Cirque to expand worldview in ‘One Night’ show on Strip
“One Night For One Drop” is not just playing in the water for its next production on the Strip.
Cirque du Soleil’s annual production, which draws talent from all of the company’s Las Vegas stage shows, focuses energy and awareness on the company’s global clean-water campaign. The next performance is set for March 8 at O Theatre at Bellagio. Cirque is reaching for an even higher cause when it returns for its seventh installment of the charity production (tickets are now onsale at onedrop.org/onenight), which launched in 2011, also at Bellagio.
The show will still deliver funds and awareness to the One Drop foundation, naturally. But the new production stars the character One (portrayed by a 7-year-old girl), who leads Everyman (played by a grown-up) on a journey of spiritual awakening.
The message is not only about providing clean water to impoverished regions around the world, but also of how we can all harmoniously coexist. Those two vital cast members delivering that painfully needed message are yet to be announced.
The production is also seeking a suitable celebrity presence; Jewel was the focus of the most recent show in March at Michael Jackson One Theatre at Mandalay Bay.
“In the past, the show has focused on water, but now we’re going to focus on the separation of right and left, and of humanity around the world,” says co-choreographer Andre Kasten, teaming with Leah Moyer on the design of next year’s show. “We want to show empathy and as, ‘Why do you come to support a charity? Do you want to help change the world? Why can’t we help the people all around us?”
Kasten and Moyer describe themselves as “freelance directors” who worked on the first “One Night” show, also at Bellagio, and also helped refresh “Mystere” at TI and “Love” at the Mirage. They were also dancers in “Love” and “Viva Elvis” at Aria.
The show flips the educational process of global relationships on its head, with One — the child — directing Everyman on a journey of enlightenment. In the end, Everyman will be overwhelmed, and inspired to make a difference by expanding his own world view.
“Everyman asks, ‘How do I make a difference,’ ” Moyer says. “It starts with One.”
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.