Press Release

Cirque du Soleil, a leading entertainment company, and Grupo Vidanta, a leading developer of world-class resorts and tourism infrastructure in Mexico, unveiled the name and plans for JOYÀ, an intimate and immersive theatrical and culinary experience that will open this fall and take residency exclusively at the Cirque du Soleil Theater in Riviera Maya near The Grand Mayan resort.

Mexico Secretary of Tourism Claudia Ruiz Massieu said, “We are extremely excited for what the partnership between Cirque du Soleil and Grupo Vidanta offers to all visitors of Cancun and Riviera Maya. JOYÀ will be a world-class attraction for Mexico.”

JOYÀ combines culinary and performing arts in an intimate theater setting to engage the audience’s five senses. Drawing on Mexico’s history and heritage, JOYÀ tells the story of an alchemist and his granddaughter embarking on a transformative quest to uncover the secrets of life. Through their wonderfully disorienting journey they will discover a hidden gem in the mangrove, passing along the poetry of love and life to future generations.

About the name 
The name JOYÀ is rooted in the Spanish “joya” meaning jewel or pearl, and alludes to a person or event of great value. Through the performance, the alchemist’s granddaughter will discover joy and wisdom by sharing an extraordinary experience in an unlikely place.

Stage Director Martin Genest and Culinary Designer Alexis Bostelmann of Grupo Vidanta, who created the culinary experience, will begin preview performances of JOYÀ on November 8, 2014, and it will Premiere on November 21, 2014.

“This new creative collision of cuisine and immersive performances is tailor made for Cancun and Riviera Maya,” said Daniel Lamarre, President and CEO of Cirque du Soleil. “We revelled in the creative challenge of introducing something completely different in JOYÀ. Through the integration of premium food and beverage service into a Cirque du Soleil theatrical experience that draws on Mexico’s rich culture and heritage, JOYÀ will deliver an immersive, multisensory offering beyond anything that currently exists for residents and visitors of Mexico, or elsewhere in the world.”

JOYÀ will be housed in a 600-seat theater custom-built for Cirque du Soleil, which draws inspiration from the natural beauty of the surrounding jungle.

The premium dinner service will feature international gastronomy and the finest beverages – including champagne from Mercier, one of the world’s most renowned champagne producers, located in the Épernay region of northern France – incorporated into a theatrical prelude to JOYÀ.

Along with Stage Director Martin Genest, JOYÀ will bring together a team of 15 creators and 24 artists in a performance that will captivate audiences of all ages.

Preview performances for JOYÀ will begin on November 8, 2014, at the Cirque du Soleil Theater in Riviera Maya near The Grand Mayan resort.

Ticket information

To reserve tickets today:

• Go to cirquedusoleil.com/joya
• Call 1-844-247-7837 (U.S. & Canada) or 1-800-247-7837 (Mexico)

Ticket prices (USD) are:

Delivery fees are not included.

For more information on JOYÀ, visit cirquedusoleil.com/joya, or follow Facebook.com/JOYA and on Twitter at #JOYA.

About Cirque du Soleil

Cirque du Soleil is primarily a creative content provider for a wide variety of unique projects. In addition to shows, the company, which has its International Headquarters in Montreal, extends its creative talent to other spheres of activity. While maintaining stringent standards of artistic quality and originality, Cirque du Soleil brings to innovative projects the same energy and spirit that characterize each of its shows. Cirque du Soleil is a Quebec-based organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. Since its beginnings in 1984, close to 150 million spectators in over 300 cities on six continents have been thrilled by Cirque du Soleil. For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com. To find out more about the ONE DROP Foundation, visit www.onedrop.org. 

About Grupo Vidanta

Grupo Vidanta is a leading developer and operator of world-class luxury resorts, properties and tourism infrastructure in Mexico and Latin America. Founded in 1974 by Daniel Chávez Morán, Grupo Vidanta was conceived with a vision of creating extraordinary experiences and inspiring generations of happiness. Today, Grupo Vidanta employs more than 12,000 people and operates resort properties in the sought after luxury beach destinations of Riviera Maya, Nuevo Vallarta, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, Acapulco, Mazatlán and Puerto Peñasco. Grupo Vidanta's resort and hotel brands include Grand Luxxe, The Grand Bliss, The Grand Mayan, The Bliss, Mayan Palace, Ocean Breeze and Sea Garden, with more in development. Vidanta Golf is the largest golf course operator in Mexico and Grupo Vidanta’s real estate division has built and sold more than 2,000 vacation homes. The company developed Mexico's first privately built and owned airport, Mar de Cortés International Airport in Puerto Peñasco, and runs two foundations to improve the lives of Latin Americans. The Great Place to Work Institute has selected Grupo Vidanta to the "Best Companies to Work for in Mexico" list for the past six years. For more information about Grupo Vidanta, visit grupovidanta.com. For more information about the Vidanta Foundation, visit fundacionvidanta.org.

Media Contact:
Renée-Claude Ménard
Cirque du Soleil Inc.
+1 (514) 723-7646 x7366
rcm@cirquedusoleil.com

Greg Miller
Grupo Vidanta
(214) 891-7668
greg_miller@richards.com