A holiday circus comes to Patchogue
Photo credit: Cirque le Masque Cirque le Masque, a theatrical European-style troupe of acrobats, mimes, and extravagant costumes, plays NOEL at the Gateway Playhouse in Bellport from Dec. 15 - 19, 2011. December 14, 2011
From: www.newsday.com
By STEVE PARKS Thursday night's world premiere of Cirque le Masque's "Noel" almost didn't happen in time for the holidays.
By September, as Gateway Playhouse winds down its summer season, producer Paul Allan usually has a slate of holiday shows lined up for Gateway's two-week stint at the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts. But this year, September came and went, and -- the burgeoning Christmas season being what it is these days -- holiday decorations were already showing up in the stores.
BEEN THERE, DONE THAT
"We've done 'A Christmas Carol' and 'White Christmas.' We've done our original variety shows. We've done ice shows," Allan says. "And Cirque le Masque has played for us three times at New Year's. So I thought, 'Why not a circus for our run-up to Christmas?' "
Brothers Dennis and Bernie Schussel, co-producers of the New York-based Cirque company often compared to Montreal's Cirque du Soleil, had thought of doing a holiday show, too. But there was a formidable obstacle. With barely more than a month to go, "Noel" was little more than a title.
"I said, 'Let's talk and see if we can come up with something,' " Allan recalls.
Gateway lent some of its resources -- including a treasure trove of seasonal costumes -- plus lighting and technical support. Cirque production manager Mia Caress brought together several of the touring troupe's usual suspects -- from circus comedian Weego (he's more than a clown) to tightwire artist Runyan Fletcher. Around them, Cirque and Gateway collaborated to create a new show with a loose story line about a teenage girl, stressed by shopping, who grows more and more enchanted with "le cirque."
Does she run away to join the circus?
"That's a secret," Caress says.read more at:http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/arts/a-holiday-circus-comes-to-patchogue-1.3388918
By September, as Gateway Playhouse winds down its summer season, producer Paul Allan usually has a slate of holiday shows lined up for Gateway's two-week stint at the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts. But this year, September came and went, and -- the burgeoning Christmas season being what it is these days -- holiday decorations were already showing up in the stores.
BEEN THERE, DONE THAT
"We've done 'A Christmas Carol' and 'White Christmas.' We've done our original variety shows. We've done ice shows," Allan says. "And Cirque le Masque has played for us three times at New Year's. So I thought, 'Why not a circus for our run-up to Christmas?' "
Brothers Dennis and Bernie Schussel, co-producers of the New York-based Cirque company often compared to Montreal's Cirque du Soleil, had thought of doing a holiday show, too. But there was a formidable obstacle. With barely more than a month to go, "Noel" was little more than a title.
"I said, 'Let's talk and see if we can come up with something,' " Allan recalls.
Gateway lent some of its resources -- including a treasure trove of seasonal costumes -- plus lighting and technical support. Cirque production manager Mia Caress brought together several of the touring troupe's usual suspects -- from circus comedian Weego (he's more than a clown) to tightwire artist Runyan Fletcher. Around them, Cirque and Gateway collaborated to create a new show with a loose story line about a teenage girl, stressed by shopping, who grows more and more enchanted with "le cirque."
Does she run away to join the circus?
"That's a secret," Caress says.read more at:http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/arts/a-holiday-circus-comes-to-patchogue-1.3388918
