Come See the Tale of a Young Girl’s Escape into a World of Imagination!

Quidam: a nameless passer-by, a solitary figure lingering on a street corner, a person rushing past and swallowed by the crowd. It could be anyone, anybody. Someone coming or going at the heart of our anonymous society. A member of the crowd, one of the silent majority. The one who cries out, sings and dreams within us all. This is the “quidam” whom this show allows to speak. This is the place that beckons ~ a place for dreaming and genuine relations where all quidams, by proclaiming their individuality, can finally emerge from anonymity.

In this case, it is from Young Zoe, bored with her life, that the breathtaking shows springs; her parents, distant and apathetic, ignore her. Her life has lost all meaning. Seeking to fill the void of her existence, she slides into an imaginary world ~ the world of Quidam ~ where she meets characters who encourage her to free her soul.  While is this spectacular new world, Zoe, and thus the audience, will be treated to a rainbow of exceptional, daring, artistic, visually captivating images that have become synonymous with Cirque du Soleil productions.  Aerial Contortions in Silk, Banquine, Cloud Swingers, Diabolos, the German Wheel, Hand Balancing, Skipping Ropes, Spanish Webs, Statues, Aerial Hoops, and Juggling all take the stage for their turn at showing Zoe how wonderful individuality can be.

Joining Zoe are Father, Mother, John, The Target, Boum Boum, The Clown, Rabbit, and The Aviator.

And what would a Cirque production be without fantastic costuming that helps create the magnificent characters.  Quidam is the first show to use everyday clothing ~ though adapted ~ in its acrobatic acts. The broken colors used for the costumes ~ from blue to pink tones ~ create a dramatic effect and add to the show’s gloomy overall atmosphere. Here’s a behind-the-scenes peek at some of what it takes to costume the show:

• There are approx 250 costumes, 500 costume accessories and 200 to 300 pairs of shoes in Quidam.
• Each artist has between 2-7 costumes.
• Each costume is specifically designed for the artist and there are two spares of every costume.
• The costumes of the Banquine troupe in the first and second part of the show are the same design but different colors. In their first performance, they are more colourful, representing characters in a real world. In the second half, the colors of the costumes are muted, representing life after war and tragedy.
• There are 20 wigs used in Quidam, which are made from natural and synthetic hair and are styled for every show.
• All the shoes are hand painted to blend in with the colors of the costume. These shoes are re-touched and painted before every performance. There are 30 hats in Quidam including the bowler hat of the Quidam Character which Zoe uses to enter the magical world.
• The Quidam tour travels with washers and dryers to allow the wardrobe staff to care for the costumes. All costumes are washed daily.
• The Quidam wardrobe team is responsible for maintaining and repairing all costumes. Costumes can last anywhere between 6 months to 2 years.
• Eighty percent of the fabric is custom dyed. These fabrics are usually white and are hand-dyed and printed in custom colors in theMontrealcostume workshop.

Performers, choreography, lighting and costumes all help create the Quidam world, but it is the background against which they play ~ the set ~ that perhaps most create the world into which Zoe is welcomed. Evoking a monolithic structure like a train station or airport where people constantly come and go, the minimalist set is dominated by a giant arch. The floor, built from perforated metal tiles, is illuminated from above and below and appears at times metallic, at times incandescent.  Changes in the lighting – contrasts in hues, angles and light beams – can instantly transform the mood of a scene from comedy to tragedy.  The revolving stage reflects an ever-changing, unpredictable world.  Again, we were allowed in on some of the trade secrets of how this amazing set is created:

• The arch (also known as the “téléphérique”) is constructed of five all-aluminum rails for an overall length of 120 feet.
• Each rail of the téléphérique houses two trolleys that run from one end of the structure to the other. One is used to transport performers and acrobatic equipment and the other raises or lowers them to the appropriate height and position for the particular act.
• The stage floor is made of aluminum decks with a rubber type mat. The rubber is perforated to allow light to surpass from below, thus creating special visual effects. There are more than 200,000 perforations.

In addition to the performers ~ superhuman artists themselves! ~ who are the creative geniuses who have brought Quidam to glorious life?

• Guy Laliberté, Founder
• Franco Dragone, Director
• Gilles Ste-Croix, Artistic Guide
• Michel Crête, Set Designer
• Dominique Lemieux, Costume Designer
• Benoit Jutras, Composer and Musical Director
• Debra Brown, Choreographer
• Luc Lafortune, Lighting Designer
• François Barbeau, Costume Designer (Dralion)
• François Bergeron, Sound Designer

To learn more about the entire production team, please visit www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/quidam/show/creators.aspx

Those of you who have seen other Cirque du Soleil productions, you know that the experience almost defies description ~ it must be seen to be believed.  For those of you who have never experienced the magic that is Cirque, you are in for a wonderful treat. “Quidam” will perform in Worcester at the DCU Center from December 14 – 18, 2011 and tickets are now on sale.

To learn much more about Quidam and to order your tickets, please visit www.cirquedusoleil.com/quidam.  You may also order tickets by visiting www.dcucenter.com/buytickets.php.