Broadway Cirque Not Du Soleil
Summer on Broadway this season will bring several new shows with interesting titles including [title of show] and the revival of “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf”. That said, it seems only right that the title of the first show of the Broadway season should merit some discussion as well. The new season officially gets under way with the Broadway production of “Cirque Dreams: Jungle Fantasy” which is set for its Broadway official opening on June 26, with previews starting June 16 at the Broadway Theatre.
Don’t let the “Cirque” fool you. This production is not from Cirque du Soleil, which may explain why the show’s title is a bit more accessible than Cirque du Soleil’s show titles like Wintuk, Saltimbanco, or Zumanity. In fact, according to one report, Neil Goldberg, creator and owner of Cirque Dreams has a court decision to prove that he is not a part of Cirque du Soleil. No stranger to spectacle and theatrical flair, Goldberg has produced Super Bowl half-time shows and several touring productions.
Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy will feature aerialists, contortionists, acrobats, jugglers and over 150 extravagant costumes, promising a “world-class explosion of athleticism, theatre and imagination” at the Broadway Theatre. The limited engagement comes to Broadway after a remarkably successful run on the road where critics praised “Jungle Fantasy” as “evening of athletic prowess dressed up with the theatrical touches that make it a fun night for children and adults.” Celia Wren of The Washington Post described the show as “a family-friendly extravaganza. that suggests “The Lion King” on magic mushrooms.”
According to reports, the international cast includes performers recruited from the Mongolian State School of Contortion, not to be confused with the Ohio State University for Contortion. Designed for a Broadway stage and seasoned on the road, the arrival of “Cirque Dreams: Jungle Fantasy” at the Broadway Theatre could offer the perfect magical start to the new Broadway season.
