CIRQUIE DU SOLEIL "VAREKAI"

Written and directed by Dominic Champagne

For the first time ever!

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL VISITS MANILA !     

Premieres June 22, 2011 for a limited engagement

Under the Blue-and-Yellow Grand Chapiteau (Big Top)

at the Luneta, across Quirino Grandstand    

                        

TICKETS AVAILABLE AS OF MARCH 4, 2011

Manila, 03 March, 2011 – For the first time in its history, Cirque du Soleil will visit Manila with its live touring production VAREKAI premiering June 22, 2011 for a limited engagement under the blue-and-yellow Grand Chapiteau (Big Top) located at the Luneta, across Quirino Grandstand.

Tickets will go on sale starting 12:00 midnight of Friday March 4, 2010 through our online box office at www.hoopla.ph or www.cirquedusoleil.com. For inquiries, call 775-0939, 881-0947, 0919-4508125 and 0917-4436463.

About the show

Deep within a forest, at the summit of a volcano, exists an extraordinary world a world where something else is possible. A world called VAREKAI.

The sky lets go a solitary young man, and the story of VAREKAI begins. Parachuted into the shadows of a magical forest, a kaleidoscopic world imbued with fantastical creatures, a young man takes flight in an adventure both absurd and extraordinary. On this day at the edge of time, in this place of pure and undiluted possibility, begins an inspired incantation to a life rediscovered and to a newly found wonder in the mysteries of the world and the mind.

The word VAREKAI (pronounced ver·ay·’kie) means “wherever” in the Romany language of the gypsiesthe universal wanderers. Written and directed by Dominic Champagne, this production pays tribute to the nomadic soul, to the spirit and art of the circus tradition, and to those who quest with infinite passion along the path that leads to Varekai.

VAREKAI emerges from an explosive fusion of drama and acrobatics. The impossible become

possible in stunning displays of skill and power set against innovative music and otherworldly sets, interwoven with vivid choreography that speaks to all in the universal language of movement. The

pendulum of time sweeps backward, paying tribute to the ancient and rare circus traditions of Icarian games, water meteors and Georgian dance. VAREKAI then catapults to the future with revolutionary twists on such acts as Russian swings, body skating and triple trapeze. Cast and acts VAREKAI introduces an international cast of more than 50 artists representing 23 nationalities: Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kazakhstan, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, Serbia, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Ukraine, Creative Team From the imagination of a 15-member creative team comes VAREKAI: Guy Laliberté: Guide; Dominic Champagne: Writer and Director; Andrew Watson: Director of Creation; Stéphane Roy: Set Designer; Eiko Ishioka: Costume Designer; Violaine Corradi: Composer; Michael Montanaro: Choreographer; Bill Shannon: Choreographer; Jaque Paquin: Rigging Designer; Nol Van Genuchten: Lighting Designer; François Bergeron: Sound Designer; Francis Laporte: Projection Designer; Cahal McCrystal: Clown.  ActsDesigner (duos); Nathalie Gagné: Make-Up Designer; André Simard: Aerial Acts Designer.

Performance schedule
DAY                                       DATE                    TIME
                                                                                

Wednesday                          22-Jun-11                7:30 PM
Thursday                              23-Jun-11                7:30 PM
Friday                                  24-Jun-11         3:30 PM & 7:30 PM
Saturday                              25-Jun-11         3:30 PM & 7:30 PM
Sunday                                26-Jun-11          1:00 & 5:00 PM
Tuesday                               28-Jun-11                7:30 PM
Wednesday                          29-Jun-11                7:30 PM
Thursday                              30-Jun-11                7:30 PM
Friday                                   1- Jul-11                 7:30 PM
Saturday                               2-Jul-11           3:30 PM & 7:30 PM
Sunday                                 3-Jul-11           1:00 PM & 5:00 PM
Tuesday                                5-Jul-11                  7:30 PM
Wednesday                           6-Jul-11                  7:30 PM
Thursday                               7-Jul-11                  7:30PM
Friday                                   8-Jul-11                  7:30 PM

Co-Presentor

Manila Hotel is co-presenting Cirque Du Soleil in line with its tradition of excellence and industry leadership. This will serve as its launching event in a series of build up activities for their forthcoming 100th anniversary celebration which will culminate in October 2012.

Cirque du Soleil

From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is a major Quebéc-based organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. The company has 5,000 employees, including more than 1,200 artists from close to 50 different countries.

Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to close to 100 million spectators in 300 cities on five continents. In 2010, Cirque du Soleil, will present 21 shows simultaneously throughout the world. The company has received such prestigious awards as the Emmy, Drama Desk, Bambi, ACE, Gémeaux, Félix, and Rose d’Or de Montreux. Cirque du Soleil International Headquarters are in Montreal, Canada.

For information about Cirque du Soleil, images and additional information on the show, please visit:

http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/CirqueDuSoleil/en/pressroom/default.htm