Cirque-style stage performances have been around for a very, very long time. Their rise to mega-popularity came in the early ‘90’s when Quebec-born Cirque Du Soleil (founded in 1984) started to merge theatre and circus performance under the direction of Italian actor Franco Dragone. The idea, which doubtlessly was the product of numerous people throughout the international cirque circuit, saw Soleil growing exponentially and the birth of numerous other groups which continue to perform to this day including Cirque Productions (those toring with the popular Cirque Dreams family of shows) and Cirque Le Masque, which finds itself tumbling through the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center early next month.
Founded by seasoned stage veterans Dennis and Bernie Schussel in 1993, Cirque Le Masque brings its unique take on the cirque style of theatre to the SMPAC with a program called Carnivale. The show tells the story of a woman named Maria, who finds herself on holiday in Rio. The rhythms of Carnivale enchant her and the story develops from there. Cirque Masque clearly knows what its doing with respect to marketingbringing a stylish show set in the warmth of a stage Rio is just the right thing to drag an audience out of the torpor of a cold Milwaukee winter.
Cirque Le Masque’s Carnivale comes to the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center on Sunday, January 9th, 2011 at 6pm. For tickets, call SMPAC at 414-766-5049.
