Sunday, May 31, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Cirque du Soleil Meets Moulin Rouge
I was just informed that Cirque du Soleil will be doing a Moulin Rouge show in New York. It should be interesting. I feel like it will either be amazing or a bag of garbage.
I think this scene, Hindi Sad Diamonds, is enough to explain why Soleil is interestedin the rights to this show.
I think this scene, Hindi Sad Diamonds, is enough to explain why Soleil is interestedin the rights to this show.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
My Next Project
I am very pleased that after Vera's August tour my next project will be "The Laramie Project." I am very excited to direct this life changing play.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Circus with stamina: Ringling Bros. still delivers family-friendly fun
By CHUCK DARROW
Philadelphia Daily News
darrowc@phillynews.com 215-313-3134
IT MAY or may not still be "The Greatest Show on Earth," but the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is certainly one of the most surprisingly popular shows on the planet.
Despite seemingly endless competition for the entertainment dollar (television, video games, movies, the Internet, et al), the decidedly low-tech and old-fashioned circus remains a major attraction for "children of all ages."
Opening night of this year's edition of the circus found the soon-to-be-demolished Wachovia Spectrum, which is hosting the extravaganza for the 41st and final time, pulsating with energy as fans delighted in a potpourri of acts - from trained dogs, horses and zebras to aerialists, clowns and even a pair of women who were launched from giant twin cannons.
To be sure, there are some differences between the circuses that captivated audiences a century or more ago and the current version, which is called "Zing Zang Zoom" and runs through Memorial Day.
For instance, the traditional three-ring format, which showcased different acts simultaneously, is gone. Generally, the spotlight is taken by one act at a time.
The music - performed by a large, live band - is more rock-based than the calliope-and-marching-band sounds historically identified with such presentations.
And the "freak"-dominated sideshow has long been a politically incorrect memory.
Essentially, though, the circus has remained consistent since its two forebears, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey productions, pretty much introduced grand-scale entertainment to America in the mid-19th century.
So how does this relic of such a long-ago time survive - nay, thrive - in our iPodded, Xboxed, CGI'd society?
Some first-nighters said the key to the circus' enduring appeal is its emphasis on the novel and exotic. "There's nothing like it," proclaimed Jackie Cabrera, 33, of Washington Township, N.J., as she kept an eye on her daughter, Isabella, 3 1/2, during the circus' "pre-show."
The event welcomed visitors to the arena floor, where they could watch jugglers and other performers. Kids could even try on the performers' costumes (Isabella chose a short jacket with puffy scarlet sleeves that appeared to come straight from Carmen Miranda's trunk).
"Where else do you see animals and clowns?" Cabrera said.
For Peggy Schroeder, "It's just the whole excitement of it," although when pressed, the 81-year-old Roxborough resident, who was taking her 6-year-old granddaughter, Melody Mauer, to her first circus, named the trapeze artists as a particularly favorite attraction.
In this day and age, when even TV commercials can be borderline R-rated, the circus provides wholesome, kid-friendly fun, noted Julia McBride, of Drexel Hill, who attended with her husband, John, 49, their 5-year-old son, Danny, and a nephew, Dale Lennon.
"This is one of the few things" we can bring Danny to, she offered. McBride added that, for her, a visit to the circus also offers her a sweet trip back in time. "It reminds me of my childhood."
As far has her husband is concerned, the Ringling Bros. spectacular has some practicality as well. Nodding in the direction of Citizens Bank Park, where the Phillies were playing the Los Angeles Dodgers, John McBride suggested the circus "is a little cheaper" than a Phils' game.
Not that New York-based Feld Entertainment is a philanthropic endeavor. Most tickets to the circus are reasonably priced (most are scaled at $13 to $25), but you can spend as much as $85 a pop for a "Celebrity Circus" ticket that includes a seat on the first two rows, arena-floor seating during one act and even the chance for a parent to be levitated by his or her child during a magic bit.
Then there are the nonstop food and merchandise vendors whose style falls under the "in-your-face" category. After all, the circus was the Petri dish for modern marketing and promotion.
But even with such distractions, Yves Nutter, 37, of South Philly, finds the circus a very special place.
"It's still family-oriented, but without the gadgets and games. And it's a good way for the family to come together," said Nutter, who was with his wife, Tameka, and their two children, son Zaquez, 5, and daughter Jenna, 4.
He advised that it's also something to be experienced in person. "You might see it on TV," he said, "but in real life, kids enjoy it more." *
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, through Monday, Wachovia Spectrum, Broad Street and Pattison Avenue. Showtimes: 7 tonight, 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. tomorrow and Friday, 11 a.m. and 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday, 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday, 1 p.m. Monday. $85, $50, $25, $21 and $13, 800-298-4200, www.comcasttix.com.
http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/20090520_Circus_with_stamina__Ringling_Bros__still_delivers_family-friendly_fun.html
Philadelphia Daily News
darrowc@phillynews.com 215-313-3134
IT MAY or may not still be "The Greatest Show on Earth," but the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is certainly one of the most surprisingly popular shows on the planet.
Despite seemingly endless competition for the entertainment dollar (television, video games, movies, the Internet, et al), the decidedly low-tech and old-fashioned circus remains a major attraction for "children of all ages."
Opening night of this year's edition of the circus found the soon-to-be-demolished Wachovia Spectrum, which is hosting the extravaganza for the 41st and final time, pulsating with energy as fans delighted in a potpourri of acts - from trained dogs, horses and zebras to aerialists, clowns and even a pair of women who were launched from giant twin cannons.
To be sure, there are some differences between the circuses that captivated audiences a century or more ago and the current version, which is called "Zing Zang Zoom" and runs through Memorial Day.
For instance, the traditional three-ring format, which showcased different acts simultaneously, is gone. Generally, the spotlight is taken by one act at a time.
The music - performed by a large, live band - is more rock-based than the calliope-and-marching-band sounds historically identified with such presentations.
And the "freak"-dominated sideshow has long been a politically incorrect memory.
Essentially, though, the circus has remained consistent since its two forebears, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey productions, pretty much introduced grand-scale entertainment to America in the mid-19th century.
So how does this relic of such a long-ago time survive - nay, thrive - in our iPodded, Xboxed, CGI'd society?
Some first-nighters said the key to the circus' enduring appeal is its emphasis on the novel and exotic. "There's nothing like it," proclaimed Jackie Cabrera, 33, of Washington Township, N.J., as she kept an eye on her daughter, Isabella, 3 1/2, during the circus' "pre-show."
The event welcomed visitors to the arena floor, where they could watch jugglers and other performers. Kids could even try on the performers' costumes (Isabella chose a short jacket with puffy scarlet sleeves that appeared to come straight from Carmen Miranda's trunk).
"Where else do you see animals and clowns?" Cabrera said.
For Peggy Schroeder, "It's just the whole excitement of it," although when pressed, the 81-year-old Roxborough resident, who was taking her 6-year-old granddaughter, Melody Mauer, to her first circus, named the trapeze artists as a particularly favorite attraction.
In this day and age, when even TV commercials can be borderline R-rated, the circus provides wholesome, kid-friendly fun, noted Julia McBride, of Drexel Hill, who attended with her husband, John, 49, their 5-year-old son, Danny, and a nephew, Dale Lennon.
"This is one of the few things" we can bring Danny to, she offered. McBride added that, for her, a visit to the circus also offers her a sweet trip back in time. "It reminds me of my childhood."
As far has her husband is concerned, the Ringling Bros. spectacular has some practicality as well. Nodding in the direction of Citizens Bank Park, where the Phillies were playing the Los Angeles Dodgers, John McBride suggested the circus "is a little cheaper" than a Phils' game.
Not that New York-based Feld Entertainment is a philanthropic endeavor. Most tickets to the circus are reasonably priced (most are scaled at $13 to $25), but you can spend as much as $85 a pop for a "Celebrity Circus" ticket that includes a seat on the first two rows, arena-floor seating during one act and even the chance for a parent to be levitated by his or her child during a magic bit.
Then there are the nonstop food and merchandise vendors whose style falls under the "in-your-face" category. After all, the circus was the Petri dish for modern marketing and promotion.
But even with such distractions, Yves Nutter, 37, of South Philly, finds the circus a very special place.
"It's still family-oriented, but without the gadgets and games. And it's a good way for the family to come together," said Nutter, who was with his wife, Tameka, and their two children, son Zaquez, 5, and daughter Jenna, 4.
He advised that it's also something to be experienced in person. "You might see it on TV," he said, "but in real life, kids enjoy it more." *
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, through Monday, Wachovia Spectrum, Broad Street and Pattison Avenue. Showtimes: 7 tonight, 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. tomorrow and Friday, 11 a.m. and 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday, 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday, 1 p.m. Monday. $85, $50, $25, $21 and $13, 800-298-4200, www.comcasttix.com.
http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/20090520_Circus_with_stamina__Ringling_Bros__still_delivers_family-friendly_fun.html
Today Show Goes To Center for Elephant Conservation
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Wounded elephant's fate weighs on many Vietnamese
By Ho Binh Minh
HANOI (Reuters Life!) - A circus elephant has become a poster pachyderm against poaching of his endangered Asian species, capturing the hearts of many Vietnamese after an old wound caused by a trap flared up.
The fate of Kham Bun made headlines in Vietnam recently after the Hanoi circus said the elephant, who was rescued by rangers in 2007, might need to have its front leg amputated because the wound had started to gape again.
Kham Bun was captured, and wounded, in 2006 in the central highland province of Daklak.
The poachers tried to treat his wound then, but it was never properly cured and the elephant, who was given to the circus on orders from the government, was unable to perform.
Vietnam's population of the Elephas maximus, or Asian elephant, has been declining rapidly in recent decades due to deforestation and illegal hunting.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, there are about 150 elephants left in the country's forests, down from between 1,500 to 2,000 nearly two decades ago.
Newspapers said several people, many of them children, had offered to pay for Kham Bun's food and medical care after hearing his story. A traditional medicine practitioner even traveled to Hanoi from Buon Don village, where Kham Bun was first caught and treated, to help save his leg.
On Thursday, veterinarians and circus director Vu Ngoan Hop decided amputation was unnecessary and that the elephant's wound could be treated.
"The experts have concluded that the elephant is very strong," Hop told Reuters.
"We need to do a small surgery to widen the hole and check if any foreign matter is in there. There's no way that we would we would amputate its leg."
Rising prices and strong demand for illegal ivory threaten the survival of Indochina's remaining elephants, said TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network.
The group said they had surveyed almost 700 shops in Vietnam and found 11 percent selling nearly 2,500 ivory items originating from Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia.
(Editing by Miral Fahmy)
HANOI (Reuters Life!) - A circus elephant has become a poster pachyderm against poaching of his endangered Asian species, capturing the hearts of many Vietnamese after an old wound caused by a trap flared up.
The fate of Kham Bun made headlines in Vietnam recently after the Hanoi circus said the elephant, who was rescued by rangers in 2007, might need to have its front leg amputated because the wound had started to gape again.
Kham Bun was captured, and wounded, in 2006 in the central highland province of Daklak.
The poachers tried to treat his wound then, but it was never properly cured and the elephant, who was given to the circus on orders from the government, was unable to perform.
Vietnam's population of the Elephas maximus, or Asian elephant, has been declining rapidly in recent decades due to deforestation and illegal hunting.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, there are about 150 elephants left in the country's forests, down from between 1,500 to 2,000 nearly two decades ago.
Newspapers said several people, many of them children, had offered to pay for Kham Bun's food and medical care after hearing his story. A traditional medicine practitioner even traveled to Hanoi from Buon Don village, where Kham Bun was first caught and treated, to help save his leg.
On Thursday, veterinarians and circus director Vu Ngoan Hop decided amputation was unnecessary and that the elephant's wound could be treated.
"The experts have concluded that the elephant is very strong," Hop told Reuters.
"We need to do a small surgery to widen the hole and check if any foreign matter is in there. There's no way that we would we would amputate its leg."
Rising prices and strong demand for illegal ivory threaten the survival of Indochina's remaining elephants, said TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network.
The group said they had surveyed almost 700 shops in Vietnam and found 11 percent selling nearly 2,500 ivory items originating from Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia.
(Editing by Miral Fahmy)
Take-Two, Circus Defend Against PETA Game Criticism
By Stephen Totilo, 1:00 PM on Wed May 13 2009
Allegations about elephant mistreatment do not appear to have shaken corporate support for an upcoming Wii Ringling Brothers circus game.
Earlier today, we reported that the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals organization is calling for the cancellation of Take-Two's upcoming game based on the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus (the so-called Greatest Show on Earth).
Take-Two, a company that has weathered protests against Grand Theft Autos, Bully and Manhunt declined to address PETA's allegations that the Ringling Bros. circus violently mistreats its elephants, but backed the game: "As a matter of company policy, we don't comment on the business affairs of our licensors," the company's vice president of communications, Alan Lewis, told Kotaku. "We fully stand behind all of our products."
As for the circus, it has been attacked by PETA for these matters before.
"We vehemently disagree with PETA," Steve Payne, spokesperson for the circus' parent company, Feld Entertainment, told Kotaku. "We're proud of our animal care. The Asian elephant has been a symbol for Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey for its 139 year history... the commitment to animal welfare and conservation for the endangered Asian elephant is something we do every day."
He pointed to the circus' Center for Conservation and its ability to pass government animal inspections "everywhere we go" as proof that PETA's criticism is wrong.
Payne said that his company is "excited" about Take-Two's upcoming game.
http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=6691610750979591428
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Extremists thought to have targeted High Wycombe circus signs
By Oliver Evans »
SIGNS have been vandalised advertising the first animal circus on High Wycombe council land since the lifting of a 17-year ban.
A circus boss suspects animal rights extremists targeted the eight signs, placed on The Rye on Friday, over the weekend.
The acronym ALF was sprayed on the signs. The Animal Liberation Front is an extremist group which condones attacks on property.
Zippos Circus brings horses and budgerigars to The Rye from May 28 to June 2 for the first time since 1992.
It is the first time an animal circus has been allowed on Wycombe District Council land since the authority lifted a ban on it this year.
The move was opposed by the RSPCA and split councillors who were given a free vote on the issue (see links, below).
Zippos circus spokesman Chris Barltrop called the attack “pathetic and childish”.
He said: “It shows the mentality of the ALF, that they have no respect for other people’s opinion.
“If you disagree they will bully you to make you conform. They are nasty violent people.”
He said the circus knew there was a risk the signs would be vandalised.
Thames Valley Police said it had received no report of the attacks.
Yet he said: “One has to advertise one’s event.
“We thought somebody might come and rip them down or break the boards, we didn’t expect it to happen to this extent.”
The ALF condones breaking the law to free animals and destroying property “in order to prevent further harm done to animals and to weaken exploitation industries economically”.
The circus says animals will be housed at the front of the circus in a bid to reassure the public.
The Bucks Free Press has made attempts to contact the ALF – which uses cells to avoid detection – for comment.
District council members said in February that the 17-year-old ban for animals such as ponies and dogs could be lifted because new laws would protect animal welfare.
Council officers recommended overturning the ban and said the authority could inspect visiting circuses.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs “is not aware of any viable concerns” that domestic animals should not be used in circuses, they reported.
But Animal Defenders International, which fought the move, said the mobile nature of circuses meant they “simply cannot provide animals with the facilities they need to keep them healthy, either physically or psychologically”.
There is no ban on animal circuses on private land prior to the vote, which means council parks and other open spaces can be used for animal circuses.
Print article » Email to a friend »
http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/4362036.Animal_circus_signs_vandalised/
SIGNS have been vandalised advertising the first animal circus on High Wycombe council land since the lifting of a 17-year ban.
A circus boss suspects animal rights extremists targeted the eight signs, placed on The Rye on Friday, over the weekend.
The acronym ALF was sprayed on the signs. The Animal Liberation Front is an extremist group which condones attacks on property.
Zippos Circus brings horses and budgerigars to The Rye from May 28 to June 2 for the first time since 1992.
It is the first time an animal circus has been allowed on Wycombe District Council land since the authority lifted a ban on it this year.
The move was opposed by the RSPCA and split councillors who were given a free vote on the issue (see links, below).
Zippos circus spokesman Chris Barltrop called the attack “pathetic and childish”.
He said: “It shows the mentality of the ALF, that they have no respect for other people’s opinion.
“If you disagree they will bully you to make you conform. They are nasty violent people.”
He said the circus knew there was a risk the signs would be vandalised.
Thames Valley Police said it had received no report of the attacks.
Yet he said: “One has to advertise one’s event.
“We thought somebody might come and rip them down or break the boards, we didn’t expect it to happen to this extent.”
The ALF condones breaking the law to free animals and destroying property “in order to prevent further harm done to animals and to weaken exploitation industries economically”.
The circus says animals will be housed at the front of the circus in a bid to reassure the public.
The Bucks Free Press has made attempts to contact the ALF – which uses cells to avoid detection – for comment.
District council members said in February that the 17-year-old ban for animals such as ponies and dogs could be lifted because new laws would protect animal welfare.
Council officers recommended overturning the ban and said the authority could inspect visiting circuses.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs “is not aware of any viable concerns” that domestic animals should not be used in circuses, they reported.
But Animal Defenders International, which fought the move, said the mobile nature of circuses meant they “simply cannot provide animals with the facilities they need to keep them healthy, either physically or psychologically”.
There is no ban on animal circuses on private land prior to the vote, which means council parks and other open spaces can be used for animal circuses.
Print article » Email to a friend »
http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/4362036.Animal_circus_signs_vandalised/
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Tony Frebourg
Tony is an amazing diablo artist. He can now be seen in Cirque du Soleil's new show OVO>
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Nebbia
This show is so simple. Simple costumes. Simple lighting. I think that is one of the reasons I find this show more appealing then a lot Soleil's current productions. It really highlights the beauty of physical performance.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
The Matthew Shepard Act
Thankfully the Matthew Shepard Act passed through the House last week. Hopefully it'll be signed into law soon.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Friday, May 1, 2009
Dralion is Closing
Cirque du Soleil's Dralion's big top tour will be closing this winter in Mexico.
Logan
Logan
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