Cirque
Du Soleil

As she describes Zumanity, Cirque du Soleil's show at Las Vegas? New York New York Hotel and Casino, Diana Lozano is clearly the famed performance troupe's biggest fan...

Of course, with an estimated seven million people coming to see one of Cirque du Soleil's shows by the end of this year, Lozano's statement is up for debate.

However, few can say they've actually auditioned for the troupe, as Lozano can say she has, and few can say they own their own troupe heavily inspired by the Canadian-based performers, as Lozano, whose 10-year-old Circ X is hired to perform in clubs and at special events all around South Florida, can also say she does. It's no wonder, then, that Lozano is one of many Miamians enthusiastic about the possibility of Cirque du Soleil setting up permanent shop in the Magic City. ?I am really excited about what's happening to Miami, with the Performing Arts Center opening and now Cirque maybe creating a home here,? Lozano says about Miami's latest cultural endeavors, ?people will finally visit Miami for more than nightclubs. Miami has been lacking culturally for as long as I can remember ? hopefully this will change the landscape.? It's an idea that is anything but far-fetched, as with the Performing Arts Center set to open in the fall of 2006, Miami Beach is stepping up its cultural game as well, hoping to woo the revered Cirque du Soleil with a $150 million renovation to the Jackie Gleason Theatre and a brand new show celebrating Miami's South American sensibilities.

The buzz about the possibility of Cirque adding Miami to its list of permanent homes, which currently includes Quebec (its hometown), Las Vegas, Orlando and soon Tokyo Disney and Euro Disney in Paris, began last spring. The Related Group and Clear Channel Communications brought an impressive and, more importantly, feasible proposal to Miami Beach officials: a $150 million dollar renovation to the Jackie Gleason that would involve taking out 1,000 of the 2,700 seats and adding restaurants, bars, a spa and a nightclub. ?We were actually invited by Miami and the Related Group to think about a project for the Jackie Gleason,? says Cirque du Soleil spokesperson Chantal Cote about how the prospect even came about. ?We are very pleased to be moving a step further on this project and are very impressed with Miami's enthusiasm about the proposal. And as a market for Cirque du Soleil's shows, Miami has always been a great city for us.?

The renovation couldn't come at a better time, as when the Performing Arts Center finally opens its doors, the Gleason will lose most of its performances, including its long-running Broadway series and the Miami City Ballet. ?We have a situation where our home-based entities will be leaving when the Performing Arts Center opens,? says City of Miami Beach spokesperson Nannette Rodriguez, ?and we're definitely looking at Cirque du Soleil as a viable project to fill that void. It would also be a great addition to the cultural component of the city, and it would be another reason for tourists visit Miami Beach. People from all over the country fly in for cruises every week, for example, and how great would it be for them to extend their vacation an extra day so they could catch a Cirque show??

Judging by what Cirque has done for its other permanent residences, Miami Beach has reason to be optimistic. Started in the early eighties as a group of street performers who called themselves Les ?hassiers de Baie-Saint-Paul (the Baie-Saint-Paul Stiltwalkers) ? named after the small town outside of Quebec City in which they resided ? Cirque now boasts an operation that has grown to 3,000 employees, traveled to 250 cities across the world and been viewed by approximately 50 million people. In Las Vegas, visitors can choose from four different performances (New York New York's Zumanity, the Bellagio's O, Treasure Island's Myst?e and MGM Grand's K?. The shows have been so successful ? to the point where seeing a show is now part of the itinerary for most Vegas tourists ? that a fifth performance, inspired by the Beatles, will debut next year at The Mirage.

Of course, it is quality that has allowed such quantity. Audiences have come to expect the very best from a Cirque performance, one that includes breathtaking acrobatics, exquisite costumes and a musical score that stimulates the senses. ?The success lies within the nature of the business,? says Cote of why people go to see a Cirque show. ?Cirque du Soleil is dedicated to combine, in an innovative way, acrobatics, theatre, dance and music. The result is a show with a strong evocative power that everyone can relate to, no matter where people are from. All Cirque du Soleil shows are created to respect very high artistic standards equally,? she continues, ?and each show has its own personality while offering a very high quality product.?

The Miami show promises to be no different. Playing on the city's Latin vibe, Cirque designers say they envision a set inspired by Havana, Cuba's Tropicana nightclub. Also known also for its cultural diversity when it comes to both performers (over 40 nationalities are represented and 25 different languages are spoken) and performances (Alegria, for example, is named for the Spanish word meaning elation or jubilation and features acts from Mongolia and Russia, to name a few), Cirque's presence in Miami, a city in which one can grab a café con leche on one corner and ceviche on the next, would be a perfect fit.

If all goes as planned, ground breaking for the new complex would happen within the next year. There are a few obstacles the Related Group and Clear Channel must clear before the final go-ahead, however. Although the companies have offered to put up $50 million for the project, they are asking the City of Miami Beach to front the remaining $100 million. Where, exactly, that money will come from is still undecided. ?[The idea of bringing Cirque to Miami Beach] is still conceptual up to this point,? Rodriguez says. ?Nothing has been decided. Those involved in the project have made an informal presentation and now they have to sit down and ask, ?can we actually do this?? The finance committee has said ?let's move forward,? so now is the time to figure out the nuts and bolts.?

While the presence of Cirque du Soleil would definitely boost surrounding businesses, those who will gain the most satisfaction are the ticket holders, as while the troupe definitely runs a successful, profitable enterprise, it has always had one goal in mind: to put on a good show. ?Cirque is the perfect fusion of theater and the circus arts,? Lozano says about the ?Cirque experience.? ?They have managed to revolutionize the American concept of the circus from the three-ring 'side show? to a refined extravaganza of surrealistic imagery and impeccable skill. When you see Cirque, you are not just witnessing death-defying skill acts, but embarking on a poetic journey.?
 

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