CIRQUE DU SOLEIL’S KURIOS – CABINET OF CURIOSITES™
in Chicago
Check out ChiIL Mama's original video interview with Stu McKenzie, Straps Artist. He's a high flying aerial artist and father of two, on tour with his family. He's playing a Siamese twin, subbing in for a half a year, for a performer who needed knee surgery. Stu was a competitive acrobatic gymnast in Great Britain for 10 years before joining Cirque du Soleil.
Photo Adventures:
One of my favorite things to do is take a camera and explore things others might not think to look at or stop to see. It's not only the obvious meaning of the objects, but the patterns, composition, lighting, and emotions they invoke... that creative spark that catches my eye and makes a shot irresistible.
It was my great pleasure to be invited behind the scenes at KURIOS during their 3 month run in Chicago. There I got to catch a glimpse of the inner working, the process that goes on behind the production. I find this endlessly fascinating whether it's an instrument waiting in the corner or a mini weight room.
Theatre and circus people can be a superstitious lot with interesting traditions. One story came out of my tour with KURIOS touring publicist, Amelie Robitaille, that I adore. There's a special, secret, treasure box buried beneath the arch entrance that contains the cast's wishes and hope for the production. It's sealed in the set and goes traveling to each new city with the show.
Even the mundane becomes somehow magic when it's back stage. Simple things like the laundry and the dining hall humanize the actors who are so gorgeously glamorous and larger than life every night.
Rumor is, they travel with chefs and the food is fantastic. They have options for veg, vegan and meat eaters and a funky, fun tent to eat in. That (and the massage therapist who is available to the cast) makes me want to run away and join the circus!
They even have beers for after work, like the rest of us mere mortals.
There's whimsey and wonder in the the steampunk trappings waiting for repair and the sizable work benches cleverly constructed from their own unfolded packing trunks.
It may not seem glamorous to fix ropes for a living, but this guy holds the power of life and death in his hands!
We were surprised and amused that the KURIOS cast has not only a hammock but a swimming pool behind the scenes for chilling out during their hot summer in Chi, IL! They all stayed in a hotel together, with shuttles to the United Center lot site.
KURIOS has loads of families touring with the production since the tent show tend to stay in each city for a few months, unlike the arena shows which are far shorter runs. Cirque touring shows are also a multicultural mecca with performers from all over the world, speaking many different languages and forming friendships.
This piece with the giant net serving as trampoline was one of our favorites in the show. It was truly a treat to get to be a fly on wall as they practiced. The net/tramp technology is new, so they began their act a bit conservatively, with choreography they were sure would work. Since then, they've been embellishing and pushing the boundaries as the show continues. All the large acts that can't rehearse off stage take turns with weekly practice time slots.
I was struck by the sheer athleticism of the performers. It's easy to think of the KURIOS cast as actors when they're on stage amid stunning costumes and sets, but back stage they're conditioning, hitting local gyms and putting in the hours to stay in peak physical condition, like the true athletes they are. The long running shows are an endurance race and these people have to perform incredible, superhuman feats on a nightly basis!
KURIOS cast and crew, we wish you all well on the next leg of your journey. Chicago will always always remember you fondly whenever we catch an 11:11 out of the corner of our eyes. You have brought joy to thousands, and left lasting memories. Heartfelt thanks.
Missing KURIOS? Want more sneak peeks back stage at tour life? There's a cool, video series coming up imminently that we can't wait to check out.
Follow the cast and crew of KURIOS on tour, and find out what hides in their Cabinet of Curiosities. From the Big Top to Costumes, Make-up, Food and much more, the 12 episodes KURIOS About The Webseries gives fans a behind-the-scenes peek at the Cirque du Soleil’s 35th creation.
Explore our universe and reality from the eyes of an insider, see the artists and the staff work with devotion to make the show happen day after day.
New episode every second Tuesday starting September 22.
Be sure to check back with ChiIL Mama early and often for original content, photo and video filled features on Chi, IL and beyond. We have travel, arts & entertainment, nationwide giveaways, news, reviews, and more.
Fire-Shooting Carnival Game, UFO Ride, Mini Movie Set, Diabolic Comedy Club, Devilish Cooking Class and Haunted Attic Maze “The Nest”
among the many interactive experiences
At Redmoon’s Pilsen home, October 18-19 & 25-26
Here at ChiIL Mama/ChiIL Live Shows we've been watching Redmoon Theatre grow and evolve since their beginnings in the early 1990's. So we were super stoked to be invited down for an exclusive behind the scenes build tour with Frank Maugeri (Producing Artistic Director) for the 2nd year.
Frank is a large-scale public art spectacle maker and we were thrilled he took time out from his busy day at T-minus 2 days with "20 weird interactive oddities to finish" to personally show us the ropes. His excitement is contagious and we can't wait to see this year's Skelebration come to fruition. Wack a fly room! As much as we dig actually enjoying their spectacles, there's something magical in the process too. We love to see the process and the progress. Check out our full behind the scenes slide show right here and our favorites embedded below.
One of our favorite elements of Redmoon shows is the reappearance of past props, costumes and sets, morphed into new configurations. Frank laughed when I brought that up as a plus and confessed that it's more a matter of budget and necessity than nostalgia, and that he'd love to make every show entirely new. Yet, it's recycling at it's best, and fun for Redmoon regulars to reminisce on past productions and enjoy the creative new twists on old favs. You'll recognize some sets and costumes from last season's Bellboys, Bears and Baggage and Skelebration, but this interactive extravaganza has plenty of all new features, too, and it's different for every unique individual who comes through.
We're excited to see their second year of their family friendly Halloween/Day of the Dead/fall Skelebration growing and expanding as well. This time around they're slated for this weekend AND next. I love to geek out on the plans, the gazillion man & woman hours that go into "engineering wonder" as Redmoon's mission states. It's mind blowing what goes on under the radar and behind the curtain. So here is our take on the compelling little secret bits, to get you stoked for the real deal. **ChiIL Fact: The walls of the upstairs haunted maze were dug up from the new downtown site of the Maggie Daley Park, now under construction.**
Skelebration's fun for all ages with a little bit scary maze for ages 7+ in the upstairs for a donation and plenty of scare free zones to explore at your leisure in their gargantuan Pilsen space. QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"Are my cables on the floor there making an artistic shot for you?" Yes... yes they are. Like I said, I do dig the composition of things in progress. But it's also incredible to me that all the individual pieces are creating a whole much greater than the sum of it's parts. These cables aren't just going to end as an artsy photo. They'll go on to power the magic, run the bells and whistles, inspire creativity and joy, and blow people's minds.
When I see a line of welders' masks, they not only look cool as is, but they make me think spark, energy, pieces coming together, inspiration, and a creative collective of talented people... Get your tickets and bring the whole family out to experience the wonder that is Redmoon's Skelebration.
We're getting "Fired Up" about it!
Who wouldn't want to watch movies in a crypt all night?! (vintage cartoons along with some stunning artist made originals by one of Redmoon's first interns from waaaaaaay back in the day.
You can even get a tattoo (that won't freak your mom out or last far past Halloween)!
Check back with ChiIL Mama like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often. We'll have a full set of Skelebration show shots up after next weekend and more.
REDMOON’S FAMILY-FRIENDLY SKELEBRATION
RETURNS TO ENGINEER SEASONAL WONDER
Fire-Shooting Carnival Game, UFO Ride, Mini Movie Set, Diabolic Comedy Club, Devilish Cooking Class and Haunted Attic Maze “The Nest”
among the many interactive experiences
At Redmoon’s Pilsen home, October 18-19 & 25-26
This fall, Redmoon’s family event Skelebration, which debuted with great success last year, returns for its second annual installment of experiential exploration. Redmoon invites families into its otherworldly playground inside its Pilsen home (2120 S. Jefferson Street) for a re-invention of the seasonal rituals of Halloween. Creativity, imagination and a sense of adventure are celebrated with interactive experiences, immersive encounters, creative snacks and imaginative music, this year directed by Kasey Foster under conceptual direction by Redmoon Producing Artistic Director Frank Maugeri. Redmoon extends the event over two weekends, Saturdays and Sundays, October 18-19 and 25-26.
Redmoon’s Skelebration 2014 promises an all-new array of multisensory delights, including:
·Redmoon’s Celestial Swing, an eerie mausoleum on the outside with a peaceful, ethereal swing inside.
·TheUFO Carousel where children can climb inside one of three gigantic flying saucers and spin off into space.
·Redmoon’s Spectacle Hall features a massive series of interactive possibilities including, among many other things, a live-animation cinematic experience with a pair of 200-foot-long scrolls unfolding to tell a dynamic adventure story.
·Redmoon’s “Cartoon Adventure,” a mini movie theater where children and adults don headphones and enjoy five original short animated films by Laura Heit, Joseph Hodgson and Franck Aubrey, Hannes Vartianien and Pekka Veikkolainen, Selina Wagner and PES.
·Families can “picnic” in TheMan-Made Lagoon, an intimate space where music fills the air in designer/composer Jake Ruttenberg’s sonic adaptation of Orson Welles’ radio drama War of the Worlds.
·Redmoon premieres its newest food service device The Pastry Wheel,whichwhimsically pairs the iconic image of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair Ferris Wheel with urban pedal power, serving cupcakes, brownies and other enticing sweets.
·Performers roam the space serving delightful treats, including signature Redmoon mechanical marvels such as TheFloating Trays, TheLibation Machine, TheMonkey Butlers and The Fish Bubble Man.
Families can enter Redmoon’s haunted sideshow-like series of rooms known as “The Devil’s in the Details,” which hold experiences both eerie and humorous, including:
·“The Chocolate Bar,” a delectable room of dip-able treats.
·“Heck’s Kitchen,” a cooking class with the Devil where families participate in making Deviled Eggs.
·“The Bedroom Swat-a-Fly,” a larger-than-life human fly swatting game.
·“The Cinematic Cemetery” film studio, where families can be the star of their own scary movie.
·“Satan’s Cackle Shack,” where Matt Demon, voted “Hell’s Most Humorous Devil” 1998, entertains the audience with his killer stand-up routine.
By spinning a wheel to determine a nominal additional fee, which could range from $5 to $10 to a silly physical act, children and adults gain access to two more experiences:
·A chance to play “Fired Up,” Redmoon’s newest carnival game where children shoot a target and are rewarded with a spectacular surprise.
·Visitors brave enough to enter “The Nest” will ascend into Redmoon’s frightening attic maze. An adventure into a vampire nest inspired by Bram Stoker’s gothic tale of Dracula, “The Nest” creates an eerie, mystical and enigmatic world that’s chilling without resorting to horror or gore, instead playing on the sounds, shadows and corporeal experience of encountering the supernatural in everyday life.
Audiences can enter Skelebration at staggered entrance times as follows: Saturdays and Sundays at 1 pm & 4 pm
Adult tickets are $20 (age 18+), youth tickets are $12 (age 4-17) and children are free (age 3 and under). Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. Tickets are available in advance online at redmoon.org/box-office or by calling 312-850-8440 ext. 123. Tickets will also be available at the door, subject to availability.
Upcoming Party for the Adults: Boneshaker
Following the two weekends of family fun, mom and dad – and the rest of the 21+ party crowd – can escape into Redmoon’s fifth annual Halloween event Boneshaker, taking place at 2120 S. Jefferson St. Friday, October 31 (Halloween night) beginning at 9 pm.
Many of the creative installations from Skelebration get the grown-up treatment for Boneshaker. The UFO Carousel, Celestial Swing, “Fired Up” game, devilish cooking class, “Bedroom Swat-a-Fly” game, “Satan’s Cackle Shack,” “The Cinematic Cemetary” and attic maze “The Nest” all remain. Joining them will be an outdoor Fire Garden, Redmoon’s signature fire-spouting and music-pumping Fire Organ, a cigar-rolling room and specialty Mezcal tasting salon, in addition to multiple bars and gourmet dessert stations.
Early Bird tickets for Boneshaker are $75, available until October 24, and $100 as of October 25, which include food and open bar. Group tickets for 10 or more receive a 10% discount. Boneshaker is for patrons age 21 and up.
About Redmoon
Redmoon's mission is to transform the experience of Chicago through free large-scale theatrical events that promote community, creativity and an empowered democracy. Redmoon burst into Chicago’s cultural consciousness with its award-winning production of Moby Dick in 1995. While the indoor productions continued to receive critical acclaim and popular support, Jim Lasko chose to focus the theater’s energy outdoors, where Redmoon sought to deploy spectacle to bridge difference and transform the ways that people see and understand public spaces. Over the past 24 years, Redmoon has become a highly valued Chicago institution with its high-profile collaborations, vibrant outdoor performances and authentic community partnerships. In 2009, Lasko joined forces with long-time collaborator Frank Maugeri to co-lead Redmoon as it garnered international attention for its unique productions, site-specific performances and participatory events. Since 1991, Redmoon has performed for more than 350,000 people in 49 different neighborhoods in 186 public spaces.
Generous funding for Redmoon’s 2014-15 programming has been provided by The 1111 Foundation; Alphawood Foundation; The Amgis Foundation: The Cookie Jar Fund; The Efroymson Family Fund, a CICF Fund; The John R. Halligan Charitable Fund; The Marshall Frankel Foundation; The Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; The Irving Harris Foundation; Lagunitas Brewing Company; Mardi Gras Fund; The MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince; Sahara Enterprises, Inc. and The Thanksgiving Fund.
For more information on Redmoon and its programs, visit www.redmoon.org.
Here's our gallery of build favs:
Get creative. You're allowed to write on the walls here!
Make a vintage movie melding modern tech with a classic look... staring YOU!
