The Making Of
Production Diary - Here Come the Artists
By Wayne Robinson, Carpenter
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
The artists are here and the validation and dry-tech process has begun! The theatre construct is almost complete, and the focus of the install is now performance! From this day forward, the rehearsal process will unfold, leading to our opening in late June.
The performers were in awe of the theatre. For months they had been rehearsing in Montreal in a makeshift hall that, although functional, was aesthetically bland. Their first visit to the theatre generated lots of "wows"! It was the first time they saw moving lifts. In Montreal, the rehearsals had taken place over a flat floor surface with outlines indicating where the theatre lifts would be! They also got to tour the different levels and see, for the first time, our theatre in the round—with all the rigging, seats and light fixtures, as well as the newly finished dressing rooms.
We also got our first taste of the theatre's audio system and the show's music. There are lots of unique elements in this creation, and I think the audio is what will most delight the senses! I've been around for a while, and I have never heard anything like it. Unbelievably crisp, the audio's unique tone will blow patrons out of their seats. While in the KÀ theatre, you find speakers in the back of each seat, our seats also have speakers facing the back of the theatre, so you have them right in front of you!
Production tables are being set up in the theatre for the creation and design people, who are arriving some time this week. Under the Director's supervision, they will assemble what has been rehearsed in Montreal on an un-sculptured set and transform it into a performance routine tailored to the new theatre. The entire crew is still working long hours—typically 12 to 14 hours a day, six days a week! But with the show opening in a matter of weeks, the work is easier to absorb. After all, our first audience is right around the corner!
If you are accustomed to Cirque's uniqueness and creativity, you won't be disappointed! This show will rock! This weekend, we will be entering the dry-tech phase! It's the first attempt to run through the entire show. So far, we have been making sure that everything is functional, seeing how things work, and putting the artists on the equipment. We now have to process the show into sequence and fit it into the 90-minute window, which is no easy task for a brand new concept for a resident show! Lots of firsts for this one; I'll share some of them with you in upcoming issues. Plan your trips; June is right around the corner!