CIRQUE SOLEIL

December 30, 2010
CIRQUE
DU
SOLEIL
Production
Update
inside
S
SCENE WEEKLY | December 30, 2010 | www.scenelouisiana.com
EDITOR’S PICKS
THE BIG LEBOWSKI
AT THE MANSHIP THEATRE
I
f you haven’t seen The Big Lebowski, that cannot stand,
man. The always-genius Jeff Bridges, currently starring in
both Tron: Legacy and True Grit, gives one of the greatest
performances of his storied career as slacker extraordinaire
Jeffrey Lebowski, better known simply as “The Dude.”
In case you are an uptight philanthropist whose name also
happens to be Lebowski, the Manship Theatre is offering White
RussiansbeforethescreeningThursday,TheDude’ssignaturedrink,
in an effort to help you mellow out, man. In addition, a Wii Bowling
tournament will be held from 7-9pm (but not on Shabbatz).
True fans of The Big Lebowski have seen the film over thirty
times, so if you’re out of your element, just sit back and try to
learn something, Donny. For tickets, dig through your couch
for loose change and go to www.manshiptheatre.org. S
BLACK SWAN
D
arren Aronofsky brings another
jarring character study to the screen
with Black Swan. The film stars
Oscar nominee Natalie Portman as Nina, a
driven ballet dancer tapped to replace a prima
ballerina (Wynona Rider) in her company’s
new season of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. But as
she prepares for the role, a new threat emerges
in the form of another gifted ballerina played
by Mila Kunis. Both dancers vie for the eye
of their director (Vincent Cassel). Portman’s
performance makes her the frontrunner in the
race for a Best Actress statue at the next Academy
Awards. Black Swan is not to be missed. S
THE KING’S SPEECH
A
lbert, Duke of York, had a stammer. Petrified of
public speaking, he broke down while giving
a speech in 1925. So, with the help of his wife,
he found speech therapist Lionel Logue, whose clever
method and wit soon began transforming the Duke into
a man who speaks with confidence. The confidence
required of man who would soon be the King of England.
The King’s Speech is the extraordinary true story of
how a stuttering Duke earned the commanding voice
he needed to lead Britain through World War II as King
George VI. This one’s a lock for a Best Picture nod. S
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Kevin Barraco
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Erin Theriot
HEAD WRITER
Micah Haley
SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Marcie Dickson
CONTROLLER
Jessica Dufrene
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Danielle Tabary
SALES
Jon Bajon
Cyndi Wiseman
Jessica Mason
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Camirand, Al Seid
GRAPHIC ARTIST
Burton Chatelain, Jr.
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Arthur Vandelay, Brittney Franklin
Scene Magazine
at Raleigh Studios Baton Rouge
10000 Celtic Drive
Suite 201
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
225-361-0701
at Second Line Stages
800 Richard St.
Suite 222
New Orleans, LA 70130
504-224-2221
[email protected]
www.scenelouisiana.com
Published By
Louisiana Entertainment Publishers LLC
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express written permission of the publisher.
<< SCENE EXTRAS >>
BRAD PITT RETURNS TO NOLA
FOR COGAN’S TRADE
T
he biggest movie
star in the world will
soon be shooting his
first film in New Orleans
since 2008’s The Curious
Case of Benjamin Button.
The film is Cogan’s Trade,
written and directed by
Andrew Dominika, who
previously worked with Pitt
on the The Assassination of
Jesse James by the Coward
Robert Ford. Pitt will play the
titular character, Jackie Cogan,
an enforcer investigating
the robbery of a high stakes
poker game sponsored by the mob. The film’s ensemble cast is also
rumored to include Pitt’s Jesse James co-star Casey Affleck, Josh Brolin,
Javier Bardem, Bill Murray, Mark Ruffalo, Sam Rockwell and Avatar
star Zoe Saldana, who recently wrapped Columbiana in New Orleans.
Cogan’s Trade has already made a commitment to Second Line Stages,
with all shooting expected to be done in the New Orleans area. S
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<< SCENE WEEKLY >>
ALEGRIA
S
ince 1984, Cirque du Soleil has captivated audiences with twentytwo permanent and touring shows around the globe. With another
show opening next summer at Radio City Music Hall in New York
City, along with a stop at the Baton Rouge River Center next week on
Wednesday, January 5, the acrobatic juggernaut shows no signs of stopping.
“The really cool thing about Cirque du Soleil is we pride ourselves on being
innovative, both as a company and individually within the show,” says SherylLynne Valensky, assistant artistic director of Cirque du Soleil: Alegría, a show
created in 1994 for the tenth anniversary of the entertainment company.
“The really nice thing about Cirque is that it is very unique. We put together
a traditional circus and musical theater and then everything that’s sort of
abstract, throw it all in a pot, mix it up and then you get a Cirque du Soleil show.”
Valensky started working with the company during the big top run
of Saltimbanco, a show focusing on the inhabitants of a hustling and
bustling metropolis, the first to be transformed for an arena setting.
After working in the show Corteo, which made its North America
debut in 2005, she came to Alegría in 2007. Alegría is one of Cirque du
Soleil’s most popular touring shows today. “The word ‘alegría’ comes
from the Spanish. It means jubilation and celebration. So our show is
about celebration and about what the human body can do,” she says.
“In 1994, when the show was created, it was around the time of the
explosion of the internet and new ways of doing business,” Valensky
continues. “One of the things we look at in the show is conflict. How you
have these traditional values, traditional ways of doing things and traditional
society, and how that mixes youth and everyone wanting change and to
reinvent and recreate. So throughout the show as you’re watching the acts,
by
Brittney
Franklin
we have lots of other things going on onstage and we have characters on the
show that represent these two views and how they interact. We try to tell a
story as well as dazzle you with the amazing things people do on the stage.”
A new creative team of directors, composers, choreographers and
designers is brought in for each of the Cirque du Soleil shows to keep up with
the different themes and stories. “We’re very proud of that because what we
put on the stage is very unique. It’s not really circus, it’s not really theater.
It’s kind of something in between. And everything that we do is created
from scratch so it takes about two years from the concept of the show to
the premiere performance,” says Valensky. “Everything is original from the
music that accompanies an act to the actual choreography in the act to the
concept. It’s all created together. We don’t create an act and then say, ‘Okay,
we’re now gonna figure out the music.’ We go, ‘Here’s the act in progress,
here’s the composer. Take a look at what we’ve got so far and, you know,
see if that inspires you to come up with the music.’ So it’s a very organic
process and one that is incredibly stimulating for all the artists involved.”
Cirque du Soleil is always looking for ways to challenge their artists.
Performing eighty shows in a ten-week period can cause an act to go stale in
the eyes of the performer. “In terms of the amount of time we put in, it’s quite
time consuming, quite intense for those ten weeks. And while performing
during that time, we’re also looking at new moments in the show and
updating choreography,” Valensky says. “There might be an artist that wants
to put something new in the show so we’re looking at different challenges.
It’s important that we keep the artist challenged and the show stays fresh.”
The shows have a Wednesday through Sunday playing schedule, giving
the artists Monday and Tuesday to get some rest and explore the 
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<< SCENE WEEKLY >>
S
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
ALEGRIA
city. “What we’re learning in the states is every state is so different and
whatever part of the country that you’re in is so different from the other
parts so you never really know what to expect when you get to a city and
some of the cities have been so surprising with the amount of culture and
variety of things you can do.” Rehearsals and training begin Wednesday
morning and continue throughout the day until the premiere performance
that night. “We have currently fifty-five artists in the show from eighteen
different countries, so we are extremely well-represented worldwide,”
says Valensky. “Everyone has a different way of working and a different
method and a different discipline. Because they feed off of each other so
well, and learn from each other, we get some amazing creativity happening.”
Even with so many performers from various parts of the world, the
language barrier has not hindered communication between cast and
crew. “We have a lot of performers whose English is at various levels and
it’s amazing to see how communication can happen. I like to joke that
we’re sort of our own little mini United Nations,” Valensky says with a
laugh. “What’s amazing is that they are an amazing group and they help
each other. If someone speaks Russian, for example, and their English
isn’t very good, we might have another artist on tour who speaks Russian,
but whose English is much better and even if they’re in a different act
with a different discipline, they’ll come and help us out. You learn there
are many ways to communicate and I can tell more from the artist’s
body language on a daily basis than I can from what they say and when
you’re looking at English as maybe a third or fourth language for some
folks, you rely a lot more on communicating visually and with gestures.”
Traveling with Cirque du Soleil has exposed numerous cultures to one
another, allowing for bonding that wouldn’t have happened otherwise.
“It’s also a lot of fun for us when we see different artists from different
countries go out on their days off,” says Valensky, “They don’t share a
common language, but they’re going to dinner and they’re going to the
movies and they’re going to the mall and that’s really cool. It’s a really
incredible learning environment that you wouldn’t get that anywhere else.”
But being away from home for long periods of time would cause
anyone to feel a little homesick, even while in the company of
contortionists, fire dancers, acrobats and clowns. One temporary solution
to homesickness is visiting a popular coffee chain. “Starbucks is amazing
because they all look the same,” Valensky says. “So you can pretend
you’re in whatever city you want and almost feel like you’re at home.”
Cirque du Soleil: Alegría will be performing at the Baton Rouge River Center
from January 5 to January 9. For tickets, visit www.ticketmaster.com. S
photos by Camirand and Al Seid
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CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
ALEGRIA
photos by Camirand and Al Seid
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<< PRODUCTION UPDATES >>
BATON ROUGE
BATTLESHIP
Feature Film – NBC Universal
Starring Liam Neeson, Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgard, Rihanna
Director: Peter Berg
Phone: 225.906.2990 Fax: 225.906.2991
Crew Resumes: [email protected], [email protected]
Casting: 225.906.0227 - www.bathersoncasting.com
Status: Now shooting in Baton Rouge
Location: Raleigh Studios Baton Rouge, Hawaii
Line Producer: Todd Arnow, Prod. Coordinator: Karla Torres
Production is now underway at Raleigh Studios in Baton Rouge.
CARJACKED
Feature Film - Independent (Films in Motion)
Starring Maria Bello & Stephen Dorff
Director: Peter Medak
Phone: 225.610.1623 Fax: 225.610.1668
Resumes: [email protected]
Status: Now filming
Location: Baton Rouge
UPM: Tod Williams
A carjacking turns into a highway hostage situation for a mother and
her son.
THE CELLAR
Feature Film - Unlimited Production Services/After Dark Films
Status: Shooting December 1-21
Location: Baton Rouge
THE DOOR
Feature Film - Unlimited Production Services/Upload Films
Director: Matthew Arnold
Phone: 225.610.1640
Resumes: [email protected]
Status: November 17 for 18 days
Location: Baton Rouge
UPM: Mark Moran
DRAGON EYES
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 3
Feature Film – Independent (Unlimited Prod. Services)
Starring Jack Derges, Eleanor Gecks and Barry Aird
Director: Gerry Lively
Phone: 818.954.4490
Status: Start shooting January 17 for 4 weeks
Location: Baton Rouge
THE HAUNTING IN GEORGIA
Feature Film - Gold Circle Films (with Unlimited Prod. Services)
Starring Chad Michael Murray, Emily Alyn Lind
Director: Tom Elkins
Resumes: [email protected]
Phone: 225.610.1600 Fax: 225.610.1664
Status: Now shooting
Location: Baton Rouge
Another “Haunting” movie from Gold Circle Films. Seriously, how
great is it that a film explicitly set in Georgia is shooting in Louisiana?
THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN
Feature Film – Summit Entertainment
Starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Kellen Lutz, Elizabeth Reaser, Nikki Reed, Jackson Rathbone, Ashley
Greene, Lee Pace, Rami Malek
Director: Bill Condon
Crew Resumes: [email protected]
Status: Now shooting through March 15
Location: Raleigh Studios Baton Rouge, Vancouver
Line Producer: Bill Banner UPM: David Price
Production Coordinator: Steve Cainas
Security is a very serious concern for this production. Scene Magazine
is withholding the physical address and production offices numbers,
and local casting information at the request of the producers.
UNIVERSAL SOLDIER 4
Feature Film – Independent (Unlimited Production Services)
Starring Jean-Claude Van Damme & Dolph Lundgren
Director: John Hyams
Status: February 2011
Location: Baton Rouge
Feature Film – Independent (After Dark Films/Silver Pictures)
Starring Jean Claude Van Damme & Cung Le
Director: John Hyams
Phone: 225.456.5964 Resumes: [email protected]
Status: November 29 to December 12
Location: Baton Rouge
Line Producer: Yoram Barzilai Prod Coordinator: Amy Rodrigue
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<< PRODUCTION UPDATES >>
NEW ORLEANS
ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER
Feature Film – 20th Century Fox
Director: Timur Bekmambetov
Phone: 504.355.1787 Fax: 504.304.8517
Resumes: [email protected]
Status: Starts shooting March 1
Location: New Orleans
Line Producer: John Kelly
CONTRABAND
Feature Film - NBC Universal / Relativity Media
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Kate Beckinsale, Ben Foster, Giovanni Ribisi
Director: Baltasar Kormakur
Phone: 504.708.2400
Resumes: [email protected]
Status: Shoots January 17 for 8 weeks
Location: New Orleans
Line Producer: Bill Johnson
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
Feature Film – Warner Bros / Legendary Pictures
Starring Christian Bale, Morgan Freeman, Tom Hardy
Director: Christopher Nolan
Phone: 818.954.3007 (Warner Bros/Legendary)
Status: Slated for May 2011
Location: New Orleans
This production is heavily rumored to be doing some filming in New
Orleans, but there has been no official confirmation yet.
LOOPER
Feature Film - Independent (Endgame Entertainment)
Starring Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Director: Rian Johnson
Phone: 504. 335.2515 Fax: 504.525.1857
Resumes: [email protected]
Status: Shoots January 24 through April 1
Location: New Orleans
UPM: Dave Pomier
THE LUCKY ONE
Feature Film – Warner Bros
Starring Zac Efron & Taylor Schilling
Director: Scott Hicks
Phone: 504.224.2230 Fax: 504.224.2293
Resumes: [email protected]
Casting: [email protected]
Status: Shooting now through December 13
Location: New Orleans (Second Line Stages)
Line Producer: Ravi Mehta UPM: Bob Dohrmann
Production Coordinator: Jen Ray
MEMPHIS BEAT - Season 2
TV Series - TNT
Location: New Orleans
Production office slated to open circa January 3, 2011
HOUSE OF THE RISING SON
Feature Film – Independent (Voodoo Pictures)
Director: Brian Miller
Phone: 504.582.5151 Fax: 504.582.5251
Status: Expected start in November
Location: New Orleans
KILLER JOE
Feature Film - Independent
Starring Matthew McConnaughey, Emile Hirsch, Thomas Haden
Church
Director: William Friedkin
Phone: 504.335.2575
Resumes: [email protected]
Casting: Caballero Casting (www.caballerocasting.com)
Status: Now shooting
Location: New Orleans (Second Line Stages)
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<< PRODUCTION UPDATES >>
NEW ORLEANS
SHREVEPORT
SO UNDERCOVER
KANE & LYNCH
Feature Film – Independent
Starring Miley Cyrus
Director: Tom Vaughan
Resumes: [email protected]
Casting: Glorioso Casting (www.gloriosocasting.com)
Status: Currently shooting
Location: New Orleans
A Nancy Drew inspired story that has Cyrus going undercover at a
sorority house.
THE SPECTACULAR NOW
Feature Film – Independent
Director: Lee Toland Krieger
Resumes: [email protected]
Status: February 2011
Location: New Orleans
Feature Film – Nu Image/Millenium Films
Starring Bruce Willis & Jamie Fox
Status: Early 2011
Location: Shreveport
Based on the popular video game of the same name.
LAFAYETTE
MIAMI MAGMA
Feature Film – Independent (Bullet Films)
Phone: 337.706.8957 Fax: 337.706.8971
Resumes: [email protected]
Casting: Caballero Casting (www.caballerocasting.com)
Status: Now shooting
Location: Lafayette
TARANTULA
Feature Film – Independent
Starring Danny Trejo
Director: Oley Sassone
Resumes: [email protected] Phone: 985.649.6161
Status: December 1
Location: Louisiana
TREME - SEASON 2
TV Series – HBO
Starring Wendell Pierce, Melissa Leo, Khandi Alexander, Steve Zahn
Resumes: [email protected]
Casting: RPM Casting (www.rpmcasting.com), tremeextras@gmail.
com
Status: Now shooting
Location: New Orleans
Line Producer/UPM: Joe Incaprera
Writers room is currently knee deep in Season 2.
WORST PROM EVER
Movie of the Week - MTV
Director: Dan Eckman
Phone: 504.704.1240
Resumes: [email protected]
Casting: Robin Batherson (www.bathersoncasting.com)
Status: Now shooting
Location: New Orleans
<< SCENE WEEKLY | DECEMBER 30, 2010 | WWW.SCENELOUISIANA.COM >>
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<< PRODUCTION UPDATES >>
LOUISIANA
LOUISIANA
DOWNERS GROVE
PIRANHA 3DD
Feature Film – Independent
Starring Hayden Panettiere, Nikki Reed & Rebecca De Mornay
Status: Early 2011
Location: Louisiana
HICK
Feature Film – Independent
Starring Chloe Moretz
Director: Derick Martini
Resumes: [email protected]
Status: February 2011
Location: Louisiana
MEAN CUISINE
Feature Film – Independent
Starring Billy Crystal, Martin Short, Dana Carvey
Phone: 310.305.8411
Status: Early 2011
Location: Louisiana
SET UP
Feature Film - Dimension Films
Director: John Gulager
Phone: 323.549.4350
Status: Now slated for March 2011
Location: Louisiana
Line Producer: Louis Friedman
Sequel to this summer’s remake of the killer fish-focused classic.
RUMORED
ARABIAN NIGHTS
I-59 SOUTH
NAGAZAKI DEADLINE
BAD LUCK (2011 DAVID R. ELLIS PROJECT)
SEVEN BELOW ZERO
MEAN CUISINE
21 JUMP STREET
THE BIG VALLEY
TARANTULA
Feature Film – Independent
Starring Bruce Willis, Paul Walker, Curtis Jackson
Director: Mike Gunther
Phone: 323.213.4650
Status: Late November
Location: Louisiana or Michigan
TRUE LOVE WAITS
Feature Film – Independent
Director: Patrick Phillips
Resumes: [email protected]
Location: Canada or Louisiana
Status: January 26
If you are in the film industry and have
information or corrections for Production
Updates, we welcome your emails at:
[email protected]
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