Eleni Uranis
Makeup Designer (Zarkana)
After completing studies in fashion design at Seneca College of Applied Arts in Toronto and costume and set design at the National Theatre School of Canada, Eleni Uranis first joined Cirque du Soleil in 1989 as assistant to costume designer (and former classmate) Dominique Lemieux on the show Nouvelle Expérience. She undertook research for the designs and was responsible for coordination between the creative team and the costume workshop.
That engagement led to work on Saltimbanco, Mystère, Alegría, Quidam, “O” and La Nouba. Eleni took care of fabric research, fittings and artistic quality control. She then worked closely with Cirque co-founder Gilles Ste-Croix as costume designer for a unique show called Pomp Duck and Circumstance which was presented in Hamburg, Germany in 1997. In 2002, Eleni worked as assistant to the world-renowned designer Thierry Mugler, creating and coordinating the costumes for the Cirque du Soleil production Zumanity in Las Vegas.
In March 2004 Eleni’s career took a new direction when she went to work for the Makeup Department at Cirque, creating designs for the cast of Dralion. She particularly enjoys the close contact she has with the performers, because they work as a two-person team to create a look for the character. “Makeup hides, reveals and transforms the character all at the same time. With just a little color, everything can change,” she says. “Through makeup you can forget the person playing the role and discover the true nature of the character.”
Between 2004 and 2006 Eleni assisted Makeup Designer Nathalie Gagné on the Cirque du Soleil productions KÀ, Corteo, Delirium and The Beatles LOVE. In 2005, she designed the makeup for Reflections in Blue, the show Cirque produced for the opening ceremonies of the FINA World Aquatic Championships held in Montreal. Zarkana is her fifth engagement as Makeup Designer on a Cirque show, following Dralion, Wintuk, ZED and Banana Shpeel.
"I was inspired by the world of circus and the stage magic acts of the early 20th century when I created the makeup for several of the Zarkana characters," says Eleni. “And given the sheer scale of the stage, I punched up the contrasts to accentuate the artists’ facial features and make it easier for the audience to read their expressions."
Eleni Uranis was born in Oradea, Romania.