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"Every step of this journey has been emotional, from researching and viewing original Disney Animation, to writing this beautiful story, to meeting our cast and becoming a family supporting each other through our unexpected 'intermission' together. "It means so much to finally be raising the curtain on Drawn to Life," said Laprise. Among those in attendance were Lamarre, Vahle, Goldberg as well as other top Cirque du Soleil and Walt Disney World executives.
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Originally slated for a March 2020 opening, but delayed due to the pandemic, the show played to an electric theater of excited guests. The show is an immersive production featuring an all-original score of new music pixie-dusted with playful snippets of melodies from Disney's classic animated feature films makeup that reflects animation principles like exaggerated lines, highlights and shadows larger-than-life costumes and props that are more than meets the eye and a set that envelops the audience in sketch pages and an animator's drawing table. As a result, the show pays homage to classic Disney Animation techniques and many trailblazing Disney Animation artists including Mary Blair, Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas. Years in the making, the show was researched through extensive visits Cirque du Soleil teams made to Disney theme parks, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Walt Disney Animation Research Library, Walt Disney Archives, and The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco. Along the way she encounters rhythmic gymnasts interpreting pages of drawings in continuous sequence, a pair of human trapeze artists moving as paintbrushes to create a kaleidoscope of colors, teeterboard artists displaying the squash and stretch principle of animation and beloved Disney Animation characters from across eras. Developed along with Michael Jung, Executive Theatrical Development, Walt Disney Imagineering, the story is driven by 10 unique acrobatic acts alongside animation from beloved Disney films as well as all-new animation created by Disney Animation artists led by Animation Director Eric Goldberg, best known for characters such as the Genie in the animated classic, "Aladdin."Ĭirque du Soleil acrobatics and characters from classic Disney animation films blend throughout Julie's journey. As she dives into the inner world of animation guided by a surprising pencil, Julie embarks on an inspiring quest filled with childhood Disney memories. "Combining the rich legacy of Disney Animation with the incredible artistry of Cirque du Soleil, Drawn to Life is pure magic."ĭrawn to Life, written and directed by Michel Laprise with Fabrice Becker as Director of Creation, is a live acrobatic journey telling the story of Julie, a determined girl who discovers an unexpected gift left by her Disney animator father: an unfinished animation. "Seeing a Cirque du Soleil show at Disney Springs has long been a cherished experience for our guests," said Jeff Vahle, President of Walt Disney World Resort. We hope it will mean as much to our fans as it has to us – it's not just our show now, it's theirs too." "This collaboration has been unlike anything we've done before. "This show has been in the works for years and to finally share it with the world is a dream come true," said Daniel Lamarre, President and CEO of Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group.
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It marks the first ever theatrical collaboration of three creative icons: Cirque du Soleil, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering. The show is a love letter to Disney Animation interpreted through Cirque du Soleil's acrobatic performances, dazzling choreography, innovative design and eclectic costuming alongside all-new characters created by Disney Animation artists and an original score inspired by timeless Disney music.
Drawn to life cirque opening full#
19, 2021 /CNW/ - The highly anticipated new collaboration from Cirque du Soleil and Disney, Drawn to Life, premiered Thursday night at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort to a full house of enthusiastic fans who demonstrated their appreciation with a lengthy standing ovation.
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