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* {{colorbox|#00CC33|'''NA '''}} San Jose, CA - From 2 Mar 2012 to 15 Apr 2012
* {{colorbox|#00CC33|'''NA '''}} San Jose, CA - From 2 Mar 2012 to 15 Apr 2012
* {{colorbox|#00CC33|'''NA '''}} '''San Diego, CA - From 25 Apr 2012 to 13 May 2012'''
* {{colorbox|#00CC33|'''NA '''}} '''San Diego, CA - From 25 Apr 2012 to 27 May 2012'''
* {{colorbox|#00CC33|'''NA '''}} Boston, MA - From 10 Jun 2012 to 1 Jul 2012
* {{colorbox|#00CC33|'''NA '''}} Boston, MA - From 10 Jun 2012 to 1 Jul 2012
* {{colorbox|#00CC33|'''NA '''}} Washington, DC - From 15 Aug 2012 to 16 Sep 2012
* {{colorbox|#00CC33|'''NA '''}} Washington, DC - From 15 Aug 2012 to 16 Sep 2012

Revision as of 18:49, 14 May 2012

Totem
File:Cirque du soleil totem promo poster.jpg
CompanyCirque du Soleil
GenreContemporary circus
Show typeTouring show
Date of premiereApril 22, 2010
Creative team
Writer and directorRobert Lepage
Director of creationNeilson Vignola
Set and props designerCarl Fillion
ComposersGuy Dubuc
Marc Lessard
Costume designerKym Barett
Lighting designerÉtienne Boucher
ChoreographerJeffrey Hall
Sound designerJacques Boucher
Makeup designerNathalie Simard
Acrobatic performance designerFlorence Pot
Rigging designerPierre Masse
Projection designerPedro Pires
Other information
Preceded byViva Elvis (2010)
Succeeded byZarkana (2011)
Official website

Totem is a touring show by Cirque du Soleil which premiered in Montréal on April 22, 2010. It was created and directed by previous collaborator Robert Lepage (Kà).[1] Cirque du Soleil describes Totem's theme as the evolution of mankind from its primordial, amphibian state toward the aspiration of flight, taking inspiration from many of mankind's founding myths.[2]

All of Cirque du Soleil's previous touring productions were originally created to be performed inside large, custom-designed tents (called the grand chapiteau), but many of those shows have since been re-staged in arenas and other venues after the conclusion of their "big top" tour. Totem's creation team faced the challenge of designing a show that could be adapted for arenas and other venues from the outset.[3] Totem began its tour in Canada (Montreal and Quebec) before heading to Europe (Amsterdam). This was a change from the usual touring routes, the next stop usually being San Francisco, as Cirque already had three touring shows (Ovo, Koozå and Alegría) in the United States.[3]

Set and technical information

Cirque du Soleil used interactive projection technologies to enhance and provide variety to the types of scenes created for Totem, including swamps, starry nights, lakes, volcanos, and other natural environments. The kinetic images are created with the help of infrared cameras; the projection system can dynamically create projections, making it seem as if they are reacting to the artists' movements in both real-time and pre-recorded sequences. One of the major elements for the set is the large turtle carapace, which functions as both a decorative piece as well as acrobatic equipment. When not in use, the shell is tilted or raised completely to the top of the tent or arena. It weighs 2,700 pounds (1,200 kg), has two horizontal bars, and is covered in a non-slip finish.[4] Another major component of the set is the "scorpion bridge", which functions as an entrance at times. It is made of 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg) of steel and has eight mineral oil hydraulic motors which allow it to move in three dimensions—extending, retracting, curling, etc. Underneath said bridge is housing for a laser, speakers, lighting equipment, and cameras. Movement of the scorpion bridge is controlled by an operator who uses four infrared cameras. Of final note, the marsh reeds at the back of the stage are actually inflatable, which allows for easier transport between performance locations.[5]

Equipment and props which are not part of the set have been just as carefully planned out and created. The unicycles are 7 feet (2.1 m) tall, but are very light for better maneuverability. Similarly, the perch poles are made of duralumin, the largest of which is 33 feet (10 m) tall.[4] In total summation, Totem utilizes 65 tractor-trailer sized containers to transport its 1,200 tonnes (1,200 long tons; 1,300 short tons) of equipment from site to site.[3]

During the Scientist's juggling act, he uses balls made with 96 red, 96 blue, and 96 green LED lights inside. The colors are changed remotely by show technicians during the performance.[6]

Cast

Fifty-two performing artists from 19 countries comprise the cast as of Totem's première.[7][8]

  • Tracker: Assists and guides the Scientist, and is a friend to the animals.
  • Scientist: Performs experiments and visits the different worlds of Totem.
  • Amerindian dancer: Traces the evolution of species.
  • Crystal man: Opens the show by bringing the carapace to life, and ends the show by diving into the lagoon.
  • Clown: the "Sad Fisherman" performs ping-pong ball tricks and drives the speedboat.
  • Clown: the "Italian Tourist" acts as a foil to the Tracker and water-skis from the speedboat.
  • Apes: a troupe of 5-6 characters mark the progress of Human Evolution from Ape to Businessman With Cell Phone.

Acts

Totem's acts reflect the continued development of the movements and aspirations of human evolution. They combine many acrobatic skills making truly unique acts.[9]

Intermission

A hand-balancing act was planned for the show, but was dropped before performances began. A similar hand-to-hand act was in rotation during the 2011 performances.[10]

Costumes

As Totem's storyline includes the evolution of mankind, inspiration for the 779 costume elements came directly from nature. Costume designer Kym Barrett primarily focused on how to treat various fabrics rather than the materials themselves in order to replicate the elements found in nature. Such treatments included advanced printing techniques, fluorescent pigments, and utilizing mirror fragments and crystals for adornment.[11] Below is more detailed information about specific costume pieces and the wardrobe collection as a whole.

  • The Crystal Man's stretch velvet leotard is encrusted with nearly 4,500 reflective components; 4,001 are mirror fragments. This costume is the show's heaviest, weighing eight pounds.
  • The foot juggling duo's lycra body stockings are each adorned with 3,500 crystals, and each headpiece has another 1,000.
  • The hoop dancer's costume is inspired by not one traditional Native American tribe, but by several. For instance it includes a Hopi cross and headdress.
  • The unicyclists each have a very distinct look that suggests autumn and the abundance from harvest. Each costume is printed with earth tones and then embellished with hand-sewn details, including bolts, screws, seedpods, feathers, flowers and insects.[6]

Music

As Totem's storyline is about the evolution of mankind, the musical components selected by composers Guy Dubuc and Marc Lessard aimed to reflect this theme. Their score includes instruments and rhythms from around the world, including elements from Native American music, Spanish flamenco, and Indian music. One unique attribute of the music in Totem is that all the musicians sing at some point, which allows for moments of a cappella.[6]

Below are the track titles as they appear in order on the CD, which was originally released on October 6, 2010. The items in parentheses reflect the act correlated with each song.[12]

  1. Omé Kayo (Opening, high bar, hoop dance 1)
  2. Cum Sancto Spiritu (originally planned for hand-balancing)[13]
  3. Indie-Hip (Rings trio)
  4. Koumaya (Unicycles with bowls)
  5. Crystal Pyramid (Foot juggling)
  6. Thunder (Perches)
  7. Toreador (Devil sticks)
  8. Qué Viyéra (Fixed trapeze duo)
  9. Mr. Beaker (Manipulation)
  10. Onta (Hoops dance 2, roller skates)
  11. Kunda Tayé (Hand balancing)
  12. Fast Boat (Speedboat clown act)
  13. Terre-mère (Russian bars)
  14. Omé Yo Kanoubé (Finale)
Further information: Cirque du Soleil discography

Tour

The Totem tour started off different from normal tours by going to Europe before coming to the United States.

The following colorboxes indicate the region of each performance:  EU   Europe  NA   North America

Template:Multicol

Arena tour

2011 schedule

 EU   London, UK - From 5 Jan 2011 to 17 Feb 2011

2012 schedule

 EU   London, UK - From 5 Jan 2012 to 16 Feb 2012 Template:Multicol-break

Grand Chapiteau tour

2010 schedule

  •  NA   Montréal, QC - From 22 Apr 2010 to 11 Jul 2010
  •  NA   Québec, QC - From 22 Jul 2010 to 29 Aug 2010
  •  EU   Amsterdam, NL - From 7 Oct 2010 to 22 Dec 2010

2011 schedule

(Totem played in the Royal Albert Hall in London, UK during this time)
  •  NA   Charlotte, NC - From 3 Mar 2011 to 27 Mar 2011
  •  NA   Baltimore, MD - From 7 Apr 2011 to 1 May 2011
  •  NA   Pittsburgh, PA - From 12 May 2011 to 5 Jun 2011
  •  NA   Montréal, QC - From 15 Jun 2011 to 31 Jul 2011
  •  NA   Toronto, ON - From 10 Aug 2011 to 9 Oct 2011
  •  NA   San Francisco, CA - From 28 Oct 2011 to 18 Dec 2011

2012 schedule

(Totem played in the Royal Albert Hall in London, UK during this time)
  •  NA   San Jose, CA - From 2 Mar 2012 to 15 Apr 2012
  •  NA   San Diego, CA - From 25 Apr 2012 to 27 May 2012
  •  NA   Boston, MA - From 10 Jun 2012 to 1 Jul 2012
  •  NA   Washington, DC - From 15 Aug 2012 to 16 Sep 2012
  •  NA   Atlanta, GA - From 26 Oct 2012 to 30 Dec 2012

Template:Multicol-end

References

  1. ^ "Kathleen Lavoie, Le Soleil article November 1, 2008" (in French). www.cyberpresse.ca. Retrieved 2011-02-04.
  2. ^ "Cirque du Soleil: Totem—About the Show". www.cirquedusoleil.com. Retrieved 2011-02-04.
  3. ^ a b c "Totem: Press Kit" (PDF). Cirque du Soleil (Press Kit). Retrieved 2011-02-10.
  4. ^ a b "Totem: Set Design and Projections" (PDF). Cirque du Soleil (Press Kit). Retrieved 2011-02-04.
  5. ^ "Set Design of TOTEM". www.cirquedusoleil.com. Retrieved 2011-02-04.
  6. ^ a b c Cirque du Soleil (2011). Evolution - The Creative Journey (Deluxe Totem Souvenir Program) (in English and French).
  7. ^ "Cirque du Soleil Presents its new Touring Show: Totem". Cirque du Soleil. 2010-04-28. Retrieved 2011-02-04.
  8. ^ "Totem: The Main Characters" (PDF). Cirque du Soleil (Press Kit). Retrieved 2011-02-04.
  9. ^ "Totem: The Acts" (PDF). Cirque du Soleil (Press Kit). Retrieved 2011-02-04.
  10. ^ "Totem: Hand Balancing Act?". Cirque Tribune. Retrieved 2012-04-02.
  11. ^ "Totem: Costumes" (PDF). Cirque du Soleil (Press Kit). Retrieved 2011-02-04.
  12. ^ "Cirque Tribune: Totem Music". Cirque Tribune. Retrieved 2011-02-04.
  13. ^ "Totem - Music". Retrieved 2012-01-04.
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