEGRATION GO IN MONTREAL AND IN THE SHOW?
It went very fast. I spent 3 days in Montreal learning make-up,
getting fit for my costume, having meetings with the composer
and the artistic director, finalizing my contract and getting up
to speed on administrative procedures. Then I flew directly to
Dallas, TX where Varekai was performing for its last 10 days
with its former bandleader Michel Cyr. The artists, the coaches
and the technical team were very helpful and Id like to thank
them for their kindness.
Q. HOW DOES BEING PART OF A CIRQUE DU SOLEIL SHOW ALLOW YOU TO EXPRESS
YOURSELF IN YOUR DISCIPLINE?
After more than 850 performances of Varekai I still feel the
same as when I began 30 months ago. Every show is a Premiere"
that requires the same awareness, sensitivity and energy
Q. WHAT DO YOU LIKE THE MOST ABOUT BEING PART OF CIRQUE DU SOLEIL?
The quality of everyones involvement
from all the dreamers"
and performers, to the amazing support staff: technical,
logistics, wardrobe, concessions, administration, Tour services,
Food & beverages, Information technology, VIP, carpentry,
rigging, schooling, kitchen, security, cleaning, etc. I am part
of an amazing team! If we could collect and transform the energy
that everyone gives on Varekai into electricity, we could light
a city!
Q. HOW DID THE TRANSITION GO BETWEEN YOUR FORMER CAREER TO YOUR
CURRENT CIRQUE CAREER?
For me to have to concentrate my energy on one only project was
kind of new and almost scary! My former career was very
eclectic
in a typical day I could be conducting a recording
session in the morning, rehearsing with a traditional tango
orchestra in the afternoon, conducting a theatre show in the
evening and finally composing, or writing arrangements and
orchestrations for my next project at night! Fortunately, given
the complexity of the show, the interaction between departments
during the show and the fact that there are plenty of
adjustments to do all the time, my role as bandleader keeps me
really busy!
Q. WHY WOULD YOU RECOMMEND AN ARTIST TO JOIN CIRQUE?
It is a very unique experience youll never forget.
Q. HOW IS LIFE ON TOUR / IN LAS VEGAS / IN ORLANDO?
Intense" doesnt begin to describe it, but traveling with my
family makes a big difference compared to everything I knew
before. Ive never had so much time with them! Also, Id like to
mention that Cirque provides schooling for the children on tour
with the best teachers, better than we could have ever dreamed
of. In the past 18 months my son has learned English, is
learning Russian and taking lessons in juggling and acrobatics.
* * *
ROSS GIBSON | United Kingdom
Tumbling/Dancing
Q. WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT PRIOR TO JOINING CIRQUE?
Tumbling: 1997 Ranked # 3 Junior in World, 1999 Team Silver
Medal Champs, 2002 Finished second in the World Cup Final
Dancing: Backing dancer for Anastasia and for Will Young in the
2002 Royal Variety Show
Q. PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR ARTISTIC BACKGROUND?
I was an international tumbler for 6 years and a professional
dancer in various UK productions.
Q. WHEN DID YOU JOIN CIRQUE DU SOLEIL?
March 2006.
Q. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CONTACT WITH THE ORGANIZATION?
After Cirque saw me in the World Championships I was invited to
audition in 2000.
Q. WHAT KIND OF AN EXPERIENCE WAS YOUR AUDITION?
The audition was grueling. After that it took many years until I
the right role came along.
Q. HOW DID YOUR INTEGRATION GO IN MONTREAL AND IN THE SHOW?
It was very quick! I spent 2 weeks in Montreal, 2 weeks in Vegas
and then I was performing in the show.
Q. HOW DOES BEING PART OF A CIRQUE DU SOLEIL SHOW ALLOW YOU TO EXPRESS
YOURSELF IN YOUR DISCIPLINE?
Cirque takes a sport and makes it into an act, something I could
never do in competition.
Q. WHAT DO YOU LIKE THE MOST ABOUT BEING PART OF CIRQUE DU SOLEIL?
Being a part of Cirque gives you a certain sense of pride and
sort of makes you a celebrity in the art world.
Q. WHY WOULD YOU RECOMMEND AN ARTIST TO JOIN CIRQUE?
They give you many opportunities to expand, grow and create new
talents.
Q. HOW IS LIFE IN LAS VEGAS?
Life in Vegas is very different from touring; it gives you a
stable lifestyle.
Q. ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US?
Be prepared to work, push yourself and to never give up!
* * *
SABÚ ALEGRÍA | Mexico
Wheel of Death
Q. WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST ACROBATIC ACHIEVEMENT PRIOR TO JOINING?
For over 20 years I performed in Europe with some of the best
circuses in the world like the Circus Knie and the Circus Krone;
I also participated in the Festivals of Monte Carlo and Paris.
Q. PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND PREVIOUS TO JOINING CIRQUE:
At 9 years old I began performing in my familys circus, Circo
Alegría, as a trapeze artist as well as an animal tamer (I
worked with elephants, lions and tigers). I also played a lot of
soccer and other sports.
Q. WHEN DID YOU JOIN CIRQUE DU SOLEIL?
I started in Montreal in 2004.
Q. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CONTACT WITH THE ORGANIZATION?
Through my brother, Octavio, who is a juggler in Varekai.
Q. WHAT KIND OF AN EXPERIENCE WAS YOUR AUDITION?
For me it was a great experience, different from anything I had
done before. The facilities, lodging and very kind staff were
all wonderful.
Q. HOW DID YOUR INTEGRATION GO IN MONTREAL AND IN THE SHOW?
Everything went very well. Its a fantastic organization.
Everybody made me feel very welcome, both in the offices and in
the theatre.
Q. WHAT DO YOU LIKE THE MOST ABOUT BEING PART OF CIRQUE DU SOLEIL?
Everytting. I love being an artist at Cirque du Soleil.
Q. WHY WOULD YOU RECOMMEND AN ARTIST TO JOIN CIRQUE?
Because Cirque du Soleil has a culture of creativity and
provides many opportunities for its artists.
Q. HOW IS LIFE IN LAS VEGAS?
I like it in here Vegas because I am stable. After traveling so
much all over the world I feel more relaxed and am now able to
concentrate on my work more.
Q. ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US?
I would like to thank all my team-mates and all the staff for
everything.
* * *
Next month well conclude this Q&A series by hearing from Suo Liu
(Martial arts), Tumelo Michael" Moloi (Other dance styles), Vanessa
Convery (Jazz & Tap dance), Zara Tellander (Female vocals), and Zeng
Jiao Jian (Martial arts).
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COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
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Fascination! Newsletter
Volume 17, Number 1 (Issue #156) - January 2017
"Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (C)
2001-2017 Ricky Russo, published by Vortex/RGR Productions, a
subsidiary of Communicore Enterprises. No portion of this newsletter
can be reproduced, published in any form or forum, quoted or
translated without the consent of the "Fascination! Newsletter." By
sending us correspondence, you give us permission (unless otherwise
noted) to use the submission as we see fit, without remuneration. All
submissions become the property of the "Fascination! Newsletter."
"Fascination! Newsletter" is not affiliated in any way with Cirque du
Soleil. Cirque du Soleil and all its creations are Copyright (C) and
are registered trademarks (TM) of Cirque du Soleil, Inc., and
Créations Méandres, Inc. All Rights Reserved. No copyright
infringement intended.
{ Jan.11.2017 }
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