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Fascination Issue 204
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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 21, NUMBER 1 January 2021 ISSUE #204
=======================================================================
Welcome to the latest edition of Fascination, the Unofficial
Cirque du Soleil Newsletter.
However, there's not too much to say except to call your attention
to an epic journey the likes we've never before seen: Cirque du Soleil
fan Propel Pierrot takes a group of heroes on an adventure to save a
gentle damsel from a ravishing dark lord in a fantastic new project
on his YouTube channel.
"Inspired by traditional RPG video game universe, we propose to let
yourself be carried in this adventure while you discover re-interpreted
Cirque du Soleil songs associated with hand drawn animated scenes that
narrate that old classical medieval tale. We worked a bit over two
years on this special project! We are now please to show you this as
the new year begins, hoping it will contribute holding the passionate
flame of Cirque du Soleil's lovers until their great come back under
the big top."
Check out this Cirque du Soleil inspired journey here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARRRjjbvgUo
/----------------------------------------------------\
| |
| Join us on the web at: |
| < www.cirquefascination.com > |
| |
| Realy Simple Syndication (RSS) Feed (News Only): |
| < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?feed=rss2 > |
| |
\----------------------------------------------------/
- Ricky "Richasi" Russo
===========
CONTENTS
===========
o) Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings
* La Presse -- General News & Highlights
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
* "The Cirque Sound: La Nouba"
By: Matt Dibrindisi - Northampton, Massachusetts (USA)
* "What Ifs and If Onlys, Part 5 of 7"
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
o) Copyright & Disclaimer
=======================================================================
CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
=======================================================================
***************************************************************
LA PRESSE -- General News & Highlights
***************************************************************
----------------------------------------------------------
ICYMI: Cirque Remains Committed to Las Vegas
{Dec.07.2020}
----------------------------------------------------------
About a year ago, Cirque du Soleil's aquatic landmark "O" shifted to a
seven-night schedule, a first for the dream-like epic that originally
opened with Bellagio in October of 1998. After passing the 10,000-show
mark last September, the production hired new artists and increased
the cast to 117 from 77 in preparation for what should have been its
biggest year yet.
Last week, Cirque du Soleil President and CEO Daniel Lamarre said "O"
will likely be the first Cirque show to reopen on the Las Vegas Strip
in 2021.
"People in Las Vegas and even we ourselves sometimes forget that O'
is the most successful show in the world. There is no other single
show that is selling that many tickets year after year for over 20
years now," he said. "This signature show is a symbol for us and
that's why it will be more than natural to open O' first. It will
send a clear signal worldwide that Cirque du Soleil is back."
Just before Thanksgiving, the Montreal-based live entertainment group
announced the closure of a purchase agreement with its secured lenders
and that the company has emerged from the creditor protection period
for which it filed in June in Canada and the United States. The new
investment group is led by Toronto firm Capital Catalyst Group and the
co-chairs of the new Cirque du Soleil board of directors are former
MGM Resorts International CEO Jim Murren and Catalyst Managing
Director Gabriel de Alba.
The presence of Murren and another new board member, current MGM
President of Entertainment and Sports George Kliavkoff, is
confirmation of the strong relationship between Cirque and Las Vegas,
which began when the company's first Strip residency "Mystére" opened
at Treasure Island in 1993.
"Having [Murren and Kliavkoff] is not only good for Las Vegas, which
is key to the development of this company, but it's also [about] the
opportunity to develop with [MGM] in their other casinos around the
world," Lamarre said.
Cirque has relaunched three productions in recent months: "X: The Land
of Fantasy" in Hangzhou, China; "Joya" in Riviera Maya, Mexico; and a
smaller holiday show at the Gaylord Palms hotel in Kissimmee, Florida.
The company also launched a new online content hub called
CirqueConnect during the pandemic shutdown, where a new behind-the-
scenes special on "O" premiered last week.
But Lamarre said the real re-start for Cirque du Soleil will happen on
the Las Vegas Strip.
"It is the same company, the same bunch of artists and creators that
are still very passionate about doing new shows. What the new
[ownership] really means for our people is that now I can say the
future of the company is guaranteed," he said. "When the market is
back to normalcy, it means we can bring back our shows, bring the
company back to profitability and it also means we have the financial
strength that it takes to go through the process we're in right now
where it's not likely the market will be back to normal until have a
vaccine. After that we will be able to invest the millions of dollars
it takes to relaunch all of our existing shows."
Cirque announced the permanent closure of the 17-year production
"Zumanity" at New York-New York last month and simultaneously
announced contract extensions for its other Las Vegas Strip shows
"O" at Bellagio, "The Beatles LOVE" at the Mirage, "KÁ" at MGM Grand,
"Michael Jackson ONE" at Mandalay Bay and "Mystére" at Treasure
Island. The Cirque group also owns the long-running Blue Man Group
show at Luxor, which has yet to return to performances since the March
shutdown of the Strip.
With the recent closure at New York-New York and the pre-pandemic
closure of "R.U.N," at Luxor, there are two Strip theaters previously
occupied by Cirque shows without long-term residency plans and Lamarre
said he's hoping to make some announcements regarding those venues
soon.
"We are on the lookout for new types of shows we could bring and
hopefully they will be able to come to fruition in the next few
months," he said.
{ SOURCE: Brad Radke, Las Vegas Sun }
----------------------------------------------------------
Moodys Assigns CAA1 CFR to Cirque; Outlook Negative
{Dec.14.2020}
----------------------------------------------------------
Moodys Investors Service, (Moodys) assigned a Caa1 corporate
family rating (CFR) and a Caa1-PD probability of default rating to
Cirque du Soleil Holding USA NewCo, Inc. (Cirque du Soleil). At the
same time, Moodys assigned a B2 rating to its $316 million senior
secured first lien term loan due November 2025 and a Caa2 rating to
its $300 million second lien term loan due November 2027. Cirque du
Soleil Canada Inc. is a co-borrower. The outlook is negative.
Ratings Assigned:
o) Corporate Family Rating, Assigned Caa1
o) Probability of Default Rating, Assigned Caa1-PD
o) $316 million Senior Secured First Lien Term Loan due in 2025,
Assigned B2 (LGD2)
o) $300 million Senior Secured Second Lien Term Loan due in 2027,
Assigned Caa2 (LGD5)
o) Outlook Action: Outlook, Assigned as Negative
RATINGS RATIONALE
-----------------
Cirque du Soleil (Caa1 negative) is constrained by: (1) execution
risks around show redeployment tied to economic uncertainty and
potential COVID-19-related delays in 2021; (2) weak liquidity; (3)
leverage sustained above 10x and negative free cash flow through 2022;
and (4) substantial concentration in Las Vegas, which will account for
close to half of EBITDA in 2022. The company benefits from: (1) unique
brand recognition and pricing model targeting higher income
households; (2) a strong operational track record and managements
ample experience developing, running and acquiring shows; (3) the
ability to leverage a portfolio of long-lived shows requiring minimal
investments as it rebuilds scale; and (4) a partnership model for
resident shows minimizing capital outlays and supporting operational
stability.
The negative outlook reflects weakening liquidity into 2022 and
execution risks around the pace of show redeployment.
Cirque du Soleils liquidity is weak. As of December 31, 2020, we
estimate that cash on hand will total about $160 million, compared to
uses of about $120 million in negative free cash flow over the
following twelve months ended December 2021. Cirque du Soleil has no
term loan amortizations. By early 2022, we estimate that Cirques cash
on hand will decline to a minimum working cash balance of about $10
million; likewise, any deviation from its business plan or
postponement of show revenues would compromise Cirques ability to
continue operating in the absence of additional sources of liquidity,
such as a revolving credit facility. Although the term loan agreement
allows Cirque to raise up to $55 million under a revolving credit
facility (and $30 million in letters of credit), there are no
commitments to date and we will not give credit for these potential
sources of future liquidity until they are made available. The company
is not subject to any financial covenants. Cirque du Soleil has a
limited capacity to sell some assets to raise cash with a permitted
reinvestment period of twelve months.
The first and second lien senior secured term loans are issued by
Cirque du Soleil Holding USA NewCo, Inc. and co-borrower Cirque du
Soleil Canada Inc. and guaranteed by the top holdco Spectacle Bidco
Holdings Inc. The $316 million first lien term loan due November 2025
is rated B2, two notches above the Caa1 corporate family rating,
reflecting its senior position in the capital structure. The B2
outcome incorporates a one-notch override on the Loss-Given Default
model outcome of B1 given the allowance under the terms of the credit
agreement for the issuance of up to $55 million in a revolving credit
facility that would have priority ranking senior to the first lien
term loan, and our assessment of low asset protection. The $300
million second lien PIK term loan due November 2027 is rated Caa2, one
notch below the corporate family rating, reflecting its junior
position and ranking behind the first lien debt.
The rated term loans do not have any financial covenants. The first
lien term loan does not provide incremental facility capacity but does
permit the issuance of other debt including: (1) a revolving credit
facility for up to $55 million, which would rank senior to the first
lien debt; and (2) a letter of credit facility for up to $30 million,
ranking pari passu with the first lien debt. All subsidiaries are
restricted and any wholly-owned subsidiary holding more than 2.5% of
total assets is obligated by covenant to become a guarantor,
controlling collateral leakage by precluding assets transfers to
unrestricted subsidiaries and limiting asset transfers to non-
guarantors. Only wholly-owned subsidiaries must act as guarantors, but
guarantees are not automatically released solely because such
subsidiaries cease to be wholly-owned, reducing the risk of future
guarantee releases. The credit agreements requires that 100% of net
cash proceeds be used to repay the credit facility, if not reinvested
within twelve months, with no-step-downs on the
prepayment/reinvestment requirement.
Cirque du Soleil will remain exposed to social risks arising from the
coronavirus outbreak during 2021 as it pertains to the health of
employees and audiences as it ramps up shows beginning in Q2. Other
ongoing social risks include the companys exposure to shifting
demographics and consumer preferences combined with the relatively
high-priced, highly-discretionary nature of its shows. The company
addresses these risks through efforts to remain finely attuned to
entertainment preferences among its customer base in the development
of its show content. Cirque du Soleil is also exposed to reputational
risks associated with employee safety given that performers often
carry out physically dangerous acts.
Governance considerations include Cirque du Soleils ownership by
creditors, of which there is a majority share of private equity
sponsors which may introduce aggressive financial policies over time,
including the maintenance of elevated leverage.
FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE
--------------------------------------------------
The ratings could be downgraded if liquidity weakens, or if the
company is unlikely to achieve stable operating performance.
The ratings could be upgraded if adjusted debt to EBITDA trends
towards 7.5x (10.8x forecast for 2022), EBITA to interest coverage is
sustained above 1.0x (0.3x forecast for 2022), EBITA margins are
sustained above 10% (2.5% forecast for 2022), and if scale increases
with revenues surpassing $500 million ($670 million forecast for
2022).
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Business and
Consumer Service Industry published in October 2016 and available at
https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?
docid=PBC_1037985. Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies
page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.
Cirque du Soleil is a provider of unique, live acrobatic theatrical
performances. Beginning in 2021, the company will relaunch 6 resident
shows and 6 touring shows. In 2021, Moodys expects the company to
generate about $180 million in revenues. Cirque du Soleil is owned
primarily by a fragmented group of creditors (represented by prior
debtholders), including private equity investors Catalyst Capital,
Sound Point Capital, CBAM Partners and Benefit Street Partners.
{ SOURCE: Yahoo Finance }
=======================================================================
ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION
=======================================================================
o) BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau
{Alegria, Bazzar, Koozå, Kurios, Luzia, Totem, Under the
Same Sky, and Volta}
o) ARENA - In Stadium-like venues
{OVO, Crystal, Corteo, AXEL, Messi10}
o) RESIDENT - Performed en Le Théâtre
{Mystère, "O", KÀ, LOVE, MJ ONE, JOYA, X: The Land
of Fantasy, Drawn to Life, and NYSA}
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-In a New Light:
Portland, OR -- Jun 4, 2021 to Jul 18, 2021
Denver, CO -- Aug 6, 2021 to Sep 12, 2021
Bazzar:
Not Currently Scheduled
Koozå:
Washington, DC -- Jul 21, 2021 to Sep 19, 2021
Kurios:
Melbourne, AU -- TBA
Adelaide, AU -- TBA
Luzia:
Madrid, ES -- TBA
Barcelona, ES -- TBA
Totem:
Rome, IT -- Mar 17 2021 to Apr 25, 2021
Milan, IT -- May 5, 2021 to Jun 20, 2021
Under the Same Sky:
Montreal, QC -- Spring 2022
VOLTA:
Not Currently Scheduled
------------------------------------
ARENA - In Stadium-Like Venues
------------------------------------
OVO:
Not Currently Scheduled
CRYSTAL - A BREAKTHROUGH ICE EXPERIENCE:
Hanover, DE -- Sep 22, 2021 - Sep 26, 2021
Leipzip, DE -- Sep 29, 2021 - Oct 3, 2021
Nuremberg, DE -- Oct 6, 2021 - Oct 10, 2021
Cologne, DE -- Oct 13, 2021 - Oct 17, 2021
Oberhausen, DE -- Oct 27, 2021 - Oct 31, 2021
Munich, DE -- Nov 4, 2021 - Nov 7, 2021
Frankfurt, DE -- Nov 10, 2021 - Nov 14, 2021
Stuttgart, DE -- Dec 1, 2021 - Dec 5, 2021
CORTEO:
Moscow, RU -- Mar 26 2021 to Apr 25, 2021
Saint Petersburg, RU -- May 19, 2021 to May 23, 2021
Lille, FR -- Jun 10, 2021 to Jun 13, 2021
Antwerp, BE -- Jun 17, 2021 to Jun 27, 2021
London, UK -- Jun 30, 2021 to Jul 11, 2021
Dublin, IE -- Jul 14, 2021 to Jul 25, 2021
Palma de Mallorca, ES -- Aug 6, 2021 to Aug 15, 2021
Nice, FR -- Aug 19, 2021 to Aug 22, 2021
Vienna, AU -- Sep 1, 2021 to Sep 5, 2021
Aix-en-Provence, FR -- Oct 27, 2021 to Oct 31, 2021
Monpellier, FR -- Nov 4, 2021 to Nov 7, 2021
Copenhagen, DE -- Jan 13, 2022 to Jan 16, 2022
Helsinki, FI -- Jan 27, 2022 to Jan 30, 2022
Stockholm, SE -- Feb 3, 2022 to Feb 6, 2022
Trondheim, NO -- Feb 18, 2022 to Feb 20, 2022
Oslo, NO -- Feb 24, 2022 to Feb 27, 2022
Vilnius, LT -- Mar 17, 2022 to Mar 20, 2022
Leeds, UK -- Oct 27, 2022 to Oct 30, 2022
AXEL:
Not Currently Scheduled
Messi10:
Buenos Aires, AR -- TBA
---------------------------------
RESIDENT - en Le Théâtre
---------------------------------
JOYÀ:
Location: Riviera Maya, Mexico
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday
Shows restarted on July 3, 2020
NYSA:
Location: Theater at Potsdamer Platz
Berlin, Germany
Starting on September 16th, 2021
X: THE LAND OF FANTASY
Location: Hangzhou, China
Performances of "X: The Land of Fantasy" staged on
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays starting June 3, 2020
=======================================================================
OUTREACH - UPDATES FROM CIRQUE's SOCIAL WIDGETS
=======================================================================
o) CIRQUECONNECT SPECIALS
Enjoy a front-row seat to awe-inspiring moments of the larger-
than-life shows, with never-before seen angles that can only be
experienced on your screen.
- SPECIAL #36: SPOTLIGHT ON AXEL {Dec.11}
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZF5j7CtiNzc
- SPECIAL #37: SPOTLIGHT ON TWAS THE NIGHT {Dec.18}
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqkieVWQH90
o) BIG TOP ACADEMY - SCHOOL'S OUT EDITION
Over the break, the students of Big Top Academy are staying in
touch through The Big Top Bulletin!
- EPISODE 15: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NuBrGzHy48 {Dec.10}
Could this really be the final edition of The Big Top Bulletin?
- EPISODE 16: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlWYpbFdGNk {Dec.10}
Its up to the Bulletin to prove to the world that Big Top
Academy is a normal circus school.
- EPISODE 17: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX2fvi2GXbw {Dec.17}
The shocking solution to a mystery where you wont believe
your ears.
- EPISODE 18: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyA8b0pfhe0 {Dec.17}
Theres evil hidden in the past of Big Top Academy
- EPISODE 19: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M1d0Bnhudw {Jan.07}
A special circus showcase proves not all clowns are bad
- EPISODE 20: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya-dhGMGFOk {Jan.07}
The new editor of the Bulletin is strange but not a stranger
o) OTHER FINDS
- CIRQUE SAYS THANK YOU {Dec.23}
From us to you, THANK YOU! Thank you for your positive
energy, for sharing and for keeping connected. See you in
2021!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up099lROQzk
=======================================================================
FASCINATION! FEATURES
=======================================================================
o) "The Cirque Sound: La Nouba"
By: Matt Dibrindisi - Northampton, Massachusetts (USA)
o) "What Ifs and If Onlys, Part 5 of 7"
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
------------------------------------------------------------
"The Cirque Sound: La Nouba"
By: Matt Dibrindisi - Northampton, Massachusetts (USA)
------------------------------------------------------------
In December of 1998, an almost unlikely collaboration was about to
debut in Orlando, Florida: La Nouba, Cirques third resident show, at
Walt Disney Worlds Downtown Disney District (now Disney Springs).
Following the almost simultaneous creation of O (at the Bellagio in
Las Vegas, which had premiered in October of that year) and La Nouba,
director Franco Dragone reflects:
"After working on previous Cirque shows I turned around one day and
realized that life had gone by, [...] and I hadn't seen my children
grow up. I wanted to re-connect with youth, to show my 19-year-old son
that I was still hip. The idea became to see how Cirque could live in
a modern, urban environment. I was also very aware that we were
setting up a show in Disney's territory, so to speak. I wanted La
Nouba to integrate that fact: we were going back to the world of
childhood and fairy tales." [1]
So, with these two ideas at play, the show became a clash of two
tribes: cold, nightmarish urbanites and a gaggle of circus performers
from an era long since passed. Perhaps its only fitting that for many
of us, adolescence is the crossroads between the dreams of childhood
and the potential nightmares of the adult world.
The music of La Nouba, written by Benoit Jutras illustrates these
crossroads beautifully, simply and strikingly, made of many complex
layers, loops and patterns cycling in and out and back and forth with
Y2K electric energy. In addition to its usage of Roland keyboards, a
favorite of Jutras on Quidam, La Nouba marks the rare usage of an E-
MU synth module, a Planet Phatt, to add warmth, texture and musical
kinetics to Jutrass score.
I was very fortunate to talk with Benoit Glazer, bandleader for all 19
years of the shows run about the synths on the show:
Some of [the Roland patches] remained (the Phatt sounds were recorded
as is when we switched to all audio), but much of what you heard near
the end of the run was completely redone.
I started tweaking the original Roland sounds right off the bat,
modifying them within the synths. We also used 4 Roland samplers right
from the get-go, and I started replacing synth sounds with sampled
sounds. The strings were a combination of the Mirouslav Vitous string
sounds, my own synthesized sounds, and real players (my kids all play
string instruments) when anything was solo. The accordion (except for
the first act) was real, performed by Alex Clements when he was at La
Nouba. Anything grand piano or rhodes I performed and recorded at home
using my real Rhodes, my Wurlitzer, and my wife's 1964 K. Kawai grand
piano. Most of the percussion I recorded at home using my congas,
tumbek, etc...
Of the original MIDI tracks that Benoit Jutras gave me at the
beginning, about 4-5% remained after a few years, mostly the Phatt
parts (loops and analog lead sounds) and a couple of Roland patches
(ethno-metals, accordion in the opening, and a couple more). Even
then, I cleaned up the MIDI tracks in the first few weeks of the run,
so that they were more economical, as well as matched the acoustic
demands (problems) of the room.
A few notes before we dig through the musical attic of La Nouba:
In reference to the listings, the Roland XP-80 (first used by Cirque
on Quidam and through Varekai) and JV-1080 are essentially the same
synth; the XP-80 is an upgraded JV-1080 with an added sequencer.
Standard refers to what Roland calls the basic wave group, which
consists of waveforms first introduced on the JV-1080.
In this article and previous installments, the Sound Canvas is
standing in for what wouldve been the General MIDI bank on most
Roland synthesizers, which, unfortunately, has not been made available
in VST form. All Sound Canvas listings refer to the menu interface as
part of the Sound Canvas VA VST (virtual studio technology) available
on Roland Cloud.
A Planet Phatt soundfont is available from Digital Sound Factory for
you to explore and use the patches behind La Noubas many layers
yourself: https://www.digitalsoundfactory.com/product/e-mu-planet-
phatt/
And now, sit back, relax and enjoy
LA NOUBA.
XP-80/JV-1080/Standard: Wave 220: Dulcimer A- One of the first synth
sounds heard in La Nouba, this returning patch previously featured in
Quidam makes up the memorable intro of La Nouba/Parade.
http://www.cirquefascination.com/newspix/Samples/LaNoubaDulcimerSample.mp3
Sound Canvas (VA): Organ > Accordion Fr.- Another returning favorite
of Benoit Jutrass from Quidam, this classic Cirque sound gives life
to frantic progressions on Once Upon a Time/German Wheel.
http://www.cirquefascination.com/newspix/Samples/OnceUponAccordionSample.mp3
XP-80/JV-1080: Ethno Metals- An easy Roland sound to miss, these
delightful clanks make up percussive accents on Propel/Interlude.
http://www.cirquefascination.com/newspix/Samples/PropelMetalsSample.mp3
XP-80/JV-1080: Jamisen- This synthesized traditional Japanese string
instrument (in the same family as the lute, sitar and oud) forms the
fast-paced Jardin Chinois melody.
http://www.cirquefascination.com/newspix/Samples/JardinJamisenSample.mp3
XP-80/JV-1080/Standard: Wave 529: Synth Saw 1- Weaving through the
chaotic musical layers, this sawtooth synth creates arpeggio accents
throughout Distorted/BMX, Porte/Aerial Cradle and Urban/Powertrack.
http://www.cirquefascination.com/newspix/Samples/LaNoubaSawSample.mp3
XP-80/JV-1080: Impact- A classic Cirque sound that only enhances the
precision of the artists, from incredible diabolo catches to insane
BMX jumps.
http://www.cirquefascination.com/newspix/Samples/LaNoubaOrchHitSample.mp3
E-MU Planet Phatt: On Vinyl- You might not recognize this warm,
crackling synth pad without all the layers of processing, but with a
heavy amount of FX, it forms the wah-wah loop found in suspense
moments on Jardin Chinois and Distorted [Youll hear the sample first
unprocessed, then processed as heard in the show].
http://www.cirquefascination.com/newspix/Samples/LaNoubaOnVinylSample.mp3
E-MU Planet Phatt: Pretty- This rather pretty EP synth lends itself to
the frenetic patterns on Jardin Chinois and Queens/Flying Trapeze.
http://www.cirquefascination.com/newspix/Samples/LaNoubaPrettySample.mp3
E-MU Planet Phatt: Wormly Lead- This warbly synth lead makes up one of
many looping phrases on A Tale and Reve Rouge/Aerial Contortion. The
signature warbling sound comes from the patchs pressure sensitivity,
with notes played at full velocity
http://www.cirquefascination.com/newspix/Samples/ATaleWormLySample.mp3
E-MU Planet Phatt: Drum Kit 1/Dirt 2- This kick and snare form the
iconic sampled backbeat on A Tale, with the Dirt 2 loop thrown over
top for that warm vintage vinyl sound.
http://www.cirquefascination.com/newspix/Samples/ATaleDrumsDirtSample.mp3
[1] Babinski, Tony. Cirque Du Soleil: 20 Years Under The Sun- An
Authorized History. Harry N. Abrams, 2004.
More to come, so stay tuned!
------------------------------------------------------------
"What Ifs and If Onlys, Part 5 of 7"
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
------------------------------------------------------------
Over the years Cirque du Soleil has announced or was rumored to be
working on a wide variety of interesting advancements beyond circus
shows, their traditional core product. Some of these new opportunities
were in the realm of music, some in television, some as new experience
concepts, and some in the realm of... say what?!
Back when we were approaching our 100th issue (in 2012, gosh, has it
really been eight years?), I thought about all the quotes, blurbs, and
past announcements we covered in Fascination of new products, venues,
or avenues of adventure the Cirque intended to explore. I wondered
which of these came to fruition and which had quietly remained hidden
behind the curtain at Cirque HQ in Montreal. I uncovered many examples
in my search through our news archives - some that had come readily to
mind while others I had completely forgotten about, and couldn't wait
to touch on further - and then organized those findings into a three-
part celebratory series leading up to Fascination's publication
milestone.
In Part One of that series, we explored a number of rumors and
announcements regarding "permanent" or "resident" shows made through
the years that didn't pan out. In Part Two, we examined announced
and/or rumored media potentials from the company from filmed shows
and books to new music CDs many of which never saw the light of day.
And in Part Three, we explored what could have been in regards to
projects beyond Cirque du Soleil's traditional space entertainment
and media and dove into the realm of other experiences Cirque
attempted to provide. It was a satisfying look back at what could have
been from Cirque du Soleil, if only...
As we began to approach our 200th issue I began to ponder those "what
ifs" and "if onlys" again and wondered: would it be interesting to
revisit that original idea and present new findings on old and new
topics alike? Turns out... yes! And we've organized these findings
into a new seven-part series that mixes together announcements of new
show concepts and/or places that Cirque wanted to set up residence, to
projects for the large and small screen, to experiences and other
oddities that were announced but didn't quite come to fruition. So,
without further ado, let's jump in, rediscover and share what Cirque
du Soleil announced but then quietly disappeared over the years.
Like...
EASE ON DOWN THE ROAD!
----------------------
On March 30, 2015, it was announced that Charlie Smalls and William F.
Browns THE WIZ would be presented as NBCs third annual live musical,
following 2013s The Sound of Music LIVE!, starring Carrie Underwood,
and 2014s Peter Pan LIVE!, starring Allison Williams and Christopher
Walken. But what made this announcement profound was the inclusion of
Cirque du Soleil - the production would be co-produced by Cirque's
then new Theatrical division. And following the television broadcast,
THE WIZ would head straight to Broadway for a revival (also presented
by Cirque du Soleil) for the 2016-17 season. SAY WHAT?!
We love this yearly tradition and were more excited than ever to not
only bring another Broadway musical to Americas living rooms, but
also see it land on Broadway as well, Robert Greenblatt, chairman,
NBC Entertainment, said in a statement.
Its a natural next step for our live musical events and were so
pleased to be in business with this award-winning creative team and
Scott Zeiger, president and managing director of Cirque du Soleils
new theatrical division. Cirques incredible imagination will help
bring the fantasy world of Oz vividly to life and give this great show
a modern spin on the age-old story we all love.
We are delighted that NBC and Cirque du Soleil will present The Wiz,
added Zeiger. Its a musical I have wanted to produce for years and
its the perfect show to present under the new Cirque du Soleil
Theatrical banner.
THE WIZ, a retelling of L. Frank Baums classic Wizard of Oz stories,
opened on Broadway in 1975 and won seven Tonys including Best Musical
and Best Score. A 1978 film version starred Diana Ross and Michael
Jackson. It was last seen in New York in a New York City Center
Encores! Summer Stars revival in 2009, with a cast led by Ashanti,
Orlando Jones, and Tony winner LaChanze. For this special, NBC pulled
in some big names, such as Queen Latifah as the Wiz; Mary J. Blige as
Evillene, the Wicked Witch of the West; David Alan Grier as the
Cowardly Lion; Uzo Aduba as Glinda, the Good Witch of the South; Amber
Riley as Addaperle, the Good Witch of the North; Shanice Williams as
Dorothy; Ne-Yo as the Tin-Man; Elijah Kelly as Scarecrow; and
Stephanie Mills (who played Dorothy in the original Broadway
production of The Wiz) as Auntie Em.
The news had certainly raised eyebrows in the Cirque du Soleil fan
community. It was not the first thing that popped into our heads when
the new Theatrical division was announced, but the December 3, 2015
broadcast on NBC went off without a hitch. The Wiz Live! delivered hit
ratings, averaging a 3.4 rating, 11 share in adults 18-49 and 11.5
million viewers overall to dominate the night. It was the networks
best Thursday average in total viewers, excluding sports, since
September 2014, and nearly tripled NBCs best 18-49 Thursday average,
excluding sports. It was also NBCs highest-rated night for any night
of the week, excluding sports, in 11 years, since November 2004.
But THE WIZ would not be a success story for Cirque du Soleil Theatrical.
Following the broadcast, THE WIZ dropped out of the collective
consciousness of fans and theatergoers alike. We saw "Coming Soon" for
weeks that turned into months that then simply disappeared. "The goal
was to get The Wiz Live to Broadway," said Neil Meron, one of its
producers. "But, as anybody 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. It's
kind of like jets lining up on the runway. Unfortunately, we're still
on the runway with that." Craig Zadan (the other producer) 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." But the future
was determined: It was the end of the yellow brick road. THE WIZ never
found its home on Broadway, and Cirque du Soleil Theatrical lost the
rights to the production.
Of course the future of Cirque du Soleil Theatrical itself was
determined when PARAMOUR failed to find audiences in New York City;
the division was shuttered. PARAMOUR itself lived on though with
performances in Hamburg, Germany beginning April 2019.
BIENVENIDOS A MIAMI?
--------------------
In the week of May 10, 2005, the Miami Herald and WTVJ-TV (NBC-6) ran
independent stories highlighting the possibility that Cirque du Soleil
would bring its brand of entertainment to South Beach's Jackie Gleason
Theater, recently upstaged by a new performance theater in Downtown
Miami. "What Cirque du Soleil is doing now [is] looking at the box
that is the theater to see if it works," Miami Beach City Manager
Jorge Gonzalez said in NBC-6's coverage. Rumors abounded that due to
the theater's close proximity to beautiful Miami Beach, Cirque du
Soleil could bring a decidedly Latin-themed version of Zumanity, its
"sensual" cabaret from Las Vegas, to the Gleason. But a spokeswoman
for Cirque cautioned against getting too excited: "We're prospecting
many cities in many countries, said Renée-Claude Ménard. There have
been rumors like that in London [and] New York. We do all kinds of
prospective work."
Originally named the Miami Beach Auditorium, the Jackie Gleason
Theatre once hosted performers like Frank Sinatra and Jack Benny and
shows like the Miss Universe Pageant and the Ed Sullivan Show. In
1964, the theatre was taken over by Jackie Gleason for his weekly
television show, which ran for seven years. A number of touring
Broadway shows stopped at the theatre through the 1970s and 1980s. The
city of Miami Beach renamed the theatre in honour of Gleason in 1987
after extensive renovations. Since then, the theatre has staged
touring musicals, concert performances and award shows. In 2007,
though, its largest tenants - including the Miami City Ballet and
Concert Association of Florida - were moving out, leaving the Theater
in a lurch. Therefore, proposals for redevelopment were ripe.
A scant two months after the Miami Herald story, Variety would report
that Cirque du Soleil had confirmed its interest in the Gleason
Theater. Cirque and its partners, Related Group of Miami and Clear
Channel Communications, pitched an entertainment complex worth $150
million USD that would include restaurants, a spa, bars and clubs, a
garden, stores, a boutique hotel, a 3,000-seat theater, and a ballroom
for the Miami Beach Convention Center next door. The trio wanted an
unspecified package of inducements from Miami Beach though to convert
the Gleason and build the surrounding entertainment complex.
"We've only seen an initial presentation of what they would like
to do with the theater," said Miami Beach communications officer
Nanette Rodriguez. But the city likes what it has seen so far.
The city's finance and projects committee will review it in
September. If all goes well, it would be a year before breaking
ground, Rodriguez said.
"Miami is one of our target markets," Cirque spokeswoman Renee-
Claude Menard said. "I think theres a good fit there. We do a
lot of presentations to a lot of cities. We do believe, though
[that] this is moving ahead as one of the most viable projects"
under consideration by Cirque. "The challenge will be to offer
something distinct from 'La Nouba' in Orlando."
By January 2006, Cirque du Soleil and its partners advised they'd put
up roughly a third of the cost, leaving the city and county to front
the remaining $95-100 million. But this financing plan irked many, as
much of that sum would have to be diverted from bond money earmarked
by voters for an expansion to the adjacent Miami Beach Convention
Center, and they felt the Convention Center should get that money
instead. "I don't think the city should be in the joint venture
business with private entities," commissioner Saul Gross said. Tourism
industry officials were reluctant to take sides. "I think everybody
can come out a winner," said Stuart Blumberg, president of the Greater
Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association. "It doesn't have to be either
Cirque du Soleil or the convention center. Let's have both." City
officials were trying to work out a deal using some of the estimated
$90 million in revenue the Cirque complex would generate each year,
but it didn't look promising.
The following month, The Montreal Gazette reported that Cirque reacted
to concerns and scaled back the project, trimming the theater from
3,200 to 1,700 seats and scrapping all but a 250-seat restaurant and
event garden. City manager Jorge Gonzalez said the Cirque could pump
as much as $50 million into the local economy. The company would
produce seven to 10 shows a week at the venue and says it would
attract as many as 600,000 patrons a year. "No one at the Cirque's
Montreal office returned calls requesting comment on the Miami Beach
project," the Gazette said. "But a source said the company needs a
decision by early fall if it is to proceed."
By August 28, 2006, an excerpt from the City Debate in Miami suggested
the deal had fallen apart: "[I]n response to a question from
Commissioner Jerry Libbin at the August 17th Finance Committee
meeting, Randy McElrath, Regional Director of Live Nation (formerly
Clear Channel Communications) stated that Clear Channel and Live
Nation was no longer involved with Cirque du Soleil in their deal for
the development of the Jackie Gleason Theatre as a permanent venue for
a resident company of the Canadian acrobatic circus." (Clear Channel
Communications spun off their "Entertainment" division in late 2005,
as Live Nation.)
So Cirque du Soleil forged ahead alone, but now with competition from
AEG Live and its previous partner, Live Nation. In its plans to the
city, Cirque expected to pay Miami Beach about $9 million a year to
take over the Jackie Gleason Theater and build a restaurant and
nightclub there. That return would be considerably larger than rents
pledged by AEG Live and Live Nation, the two concert giants now
competing with Cirque for the Gleason lease. But Cirque wanted $55
million in public dollars to fund a $100 million renovation of the
Gleason, AEG and Live Nation would spend between $2 million and $3
million to fix up the Gleason at no cost to the city. Beyond the costs
involved, Cirque would commit to about 430 performances a year. AEG
and Live Nation, the countrys top concert promoters, wanted to
transform the Gleason into a hipper venue for live music and comedy
but with the doors open less than 150 times a year.
City Manager Jorge Gonzalez predicted Cirque would generate about $1.5
million a year in parking revenue for a nearby city garage: Just on
that well be making more than what AEG or Live Nation is offering.
Gonzalez said the proposed 15-year deal protected the city, because
Cirque would pay rent on gross revenues, not profits. Cirque didnt
agree to a minimum annual payment. Cirque also wanted an exit clause
that would let it close the show after three years if it lost money
for 12 consecutive months. For the restaurants and nightclubs, the
exit clause would kick in after five years.
On October 19, 2006 the saga of Cirque in Miami came to a close. The
Miami Herald reported that Cirque withdrew its offer just hours before
the city commission that was considering the offers was set to vote.
The commission had been under some pressure from community leaders to
delay the vote, claiming that there had not been enough time to weigh
all options carefully. Public sentiment had been against Cirque almost
from the beginning, though. Earlier in the negotiation period, Cirque
had made it clear that any public referendum would be a deal breaker.
The public responded with approbation at anti-cirque sentiment
expressed at a hearing that was open to members of the community. "I
have said for a year and I repeated to the media last month that if it
becomes a political battle we won't be part of it," Daniel Lamarre
said. "We have been investing for the last 18 months a lot of money
and resources, and I cannot responsibly continue to invest without
knowing that one day this project will come to fruition."
And so Live Nation acquired operating rights to the venue.
Shortly after, the venue began a renovation to the tune of $3.5
million. The theater reopened October 2007 as "The Fillmore Miami
Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater". Since acquisition, the Fillmore
has become the busiest mid-sized venue in the Southern United States,
hosting over 200 concerts per year. The venue has attracted big-name
artists including: Janet Jackson, Ricky Martin, Lana Del Rey, Ciara,
The Weeknd, Fall Out Boy, Lily Allen and Sting. Interestingly enough,
in 2010, NBC Miami reported that the theater would be demolished to
make way for remodeling of the convention center, which would replace
the theater with a new hotel. The demolition did not take place and
over time other plans for redevelopment have been put forward. A 2013
proposal by Portman-CMC had the theater slated for demolition for
another massive overhaul project for the site, but demolition was
staved off again. Portman-CMC reworked much of its proposal,
suggesting that programming would be split between Live Nation and
Cirque du Soleil. But that of course did not end up happening.
The Fillmore Miami Beach is still in operation as of 2020 and Cirque
du Soleil has yet to open a resident show in the city.
IN SINGAPORE
------------
Also in May 2005, the Las Vegas Sun announced that MGM Mirage and
CapitaLand (one of the largest listed property companies in Asia) had
agreed to submit a joint concept proposal to the Singapore government
for the development of an integrated entertainment resort complex at
Marina Bayfront in Singapore. The joint proposal agreement was in
response to the Singapore Tourism Board's invitation to interested
parties to submit concepts for an Integrated Resort in Singapore.
(Marina Bayfront is ideally located on the south bay of Singapore,
adjacent to the busy Central Business District and the proposed
Business and Financial Center.) "We have been exploring development
opportunities in Singapore for some time, and we are very pleased to
be submitting a joint concept proposal with CapitaLand, a company for
which we have the greatest respect," said Terry Lanni, Chairman and
CEO of MGM MIRAGE. "We are seeking to expand our international
interests in the world's most promising resort venues and hope to take
advantage of our international marketing skills and worldwide
recognition as leaders in the entertainment industry. By proceeding
jointly with CapitaLand, both companies will benefit by building on
each other's great strengths and reputations."
MGM Mirage's announcement came two days after rival casino operator
Harrah's Entertainment said it would build a 1 million square foot
"urban theme park" to accompany a Caesars-brand resort proposed for
the Marina Bayfront in Singapore. The Caesars property would feature
movie-themed attractions created by Academy Award-winning film
director James Cameron. "Cirque du Soleil's innovative entertainment
plays a significant role in our company's reputation for presenting
the best possible entertainment available at our Las Vegas resorts,"
MGM Mirage Chairman Terry Lanni said in a statement. "Our two
companies have accomplished some amazing things together and Cirque
enthusiastically agreed to join us in our commitment to make Singapore
Asia's new entertainment capital."
The production would be tailored to Singapore with Asian travelers in
mind and little more was said about it... until almost a year later
when, on March 18, 2006, in support of the project Guy Laliberté was
quoted as saying: "We are confident a resident show in Singapore will
quickly prove itself a powerful tourist draw, even more so than our
successful touring shows. It will become a new, world-class landmark
on the Singapore entertainment scene." But just a few short months
after (May 26, 2006), the Singapore government chose U.S. Casino
operator Las Vegas Sands Corp, owner of The Venetian Las Vegas, as the
winner of the Marina Bay Casino Project, leaving MGM-Mirage and its
Cirque du Soleil inspired proposal in the dark.
Interestingly enough though, Cirque du Soleil would go on to partner
with Las Vegas Sands Corp to stage ZAIA at The Venetian Macau (an
announcement made on May 2, 2007), which closed on February 19, 2012
and is no longer performed. But, had everything gone to plan in Macau,
Cirque du Soleil would have produced a second show for the hotel's
expansion project, planned to debut sometime in 2009. This show,
dubbed Macao II, Macao 2009, and later Macao 2010 as expansion delays
ensued, would be, as some creative sources put it, a re-invention of
the long-lost variety show. The production was assigned a creative
team and work was set in motion at Cirque du Soleil HQ in Montreal:
René Simard -- Director, Serge Roy -- Director of Creation, Stéphane
Roy -- Set Designer, Alan Hranitelj -- Costume Designer, Alain Lortie
-- Lighting Designer, Michel Cusson -- Composer, and Steve Dubuc
Sound Designer.
Ultimately the downturn in the economy doomed Macau II from ever
seeing the light of day (as the hotel expansion did not move forward),
but amusingly enough the idea of producing a variety show seemed to
survive and was transferred over to the troubled BANANA SHPEEL
concept, which itself was billed as a new twist on Vaudeville. (With
a brand-new creative team, save Serge Roy, who remained on as Director
of Creation).
Either way, the whole thing was a mess.
ON THE DC WATERFRONT
--------------------
Like Vietnam, Washington DC is not a city you often hear floated as a
possible residence candidate for Cirque du Soleil. So it was somewhat
surprising to learn in mid-2006 that Cirque du Soleil was part of a
project to re-develop the District of Columbia's southwestern
waterfront. NBC 4 reported that the Anacostia Waterfront Corporation,
the private-public partnership charged with re-developing the area,
had chosen two finalists in a contest to improve the waterfront
district, setting out its vision for the area as follows:
The Citys vision for a revitalized Southwest Waterfront is a
true urban destination, where maritime activity and commerce
mixes with culture and housing to form a vibrant neighborhood
just steps from the National Mall. Today the area is dominated
by redundant roadways, surface parking lots and poorly designed
and underutilized open space. The Southwest Waterfront Plan,
approved unanimously by City Council in 2003, proposes
approximately 2 million square feet of mixed use development.
The redevelopment will create approximately 3,000 construction
jobs, 1,500 permanent jobs, $14 million in new annual tax
revenue, 14 acres of new parks and open space, upgraded maritime
infrastructure and public access to the water.
Washington launched a competition in 2001 to revitalize approximately
185,000 square meters of the Southwest District. Seventeen consortia
responded to the call for tenders. Selected from five competing
groups, the two finalists had envisioned the waterfront quite
differently: one group proposed a design distinguished by a health
club, upscale grocery store, river walk and market hall for produce
sales (Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn Architects). The other team (PN
Hoffman) proposed a cultural zone with a water park, piers, an
aquarium, and a space for Cirque du Soleil performances. "We had
informal discussions with Cirque du Soleil representatives about our
vision for the southwest sector and their possible participation,"
David DeSantis, PN Hoffman vice-president of sales and marketing, told
Le Devoir. They have expressed their intention to discuss further with
us if we win the competition.
Ultimately, the AWC selected New York-based Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn
Architects as they decided there was no room for a permanent Cirque du
Soleil show in DC. A team of developers has been chosen to transform
the District of Columbias Southwest waterfront from mostly parking
lots and concrete buildings into a leafy, park-like setting that will
include a promenade, piers and cultural attractions. (. . .) The
developers are seeking a mixture of white-tablecloth restaurants,
cafes and bistros, a small grocer and specialty stores. The original
proposal included a space for Cirque du Soleil, but the developers
decided against it because the attraction was viewed as too touristy.
As I mentioned before, Cirque du Soleil is frequently used as a
"cultural bonus" for real estate projects, even if the company hasn't
entered a formal agreement with the development. And that was the case
here.
MOVIE OF THE WEEK?
------------------
On October 22, 1999, Cirque du Soleil and TVA Group announced an
association to develop and produce international audiovisual
productions. Their respective subsidiaries, Cirque du Soleil Images
and TVA International, would shortly begin work on a series of
projects that would fuse Cirque du Soleil's creativity with TVA's
broadcast, finance and production resources. Daniel Lamarre, President
and Chief Executive Officer of the TVA Group, and Peter Wagg, Managing
Director of Cirque du Soleil Images, announced the new strategic
alliance during Quebec Premier Lucien Bouchard's trade mission to Los
Angeles. The value of the projects was expected to surpass $25 million
CDN.
"We are very happy to have reached an agreement with TVA", Mr.
Wagg said. "Our discussions with Andre Provencher, President of
TVA International, and Daniel Lamarre have enabled us to create
a production base in Quebec. This is the home of Cirque du
Soleil and now we can join forces with TVA in building
complimentary television activities with our network of
partners, in particular Granada Media Group, to continue to
develop internationally while maintaining our ties at home."
"Uniting two brand names as powerful as TVA and Cirque du
Soleil, and forging an association with the Cirque du Soleil's
prestige and international recognition, is a dream project for
us", Mr. Lamarre added. "This association will certainly ensure
TVA International's rapid development and visibility".
Cirque du Soleil Images and TVA International would develop and
produce various projects with Cirque du Soleil Images in charge of
conception, development and creative control and TVA International
overseeing financial planning and production control. Distribution
would be assumed by companies mutually selected by the partners. And
there were a number of ideas that had already been given the green
light by the time the announcement was made. They were:
o) Variety Series - This family driven primetime variety show will be
filmed entirely in Quebec and will feature performers who have been
discovered over the years by Cirque du Soleil. The number of
episodes has yet to be determined, but should include an initial
season of 13 shows. Development should be completed within the next
four months and production could begin in the spring of 2000.
o) Documentaries - A series of one-hour documentaries on Cirque du
Soleil.
o) Movie of the Week - Cirque du Soleil Images has agreed to cooperate
in the production of a TV movie based on the life and career of
Sylvie Fréchette, the Olympic synchronized swimming champion who
has been a performer and coach with "O" since 1998.
o) Animated Children's Series - TVA International has started
discussions with Cirque du Soleil Images and Granada Media Group to
partner in the production of an ambitious animated children's
series with the potential to be produced in Montreal backed by the
creation of a state of the art animation studio.
The partnership was an instant boon to TVA. Daniel Lamarre, president
of TVA Group Inc., said via Canadian Newswire that he spent two years
knocking on doors, looking for strategic alliances for the Quebec-
based French-language TV network. Then came Cirque du Soleil. As soon
as he announced a deal with the troupe to make a series of prime-time
TV variety shows, Lamarre began doing the kind of heavyweight
connections that he'd always dreamed of making. "You can't imagine
what a boost it gave TVA International to be associated with Cirque du
Soleil," a beaming Lamarre said. "We announced the deal at 11 a.m. in
Los Angeles. At 1 p.m. we got a call from the president of Disney
Channel who wanted to know what we were producing with the Cirque. The
next day we were on the front page of Hollywood Reporter and Variety.
I'd been trying to promote TVA for two years. As soon as we were
linked to the Cirque, we had instant credibility."
Since the Cirque deal was announced TVA has had "many many partnership
offers" from German and other European firms as well as from the
United States. "People want to visit our studios, to see how they
could produce more here for the world market," Lamarre said.
There may have been a lot of pomp and circus surrounding the deal at
the time, but about a year after the announcement, TVA would go
through a profound change, and Lamarre would end up being called up by
Guy Laliberté himself to head up Cirque du Soleil's New Ventures unit
(a unit that would include Cirque du Soleil Images and much, much
more. It's something we'll get into later.) Suffice it to say, much of
what was part of TVA's production slate with regards to Cirque du
Soleil did not happen as originally announced. The variety series,
which was delayed a couple of years, eventually became SOLSTROM. The
movie-of-the-week based on the life and career of Sylvie Fréchette was
not completed. Cirque du Soleil would go on to produce a number of
documentaries - too numerous to mention here. And, eventually, the
animated series would become LUNA PETUNIA, but it would take a few
more agreements (and a few more years) to get there.
To be Continued...
=======================================================================
COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
=======================================================================
Fascination! Newsletter
Volume 21, Number 1 (Issue #204) January 2021
"Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (C)
2001-2021 Ricky Russo, published byVortex/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.
{ Jan.10.2020 }
=======================================================================
