Press Release

Cirque du Soleil presents tonight in Montreal the world premiere of its new production: KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities™, written and directed by Michel Laprise and presented by Desjardins. The show will be performed under the Big Top in Montréal’s Old Port until July 13, and in the Port of Quebec City starting July 24.

The show
In an alternate yet familiar past, in a place where wonders abound for those who trust their imagination, a Seeker discovers that in order to glimpse the marvels that lie just below the surface, we must first learn to close our eyes. In his larger-than-life curio cabinet, the Seeker is convinced that there exists a hidden, invisible world – a place where the craziest ideas and the grandest dreams lie waiting. A collection of otherworldly characters suddenly steps into his makeshift mechanical world. When the outlandish, benevolent characters turn his world upside down with a touch of poetry and humor in an attempt to ignite the Seeker’s imagination, his curios jump to life one by one before his very eyes. What if by engaging our imagination and opening our minds we could unlock the door to a world of wonders?

KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities has a cast of 46 artists from 13 different countries and is Cirque du Soleil’s 35th production since 1984.

Michel Laprise – Director
Michel Laprise worked in theater for nine years as an actor, director and artistic director before joining Cirque du Soleil in 2000. At Cirque du Soleil, Michel spent five years as a Talent Scout before taking on, in 2006, the role of Special Events Designer. In that capacity, he directed the Cirque du Soleil performance event celebrating Quebec City’s 400th anniversary (2008) and the launch of Microsoft’s Kinect console at the 2010 Electronic Entertainment Expo, broadcast on MTV, among many others. In 2012, Michel collaborated with pop star Madonna, providing artistic direction for her performance at the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show; he later went on to direct her MDNA tour. In 2013, he directed the musical Robin des Bois – Ne renoncez jamais, currently on tour in Europe.

Creative team
The creative team of KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities consists of 17 creators under the artistic guidance of Guy Laliberté (Guide) and Jean-François Bouchard (Creative Guide) :

CREATORS’ BIOS AND PRESS KIT: 

Creators biographies and press kit are available online in our pressroom :
http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/press/kits/shows/kurios/creators.aspx

Sponsors and partners
KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities is presented by Desjardins, the presenting sponsor of the 2014 Canadian tour. Xerox, DHL, Rogers, EY and Tetley Tea are the official sponsors.

Suivez-nous sur Facebook ou Twitter: @Cirque #Kurios

Cirque du Soleil
KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities is Cirque du Soleil’s 35th production since 1984. The company, which celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2014, has brought wonder and delight to close to 150 million spectators in more than 300 cities on six continents. Cirque du Soleil has close to 4,000 employees, including 1,300 performing artists from close to 50 different countries.
 
For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com.
To find out more about the ONE DROP Foundation, visit www.onedrop.org.

Media contact: 
Martine Laforce
Roy & Turner Communications
(514) 844-9678, poste 202
mlaforce@roy-turner.com