NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cirque du Soleil, MSG Entertainment and BASE Entertainment are proud to announce the world premiere and official name of the brand new Cirque du Soleil production, Wintuk, presented exclusively at the Theater at Madison Square Garden from November 1, 2007 - January 6, 2008. Experience the excitement of Wintuk with the whole family, only in New York this holiday season, and share the enchanting winter tale of one boy's quest to find snow and adventure.
"This is a real first for MSG Entertainment and Cirque du Soleil," said Jay Marciano, president, MSG Entertainment. "The debut of Wintuk this holiday season marks the first time that these world-class entertainment companies will unite to present a Cirque du Soleil production, created exclusively for the Theater at Madison Square Garden. Premiering only in New York, we look forward to entertaining audiences with Wintuk throughout the holidays for the next several years."
Wintuk is an enchanting winter tale about a boy named Wintuk and his quest to find snow and adventure. Wintuk lives in a city where the arrival of winter has brought long shadows and intense cold - but no snow! He interacts with an extraordinary cast of high-energy urban street characters, including acrobats, dancers and talking marionettes. But when the snow does not arrive, he embarks on a quest with three companions - a female shaman who's lost in the city, a shy man destined to discover his courage, and the shadow of a young girl - to find the snow and bring it back to where it belongs.
The adventurers journey to an imaginary Arctic - a world without sunlight - where they encounter the rich culture of the People of the North and extraordinary giant characters made of ice. When at last the sun returns, they fly home on the wings of a giant crane and generate a swirling snowstorm.
The show is playful, musical, and bursting with the energy of the city and the broad sweep of nature. A cast of 50 performers weaves thrilling circus arts, breathtaking theatrical effects and memorable songs into a meaningful seasonal story that resonates with the whole family.
"This new creative challenge for Cirque du Soleil is very inspiring," said Gilles Ste-Croix, Cirque's senior vice president of creative content. "Creating a new show based on a family-oriented storyline and theme has made us look at different artistic forms. We're using large-scale puppetry and transforming traditional acrobatic numbers into fun and games experienced from a child's perspective. We really hope Wintuk's tale will create a sense of child-like wonderment in the audience."
Cirque du Soleil will experience many firsts with its new production at the Theater at Madison Square Garden. Wintuk has been designed exclusively for the Theater at Madison Square Garden - Cirque du Soleil's first permanent address in New York for a show presented outside the Big Top. Additionally, Wintuk will be the first Cirque du Soleil show created specifically for a family audience. People of all ages will identify with the lead character Wintuk, and his quest to find snow and adventure. And Wintuk will be the first Cirque du Soleil production to be built around a specific precisely-defined premise: the theme of winter. With all of these firsts the new production is certain to amaze everyone from longtime Cirque du Soleil fans to those experiencing the excitement of Cirque for the very first time.
This new production marks the first time director, Richard Blackburn, has worked with Cirque du Soleil. Blackburn is a leading theatrical creator, playwright, director and actor-manager. His shows are probably best known for combining actors with oversized marionettes and sets, and integrating a wide variety of multimedia techniques into his productions. In 1979, he became the artistic director of Le Théatre de la Dame de Coeur (TDC) in Upton, Quebec. Richard has also worked on overseas assignments with TDC, notably in Singapore for the opening ceremonies of Esplanade Theatres on the Bay in 2002 and as part of Expo 2005 in Japan.
Director of Creation Fernand Rainville, has worked in Quebec theatre as a distinguished actor and director since 1985. In addition to his long list of stage credits, Fernand co-directed the bilingual Montreal production of Les Mis?©rables and has worked extensively in television. He also co-directed the opening ceremonies of the Montreal 2005 - XI FINA World Championships and created and directed the Cirque-produced pre-game show at the 2007 Super Bowl in Miami.
Delta Air Lines, one of the world's leading international airlines, is proud to be the presenting sponsor of Wintuk, performed exclusively at the Theater at Madison Square Garden. The new 4-year partnership further establishes Delta's long-term relationship with Cirque du Soleil which began in 2006 when the airline served as presenting sponsor of Corteo in Atlanta, Ga. Since that time, Delta launched a worldwide partnership with Cirque du Soleil, serving as the official airline of Cirque du Soleil performances in D?ºsseldorf and Frankfurt (Germany); and London (England) in 2006 and 2007.
Ticket information
Cirque du Soleil's Wintuk will thrill audiences this holiday season, playing for a limited period from November 1, 2007 - January 6, 2008 only at the Theater at Madison Square. Tickets for Wintuk go on sale on Sunday, April 29, 2007 at 9:00am and are available through thegarden.com and Ticketmaster.com or by calling at 212.307.1000. Prices range from $30 - $99.
Cirque du Soleil
From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is now a major Quebec-based organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. The company has over 3,500 employees from over 40 different countries, including 900 artists.
Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to close to 60 million spectators in over 100 cities on four continents. In 2007, Cirque du Soleil will present 14 shows simultaneously throughout the world. The company has received such prestigious awards as the Emmy, Drama Desk, Bambi, ACE, Gémeaux, Félix, and Rose d'Or de Montreux. Cirque du Soleil International Headquarters are in Montreal, Canada.
For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com.
MSG Entertainment
MSG Entertainment (MSGE), the live entertainment arm of Cablevision Systems Corporations, is a worldwide entertainment company recognized for its signature event production. In addition to the nearly 700 entertainment concerts and events that take place each year at Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden, The Theater at Madison Square Garden, Beacon Theatre and the Expo Center at MSG, MSGE produces shows across America. MSG Entertainment's live events include The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, as well as seven productions of The Christmas Spectacular outside of New York.
Additional information about MSG Entertainment is available on the Web at www.thegarden.com and www.radiocity.com. Madison Square Garden, L.P. is owned by Cablevision Systems Corporation, and includes the New York Knicks (NBA); the New York Rangers (NHL); the New York Liberty (WNBA); the Hartford Wolfpack (American Hockey League); MSG Entertainment; MSG Media, which is comprised of MSG and FSN New York; and the Madison Square Garden arena complex, located in the heart of the New York metropolitan area.
BASE Entertainment
BASE Entertainment is an intellectual property based operating company and live entertainment studio with offices in New York, Las Vegas, and Houston. BASE develops, produces and manages intellectual properties which reach audiences through various platforms, including live, digital, broadcast and licensing.
BASE Entertainment partners include Brian Becker, Scott Zeiger, and Clarity Partners. Co-founders Brian Becker and Scott Zeiger have 45 years combined experience in the live entertainment industry. Becker previously served as Chairman and CEO of Clear Channel Entertainment (CCE), the world's leading producer and promoter of live entertainment events. Zeiger previously served as Chairman and CEO of CCE's North American Theatrical division and the CCE Productions Group. Clarity Partners, L.P. is a private equity firm focused exclusively on investments in media, communications, and business services. Clarity's current portfolio includes Vue Entertainment, Oxygen Media, Crescent Entertainment/Village Roadshow Pictures, Liberation Entertainment, and ImpreMedia.
BASE Entertainment's current projects include Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular, Gordie Brown and Wayne Brady "Making It Up" at the Venetian, STOMP OUT LOUD at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, the Planet Hollywood Theater for the Performing Arts and the recent Broadway hit Martin Short - Fame Becomes Me.
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