Restarting the Circuit du Soleil machine

More than a year after the shutdown, the Cirque du Soleil machine is ready to restart. The company announced Wednesday that it will return to Las Vegas at the end of June to perform at two venues at full capacity.

Despite the snow on Wednesday in Montreal, the sun was back on the circus campus. “This is our best day of the year. There were so many emotions and tears of joy when I announced this to the employees this morning [mercredi] », Confid Journal Daniel Lamar, CEO of Cirque.

And for good reason. After months of uncertainty, postponement and dismissals, Cirque announced it would reopen on Wednesday Mystery, June 28, and O, July 1. These are the company’s first structures to resume operations in Las Vegas since March 15, 2020, when the company “temporarily” suspended its residential exhibitions.

The choice of these two specific shows to reopen in “Strip” is not trivial.

“These are two iconic shows,” Daniel Lamar said. For us, our first two original performances symbolized [à Las Vegas] The first two to reopen. “

While Quebec is in the middle of the third wave of COVID-19, the situation is different, to say the least in Nevada.

“By the end of June, almost 80% of the Las Vegas population will be vaccinated, all of them MGM employees and circus employees,” explained Daniel Lamar.

End of limits

Last week, Nevada Governor Steve Sissolak announced that he was lifting all anti-epidemic measures by June 1st. The first two circuit displays can be performed in rooms at full capacity. Theaters for Mystery, At Treasure Island, and O, At Bellagio, can hold 1,541 and 1,800 spectators, respectively.

The circus does not require proof of vaccination to enter its theaters. But masks are mandatory and other health measures are taken. “We’ll see how the situation develops,” Daniel Lamar said.

If all goes well with these two productions, Cirque plans to reopen its other Vegas shows in order: The Beatles Love (August), Michael Jackson One (September) and Kà (October). However the dates have not been confirmed yet.

Uncertainty in Montreal

The Blue Man Group show, part of the Cirque family, is set to re-launch later this summer in Luxor, Vegas. At Disney Springs in Florida, Daniel Lamar is also expected to launch a new show Draw to life In the autumn.

In November, Jar Punta can do it again in Cana. Lucia It will reopen in London in January.

About the Marquee Show Under a sky, Which is set to launch in Montreal in the spring of 2020 in Montville, with nothing short of its show next year. Cirque is also planning to launch another product in Old Port in April 2022.

“By giving so much priority to re-launching our current shows, we must ensure that the quality of this new show is not neglected,” Daniel Lamar explained. We are currently looking at all of our alternatives. “

Circus during the pandemic

Cirque du Soleil has 44 active structures [dont 6 spectacles à Las Vegas et 13 spectacles de tournée] When the pandemic touches. Everyone had to close their doors indefinitely.

In March 2020, the circus had to lay off 95% or 4,679 of its staff. About 200 employees were able to continue their jobs, most of them in Montreal.

In recent months, only resident shows in China [The Land of Fantasy, à Hangzhou] And Mexico [JOYÀ, à Riviera Maya] Were able to restart.

In the coming weeks, about 200 jobs will be created each time the circuit show resumes.