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COVER STORY
Cirque promises breathtaking sights
By Kathy Lauer-Williams
Of The Morning Call
Cirque du Soleil is known for shows THE MORNING CALL THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015 PHOTOS BY ERRISSON LAWRENCE PHOTOGRAPHY
that combine breathtaking visuals, eclectic
music and amazing acrobatic acts. A leonopteryx, a huge red and orange predator that rules the Pandoran sky, is featured in five shows of Cirque du Soleil’s new production
of ‘Toruk,’ which comes to PPL Center in Allentown Friday through Sunday.
Creators say that Cirque’s newest show,
“Toruk — The First Flight,” is something ‘TORUK — THE FIRST ‘Toruk,’ based on
unusual even for the groundbreaking FLIGHT’ the movie ‘Avatar,’
franchise. The show runs for five shows at introduces the five
Allentown’s PPL Center Friday through ■ What: Cirque du Soleil’s newest show is based clans of the imagi-
Sunday, in the first-ever Cirque on James Cameron’s hit film “Avatar.” It re-creates nary world of
performances in the Lehigh Valley. the world of Pandora in a prequel to the movie. Pandora.
■ When: 7:30 p.m. Friday; 4 and 7:30 p.m.
“Toruk” is the first Cirque du Soleil Saturday; 1:30 and 5 p.m. Sunday
show based on a movie. It’s inspired by ■ Where: PPL Center, 701 Hamilton St., Allentown
James Cameron’s 2009 science fiction ■ How much: $32 to $153.50
blockbuster “Avatar,” and takes place 1,000 ■ Info: 484-273-4490, www.pplcenter.com
years before the events of the movie,
before humans came to the world of “He allowed them to fly and create
Pandora. something that is unique as well as
completely aligned with the ideology of
Fabrice Lemire, artistic director of
“Toruk,” says creators will transport Please see ‘TORUK’ 5
audiences into the imaginary world of
“Avatar” and re-create Pandora, the lush
moon of a gas giant in the Alpha Centauri
star system.
This also is the first Cirque show to use
projection to help create an enveloping
environment, he says.
“The space is completely transformed,”
Lemire says. “It’s like a three-dimensional
immersion, and the audience is
completely in it. It’s stunning. Anywhere
someone is sitting, the visuals are
breathtaking.”
The show will create a desert, riverside
area, floating mountains and forest of
Pandora inside the PPL Center. The set is
made of inflated rubber and steel, which
makes it easier to transport it from city to
city.
“It is such an emotional thing when you
allow eyes to feast on the amazing
visuals,” he says. “It’s really exciting to
re-create it all.”
All 35 of the acrobats will perform as
blue Na’vi, the humanoids that are native
to Pandora. Also new for Cirque du Soleil,
all the performers have learned the
imaginary Na’vi language. They wear
microphones so the audience will hear the
language throughout the show.
The creative team, Lemire says, worked
closely with Cameron, who is planning
three sequels to “Avatar” — to be released
in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
“I believe it’s a coup for the company
being part of this project,” Lemire says.
“We really wanted to do the movie justice
when we created this show.”
The creative team, which began the
project six years ago, was given plenty of
freedom by Cameron, Lemire says.
“Toruk” is Cirque du Soleil’s 37th
production since 1984.
4 “He was very supportive, and the
collaboration was so tight,” Lemire says.
Cirque promises breathtaking sights
By Kathy Lauer-Williams
Of The Morning Call
Cirque du Soleil is known for shows THE MORNING CALL THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015 PHOTOS BY ERRISSON LAWRENCE PHOTOGRAPHY
that combine breathtaking visuals, eclectic
music and amazing acrobatic acts. A leonopteryx, a huge red and orange predator that rules the Pandoran sky, is featured in five shows of Cirque du Soleil’s new production
of ‘Toruk,’ which comes to PPL Center in Allentown Friday through Sunday.
Creators say that Cirque’s newest show,
“Toruk — The First Flight,” is something ‘TORUK — THE FIRST ‘Toruk,’ based on
unusual even for the groundbreaking FLIGHT’ the movie ‘Avatar,’
franchise. The show runs for five shows at introduces the five
Allentown’s PPL Center Friday through ■ What: Cirque du Soleil’s newest show is based clans of the imagi-
Sunday, in the first-ever Cirque on James Cameron’s hit film “Avatar.” It re-creates nary world of
performances in the Lehigh Valley. the world of Pandora in a prequel to the movie. Pandora.
■ When: 7:30 p.m. Friday; 4 and 7:30 p.m.
“Toruk” is the first Cirque du Soleil Saturday; 1:30 and 5 p.m. Sunday
show based on a movie. It’s inspired by ■ Where: PPL Center, 701 Hamilton St., Allentown
James Cameron’s 2009 science fiction ■ How much: $32 to $153.50
blockbuster “Avatar,” and takes place 1,000 ■ Info: 484-273-4490, www.pplcenter.com
years before the events of the movie,
before humans came to the world of “He allowed them to fly and create
Pandora. something that is unique as well as
completely aligned with the ideology of
Fabrice Lemire, artistic director of
“Toruk,” says creators will transport Please see ‘TORUK’ 5
audiences into the imaginary world of
“Avatar” and re-create Pandora, the lush
moon of a gas giant in the Alpha Centauri
star system.
This also is the first Cirque show to use
projection to help create an enveloping
environment, he says.
“The space is completely transformed,”
Lemire says. “It’s like a three-dimensional
immersion, and the audience is
completely in it. It’s stunning. Anywhere
someone is sitting, the visuals are
breathtaking.”
The show will create a desert, riverside
area, floating mountains and forest of
Pandora inside the PPL Center. The set is
made of inflated rubber and steel, which
makes it easier to transport it from city to
city.
“It is such an emotional thing when you
allow eyes to feast on the amazing
visuals,” he says. “It’s really exciting to
re-create it all.”
All 35 of the acrobats will perform as
blue Na’vi, the humanoids that are native
to Pandora. Also new for Cirque du Soleil,
all the performers have learned the
imaginary Na’vi language. They wear
microphones so the audience will hear the
language throughout the show.
The creative team, Lemire says, worked
closely with Cameron, who is planning
three sequels to “Avatar” — to be released
in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
“I believe it’s a coup for the company
being part of this project,” Lemire says.
“We really wanted to do the movie justice
when we created this show.”
The creative team, which began the
project six years ago, was given plenty of
freedom by Cameron, Lemire says.
“Toruk” is Cirque du Soleil’s 37th
production since 1984.
4 “He was very supportive, and the
collaboration was so tight,” Lemire says.
