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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 19, NUMBER 7 July 2019 ISSUE #186
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Welcome to the latest edition of Fascination, the Unofficial Cirque
du Soleil Newsletter.
It's been relatively quiet this month, hasn't it? I mean... at this
time last year we were reporting on a slew of new ventures from the
Cirque: the company's purchase of VSTAR Entertainment, the new Cirque
Rosé, the announcement of BAZZAR - a new touring show for India, and
the launch of CREACTIVE Family Entertainment Centers (which is still
supposed to happen this September in Toronto). But this year? Nada.
Okay, so we had to say goodbye to "TORUK-The First Flight" in London,
England (on June 30th), saw that the White Singer in the new version
of Alegría got a new dress (that's more in-line with the original
show), and casting of a new touring show for Chilean audiences, but
what about news of the new Walt Disney World show, or the 2020 Big
Top show? Alas, perhaps we're in the proverbial calm before the storm,
a quiet or peaceful period before a period during which there is great
activity, argument, or difficulty. For next month "The Land of Fantasy"
makes its debut in Hangzhau, followed by a flurry of premieres in
October: AXEL (Oct 4th), MESSI10 (Oct 10th), and R.U.N (on Oct 24th).
None of this takes into the Special Events + Experiences schedule,
which includes REBEL in Andora (6/29 - 7/27), Hommage #5: Joyeux
Calvaire in Trois-Rivières (7/17 - 8/17), VITORI in Malta (11/27 -
12/20), or the two Cirque at SEA shows (#5 and #6) to launch aboard
the MSC Grandiosa sometime in late 2019. So yeah, the calm before the
storm indeed! In other news...
* * * ERIC GRILLY NAMED CIRQUE'S STRATEGIC HOLLYWOOD LIAISON * * *
As part of a push to expand the Cirque du Soleil global footprint via
third-party IP offerings, Eric Grilly has been appointed executive head
of studio alliances. In the new role, announced Wednesday by Cirque du
Soleil president and COO Jonathan Tetrault, Grilly will work to develop
business opportunities with Hollywood studios, IP providers and other
strategic license owners to bring their content to the live enter-
tainment stage. The position builds on Grillys current role as CEO of
VStar Entertainment Group, which was acquired by Cirque du Soleil
Entertainment Group in 2018; it comes on the heels of Grillys partner-
ships with Nickelodeon and NBC Universal to produce original touring
shows. To date, PAW Patrol Live! has sold 3 million tickets worldwide
and is currently on a 30-city tour of China. Other projects announced
include Nick Jr. Live!, the first production in a five-year exclusive
content agreement; and Trolls LIVE!, based on the 2016 DreamWorks
Animation release. Erics intimate knowledge of third-party partner-
ships, his industry relationships and his expertise in live enter-
tainment will provide immense value as Cirque du Soleil Live Enter-
tainment Group solidifies itself as the worlds largest creator and
producer of live entertainment content, said Tetrault in a statement.
Cirque is a leader in the live entertainment space, known throughout
the world for producing best-in-class theatrical productions, added
Grilly. I am honored to serve in this expanded capacity and seek out
a new set of creative opportunities for development.
* * * FANDOM PARTNERS WITH CIRQUE FOR 2019 SDCC PARTY * * *
One of the most coveted party tickets in all of San Diego Comic-Con is
for the event thrown by Fandom, the largest entertainment fan site in
the world. This year, Fandom is partnering with Cirque du Soleil for
its 4th annual Fandom Party, where fans guests will be treated to an
exclusive sneak peek of R.U.N. the first live-action thriller by
Cirque du Soleil, followed by a special performance by Girl Talk. The
Fandom Party will feature a specially created act inspired by R.U.N.,
Cirque du Soleils show premiering at the Luxor in Las Vegas, which
will showcase a live performance by Tyler Bates, R.U.N.s Music
Composer, as well as a voice-over narration written by filmmaker Robert
Rodriguez. The never-before-seen performance will include pyrotechnic
elements, an epic rooftop battle, adrenaline-inducing motorcycle
tricking, and live-action stunts. A limited number of fans will be able
to attend.
More? Keep reading!
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- Ricky "Richasi" Russo
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CONTENTS
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o) Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings
* La Presse -- General News & Highlights
* Q&A -- Quick Chats & Press Interviews
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
* Jean David's Quel Cirque, Part 7: "Strength in Diversity"
A Special Series Celebrating Cirque's 35th Anniversary
o) Copyright & Disclaimer
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CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
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LA PRESSE -- General News & Highlights
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Cirque Readying for IPO as Early as Next Year
{Jun.11.2019}
----------------------------------------------------------
Cirque du Soleil is making plans for a possible IPO as early as next
year as the storied live-entertainment company pushes ahead with a
global expansion strategy.
Montreal-based Cirque is laying the groundwork for an initial public
offering during the first half of 2020, said a person familiar with
the plans. The company has not made a decision to proceed and it is
preparing documentation now just to have that option, said the person,
to whom The Globe and Mail granted anonymity because they were not
authorized to speak to the media on the matter.
Cirque wont necessarily follow through if market conditions are not
favourable and plans are not advanced to the point where Cirque has
hired any advisers, the person said.
TPG Capital, a Texas-based private-equity fund, controls Cirque after
buying a roughly 55-per-cent interest in the company from founder Guy
Laliberté in 2015. Chinese fund manager Fosun Capital Group bought
about 25 per cent and pension fund manager Caisse de dépôt et
placement du Québec took 10 per cent in a deal estimated to be worth
$1.5-billion. Mr. Laliberté kept 10 per cent.
Going public would give the Cirque greater financial flexibility as it
moves ahead with an ambitious acquisition strategy steered by chief
executive Daniel Lamarre, who is trying to reshape the companys
capabilities beyond the circus arts to other live-entertainment
content.
Over the past two years alone, Cirque has purchased The Works
Entertainment, the production company known for The Illusionists
franchise, as well as Blue Man Group and VStar Entertainment Group,
which is best known for its childrens shows, PAW Patrol Live. Cirque
is also stretching further geographically, opening its first resident
circus show in China later this year and developing lower-budget shows
specifically for emerging markets such as India.
A possible IPO seems like the logical next step, said Patrick
Leroux, a professor at Concordia University who has written on the
circus industry, adding the move will bring in new capital and ideas
as the company accelerates growth. It seems like now theyre about to
enter into an extremely productive period. Creating new shows, new
ventures; opening up to different models of entertainment.
But that growth has not come without risk. Moodys Investors Service
says the companys largely debt-funded expansion strategy could be
unsustainable, resulting in financial strain on its core operations.
Cirque posted revenue of US$832-million for the 12 months ending Sept.
30, 2018, and it remains heavily leveraged, with a debt-to-EBITDA
ratio (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization)
expected to remain above seven through 2019, the credit company said
in a report published in February.
Mr. Lamarre has said he wants to do one acquisition a year, depending
on available targets. A journalist before entering the business world,
he has led Cirques operations for nearly two decades. A public
listing for Cirque would also offer an opportunity for the existing
shareholders to take some money off the table. It remains unclear what
percentage of capital Cirque intends to make available, although it is
not unusual for companies held by private-equity players to float
minority stakes of between 25 to 30 per cent of the overall ownership
position in an initial sale. The remaining position is often sold off
in subsequent secondary offerings.
A spokesperson for Cirque did not respond to a request for comment. A
spokesperson for Mr. Laliberté said he declined to comment. TPG and
the Caisse both declined to comment.
With an IPO, Cirque would buck the trend of Quebec companies snubbing
the public markets in recent years. The situation has become so acute
that a blue-ribbon panel of experts was convened in 2016 to recommend
solutions to reverse the tide, including offering special tax breaks
and incentives to companies weighing public listings.
Things have not changed at all since then, said Claude Désy, a tax
and securities lawyer with Dunton Rainville, who launched the panel.
Among the notable exceptions to the trend is Montreal-based software
maker Lightspeed POS Inc., whose shares continue to surge following a
public listing in March.
Cirque was founded in 1984. It currently employs 4,500 people.
{ SOURCE: The Globe and Mail }
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Cirque Spotlights Data to Better Understand Audience
{Jun.11.2019}
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It has modernised a traditional performing act, turning it into an
international phenomenon. Now, like other traditional retail and
business brands, it wants to extensively tap technology as well as
data to make more informed decisions about its product delivery and to
better engage its audience.
Cirque du Soleil spent the last three decades transforming a small
show that begun in rural Quebec to one that has put up 40 productions
in 60 countries, drawing 11 million spectators annually. It is
supported by 1,350 artists and currently runs 22 shows worldwide,
including both resident and touring shows, such as its KURIOS
production, which will begin its one-month run in Singapore next
month.
While it belongs to an industry that is highly niche and has few
competitors, Cirque du Soleil faces the same challenges as other
retail and business brands that have significantly expanded its
service delivery and customer base.
Having grown to such a large company and one that depends heavily on
its talent, it can be challenging to ensure consistent performance
delivery, explained Marc Gagnon, Cirque du Soleils director of
innovation and enterprise architecture. He noted that there sometimes
were variants in the show lineups since performers might need to be
replaced or the number of artists in some skits would need to be
reduced on some shows.
To maintain the quality of a show over the lifetime of its production,
so audience experience is consistent, Gagnon said it was important to
be able to measure spectators reaction. It also was critical to
ascertain the level of difficulty of a show and how easy it would be
to replace a performer, he said in an interview with DTCDaily.
Cirque du Soleil then turned to the use of cameras and motion
tracking, so it could monitor the performers and compare the quality
of skits. Data insights generated from this translated to better
training for its performers, reduced injuries, and improved experience
for its employees, he said.
The company works with German technology vendor SAP to deploy the
majority of its IT endeavours, ranging from finance, procurement,
supply chain, to manufacturing, and show performance.
Claus Andresen, SAPs Southeast Asia president and managing director,
said it also had worked with a football team in Munich to capture the
movements of its players. The objective here was to determine when
players were likely to get injured, how they moved on the field, what
coaches could use to optimise training, and how training could be
tailored for each individual player.
This ensured players received care that catered to their personal
needs and, therefore, helped reduce the likelihood of injuries,
Andresen said, adding that this, ultimately, would improve the
performance of the team and translate to better enjoyment for their
fans.
SAP also is helping Cirque du Soleil pilot the use of cameras in the
arena to capture and analyse audience reactions in real-time as a
performance is playing out.
Just like retail brands that monitor footfall traffic and in-store
browsing patterns to improve their store layout and customer
experience, the performing arts company has turned to visually
studying its own audience to determine the quality and appeal of its
product.
Gagnon said: For years, weve been using surveys and response rate
not only has been low, we can only capture what they experience and
gauge their response at the end of a show. Were now exploring cameras
as theyre not as intrusive.
He explained that the emotions of spectators could be captured and
assessed throughout the timeline of the show. Through the use of
artificial intelligence (AI) and data analysis, he said the company
aimed to use these insights to improve future shows or tweak certain
segments of a performance.
Were prototyping real-time facial response to our shows as theyre
happening. The surveys will never tell you that, he noted. Also, we
have data scientists analysing based on geographical locations [as] we
believe [audience behaviour] can differ from Asia to Europe, for
instance.
Its the classic [need] to understand our audience better so we can
do marketing with more precision and, hopefully, better conversions
rate. We want to make data-driven decisions.
Gagnon said there still were some issues that needed to be addressed,
such as capturing facial emotions while stage lights were focused on
the performersrather than the audienceas well as studying potential
bias of AI platforms.
Cirque du Soleil also had been using motion-tracking technology to
enhance its costumes through near real-time projection mapping,
where the coupling of physical and virtual objects would take place at
16 milliseconds. This enabled images to be projected directly on the
human body, so a performers costume could be changed and used as a
canvas for expression, he said.
This application of image mapping is similar to how some retail brands
have turned to augmented and virtual reality to enable online shoppers
to gauge how a piece of jewelry may look on their hand.
Gagnon stressed the need for technology, when applied, to be seamless
and non-intrusive for both the performers and audiences.
Andresen concurred, noting: Many of the use cases are about using
data, capturing it quickly, and simulating what would be a potential
outcome. Its about finding opportunities to capture an engagement
with a customer and helping our clients put the technology together
for an outcome that benefits them.
{ SOURCE: DTC Daily }
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R.U.N: Cirque du Soleil, Without the Acrobatics
{Jun.19.2019}
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Can you take the circus out of the Cirque du Soleil and still have a
show that can wow them on the Strip in Las Vegas?
Thats the multi-million-dollar question hovering around R.U.N. which
is being billed as the first live-action thriller by Cirque du
Soleil.
On Tuesday, at the Cirques sprawling St. Michel headquarters, the
creative team behind the show which is set to premiere at the Luxor
Hotel and Casino in Vegas on Oct. 24 tried to describe what will be
the very first Cirque show with absolutely no acrobatic acts in it. I
love the fact that Im doing a Cirque du Soleil show without any
circus acrobats, said R.U.N. director Michael Schwandt. I think that
was a tall order but its a challenge Im readily welcoming.
Schwandt is the creative director of the Fox singing competition show
The Masked Singer and has collaborated with Avril Lavigne, Katy Perry
and Kendrick Lamar. What weve been discovering is that Cirque du
Soleil can create a different genre of live entertainment perhaps than
what theyve created in the past. It can have other disciplines in it
that make up the show, different skill sets other than circus
performance.
The skill sets as an individual skill set are maybe a
little less impressive.
They dont make up an act.
We dont want
to have five minutes of just this. So it was lets approach this
show in a completely different way. So we started looking at
chapters.
It creates a world thats still awe-inspiring, that still
makes you go wow but youre not looking at one type of an act.
One of the main things replacing the acrobatic acts are thriller-
movie-style stunts. So there will be, according to Schwandt, stunt
combat, stunt fighting, weapons works, high falls, fire. We have a
lot of motorcycles. We have both street motorcycles, street stunt
riding, and trial and FMX riding, which are the big jumps and the big
ramps. We have horror stunts.
There is also a stronger narrative than most previous Cirque shows,
which have tended to be built around rather vague concepts and rarely
feature any known language. This time, there will be voice-over
narration in English and filmmaker Robert Rodriguez whose credits
include the Spy Kids and Sin City films is currently at work
developing a screenplay for the show.
The story begins at a remote chapel in the desert. A gangland wedding
is interrupted by a commotion and one man runs from the chapel being
chased by others. Next up is a huge conflict between two rival gangs.
Thats when we meet The Groom, The Professional, The Torturer
and The Bride.
We wanted to leave less room for interpretation, Schwandt said.
The idea is that you would see the show as if you were leafing
through a graphic novel or looking at an action film, said creative
director Stefan Miljevic, who had the same position on the Cirque ice
show Crystal. The inspiration came from films like 300 and Sin City.
Miljevic is a filmmaker his credits include the 2008 documentary Le
lendemain de la fête and the 2012 feature Amsterdam and so he was
excited to work on a Cirque project that is so cinematic.
Jean Frenette is a veteran stunt co-ordinator who has worked on a slew
of Canadian and Hollywood films but he said its been a very different
experience working as action sequence director on a live Cirque show.
Its extremely different, Frenette said. Working in film or TV, you
have one take, two takes, three takes, four takes. This world, you get
one take. The challenge is to deliver the same visual impact but with
a 180-degree point of view, which is very hard. To sell any action
that we do (and make it) believable. We dont have two takes and
theres no multiple camera filming. So it makes it very hard. You
really have to work on the choreography and the positioning of the
people on stage. How are we going to do all that movement or hits or
kicks or punches or whatever we do?
When the concept of the show was first announced a couple of months
back, Cirque du Soleil CEO Daniel Lamarre said the notion was to
create a show that is completely different from the many other Las
Vegas Cirque offerings, a rich eclectic menu that includes The Beatles
Love, Michael Jackson One, O, Ka, Zumanity and Mystère.
{ SOURCE: Montreal Gazette }
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R.U.N: The Edgy Side of Cirque du Soleil
{Jun.20.2019}
----------------------------------------------------------
{This story was translated into English from the original French using
Google Translate}
The 40 RUN stunt artists have been in Montreal since May 28th to
finalize the creation of this Cirque du Soleil show, which will be
staged at the Casino Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas from October 24th. La
Presse spoke with some of its creators.
NO ACROBATICS
Weve been hammering it since the announcement of this creation last
April: there will be no acrobatics in this new show, which will take
up residence in the new Luxor theater, released last fall by the
gothic magician Criss Angel . Its a big circus statement, says
creative director Stefan Miljevic, who has been working on the project
for three years. The idea is to build a show based on stunt
performances only, so we had to work differently. Instead of going
with an acrobatic skeleton, we wrote a story and we tried to see how
the performance could feed it.
GANG STORY
The RUN script was given to Robert Rodriguez ( Spy Kids ), who was
inspired by films like 300 or Sin City . The storyline had to be
clear, says director and choreographer Michael Schwandt, who has
worked on the shows of Lady Gaga and Kendrick Lamar. We are talking
about two rival street gangs in Las Vegas. Its about a wedding in a
chapel between two punk-looking couples. There are no good guys and
bad guys, both gangs are mean, but at different levels, says Michael
Schwandt. The show starts with a bang! and a pursuit. The story
becomes clear after little by little
NOT A FAMILY SHOW
Unlike most Cirque shows in Las Vegas (except perhaps Zumanity ), RUN
is not intended for a family audience. Its not a childrens show,
says Stefan Miljevic. We wanted to come up with something a little
more edgy, to get the millennial audience. People who are fans of
action and horror movies as well as graphic novels. Cirques creative
team made sure there was enough variety of stunts to keep going 10
times a week. There really is a market for action shows, says
Michael Schwandt, who cites the popularity of UFC fights as an
example.
STUNT ARTISTS
The 40 artists (including only two Canadians) are young stuntmen who
are extreme sports enthusiasts or fighters, especially martial
artists. About fifteen women are part of the cast. We will also see a
contingent of motorcyclists, who will perform aerial stunts we are
promised epic. Among these professional daredevils, the Cirque has got
its hands on some original specimens, including Auzzy Blood, who will
interpret the role of the torturer in RUN This young Californian 23
years old, first trained as a medical assistant, swallows including a
sword and will come a meat hook in the nose (our apologies to
sensitive souls).
PROJECTION
Video projections and visual effects are at the heart of this new
Cirque production in Las Vegas. The designers are Olivier Goulet and
Johnny Ranger (division 4U2C). The visual elements help us to tell
the story, says Olivier Goulet, behind Geodezik (assigned to 4U2C),
who worked on the show Michael Jackson One . We made short films of
cascades that will be integrated into the show and that will put us in
context. There are also live cameras that will capture scenes
projected on screens that unfold at 270 degrees in the room. The
projections finally serve as a setting for action, from the Strip to
the chapel. There are effects that are stunning.
{ SOURCE: La Presse+ }
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LV SUN: Behind the scenes of Cirques new R.U.N
{Jun.27.2019}
----------------------------------------------------------
While the Luxor was providing a glimpse last week of what new Cirque
du Soleil show R.U.N might feel like via a very cool construction-
wall mural by local artist Troy Tiki James, Cirques Montreal
headquarters was hosting a video shoot and cast and crew interviews
during rehearsals to continue to spread the word about the upcoming
action thriller. If youre not already following the R.U.N Instagram
account, its not too late to catch some footage and imagery of
electric motorcycles, people on fire and more people going through
fight training sequences and choreography.
Its been really important to us to start educating people right away
on what the show is, said Lou DAngeli, Cirques vice president of
marketing and public relations, back in Vegas at Luxor. The day after
we announced the show we started hosting educational sales sessions
for everybody who sells our tickets. We dont want anybody to call up
and say they want to see a Cirque show and expect [the elements] were
known for.
Judging from the Montreal sneak peek, where creative director Stefan
Milijevic, show director Michael Schwandt and others detailed the
shows overall vision while showcasing pyrotechnics, stunts, costume
design and more, R.U.N looks so different from Cirques beloved,
longtime Las Vegas Strip offerings, it might not be instantly
recognizable as a Cirque show. But DAngeli and his team are dedicated
to generating a new kind of excitement while keeping the brand
connected.
Theres been a lot of discussion about that. To truly differentiate
the brand, Cirque needs to be on it, he said. Where were going, we
have to evolve but theres a lot of credibility when you see that
name. That also puts a lot of pressure on us to deliver in everything
we do, from production to ticket sales to marketing.
One thing is certain: The Luxor team couldnt be more hyped about the
new show, which opens on October 24.
The employees are incredibly excited to have something new for the
company and specifically for Luxor, said Cliff Atkinson, the resorts
president and COO. We have the Esports Arena and the Raiders coming,
but this is the crème de la crème, a new show. Were incredibly
excited to sell it and be a part of it and go see it, and to tell all
our customers not only at Luxor but all MGM resorts to come check out
something you really havent seen anywhere else.
{ SOURCE: The Las Vegas Sun }
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ZDNET: Toruk App Gives Attackers Operator Admin Rights
{Jul.01.2019}
----------------------------------------------------------
A Cirque du Soleil mobile application developed for the Toruk show
opened up every users device to exploit by allowing commands to be
sent to every user in the crowd.
Cybersecurity researchers from ESET said the Toruk The First
Flight application, designed to boost crowd interaction through
audiovisual effects, was not designed with security in mind.
The Toruk app has over 100,000 installs on Google Play, is also
available on iOS, and has not received any form of update since 2016.
Upon examination, ESET researcher Luká tefanko found that anyone
who was connected to the network during the show had the same admin
possibilities as the Cirque du Soleil operators.
The app has no authentication protocols in place. As a result, an open
port port 6161 could be exploited by attackers to remotely control
an app running Toruk, including tampering with volume settings,
displaying content, forcing the discovery of nearby Bluetooth devices,
and to read or write to shared preferences which the app is able to
access.
An attacker could perform a scan to harvest the IP addresses of
vulnerable devices, and while the mischief they could cause is
limited, all it would have taken for the app to generate a unique
token for each device to revoke this mass access without the need for
any form of authentication.
ESET attempted to reach out to Cirque du Soleil in March but did not
receive a response. The researchers tried again in May, only to be met
with radio silence.
As the Toruk show ended its production run at the end of June, the
researchers decided to wait until July to reveal their findings. The
application is no longer needed and so should be uninstalled
immediately a worthwhile security practice that should be applied to
any single-use or purpose mobile applications.
However, Cirque du Soleil does intend to pull the app from Google Play
and Apple App Store now the show is over.
We weighted the security risks connected with the app, which we
consider moderate, against the negative effect of harming the show
after five years of touring the globe and with a few performances to
go, the team said.
ZDNet has reached out to Cirque du Soleil and will update if we hear
back.
{ SOURCE: ZDNet }
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Q&A -- Quick Chats & Press Interviews
***************************************************************
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Las Vegas Magazine Q&A w/Jenn Haight from KÀ
{Jun.21.2019}
----------------------------------------------------------
Jenn Haight has been starring in Cirque du Soleils action-packed KÁ
since it first debuted at MGM Grand more than 14 years ago. She plays
one of the lead roles of Twin Sister, and her actual older sister,
Cheri, portrayed her onstage counterpart Twin Brother for much of the
shows dynamic run.
As KÁ has evolved from a curious story-driven creation into a true
institution on the Las Vegas Strip, Haight has grown as a performer,
excelling at the more emotional aspects of her nightly gig, which has
her hanging tight on a ship battling a vicious storm at sea, flying
across a stage that rises and falls and tilts beneath her, and taking
the audience along for an epic journey of redemption.
Q. When KÁ opened in 2005, you were the youngest member of the cast.
Being 17 and being given such a big role, one of the lead roles, there
was a lot of responsibility and pressure. I think I made everyone
proud and helped to make the show what it is now, and its evolved a
lot over time. Its a great honor, but being 17, theres a lot going
on in your life. I was really growing up with the company. It was a
great adventure and it turned out well for me.
Q. What kind of performance background did you bring to Cirque?
I did martial arts, starting at age 10 with kung-fu and then switching
over to another Chinese martial art called wushu, and I competed for
six years all over the United States and Canada. Being a competitor
meant traveling and doing different routines and trying to place but
we did a lot of performances on the side for our school. Wed go to
different venues and have to adapt to being onstage, and sometimes
theyd say the stage is 20 by 20 (feet) when it was actually five by
five with a piano onstage. So in terms of being a performer, my
background is having to learn to adapt well, and Cirque du Soleil is
sort of the same thing, adapting to any atmosphere. I didnt know at
the time but it definitely prepared me.
Q. You also had to learn different skills and circus arts, like
climbing a rope and swinging from a trapeze, to prepare for your
role. What was the biggest challenge?
Probably adjusting to a very busy schedule. I had 12-hour shifts,
training all day long, eating lunch and then getting straight back in.
That was the hardest thing.
Q. Whats your show schedule like now?
I get there around 4:30 and start makeup, which takes me about an
hour, then do hair prep, then go up to the training room and warm up
for about an hour. At 6:30 Im going downstairs in full hair and
makeup and doing all my presets, getting into character, stretching
and training with other artists. Just making sure everything runs
smoothly.
Q. How big of a change was it when your sister left the show three
years ago?
It was a big change but I was lucky because the ones that stepped
forward to play the Twin Brother character were understudies, and one
of them I had worked with for 10 years. It was kind of plug and play.
But I was blessed [to have her around] because when we started, I was
17 and she was 20, and I always had her with me whether we were going
to Montreal or coming to Vegas. Its always nice to have that moral
support and just support in general, of having your sister around.
Q. KÁ has a storyline that sets it apart from other Cirque du Soleil
shows. What is your favorite part of the show?
I think you hit the nail on the head. We really try to drive that
story and I find the most fun part of performing is getting to feel
those emotions. My character goes from happy to sad to falling in
love, then gathering all her strength and winning back the kingdom
from the ones who attacked us. Playing all those emotions is really
fun and when you get to connect to the audience and really see how
invested they are in what youre giving them onstage, thats the best
reward. It makes me feel like Im doing my job to the fullest. Its
great.
Q. Do you still practice martial arts?
Yes. Its hard sometimes to train all the time but in that hour before
the show, sometimes I go through my routines, some of my kicks and my
different forms of weaponry, even though I dont use them in the show,
just to stay sharp. And its nice to get the pleasure of doing it
again in a different way. I definitely try to squeeze it in. Its a
part of me and I dont want to lose that.
{ SOURCE: Las Vegas Magazine }
----------------------------------------------------------
AsiaOne Chats with Kurios Nathan Dennis
{Jul.03.2019}
----------------------------------------------------------
There is something about the circus that fills people with childlike
wonder and fascination, no matter young or old.
With Cirque du Soleils Kurios troupe in town and anchored at
Bayfront, we went behind the scenes with performer Nathan Dennis to
get a glimpse into the life of someone who ran away to join the
circus.
Dennis career has been filled with highlights. In fact, one of his
most memorable moments was getting to perform for action star Chris
Pratt. Chris had watched Kurios, interacted with the performers
backstage, and even invited them to spend a day on the set of
Guardians of the Galaxy.
The actor also went on to show his appreciation for the performers on
Twitter.
However, behind the star-studded shows and shoutouts from celebrities
is a life of endless workouts and constant touring.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
The 33-year-old Australians circus aspirations began at the tender
age of 13, after he watched Cirque du Soleils Saltimbanco production.
At 21, he passed the audition to join Cirque, beating out over 30
other hopefuls. His years of training had paid off.
His face lit up as he recalled the moment he made it past the
auditions: Being in the circus was like my goal and my dream. So it
was like achieving part of my dream. It was the best feeling ever.
Serendipitously, the first Cirque du Soleil show that he performed in
was the one that had sparked his circus dreams Saltimbanco.
Being a circus performer, Dennis has whipped his body into tip-top
shape. He explains that his body has adapted to the gruelling show
schedule of about eight shows a week. Doing conditioning workouts on
top of that helps him remain in peak condition.
The word rest doesnt seem to be in his dictionary. His brutal
training regimen begins with two or more hours of CrossFit in the gym
in the morning and core exercises later during the day at work. When
Im not here [in the circus], or on my day off, Im usually at the
gym, says the self-confessed workhorse.
This superhuman does have an Achilles heel doughnuts. While he
generally tries to eat healthily, doughnuts are his favourite treat.
He offers a tip, After a good high-intensity session, eat doughnuts.
Because your body just absorbs it straight away anyway.
SEEING THE WORLD
Since joining Saltimbanco in 2007 and Kurios in 2014, Dennis has been
touring and performing around the world for 13 years. When we asked
about his life when hes not on tour, Dennis draws a blank. I dont
know, Ive actually always been touring, he says.
Citing travelling as the best part of the job, he continues, The best
way for me to grow up has been travelling around. Im lucky to be able
to travel and see all these amazing cities so Im really happy.
At the same time, touring can be a double-edged sword. Explaining that
he is away from home for most of the year, he laments, You kind of
become a stranger to your friends back home, so thats tough.
LIFE AFTER THE CIRCUS
After living his dream, He is ready to move on to the next phase in
his life. He says that this international tour with the Kurios troupe
will be his last.
He credits the circus with awakening his interest in fitness, If I
didnt make it [into the circus] dont think I would have discovered
fitness or fallen into it. The circus has been life-changing.
Keeping in line with his passion for all things fitness-related,
Dennis, who is also a strength and conditioning coach for the Kurios
troupe, has big plans of opening his very own CrossFit gym in
Australia.
Whether you have aspirations of joining the circus or simply have a
goal that you are working towards, take a leaf from Dennis book. He
shares that his secret to success is simply to work hard, I believe
that hard work pays off all the time.
{ SOURCE: AsiaOne }
=======================================================================
ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION
=======================================================================
o) BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau
{Alegria, Amaluna, Koozå, Kurios, Luzia, Totem,
Volta & Bazzar}
o) ARENA - In Stadium-like venues
{OVO, Crystal, Corteo, Messi10, AXEL}
o) RESIDENT - Performed en Le Théâtre
{Mystère, "O", Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE, MJ ONE, JOYA,
Paramour, X: The Land of Fantasy, and R.U.N}
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
------------------------------------
Alegría-25th Anniversary:
Montreal, QC -- Apr 18, 2019 to Jul 21, 2019
Gatineau, QC -- Aug 1, 2019 to Sep 1, 2019
Toronto, ON -- Sep 12, 2019 to Dec 1, 2019
Miami, FL -- Dec 20, 2020 to Feb 9 2020
Houston, TX -- Feb 21, 2020 to Apr 5, 2020
Austin, TX -- Apr 15, 2020 to May 17, 2020
Chicago, IL -- Jun 3, 2020 to Jul 12, 2020
Washington, DC -- Jul 23, 2020 to Sep 27, 2020
Vancouver, BC -- Oct 15, 2020 to Jan 10, 2021
Amaluna:
Oaks, PA -- Jul 24, 2019 to Aug 25, 2019
Winnipeg, MB -- Sep 14, 2019 to Oct 20, 2019
Bazzar:
Istanbul, TU -- TBA
Cairo, EG -- TBA
Koozå:
Valencia, ES -- May 30, 2019 to Jul 14, 2019
Gijon, ES -- Jul 31, 2019 to Sep 1, 2019
Malaga, ES -- Sep 13, 2019 to Oct 6, 2019
Madrid, ES -- Oct 24, 2019 to Dec 8, 2019
Seville, ES -- Jan 15, 2019 to Feb 9, 2019
Kurios:
Singapore, SG -- Jul 5, 2019 to Aug 18, 2019
Sydney, AU -- Oct 2, 2019 to Nov 24, 2019
Brisbane, AU -- Jan 10, 2020 to Jan 26, 2020
Melbourne, AU -- Mar 12, 2020 to Mar 29, 2020
Adelaide, AU -- May 29, 2020 to Jun 7, 2020
Perth, AU -- TBA
Luzia:
Hartford, CT -- Jun 19, 2019 to Jul 21, 2019
Calgary, AB -- Aug 16, 2019 to Sep 22, 2019
Vancouver, BC -- Oct 3, 2019 to Nov 24, 2019
London, UK -- Jan 12, 2020 to Feb 16, 2020
Moscow, RU -- Mar 19, 2020 to Apr 12, 2020
Totem:
Gran Canaria, ES -- Jul 5, 2019 to Sep 22, 2019
The Hague, NL -- Oct 11, 2019 to Dec 1, 2019
Düsseldorf, DE -- Dec 19, 2019 to Jan 19, 2020
Munich, DE -- Feb 12, 2020 to Mar 8, 2020
Rome, IT -- Apr 1, 2020 to Apr 19, 2020
VOLTA:
Washington, DC -- Jul 25, 2019 to Sep 8, 2019
Atlanta, GA -- Oct 10, 2019 to Jan 5, 2020
Los Angeles, CA -- Jan 18, 2020 to Mar 8, 2020
Costa Mesa, CA -- Mar 18, 2020 - Apr 19, 2020
------------------------------------
ARENA - In Stadium-Like Venues
------------------------------------
OVO:
Montevido, UR -- Jul 04, 2019 to Jul 14, 2019
Buenos Aires, AR -- Jul 17, 2019 to Jul 20, 2019
Cordoba, AR -- Jul 25, 2019 to Jul 28, 2019
Mendoza, AR -- Aug 01, 2019 to Aug 04, 2019
Santiago, CL -- Aug 23, 2019 to Sep 1, 2019
Medellin, CO -- Oct 09, 2019 to Oct 26, 2019
CRYSTAL - A BREAKTHROUGH ICE EXPERIENCE:
Erie, PA -- Jul 10, 2019 to Jul 14, 2019
Charlotte, NC -- Jul 17, 2019 to Jul 21, 2019
Indianapolis, IN -- Jul 24, 2019 to Jul 28, 2019
Manchester, NH -- Aug 1, 2019 to Aug 4, 2019
Portland, ME -- Aug 7, 2019 to Aug 11, 2019
Moncton, NB -- Aug 14, 2019 to Aug 18, 2019
Saint John, NB -- Aug 21, 2019 to Aug 25, 2019
Halifax, NS -- Aug 28, 2019 to Sep 1, 2019
Monterrey, MX -- Sep 19, 2019 to Sep 22, 2019
Guadalajara, MX -- Sep 25, 2019 to Sep 29, 2019
Mexico City, MX -- Oct 4, 2019 to Oct 13, 2019
Moscow, RU -- Nov 22, 2019 to Dec 8, 2019
Saint Petersburg, RU -- Dec 11, 2019 to Dec 15, 2019
Kazan, RU -- Dec 19, 2019 to Dec 22, 2019
Ufa, RU -- Dec 25, 2019 to Dec 29, 2019
Ekaterinburg, RU -- Jan 1, 2020 to Jan 5, 2020
Riga, LV -- Jan 15, 2020 to Jan 19, 2020
Minsk, BY -- Feb 6, 2020 to Feb 9, 2020
Kiev, UA -- Feb 13, 2020 to Feb 16, 2020
CORTEO:
Columbia, SC -- Jul 10, 2019 to Jul 14, 2019
Estero, FL -- Jul 17, 2019 to Jul 21, 2019
Sunrise, FL -- Jul 24, 2019 to Aug 4, 2019
San Antonio, TX -- Aug 8, 2019 to Aug 11, 2019
Denver, CO -- Aug 15, 2019 to Aug 22, 2019
Hershey, PA -- Aug 28, 2019 to Sep 1, 2019
Turin, IT -- Sep 26, 2019 to Sep 29, 2019
Milan, IT -- Oct 3, 2019 to Oct 6, 2019
Bologna, IT -- Oct 10, 2019 to Oct 13, 2019
Pesario, IT -- Oct 17, 2019 to Oct 20, 2019
Leipzig, DE -- Oct 23, 2019 to Oct 27, 2019
Frankfurt, DE -- Oct 30, 2019 to Nov 3, 2019
Nuremberg, DE -- Nov 6, 2019 to Nov 10, 2019
Graz, AT -- Nov 13, 2019 to Nov 17, 2019
Brussels, BE -- Nov 21, 2019 to Nov 24, 2019
Paris, FR -- Dec 12, 2019 to Dec 15, 2019
Stuttgart, DE -- Dec 18, 2019 to Dec 22, 2019
Mannheim, DE -- Dec 25, 2019 to Dec 29, 2019
Lisbon, PT -- Jan 3, 2020 to Jan 12, 2020
Granada, ES -- Jan 15, 2020 to Jan 19, 2020
Zargoza, ES -- Jan 22, 2020 to Jan 26, 2020
Vitoria-Gasteiz, ES -- Jan 29, 2020 to Feb 2, 2020
Santiago de Compostela, ES -- Feb 5, 2020 to Feb 9, 2020
Santander, ES -- Feb 12, 2020 to Feb 16, 2020
Antwerp, BE -- Mar 13, 2020 to Mar 22, 2020
Vienna, AT -- Mar 25, 2020 to Mar 29, 2020
Messi10:
Barcelona, ES -- Oct 10, 2019 to Nov 10, 2019
AXEL:
Cornwall, ON -- Oct 4, 2019 to Oct 5, 2019
Syracuse, NY -- Oct 11, 2019 to Oct 13, 2019
Huntsville, AL -- Oct 18, 2019 to Oct 20, 2019
Pensacola, FL -- Oct 24, 2019 to Oct 27, 2019
Tampa, FL -- Oct 31, 2019 Nov 3, 2019
Jacksonville, FL -- Nov 7, 2019 to Nov 10, 2019
Roanoke, VA -- Nov 14, 2019 to Nov 17, 2019
Worcester, MA -- Dec 5, 2019 to Dec 8, 2019
Quebec City, QC -- Dec 12, 2019 to Dec 15, 2019
Montreal, QC -- Dec 19, 2019 to Dec 29, 2019
---------------------------------
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
*) 2019 Dark Dates:
o) August 20 thru 21, 2019
o) September 21 thru 25, 2019
"O":
Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark: Monday/Tuesday
Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 9:30pm
*) Single Show Dates | 7:00 pm Only
o) Tuesday, Nov 5, 2019
*) 2019 Dark Dates:
o) 9:30 PM Performance of November 7
Zumanity:
Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark Wednesday/Thursday
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: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
MICHAEL JACKSON ONE:
Location: Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Thursday through Monday - Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
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: Stage Theater New Flora | Hamburg, Germany
Performs: One/Two Shows Nightly...
o) Monday: Dark
o) Tuesday: 6:30pm
o) Wednesday: 6:30pm
o) Thursday: 8:00pm
o) Friday: 8:00pm
o) Saturday: 3:30pm & 8:00pm
o) Sunday: 2:30pm & 7:00pm
R.U.N:
Location: Luxor Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Wednesday through Sunday - Dark: Monday/Tuesday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
SHOWS BEGIN OCTOBER 24, 2019
=======================================================================
OUTREACH - UPDATES FROM CIRQUE's SOCIAL WIDGETS
=======================================================================
o) WEBSERIES -- Official Online Featurettes
o) VIDEOS -- Official Peeks & Noted Fan Finds
---------------------------------------------------
WEBSERIES: Official Online Featurettes
---------------------------------------------------
*) TEST R.U.N
Prepare for a live experience, unlike anything youve ever seen
from Cirque du Soleil! R.U.N is a live-action thriller jam-packed
with stunts and chases thatll leave you on the edge of your seat.
o) EPISODE 1: "PLAYING WITH FIRE"
LINK /// https://youtu.be/4wBqllx0BDw
*) PASCAL SIOUI'S ALEGRIA BEHIND THE SCENES VIDEOS
Like he did with VOLTA, through his Facebook and Instagram pages,
Pascal is posting videos that he shot during the creation of the
new Alegria.
o) VIDEO 12: Main Curtain & Sceptre | Week 6 in the Studio
LINK /// https://www.facebook.com/Psioui/videos/10157804997219305/
---------------------------------------------------
VIDEOS: Official Peeks & Noted Fan Finds
---------------------------------------------------
o) Casting Call: Take Your Place...
- Tumblers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUpdx-MfYg8
- Athletes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cfjqkoG1vo
- Dancers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpGnkNE92nc
- Acrobatic Gymnasts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe0oxP5JvfY
- Circus Performers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZU8mnuNfHc
- Clowns & Actors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YovcQABgg80
- Traditional Dancers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpLpvJOUbM4
- Divers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMYI7YnnIKg
- Trampoline Artists: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdjOvP0U4uk
- Contemporary & Jazz Dancers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8O0Xy-3Hmc
- Gymnastics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrwjZitURmI
o) Music Video...
- TOTEM | "Toreador": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ty94y80MYI
- KOOZA | "L'Innocent": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDn_q1VlTcQ
- "O" | "Ephra": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA8oT8PBzOg
- KURIOS | "Clouds": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56Opw370Z9Y
- CORTEO | "Ritornare": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5Z3X3pXlJk
- TORUK | "Luminous Reunion": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqGWXFFs_Sg
- ZUMANITY | "Zum Astra": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z44KWBohlH0
- OVO | "Frevo Zumbido": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9I7MaYZfkM
o) BAZZAR Behind the Scenes...
- Ep 1: https://www.facebook.com/CirqueduSoleilBAZZAR/videos/447616872680656/
- Ep 2: https://www.facebook.com/CirqueduSoleilBAZZAR/videos/2311893159051955/
- Ep 3: https://www.facebook.com/CirqueduSoleilBAZZAR/videos/1325690134262906/
- Ep 4: https://www.facebook.com/CirqueduSoleilBAZZAR/videos/378096849499987/
o) TOTEM: "My Special Life as a Cirque Artist"
- Ep 1 (Denise and Massino): https://www.facebook.com/Totem/videos/1259224020922989/
- Ep 2 (Oyun-Erdene Senge): https://www.facebook.com/Totem/videos/2347197875565777/
o) Cirque at SEA: A Day in the Life
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk6-LwakqaU
o) MESSI10 - "The Stage"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peApMqLERIo
o) MESSI10 | Official 2019 Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a1OhIEN1ik
o) Wearable Art w/Adam McAlvey
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M10ziLXV3VQ&t=232s
o) Training to Thril - Kooza
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2I1Wuq9__I
o) Celebrate World Music Day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mKBUj5DJJ0
o) KA Fight Sene Wrestling in VR180 (IMMERCIRQUE)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MY42p1_yh4
o) Professional Skaters Learning THIS...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHxAIKYpMt4
o) Alegria from C2 in Montreal
https://www.facebook.com/Alegria/videos/694641197654068/
o) ALEGRIA - Acro Pole
https://www.facebook.com/Alegria/videos/368591960435546/
o) VOLTA Rope Skipping Brand New Costumes
https://www.facebook.com/VOLTA/videos/437390233714303/
o) VOLTA Celebrates PRIDE
https://www.facebook.com/VOLTA/videos/399642650650937/
o) TORUK - "Anurai Act LIVE" at Final Performance
https://www.facebook.com/torukthefirstflight/videos/695606167565424/
=======================================================================
FASCINATION! FEATURES
=======================================================================
------------------------------------------------------------
Jean David's Quel Cirque, Part 7: "Strength in Diversity"
A Special Series Celebrating Cirque's 35th Anniversary
------------------------------------------------------------
Today a consultant in creativity and event marketing, Jean David was
one of the pioneers of Cirque du Soleil, where he led the marketing
department for 15 years (from 1984-1999), introducing the magic of the
Grand Chapiteau to the whole world. During his tenure, David
distinguished himself through innovative methods by commercializing
the Big Top and introducing its magic to other cultures on four
continents.
A man of vision but also a determined entrepreneur, Jean David acted
as Vice President of Entertainment, Sales & Marketing at the WYNN
Hotel in Las Vegas before moving to India for 18 months, where he led
a pre-feasibility study for the creation of an innovative project: the
Mumbai International Creative Center, an international resort centered
around the theme of creativity.
In his 2005 book - "Quel Cirque!" ("What a Cirque!") - David offered
his views on leadership and revealed the innovative qualities that
contributed to Cirque du Soleil's enormous success in marketing,
management, creation and exploration. There was only one problem... it
was written in his native French. Thankfully, David himself translated
and web-published an English-language version of his book and we've
collected the relevant Cirque-related chapters for this 12-part
series.
Jean David's "Quel Cirque" is a fantastic read and as Cirque du Soleil
celebrates its 35th anniversary this year, we thought this would be
the perfect year to share these texts with you. So, without further
ado, Quel Cirque!
# # #
Tickets, please! Its worth noting this aspect of Cirque du Soleils
operations. Few companies can employ Cirques approach to customer
service. Its one of the great mysteries of modern management.
One day, as the 20th century drew to a close, I was back in Montreal
serving on a business conference panel on customer service. The
speakers who preceded me came from major service firms (telephone,
electricity, malls, etc.) For nearly two hours, I had listened to them
discuss the need to pump huge sums of money into staff training and
recruitment. Some even cited statistics comparing performance with the
length of training.
Others boasted about the vast amounts their company had invested the
previous year. The participants with eyes agape dutifully took notes,
enthralled by such a display of wisdom and modernity. But I could
hardly relate to their remarks. I might have been on another planet.
In fact, I started to question my professionalism. Was I a marketing
VP or not?
When my turn came, I felt a little ill at ease. I wondered whether Id
do better to keep my counsel, feign sickness and slip away
What a
pity to put a damper on such fin-de-siècle sagacity and mutual
admiration among major corporations. But someone had to tell them the
truth! Summoning up my courage, I began my presentation by
congratulating the previous speakers. I acknowledged the complexity of
their system, the high degree of sophistication required; a truly
inspiring demonstration of the art of human resources. Then I revealed
I had a little surprise in store for them.
In an important aspect, Cirque du Soleil resembles other retail firms:
employees in direct contact with the public handle customer service:
the ticket-booth clerks, the ushers and concession staff. But the
problem is that these people are temporary, hired for the length of
our engagement. Their primary qualification is their availability. In
some periods of the year and in some towns, they can be hard to find.
Job applicants are usually hired on the spot. So youll find a
diversity of people with respect to age, race, sex, and hair color.
Youll find piercing adepts, retirees, students, the unemployed, and
welfare recipients quite a team! We give them four hours of training
for a specific job and
Tickets please! Whats amazing is that
normally it all works out very well. The employees take pride in their
work and the customers are open-minded and respectful towards them.
Its as if theres a certain understanding between the public and
temporary employees. What more could we ask for? Thats how we manage
to defy the laws of customer service.
My co-panelists were somewhere between stunned and amused. They
insisted that I must be an exception. The audience didnt take notes
during my presentation. Some looked a little puzzled. They didnt know
what to think! Good for them! Others beamed, happy to see that there
were other ways of doing things. The conference coordinator was
encouraging: It takes people like you to get things moving; dont
give up Jean! So, off the beaten track, you can often get where you
want to go!
Souvenirs Here
--------------
T-shirts, programs, posters, clowns noses
get your souvenirs here!
From the time Cirque du Soleil began, merchandise sales were always
important to the company. It was a highly lucrative sector of
activity, contributing to the deployment and exploitation of the
brand. We gradually developed our merchandise through trial and error,
an approach that brought improvements year after year and yielded
excellent results.
As the 1985 tour began, we just started with our first line of
products (T-shirts, programs, posters, sweatshirts, clowns noses,
etc. Our approach was simple and intuitive. A few days before the
first performance on the tour, Guy burst into my office. He was beside
himself. He gave me a dressing down as only he could do. He was
furious that I had authorized such a large order of products. He
claimed we didnt have enoughliquidity to justify a big inventory. I
pointed out that our order was based on extremely conservative sales
projections and that, in my opinion, it was the least we could produce
if we wanted to have a favorable cost price ratio.
I also assured him that I had taken care to negotiate reasonable terms
of payment with our suppliers. But to no avail. The tirade continued
unabated. I attributed his reaction to stress brought on by the tour
launch. The next Monday, after our first week of shows, Guy called me
up and tore into me again because, he said, we risked running out of
stock. Customers couldnt get enough of our products: our merchandise
was flying off the shelves and during the first weekend our sales
succeeded all expectations.
We never really suffered from product shortfalls while I was running
the marketing department. Consumers appreciated our highly diversified
range of articles as to price and type of product. They were happy
they could find items for as little as a dollar and as much as $500.
What was really amazing is that fewer than 10% of the products
generated over 85% of the revenues. This applied to almost every city
we visited in the world. Our best sellers were our videos, music, and
souvenir programs.
In the early 1990s, we tried to set up a licensing program, in which
we granted operating licenses for use of our trademark to
manufacturers who distributed their products in large stores and
specialized boutiques. We teamed up with Determined Productions, a San
Francisco firm, with solid experience in the domain. The company acted
for us, developing concepts, models and visuals, which it offered
other firms involved in clothing, accessories, toys, jewelry, etc.
Company founder and chairperson Connie Boucher fell in love with
Cirque du Soleil. She was passionate, honest, dedicated, and a bit of
a visionary. She was an artist. Jean Laliberté, Guys dynamic younger
brother ran this highly ambitious project.
Could the qualities of our new show trademark be projected onto
clothes and other popular consumer items? A number of factors had to
be taken into consideration. First, brand recognition. How
recognizable was our brand to consumers and what did it conjure up in
their minds? And what demographic should we target initially?
Children, teenagers, adults, men, women? We also had to determine the
range of products to create. Which should we choose: sports clothes,
leisure wear, jackets, pants, dresses, ties, scarves, travel items,
decorations, wallpaper, gift items, Christmas articles? The list was
endless. There were so many questions, that our agent preferred not to
answer them directly but to get advice from manufacturers who had a
sense of flair.
Our agents concepts appealed to some of the manufacturers who
attended our shows. Quite rightly, he wanted to take full advantage of
the imagery and creations wed developed over the years. But after a
few years our efforts had failed to bear fruit. Especially after the
death of our beloved Connie, the firms chairperson and principal
stockholder, her estate decided to end the partnership.
Nonetheless, the experience taught us how to exploit the brand.
Souvenir merchandising received more emphasis. Our products sold best
when they were directly linked with our shows. Thats one reason why
Cirque du Soleil boutiques are so successful in Orlando and Las Vegas
because they are located near the theater.
I believed that brand exploitation deserved particular attention. The
recent events led me to draw the following conclusions: we were among
the best in the world in the live show sector, and wed carved out an
international reputation for excellence. Our merchandise sales were
strongest on the show sites themselves.
In distributing the music from our shows internationally, we faced
stiff competition. All you have to do is go to a record shop to see
that. The same applied to our television shows, films, videos,
cartoons and variety shows, etc. In these sectors, the competition was
generally light years ahead of us.
Associating the characteristics of our brand with other areas of
activity amusement parks, hotels, restaurants, spas, was, I
feared, a risky proposition. There are limits to how far you can
stretch a brand, and the limits vary from one brand to another. Apart
from the financial incentive, whats the point of trying to force
such a fragile and unique brand to expand? Why risk cheapening a
treasure?
Some brands lend themselves to all sorts of exploitation. Virgin is an
outstanding example. But as far as I was concerned, the Cirque du
Soleil brand was intimately related to the Cirque du Soleil
experience. The word that best encapsulated the qualities of our shows
was authenticity. The further the consumers were from the experience,
the less credible and appealing they found our merchandise. Without
direct experience, there was no authenticity.
Seize The Moment
----------------
The timing of Cirque du Soleils launch couldnt have been better. It
was 1984 and there were ongoing celebrations marking the 450th
anniversary of Jacques Cartiers arrival in Canada. And that was the
year that Cirque du Soleil was born. In 1985, World Youth Year, the
federal and provincial governments instituted programs to subsidize
young entrepreneurs and businesses; naturally Cirque du Soleil
qualified. Then in 1986, for EXPO 86 in Vancouver the company won an
important month long contract to host the Canada Pavilion. Next at the
Los Angeles Festival in 1987 we had the honor of holding the opening
gala under the big top; wed entered the American market in a big way.
What was really extraordinary about this adventure is that we had
recognized these opportunities and took full advantage of them. Every
day of our lives, we run across opportunities, some big and some
small. Often, small opportunities turn out to be significant if only
we recognize them. We must be open to new ideas and occasions. We need
to know ourselves and be aware of whats happening around us.
Diplomacys Everything!
-----------------------
In our travels around the world, we always touched base with the
Canadian embassies and consulates as well as the Quebec delegations.
Our relations with our countrys representatives took many forms
depending on the situation, our needs and the people we were dealing
with. As far as I was concerned our representatives were there to
provide support. As a taxpayer, I thought, Were paying their salary,
theyre there to help us, lets see how we can work together.
Our relations with diplomats evolved a great deal. When we first
started touring abroad, wed go to see the cultural attaché who would
do everything possible to assist us. We would have preferred to work
with economic advisers, but they generally didnt see any point in
meeting us. Ever on the lookout for sponsors, we knew the advisors
were in frequent contact with local enterprises.
We constantly encouraged the embassy, consulate, and delegation to
take advantage of the opportunity to invite their various
acquaintances to our shows. We were an excellent tool for establishing
business relations. It took a number of years before the economic
advisers got on board and the approach became common practice. In
fact, it didnt happen until we became really famous. One day, the
Canadian Counsul General in San Francisco confessed that Cirques
presence in the city generated more press coverage and general
interest in Quebec and the rest of Canada than a visit by any
government minister, including the prime minister. He jokingly
confided to me that if we could guarantee that wed be in northern
California every year, he could close the consulate and save taxpayers
money
I found his suggestion very interesting.
In 1990, both the Quebec delegation and the Canadian embassy wanted to
hold a reception after our debut performance at the Cirque dhiver
Bouglione in Paris. They were prepared to share the costs. They wanted
to sign the invitation card and say a few words of greeting to the
guests of honor. We were happy to oblige since it helped cut expenses
But the Quebec delegate general was reluctant to be associated with
the Canadian ambassador, and vice versa. It was never done. This was
an old story typical of Canada-Quebec relations in Paris.
Representatives of both sides informed us that in France, the
signatures of the ambassador and the delegate general never appeared
together on an official invitation card for this type of social event.
It just wasnt done! I assured them that I understood but I offered a
simple suggestion: either you co-sign the little card or well get
along without you, and of course, neither one of you will be
mentioned! Youll just be another guest
That evening we witnessed
another first: they were kind enough to accept our offer. Thats
politics!
To Be Continued...
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COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
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Fascination! Newsletter
Volume 19, Number 7 (Issue #186) - July 2019
"Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (C)
2001-2019 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., All Rights
Reserved. No copyright infringement intended.
{ Jul.11.2019 }
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