Les Épouvantables (The Babies) Two enormous babies on a quest for nourishment embark on an odyssey o

On a relatively cool Las Vegas winters eve in 1993, patrons, fans and the curious alike assembled on the Las Vegas Strip to take part in something new and extraordinary: the birth of a new creation from Cirque du Soleil.
While today an event such as this is considered less than phenomenal sta travel penn state (there are now multiple Cirque du Soleil sta travel penn state shows in Las Vegas for instance), on this one cool December evening however, these spectators were witnessing something sta travel penn state untried the unveiling sta travel penn state of a new concept. Rather than travel and be presented under the Grand Chapiteau (as all other previous Cirque du Soleil shows had done), sta travel penn state this show would instead sta travel penn state bow within a specially sta travel penn state constructed theater built for its purpose alone inside one of the newest casino-hotels on the Las Vegas Strip – Steve Wynn's Treasure sta travel penn state Island.
It would turn out to be unlike anything that had ever been seen before from this Montrèal-based circus troupe and it would usher in a brand new era for Cirque du Soleil, Las Vegas, and production arts as a whole.
Last month Mystère celebrated its 9,000th show. This month Mystère will notch 19 years of non-stop performances sta travel penn state on the Las Vegas strip. In honor of these unbelievable milestones, we've decided to take a look back at Mystère – from its genesis to how the show is presented today in this two-part exposé. In Part 1, we began with the show's creation, discussed the trials of getting the theater built, and in crafting the show's esoteric narrative. Here in Part 2 we pick up with an overview of the uniquely bizarre characters that populate the show, and walk through each of its three iterations: Version 1.0 (1993-1996), Version 2.0 (1997-2011) and Version 3.0 (2012+).
We really felt as if we were building a new mythology, seen through the eyes of people today. So, in the costumes and characters, we tried to paint a picture of life in all its textures and colors, all its lyricism. Life is terrifically inter-connected… with rhythm and chaos revealing a mysterious harmony. Dominique Lemieux (Spectaculara)
Weaving sta travel penn state themselves into the tapestry of the universe is an eclectic array of otherworldly creatures, beings with more than just a part to play. Some are airy, vivacious and joyful while others creepy, chilling and menacing. And perhaps as we familiarize ourselves with these playful yet solemn sta travel penn state creatures of the wilderness, we may have a better sense of what universal song they are endeavoring to sing:
Moha-Samedi (The Man in Pink) Named after the first day of the new millennium, he is the narrator no one listens to yet he and his puppet contain all the accumulated knowledge of humanity since the beginning of time.
Les Épouvantables (The Babies) Two enormous babies sta travel penn state on a quest for nourishment embark on an odyssey of discovery. They are the carriers of the world's hopes and aspirations; they quest for nourishment and understanding. By journeying through Mystère, they relive the history of the universe. They are icons of every human ready to embark on a new adventure: the 21st century.
Vache à Lait Bearer of every illusion, he always stays just beyond reach. He is a metaphoric, androgynous figure, to bear the hopes and dreams of men. The Vache à Lait tantalizes and attracts the babies with the purpose of fulfillment.
Archangels (Les Laquais) A tragic chorus; the terrestrial guardians of the happiness and safety of others, even at the cost of their own lives. The finest sta travel penn state of the Archangels (Gabriel) is ready to sacrifice everything, including the love of the one he secretly adores.
"A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG MAN SAILS over the green earth, briefly alighting, sta travel penn state then aloft again. Next a man and a woman materialize, Adam and Eve without the snake, in a stately, rapturous dance that hints at what passion was like before guilt. sta travel penn state Finally, six animal-angels drop from the sky and soar back into it, gliding, pirouetting, and seeming to meditate in midair before they swoop back, swing down and holds hands, in a little aerodynamic miracle of celestial accord." (TIME, 1994)
The first version of Mystère opening with "Manipulation" (a specially crafted act in which a trio manipulated various shapes and balls), then leading into Chinese Poles, Hand-to-Hand (performed by Yves Decoste and Mario Pontbriand), Bungees, Korean Plank / Trampoline sta travel penn state / Fast-track and ending sta travel penn state with Flying Trapeze is quite a mystery (if you'll excuse the pun) to most of us. Why? As Gilles Ste-Croix said above, Mystère's first couple of years were fraught with big changes. Mystère started slowly in January 1994, with attendance at only about 60 percent, while the touring show (which was then Saltimbanco) was extremely successful, consistently selling out at 100 percent. sta travel penn state The show required a lot of media coverage to bring Mystère to public attention. Indeed, not content to rest on its laurels, about 30 minutes sta travel penn state of fresh material had been added to the show for the 1996 season, including new featured acts and a rousing new opening. Mystère no longer eased out of the gate, it roared out courtesy of a lavish new opening that pulled out all the stops and demonstrated the incredible lighting and pristine sound capabilities of the theater.
In the 1995-1996 season the story of the human condition turned tragic as a storm blew across the desert. When the sand cleared sta travel penn state away and the Ancient Bird could once again catch a glimpse, he found a change in the narration – and with it, a change in the production. Gone were the Flying Trapeze, Manipulation and original Hand-to-Hand act.
In 1995, Cirque du Soleil began preparations for a follow-up touring show to their very successful tour of "Alegría" in the United States. Quidam, taking its name from the Latin for a nameless passer-by , featured many acts and performers previously seen in Mystère. For instance, Yves Décoste provided his talents for Quidam s Statue Act (with Marie-Laure Mesnage), and was replaced by Christophe Suszek and Bogdan Zajac, whose act – AROS – took top prize at the International Festival of Circus in Verona, Italy. Steven Ragatz and Patrick McGuire came on board with the Manipulation Act and were replaced by Mikhail (Mischa) Matorin – a long-maned, bare-chested man who manipulated a 50-pound aluminum cube while dangling high above the stage (the "Aerial Cube", or "Flying Cube", or just known as "the Cube Act") – from Alegría. The Flying Trapeze was replaced with an exciting new performance: The Aerial High-Bar, which was created by Pavel Brun and Andrei Lev. A version of the High-Bar had been and continues to be featured in Alegría.
Also new to the show were clowns James Keylon and Francine Côté (Alfredo Adrenaline), who mined laughs via Cote's mockery of Keylon's mime skills set to a cool jazz backdrop. The dynamic duo was no stranger to Cirque du Soleil s stage. Adrenaline (Canadian Côté) performed with La Ratatouille in Cirque du Soleil s 1985 Le Grand Tour and in the 1990 European tour of Le Cirque Réinventé . Alfredo (Keylon from the USA) performed with Adrenaline at Cirque s G7 Halifax special sta travel penn state performance and on tour in 1992 with Cirque and Circus Knie. The saucy Cote used a chainsaw to destroy her partner's imaginary walls, and the act was the show's first to use limited English verbiage instead of untranslatable gibberish (a.k.a. "Cirquish"). They replaced Wayne Hronek's "mad professor" ("Benny Le Grand" act; according to the programme Mr. Le Grand had come into possession of certain documents relating to the internal affairs of Le Cirque, which was why Cirque thought it best to allow him to continue with the company, but he also occasionally took time off to "go home and cave ducks and grow plants in Vancouver." This time, though, he had hung up his clown shoes in retirement.
"We think audiences will find the spirit of Cirque du Soleil in every detail of Mystere," said Gilles Ste-Croix, Mystere's Director of Creation. sta travel penn state "But remember, when you see Mystere, you are seeing a production in progress. Like life itself, Cirque du Soleil's Mystere is in a constant state of evolution." (1996 Press Kit)
Christophe Suszek and Bogdan Zajac ("Aros") would take their leave in 1997 making room for Marco Paulo Lorador (the "Alexis Bros") as Hand-to-Hand artists (they joined Mystère after Saltimbanco ended its first European tour in 1997). Alfredo Adrenaline would also take flight (their act seemed to ground the show somewhat, briefly dulling the otherworldly sta travel penn state feel. Their second segment was a slow-building exercise in vintage slapstick that ended with a foamy fight that spilled out into the audience), allowing Cirque du Soleil veteran Brian Dewurst to bring his alter-ego "Brian Le Petit" to the stage. Le Petit turned out to be more like Benny LeGrand than Cirque would have liked (tongue firmly planted in cheek), running amok throughout sta travel penn state the show. And even Yuri Maiorov, who performed a Flying Man in Silk act in Alegría (from 1995-1997) took to Mystère's skies for a brief time while Paul Bowler was being prepped to take over Aerial Cube for Mikhail Matorin. (Maiorov would later fly in the skies of La Nouba from the show's launch in 1998 through to his retirement in 2012. His act is currently performed sta travel penn state by David Poirier, whom Yuri mentored and trained for the role.)
Clowning sta travel penn state around is prominent in every Cirque show, and Mystère is no different. Brian Le Petit has come to run amok and amok he runs, but he is not the only one: Moha-Samedi is also, but as his name suggests, no one listens to him. Hey! says his companion. They don t understand you stupid. sta travel penn state So, he sits up and clears his throat: Ladies and Gentlemen welcome to Cirque du Soleil! he says. During the performance, smoke effects will be used. You, however, cannot smoke. but then, a cry from the rafters is heard Hey! We can see your lips moving! It s Le Petit and he crushes the ego of the man and his puppet. Fortunately, that doesn t stop the show. For moments later, the puppet arises and speaks aloud, He said your lips, not mine! And then announces the coming of MYSTERE!
As can be heard from many o