Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Fascination Issue 205
=======================================================================
______ _ __ _ __
/ ____/___ ___________(_)___ ____ _/ /_(_)___ ____ / /
/ /_ / __ '/ ___/ ___/ / __ \/ __ '/ __/ / __ \/ __ \/ /
/ __/ / /_/ (__ ) /__ / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /_/ / / / /_/
/_/ \__,_/____/\___/_/_/ /_/\__,_/\__/_/\____/_/ /_(_)
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
------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.CirqueFascination.com
------------------------------------------------------------
=======================================================================
VOLUME 21, NUMBER 2 February 2021 ISSUE #205
=======================================================================
Welcome to the latest edition of Fascination, the Unofficial
Cirque du Soleil Newsletter.
* * * CREATION ON NYSA DISCONTINUED * * *
Cirque du Soleil announced on its Facebook page on January 20th that
it would not be opening NYSA on the Potsdamer Platz in Berlin as
planned.
Due to the current situation and uncertainty, we have
unfortunately made the difficult decision not to resume the
creation of NYSA. We thank you for your enthusiasm and invite you
to follow Cirque du Soleil for all #CirqueduSoleil updates.
NYSA was to be a modern tale that followed the story of Nysa, a
fearless young woman who longed for adventure and open skies. Her
curiosity and courage will give her the power to step into the
unexpected and fly towards new worlds, the initial announcement
stated. Inspired by youth and its desire to push the boundaries and
aspirations for a better future, the character looks to the outside
world for a sense of what life could be if she let her imagination
soar and if she allowed herself to take risks.
NYSA was originally scheduled to open on October 28, 2020 but was
pushed back to October 27, 2021 due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. It has
now officially been canceled.
* * * BLUE MAN GROUP LEAVING ORLANDO * * *
Announced on February 1, 2021: Blue Man Group will not be returning
to Universal Orlando as we move to adjust our entertainment for the
future, Universal officials said in a statement. For more than a
decade, Blue Man Group has brought its unique style of entertainment
to our guests and we are grateful for the chance to have been home
to their Orlando show. Before the coronavirus pandemic forced all the
theme parks and shows to close, the Blue Man Group was entertaining
audiences nightly at the resort.
* * * DRAGONE + CRISS ANGEL = HUH? * * *
Just at press time, Dragone productions announced that it and Criss
Angel were coming together for a series of projects.
"Dragone is honored to announce the upcoming partnership between
entertainment visionaries Franco Dragone and Criss Angel on a
revolutionary new project. The first partnership between Dragones
theatrics and Criss Angel Studios is incredibly exciting and I
believe our first venture will be groundbreaking, said Angel.
Slated to open later in 2021, Mr. Smiles & Molly will be an
Interactive Immersive Euphoria. Dragone describes the new surreal
pre-night club experience as a bold fusion between the world of
electronic music and theatre.
More details to be announced later... Well, we wish them luck!
/----------------------------------------------------\
| |
| 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
* "What Ifs and If Onlys, Part 6 of 7"
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
o) Copyright & Disclaimer
=======================================================================
CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
=======================================================================
***************************************************************
LA PRESSE -- General News & Highlights
***************************************************************
----------------------------------------------------------
Cirque CEO Lamarre eternal optimist on 20th anniversary
{Jan.16.2021}
----------------------------------------------------------
His company almost totally latent as it hopes for a return to the
stage by this fall, Daniel Lamarre marked his 20th anniversary Friday
as Cirque du Soleil.
In a favorable climate, Lamarre would have celebrated at a Cirque
show. Instead, his theater was Facebook. Allowing for challenges in
unprecedented times, Lamarre posted a message on Facebook on Friday,
offering optimism to sidelined employees and the companys worldwide
following.
Now, you might wonder what makes me get up in the morning, after 20
years in the same company, especially during these most uncertain
times, Lamarre wrote. My secret is that I am just as passionate
today as I was on my first day in 2001. He cited Cirques expansion
over the years and its success in Las Vegas, where the company has
transformed the scope of live entertainment on the Strip.
As a risk-taking creative company, we did make mistakes over the
years, and we learned from them, Lamarre said. But we owe it to our
audiences, and to ourselves, to always push the boundaries of live
entertainment and to always produce highly creative, daring and
surprising content.
In November, Lamarre answered, Yeah, oh yes, when asked if Cirque
would be back onstage by this November. Mystere at Treasure Island
and O at Bellagio would lead Cirques still-unscheduled restart.
Zumanity has been closed permanently, but Lamarre said Cirque plans
to reopen all of its remaining Strip shows beginning this fall and
into 2021.
Love at Mirage, MJ One at Mandalay Bay and Ka at MGM Grand are
the temporarily closed shows.
Cirque holding Blue Man Group at Luxor is also being planned for
return.
Internationally, the company continues to run Joya in Cancun and X:
The Land of Fantasy in Hangzhou, the capital city of east Chinas
Zhejiang province. Such touring shows as Totem (selling tickets for
March 17 in Rome) and the ice-skating production Crystal (opening in
Germany in September) are on the books, but Cirques return remains
fluid.
As an eternal optimist, I sleep at night knowing that I work with an
incredible team of strong-minded creative people who, together, will
relaunch Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group into the brand we all
know and love, and even bring it to new heights, Lamarre said. But he
was realistic in facing the companys challenges this year and beyond.
I can say, without a doubt, that last year has been the most
difficult of my life. Its like the world stopped turning, Lamarre
wrote. The months ahead will certainly not be smooth sailing.
However, these challenges build us into who we are and bring us
closer.
But when it happens, and exactly where, is a challenge topping
Lamarres list as he enters year 21 in 21.
{ SOURCE: Las Vegas Review-Journal }
----------------------------------------------------------
The Cirque Dreams of Vegas For This Summer
{Feb.01.2021}
----------------------------------------------------------
When the pandemic struck, in March 2020, Cirque du Soleil had to close
in the space of a few days its 44 productions which were active all
over the planet. This crisis cost the company more than a billion
dollars in revenue. A few months after the takeover of Cirque by its
creditors, The newspaper spoke with the CEO of the company, Daniel
Lamarre, on the possible revival of activities and the challenges that
the post-pandemic world will pose.
Q. How did you experience the arrival of the pandemic last year?
It was a very difficult experience. At the same time, the only
positive thing that came out of that for us was seeing the strength of
Cirque du Soleils reputation around the world. You are talking about
a company that has had virtually no income since last March and which
will still have very little before the end of this year. And despite
all that, there are people who came forward to support us and ensure
the survival of the company. For me, its a great relief to have that
mark of confidence there.
Q. Are you optimistic about relaunching shows this year?
We believe we can resume our Las Vegas and Orlando shows first. The
most optimistic date is July. We will closely monitor the vaccination.
One thing that is very interesting to us is that when you look at the
occupancy rates of MGM hotels over the past few weeks, it is very
impressive. That means there will normally be a lot of people in Vegas
starting next summer. So that justifies our opening of the show.
Q. What about the return of touring shows?
At best, it will be next fall. But we do all our planning based on
2022. We tell ourselves that as soon as we can reopen shows, we will
do it. Because opening a show means new jobs for our people. So, for
sure, as soon as someone allows us to open a show, we will do it. But
we didnt base our planning on that. We told ourselves that 2021 will
be a year of preparation. And 2022 should be the year in which the
Circus will significantly regain its profitability and its fans.
Before the holidays, I was concerned to see what percentage of artists
were willing to come back with us on all of our touring shows. We did
a gigantic operation on [la plateforme de visioconférence] Teams with
around 1200 people. And all of these people have confirmed the
interest in coming back."
Q. Does the Cirque plan to present virtual shows?
These are avenues that we are exploring. When the crisis began, we
set up the CirqueConnect network and reached over 62 million people
around the world. It told us that people are hungry to see our
content. And that tells us that there may possibly be a new source of
income for Cirque du Soleil.
{ SOURCE: The Times Hub }
=======================================================================
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, and Drawn to Life}
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:
Not Currently Scheduled
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:
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
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
Moscow, RU -- Apr 8, 2022 to May 16, 2022
St. Petersburg RU -- May 20, 2022 to May 29, 2022
Palma de Mallorca, ES -- Aug 5, 2022 to Aug 14, 2022
Leeds, UK -- Oct 27, 2022 to Oct 30, 2022
AXEL:
Not Currently Scheduled
Messi10:
Not Currently Scheduled
---------------------------------
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 #37: SPOTLIGHT ON TWAS THE NIGHT {Dec.18}
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqkieVWQH90
- SPEICAL #38: SPOTLIGHT ON LUZIA {Jan.15}
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5Eqbme4cRU
- SPECIAL #39: SPOTLIGHT ON KOOZA {Jan.29}
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tTv9yXvVSM
- SPECIAL #40: SPOTLIGHT ON VOLTA {Feb.12}
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1qnw0bYJEc
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 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
- EPISODE 21: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rrTLUqs4Sk {Jan.14}
The Secret Book of Circus Secrets goes digital.
- EPISODE 22: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gd3do30l82w {Jan.14}
A mysterious force is at work, determined to delete the storied
past of Big Top Academy.
- EPISODE 23: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWGwg8G_I_4 {Jan.21}
Maybe ghosts really do exist.
- EPISODE 24: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HASR7s-x5qs {Jan.21}
Can a shiny edition of the Big Top Bulletin win over dark
supernatural forces?
- EPISODE 25: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQVmL_yGm90 {Jan.28}
The Big Top Bulletin celebrates the unsung voices of the past.
- EPISODE 26: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGxtY0XKHa0 {Jan.28}
The show must go on, even when a crisis at circus school
threatens the Bulletins grand finale.
=======================================================================
FASCINATION! FEATURES
=======================================================================
o) "What Ifs and If Onlys, Part 6 of 7"
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
------------------------------------------------------------
"What Ifs and If Onlys, Part 6 of 7"
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
------------------------------------------------------------
Cirque du Soleil has been searching for a partner to enter the New
York City market since at least 2000, when Guy Laliberté announced his
dream project - "Complexes Cirque" - that would bring the company's
brand of entertainment to large cities around the globe. London was
always offered up as the biggest of Cirque's residence targets, but if
London was its first choice, New York City was a very close second.
Even so, Cirque du Soleil has found it quite difficult finding and
keeping a residence in The Big Apple. It's most successful turn
Wintuk - found the Cirque on tap for four winters (2007-2011) at WAMU
Theater. It's next attempt - Zarkana - found relative success for two
summers (2012 & 2013) at Radio City Music Hall. Paramour, the
company's first attempt at a Broadway-style musical, performed for
only one season (2016-2017) at the Lyric Theater before being asked to
make way for Harry Potter. And then there's Banana Shpeel - the show
that spent just two months at the Beacon Theater (2010) before being
yanked off stage, tossed out of the city, and thrown into the record
books as Cirque's first big flop.
None of these four attempts has officially given Cirque du Soleil what
it's wanted: a Mystère-length residency in New York City. And while
the company has had some hits in the big city, there've been an equal
number of misses too.
THE ROTTEN BIG APPLE
--------------------
One of the earliest came in 2003. The Rockwell Group approached the
Cirque's long-range planners with the idea of including a home for
them in the New York City architecture firm's proposals to redevelop
Lower Manhattan's East River Park. "When they approached us we said,
'Let's see your idea,' "Cirque publicist Chantal Cote said. The
Rockwell Group's plans call for space for a hydroponic garden, an
aquarium, a hotel and a permanent venue for the Cirque. The park
project falls under New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's Vision for
Lower Manhattan scheme, a broad urban-renewal plan to redevelop
parcels of the city in concert with the rebuilding of the World Trade
Center site. The next step for the redevelopment proposals will be
costing and environmental studies. "This is a kind of contest, there
are many other proposals," Cote said. "We expect there will be rounds
and rounds of discussion before any decisions are made." Obviously
that didn't happen.
Prior to negotiating with Madison Square Garden, a number of attempts
at a permanent residence in NYC came through Stephen Ross and his
Relative Companies corporation. One, in 2004, saw the company become
part of a redevelopment pitch at the South Street Seaport (Pier 17,
located just below the Brooklyn Bridge on the East River in Lower
Manhattan) that would see the buildings on the pier demolished and
replaced with a theater for the Cirque, but General Growth Properties
(the new owners of said Seaport; the idea was being explored with the
previous owners) nixed the idea. Another in early 2005, had the
company part of a 200,000 square foot addition at the foot of
Brookfield Place in Battery Park City (a.k.a. The World Financial
Center). This creative project would have doubled the current retail
space and add foot traffic to an often-desolate area behind the Winter
Garden. Brookfield, which owned the WFC and was exploring the
development with Related, said the project was "very much in the pie-
in-the-sky phase; there are a million steps between here and there."
The World Financial Center's corporate tenants would ultimately nix
the proposal for security reasons.
One of the most high profile of these cases was Ross and Relative's
plan to bring Cirque du Soleil to West 42nd Street in Manhattan in
mid-2005. Ross proposed to demolish a couple of "underperforming"
theaters in the district, remaking the space with a dozen buildings up
to 160 feet tall. The Performing Arts Center proposal would include an
1,800-seat "state-of-the-art performance space" for Cirque du Soleil,
a 12-screen cinema with 2,000 seats, a banquet hall for 3,500 guests
"attracting a variety of programs across all three meal times" - six
huge gourmet restaurants, plus clubs, and 40,000 square feet of
"destination" shopping, all just three blocks from Times Square. "For
10 years the owners have wanted to sell the property to a developer,"
Eric Krebs, who leased the spaces and managed the affected theaters
told Broadway.com at the time. "For five years I've been on a six-
month notice basis, and it has finally come to pass. They've managed
to sell." The plan sparked a bitter drama worthy of the Broadway
stage. On October 31, 2005, The Montreal Gazette described it as "a
collision of art and commerce in a city where real-estate development
is constantly making and remaking neighborhoods."
The project has touched off an imbroglio that pits the developer
against theater enthusiasts, the local community board, and some
city officials. It also seeks to plumb the definition of
"legitimate theatre" - a murky rubric that has come to embrace
drama, musicals and even puppets. Ross wants to take advantage
of a city zoning regulation, a "theater bonus" created [in 2004]
to encourage the building and preservation of theatrical space
on the stretch of 42nd St. just west of Theatre Row. The bonus
would enable him to build a taller tower than would normally be
allowed and reap the sales of ever more valuable apartments, in
exchange for building a $140-million, 1,800-seat theatre for
Cirque. But critics say the zoning bonus was intended to nurture
struggling, and often homeless, off-Broadway theatre companies,
not a commercial juggernaut like Cirque du Soleil. And, they
say, the large complex Ross has in mind does not belong in the
residential neighborhood that is emerging there.
As soon as the theaters were vacant, Related had the 199-seat Douglas
Fairbanks Theatre (located at 432 West 42nd Street; in operation for
23 years) and the 286-seat John Houseman Theatre (located at 450 West
42nd Street; in operation for 18 years) demolished, which did not help
the situation. It also didn't help that the proposal was constantly
changing. Anna Hayes Levin, a co-chairperson of the land use committee
at Community Board 4, which covers 42nd St., said the board had
initially supported Related's application for a theatre zoning bonus
based on its original proposal: to replace the two small theatres it
demolished and build a "classical music center" that would be overseen
by the Orchestra of St. Luke's. That project also had the city's
blessing. But in a move that Levin described as a case of "bait and
switch," Related soon abandoned that idea, proposing instead to create
space for House of Blues, a large nightclub and music hall. When that
proposal ran into opposition from the city planning department and the
community board, she said, Related quietly began talking about
building a large theatre for Cirque, as well as the classical music
center in order to utilize the "theater bonus" clause.
Related executives contended that they never committed to replacing
the off-Broadway theaters. On October 6th, Ross and executives from
Clear Channel, his partner, took the Cirque project to the planning
department directly. City officials and real estate executives who had
spoken to Ross say Related planned a tower with about 800 apartments
and had hired the architectural firm Arquitectronica to design it.
They said Ross wanted the zoning bonus so he could build additional
commercial space. Officials began debating whether Cirque could be
classified as "legitimate theatre," as zoning regulations require, and
whether it should get the benefit.
The city has long wanted to find a permanent home for Cirque,
which has performed under a tent at Battery Park City and on
Randal's Island. But determining whether Cirque qualifies for
the bonus on 42nd St. is all the more difficult because the
zoning regulations do not define the term "legitimate theater."
Critics contend that Cirque productions are wonderfully
entertaining shows of high-wire and trapeze acts, clowns and
contortionists, not theater. Further, Cirque is a robust profit-
making entity. "The idea of theater bonuses is a key to the
quality of life in the city," said Fred Papert, president of the
42nd St. Development Corp., a non-profit organization that has
overseen the development of Theatre Row. "But the idea that
Related, Cirque and Clear Channel would get a bonus is plain
flat-out greed, corporate charity, and simply an appalling
idea."
Cirque du Soleil remained relatively quiet through the ordeal. That
silence was broken on November 9, 2005, when the Calgary Harold
published a small statement from Renee-Claude Menard, Cirque's
communications director: "We have 11 current productions which are all
very distinctive. Our style is a fusion of everything, not just
theatre or dance or circus or music, but a mixture of all of the
above." Some shows have storylines, which the planners may view as
"legitimate" theatre. But Ms. Menard said Cirque would not surrender
artistic license by committing itself to any particular format. "We're
a legitimate art form and we very much want to be in New York City,"
she said. "But it's not the location that's going to dictate the
content."
Alas, it was not meant to be. On February 9, 2006, the city handed
down its decision on the zoning bonus -- NO. "We'd love to have Cirque
in the city," said Amanda Burden, chairwoman of the Planning
Department. But, she added, "at this location they simply do not
qualify for a bonus." Jeff Blau, the president of Related Companies,
said: "You can't win them all. But we respect the city's decision. We
have to redo our plans and decide what to do."
And they did. Today the MiMA Building (a stylized abbreviation of
"Middle of Manhattan", a mixed-use building, stands in the middle of
Hell's Kitchen. Ground was broken in 2007 and topped out in August
2010. It was designed by the previously-mentioned Miami-based
architecture firm of Arquitectonica, and has 43 floors of luxury
rentals on floors 7 to 50, twelve floors of condominiums on floors 51
to 63, and a hotel on the lower levels. At 638 feet (194 m), it is the
101st tallest building in New York. The Related Companies stated that
the project "has been well received because of the amenity
package...", which includes a private health club, an outdoor movie
theatre, a dog run and full pet spa. In 2012, the Signature Theatre
Company opened The Pershing Square Signature Center inside the MiMA
Building. The center consists of three theatre spaces, two studios, a
shared lobby with a café and bar, bookshop, and concierge desk, and
administrative offices that span 70,000 contiguous square feet. There
is, however, no Cirque du Soleil.
In either case, later in the summer of 2006, angry Coney Island
residents forced developer Joe Sitt to scrap plans for a Cirque du
Soleil theater inside his massive makeover project along Surf Avenue
there; one New York City official dismissed the concept as "too
Bellagio."
In fact, the architect for the rejected project was Stanton Eckstut,
the master planner for the City Center Project in Las Vegas. And his
plan was bold. There were drawings of high-tech arcades, a glass-
enclosed water park, hotels, restaurants and waterfront condominiums.
Skit described an entertainment complex that featured the most far
out, "over the top" attractions, from an indoor ski hill and a giant
Ferris wheel to a dirigible and helicopter landing station atop a
tower.
He plans to build a glittering resort paradise right next to the
Coney Island boardwalka retail and entertainment colossus every
bit as outrageous and flamboyant as the Bahamas Atlantis. The
plan includes megaplexes. An indoor water park. A 500-room,
four-star hotel and, at the center of it all, an enormous,
psychedelic carousel laced with visual cues to a Coney Island
that Timothy Leary could have dreamed up. Equally spectacular,
Sitt hopes, will be a blimp that will take off from the
complexs roof, carrying tourists on joyrides every ten-minutes
over the city as it flashes the resorts name in giant
Technicolor letters: THE BOARDWALK AT CONEY ISLAND. The total
price tag: $1 billion.
Sitt also hoped to entice Cirque du Soleil, the House of Blues, and
other name-brand draws to the project, but like most redevelopments in
New York City, it wasn't meant to be. After complaints from residents
and city officials, Sitt scrapped his dirigible plans for an indoor
mall with warehouse-style stores and a theater for Cirque du Soleil in
favor of designs that were more open to the neighborhood and in line
with Coney Island. Those fell apart too.
And lastly, in December 2006, Cirque du Soleil and Related were
together again on a proposal for the redevelopment of Pier 40, at the
western end of Houston Street in Hudson River Park. Pier 40 was
originally one of five "finger" piers numbered 37 through 41, which
were owned by the government of New York City, and were used by
various transport companies. In 1956, the city announced a plan to
consolidate the five piers into a single large passenger and cargo
terminal serving the Holland America Line. Construction began in 1958
and the terminal was opened in 1962. When the Holland America Line
moved to the New York Passenger Ship Terminal in 1974, the pier
continued to be used by ships until 1983. Afterward, the New York
State Department of Transportation purchased the pier and used it as a
parking complex for cars, busses and trucks, as well as commercial
warehousing. Bus, truck, and warehousing activity ended in 2004. The
pier reopened in 2005 as a neighborhood sporting complex. However,
despite its popularity, the pier is dilapidated and sinking into the
Hudson River. Thus the plans to rescue, fix, and redevelop the area.
Cirque du Soleils letter of interest was part of a proposal by
Related Companies for the redevelopment of Pier 40, said Renee-
Claude Menard, Cirques director of public relations. "If
Related does get the bid, we would be interested in pursuing
it," Menard said. But she said actually opening a show is
probably "close to two years down the road," and the exact scope
of Cirques plans remained uncertain.
With a decision due by February 2007, the Hudson River Trust declined
to disclose details about any of the four proposals submitted to them,
but some neighborhood groups were worried that any development would
hurt access to the heavily-used 3.5-acre athletic field in the
courtyard of the giant building that ringed the pier.
And Related Companies' plan (which they've described as a "Downtown
Lincoln Center") was a doozey: a 600,000 square-foot, 10,000-seat,
nearly $700 million multi-venue mega-entertainment complex to not only
house a permanent home to Cirque du Soleil, but include a space for
the TriBeCa Film Festival, and rooftop athletic fields. With repairs
that were estimated to run about $280 million, Related was offering to
pay $5 million in rent a year to the Trust, and rehab the pier. But
some wealthy neighborhood residents banded together to derail that
plan, and they proposed raising private funds to do their own rehab,
create rental space for artists, and "keep the park a park." They
dubbed Related's proposal "Vegas on the Hudson", worried that the
development would overwhelm both the Hudson River Park and the
surrounding West Village, Hudson Square, and SoHo neighborhoods,
attracting an almost-entirely tourist clientele which would arrive
largely by automobile thereby choking out the residents.
The neighborhood association won out. In early 2008, the Hudson River
Park Trust voted to reject the Related Companies proposal. By 2009,
Guy Laliberté himself said the project was "dead". But he added he
had arrived in NYC via "the back door or window." That window was
Madison Square Garden Entertainment, which represented both the Beacon
and Radio City Music Hall, and provided Cirque's theatre for Wintuk.
So there's some consolation anyway.
CIRQUE IN DUBAI... AGAIN?
-------------------------
If you've been following Fascination for a long time, news of Cirque
du Soleil planning to reside within the borders of the United Arab
Emirates shouldn't come as a surprise. We've been hearing about Cirque
in Dubai off-and-on for years. The first, you may recall, back in May
2007 when Arabian Business Online confirmed rumors that Cirque du
Soleil signed a multi-million dollar, 15-year deal for a show at the
heart of the Palm Jumeirah (an artificial archipelago created using
land reclamation by Nakheel) following the smashing success of Quidam
in the country earlier that year. The two companies were to jointly
design and build an 1,800-seat theater to be home to the first ever
Cirque resident show to be staged outside of the United States and the
Far East. The show, expected to begin its creation process by January
2008, would then open by first quarter of 2010, with an official gala
premiere to occur later in December of that year.
But the process became complicated before it ever got off the ground.
On the 24th anniversary of Cirque du Soleils founding (June 16,
2008), rumors began circulating that Cirque had been approached by
Dubai-based Istithmar, a leveraged-buyout firm affiliated with
Nakheel, for a £1 billion investment (or buy-out) of its operation,
which would give the fund a "significant" stake in the company. An
unidentified Cirque representative said at the time it was "rumor and
speculation" and that Cirque du Soleil was not for sale. "The Cirque
du Soleil is a very attractive business and we regularly receive
offers from individuals or companies," Renee-Claude Menard, director
of Montreal-based Cirques public relations later said. "So
occasionally, rumours and speculation of our sale abound. In this
case, it is just that, rumour and speculation," Menard said.
But less than two months later Cirque du Soleil announced that the
company had indeed sold a 20% stake to Nakheel and Istithmar, part of
Dubai World (August 6, 2008). The agreement kept control of the
Montreal-based entertainment company in the hands of founder Guy
Laliberté, putting to rest conjecture that the troupe would be sold
outright, but speculation still abounded. "This partnership is the
best of both worlds for me and my management team," Laliberte said in
a joint statement. "We can keep control of our creative challenges and
operations while accelerating our growth doing projects all over the
world."
The investment did little to help the Dubai project get off the
ground, however. By late 2008 the premiere date for the still unnamed,
un-themed show had slipped past 2010 and into 2011; by March 2009 that
date slipped again into 2012, thanks in large part to the global
economic crisis which had just gotten underway. Dubai's stake in the
MGM City Center project and its subsequent development problems and
cost-overruns didn't help matters either. Brett Judd, Head of
Entertainment and Leisure at Nakheel told Emirates Business at the
time: "As with any other company, [the financial crisis] has made us
reassess our projects, but the show is going ahead [for 2012]."
Unfortunately that was not to be the case. On June 6, 2011, plans for
a base on Palm Jumeirah for the Cirque were set aside. "There is no
plan for a Cirque du Soleil permanent [presence] in Dubai at all right
now," company's Corporate PR Manager Chantal Côté said. "This project
has been set aside."
Asked if Cirque was in talks with any other companies in the UAE to
host a permanent show, Côté replied: "We are not speaking to any other
party in the UAE." And asked if Nakheel or Istithmar were in talks to
sell their stakes, Côté said: "They cannot sell their stake without
the consent of Cirque du Soleils founder Guy Laliberté. There are no
discussions to that effect at the moment. They still own 20 per cent
of Cirque du Soleil."
Confirmation that Cirque du Soleil would not pursue the Dubai show did
not come as a surprise. News about the show had been scarce since the
initial declaration and most had given up on the concept ever seeing
an audience. The only thing we'd learned about the show came from an
interview we did with Martin Lord Ferguson and Ella Allaire, who
eluded that they had written demo songs for the show (and that
François Barbeau was working on costume sketches).
By 2013, Guy himself quietly reclaimed the 20% stake in the Cirque
from the Emirati investors he'd sold to just five years before, and
that's the way things remained until mid-2015, when rumors whispers
really began to surface about Cirque in Dubai once again. This
concept, we were told, would be a much smaller effort though - a
boutique show in a black-box theater (a simple, somewhat unadorned
performance space, usually a large square room with black walls and a
flat floor). But it wisped out of existence like a mirage. The next
attempt was a little flashier...
On May 14, 2017, Dubai Holdings announced Marsa Al Arab, a mega-
project spread over a 4 million sq ft area to be developed at a cost
of Dh6.3 billion ($1.71 billion). Adding 2.2 km of beach frontage, the
comprehensive tourist destination aimed to elevate the family tourism
proposition in Dubai, provide supporting foundations to host Expo 2020
Dubai, as well as reinforce Jumeirah Groups leading position locally
and globally as one of the driving forces behind the growth and
prosperity of the tourism sector. The project was supposed to break
ground in June of 2017 and be completed by late 2020.
Marsa Al Arab was to be comprised of two islands on both sides of Burj
Al Arab Jumeirah (the hotel that resembles the sail of a ship). One
would be dedicated to entertainment and family tourism, while the
other an exclusive luxury resort. Nestled between would be a dedicated
theater with a capacity of 1,700 seats to become home to the world-
renowned Cirque du Soleil for the first time in the Middle East.
Daniel Lamarre said of the partnership: "Dubai's unique geographical
position between East and West, along with its regionally unparalleled
infrastructure and sophisticated hospitality offering means that
demand is strong for a beloved and enduring institution such as Cirque
du Soleil, and we look forward to raising the curtain for new fans in
this new facility with new shows designed specifically for Dubai.
Cirque du Soleil already enjoys great patronage from residents and
visitors alike and we are pleased to now have a permanent base in the
new epicenter of global tourism."
Alas, construction never really got started; therefore, the show was
never created. Marsa Al Arab does still appear to be a project the
Jumeirah Group is undertaking, just scaled way, way back. It will be
interesting to see if Cirque du Soleil ever does reside in Dubai some
day, but I won't hold my breath.
WELCOME TO PARADISO
-------------------
Like I said, Cirque du Soleil's track record in creating variety
content specifically for television is mixed at best, but that would
not stop the company from signing deals to get more of its product on
the small screen. Like this one on April 4, 2006:
Cirque du Soleil is set to be revamped for UK television, after
signing a three-year deal with INITIAL, a subsidiary of
independent production giant Endemol, which makes Big Brother.
The Canadian performance group will work with the television
producer on a series of 60-minute programs expected to be filmed
at the O2 Arena, previously known as the Millennium Dome, and
broadcast in 2007 and 2008. Cirque will lead all creative
content aspects of the stage shows but Initial will develop the
television production side. Andy Ward, director of special
projects at INITIAL, said: "Cirque du Soleil are the most
exciting, visual and popular artists in the world and we're
thrilled to have the opportunity to work with them to translate
their spirit to television."
Alas, nothing seems to have come of this venture, unless we count
DELIRIUM, which was indeed filmed at the O2 arena in April 2008 and
later screened in theaters as a HOT TICKET EVENT (similar to Fathom
Events), but that's stretching it. Luckily, more would come out of the
next joint venture...
On August 28, 2012, Bell Canada and Cirque du Soleil announced they
had formed a new, far-reaching joint venture to develop Québec-based
media content for television, film, digital, and gaming platforms by
leveraging Cirque's creative resources, consumer insight, and
infrastructure with Bell Medias production experience, media
platforms, and diverse distribution capabilities. Four months later
that new venture would be called Cirque du Soleil Média (CDSM) with
Cirque du Soleil's Jacques Méthé installed as the new division's
President.
Things remained relatively quiet until news broke on February 9, 2014
that CDSM and Saban Brands had entered into a pact to develop a
children's entertainment property based on Cirque's productions. The
deal included a new television series, web content, interactive
content, and merchandise. Then on June 9, 2014, Toronto-based
Marblemedia announced that it would work with CDSM to develop and
produce a TV mini-series, a one-hour drama, and a live musical event
for television. And then, on January 15, 2015, CDSM inked a first-look
deal with 20th Century Fox Television to develop live-action prime-
time scripted projects that went beyond the Cirque du Soleil brand and
its live shows.
"Our goal with [these partnerships] is not to televise our live
performances, but rather create properties in the primetime
scripted arena that will elevate the genre by drawing from
Cirque's creative vision," Jacques Méthé said in a statement.
"Cirque du Soleil is recognized for its incredible, high-
quality, artistic live entertainment. I am confident that by
joining forces, we will propel our brand to new heights by
creating distinctive high-quality television productions."
And so the stage was set.
And though Cirque du Soleil Média did work on and have successes with
MOVI KANTI REVO (an interactive online experience created for Google
Chrome) in 2012, CHILD OF LIGHT (a video game produced by Ubisoft, in
which CDSM collaborated on the creative design) in 2014, INSIDE THE
BOX OF KURIOS (an 8-minute live-action VR experience) in 2016, the
documentary TORUK: THE FIRST FLIGHT (a behind-the-scenes look at the
creation of TORUK) also in 2016, and with LUNA PETUNIA (an animated
children's show with Saban Brands which aired thirty-three episodes on
NETFLIX from 2016 to 2018), but what of the other two television
deals? As far as I can tell they've dropped off the Bar at the Edge of
the Earth.
Not long after 20th Television and CDSM inked their deal, Jonnie Davis
(President of Creative Affairs at 20th TV) said they were "already
searching for writers who can tap into their world to create scripted
series that are as distinctive and exciting as the world famous Cirque
live events." By September 2015, according to Deadline, FOX ordered a
script from this venture...
PARADISO, a drama from Cirque du Soleil Média, has been set up
at FOX with a script commitment plus penalty, meaning the
network will have to pay a fee to Cirque if the show doesn't
move forward. Inspired by the dreamlike style of Cirque du
Soleils live shows, Paradiso explores what would happen if a
character like Amelie from Jean-Pierre Jeunet's movie went into
a place like the Moulin Rouge, with exhilarating performances
every week. Written by Yaniv Raz, Paradiso is a heightened soap
that follows a girl pursuing her dream of performing at the
Paradiso, the most glamorous nightclub in San Lorenzo (a
fictional but contemporary city based on 1950s Havana). Once
there, her bold personality will win her both friends and
enemies in this politically charged world. Raz, who has
extensive stage experience, executive produces with Cirque
Média's Jacques Méthé and Gillian Ferrabee.
PARADISO was planned to air during the 2016-2017 TV season - it didn't
- and we've never heard any more about it or the deal since.
Marblemedia was also working on a primetime series - their first
called ALCHEMY, co-produced with Cirque du Soleil Média. ALCHEMY was
billed as "a supernatural feast for the senses, wrapped in an
unnerving and very human urban mystery that would leave the
contemporary genre fans reveling in spectacle, gasping at the edge-of-
your-seat action and begging for more." Sounds interesting... but
that's all we ever heard about the project before it too disappeared
into the aether.
Why did some of these projects work out and others just simply
disappear? Although no clear reason has ever been given publicly, the
disappearances have simply come down to changes in strategy over the
years. Take the production deals in mid-2014 to early 2015 as an
example: Cirque du Soleil sold to TPG in April 2015 and within months
of closing the deal, radical changes at the Cirque began to unroll.
Prior to the sale, Cirque du Soleil had organized its business into 10
different subsidiaries to give potential suitors a clearer sense of
where Cirque du Soleil was active and expanding. After the sale, the
new owners were not beating around the bush about where their intent
laid: they wanted to focus heavily on what was currently working and
expand/duplicate those options globally. And that meant closing some
of the subsidiaries, folding the remnants into other divisions, and
generally reorganizing the business to focus on the elements that the
new owners thought was the most important.
SANDBOX, the company's Hospitality division, was one of the first
closed in October 2015. The PARKS AND EXPERIENCES division was folded
into 45 DEGREES (think CREACTIVE and NFL EXPERIENCE). The plug was
effectively pulled on C-LAB, the company's experimental lab. And
beginning in 2017, Cirque du Soleil MUSIQUE ceased to exist as a music
label, and as an imprint of the Cirque du Soleil business entity all-
together; music releases now come under Cirque du Soleil IMAGES. And
that leads me back to Cirque du Soleil Média. In October 2016, Média's
President Jacques Méthé left the company; the following month Producer
Gillian Ferrabee also left. And any future television projects
namely the kids show BIG TOP ACADEMY - were undertaken by the Cirque
du Soleil IMAGES label, rather than Média. As have the more recent VR
experiences. So while the partnership with Bell may not be dissolved,
it certainly doesn't appear to be very active today.
Interestingly enough, ALCHEMY does still appear to be on Marblemedia's
development slate in development with Showcase (Corus Entertainment),
but who knows what may happen to it at this point.
To be Concluded...
=======================================================================
COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
=======================================================================
Fascination! Newsletter
Volume 21, Number 2 (Issue #205) February 2021
"Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (C)
2001-2021 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.
{ Feb.15.2021 }
=======================================================================
