WINTUK (Cirque du Soleil)
Encyclopedia
Wintukwas a semi-permanent and seasonal residency show created by Cirque du Soleil
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(formerly the WaMu Theater) entertainment complex in New York
. The show ran for ten weeks each winter holiday season from 2007 to 2011. Previews of Wintuk began November 1, 2007 and the world premiere and inaugural season was launched on November 7, 2007. Wintuk was a 90-minute show with a 20-minute intermission.
Jamie takes it on himself to try to discover what has caused this. On his quest, he interacts with a variety of characters - ranging from high-energy urban street characters, to giant dogs, to talking marionettes. He is also joined by the shy man known as Wimpy, the playful young girl known as Shadowgirl, and a lost Shaman.
This adventure brings the characters to an imaginary arctic world known as Wintuk - an environment without sunlight. Jamie and his friends find themselves surrounded by giant ice creatures and the People of the North. When the sun finally returns to Wintuk, Jamie and his friends are transported home, flying on the back of a giant crane. This generates a snowstorm, and snow finally falls on the town.
's 2003 production Zumanity
. Cirque du Soleil released a studio album based on the show's original score on November 1, 2007. The tracks are listed below.
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil , is a Canadian entertainment company, self-described as a "dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment." Based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy...
.
History
Wintuk played seasonally at the Theater at Madison Square GardenMadison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
(formerly the WaMu Theater) entertainment complex in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The show ran for ten weeks each winter holiday season from 2007 to 2011. Previews of Wintuk began November 1, 2007 and the world premiere and inaugural season was launched on November 7, 2007. Wintuk was a 90-minute show with a 20-minute intermission.
- Season 1 shows ran from November 7, 2007 to January 6, 2008.
- Season 2 shows ran from October 30, 2008 to January 4, 2009.
- Season 3 shows ran from November 11, 2009 to January 3, 2010.
- Season 4 shows ran from November 17, 2010 to January 2, 2011.
Storyline
A young boy named Jamie lives in a city that has entered the season of winter. Although the season has brought ice long shadows and intense cold, the most important arrival has not come: there is no snow.Jamie takes it on himself to try to discover what has caused this. On his quest, he interacts with a variety of characters - ranging from high-energy urban street characters, to giant dogs, to talking marionettes. He is also joined by the shy man known as Wimpy, the playful young girl known as Shadowgirl, and a lost Shaman.
This adventure brings the characters to an imaginary arctic world known as Wintuk - an environment without sunlight. Jamie and his friends find themselves surrounded by giant ice creatures and the People of the North. When the sun finally returns to Wintuk, Jamie and his friends are transported home, flying on the back of a giant crane. This generates a snowstorm, and snow finally falls on the town.
Cast
- Jamie: Is a bright, optimistic and open-minded young boy with a boundless sense of curiosity. Jamie has the rare ability to understand the language of the puppet lampposts and dogs in the world of Wintuk.
- Shadow Girl: Is a mysterious, playful young girl who appears in the form of a shadow. She finds it quite amusing to annoy Jamie with silly games. When a sunbeam finally sets her free from her shadow, she joins Jamie on his quest to recover snow.
- Wimpy: A shy young man, Wimpy is scared of many things, including his shadow. However, it is destined that he will discover his courage, and he joins Jamie on his pursuit for snow.
- The Shaman: The homeless woman living in the city with her dogs is actually The Shaman. She is known to have great powers, including being able to summon the moon. After Jamie convinces the Shaman to help him in his quest, she finally reconnects with her own identity.
- The People of the North: Under the eye of their High Priestess, the impervious and cold People of the North are swift and agile. They welcome the Shaman and her dogs back to their icy homeland, and also aid Jamie on his quest.
- The Puppets: Throughout Wintuk, puppets are found, ranging from lampposts that help Jamie on his quest to the fantastic ice giants.
Acts
- Aerial strapsAerial strapsStraps, also known as aerial straps, are a type of aerial apparatus on which various feats of strength and flexibility may be performed, often in the context of a circus performance. It is a cotton or nylon web apparatus that looks like two suspended ribbons...
: Two artists perform an aerial straps act. - Charivari: A group of skateboarders, inline skaters and trial bike riders take the stage, demonstrating technical twists, acrobatic turns and one-wheel spins.
- Cyr wheelCyr wheelThe Cyr wheel is an acrobatic device invented and popularized in the early 21st century...
: Two artists representing the People of the North spin and roll across the stage inside six-and-a-half-foot-wide metallic rings. - HoopsHoopingHooping generally refers to artistic movement and dancing with a hoop used as a prop or dance partner. Hoops can be made of metal, wood or plastic. Hooping combines technical moves and tricks with freestyle or technical dancing, and is typically accompanied by music...
: With the extreme flexibility, the artist performs a hoops act, by combining contortionContortionthumb|upright|Contortionist performingContortion is an unusual form of physical display which involves the dramatic bending and flexing of the human body. Contortion is often part of acrobatics and circus acts...
and hula-hooping moves. - Inner tubes: In their icy cold homeland, the People of the North make a buoyant entrance as they bounce up and down on inner tubes.
- JugglingJugglingJuggling is a skill involving moving objects for entertainment or sport. The most recognizable form of juggling is toss juggling, in which the juggler throws objects up to catch and toss up again. This may be one object or many objects, at the same time with one or many hands. Jugglers often refer...
: The gigantic dogs spot a man whom they try to include into their game. The dogs bring the artist various items for him to juggle, resulting in a high-speed act. - Rola bola: In an attempt to turn a light back on, an acrobat performs a balancing act using the props his coworkers toss him—pipes, panels, boards and globes.
- Rag dollRag dollA rag doll is a children's toy. It is a cloth figure, a doll traditionally home-made from spare scraps of material. They are one of the most ancient children's toys in existence; the British Museum has a Roman rag doll, found in a child's grave dating from 300 BC.Rag dolls have featured in a...
: A life-size rag doll tumbles out of a strange package. A thief and a businessman fight over the seemingly lifeless toy, spinning it around and bending it into impossible positions. - Russian barRussian BarThe Russian bar is a circus act which combines the gymnastic skills of the balance beam, the rebound tempo skills of trampoline and the swing handstands skills of the uneven bars and the parallel bars...
s: The traditional Russian bar act is performed with a twist: it is performed horizontally rather than vertically. - Slackrope: Standing on a village clothesline, an equilibrist ascends high above the stage. Supported by a half-inch rope, a series of striking moves and about-turns is performed. This act was performed by Jamie Adkins in the first three seasons and a modified version was performed by Christer Pettersen in the fourth and final season.
- Swiss ballSwiss ballAn exercise ball is a ball constructed of soft elastic with a diameter of approximately 35 to 85 centimeters and filled with air. The air pressure is changed by removing a valve stem and either filling with air or letting the ball deflate...
s: A duo of acrobatic clowns known as "Les Vitaminés" springs into action to present a high-energy act in which they bounce up and down on Swiss balls like springs.
Music
The music of Wintuk was composed by Simon Carpentier, who also composed the music of Cirque du SoleilCirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil , is a Canadian entertainment company, self-described as a "dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment." Based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy...
's 2003 production Zumanity
Zumanity
Zumanity is a resident cabaret-style show by Cirque du Soleil at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. The production was unveiled on September 20, 2003. It is the first "adult-themed" Cirque du Soleil show, billed as "the sensual side of Cirque du Soleil" or "another side...
. Cirque du Soleil released a studio album based on the show's original score on November 1, 2007. The tracks are listed below.
- Something's Missing
- Shadows
- Beyond the Clouds
- Dogs will be Dogs!
- He's Scared of His Shadow
- Norah Knows
- Heading North
- Back Where We Belong
- Northern Folk
- Elena
- Ice Giants
- Dolce Luce
- Tundra Ballet
- We Want to See it Snow
- Nothing's Missing
- Snowstorm