Overheard Backstage

To his partners right before doing their act:

"Oh my god... I just peed a little... Can you see it? Can you see it? Oh my god... I hope it's just in my underwear..."

Overheard Backstage, "Oh My!" Edition

"I'm warming up!"

"You fididdling my penis is not warming up." 

Overheard Backstage

Before the show:

"It's funny how all those kids out there are waiting for us to make them happy... and none of us want to."

Brazil

So... hey. I performed in Brazil last month. I probably should have brought that up sooner.

The last time my company performed in Brazil was kind of a disaster. Not in the sense that the show was poorly received. Not that at all. It was just that all the material for the show arrived three days later than expected and theatre was just massacring the artists (umbrella spine through someone's leg, nose smashed in by a double bass, the usual).

For the most part, things went much more smoothly this time around. True, the audience wasn't as full as the last time, but at least this time everyone left intact. There was, however, one monumental moment of drama.

As always, it was a show like any other. And then, during the second to last act, the point used for the two aerial acts decided it had had enough and just ceased to function. It would no longer go up or down. This was during the dance trapeze act, and act which has a whole helluva a lot of going up and down.

At this point in the show, those who aren't directly implicated in the trapeze act are busy setting up the structure and trampoline for the finale. Fortunately, we've gotten good at this and it happens really fast.

I say fortunately, because right around the time we managed to set everything up, things started to get a little crazy backstage.

The technician that mans the ropes during the trapeze act was yelling for assistance and everyone with a free hand was trying to fix the unknown problem. You know that wall of ropes that controls all the fly bars and whatnot in a theatre? Well A decided that the best course of action was to climb those ropes and hack at the rigging of the trapeze.

The aforementioned ropes

While this successfully dislodged a sandbag from the ceiling, a sandbag that had the courtesy not to land on anyone I might add, it did nothing to help the trapeze situation.

It was at about this time that F, the technician in charge of pulling the trapeze act, started yelling at D to get off the trapeze and, well, off the stage. B decided that the best course of action was to go on stage and dance around while the rest of us scrambled to get the next scene in place, but despite our good intentions, we had to stop. We managed to get the trapeze a little higher, and while it was technically out of the way for the trampoline number, holy crap, it was still just above the trampoline!

Notice the painting that is the shadow

of the trapeze? Awesome.

Like I said, it wasn't technically in the way, but seeing a trapeze hanging over where you're about to jump... it shakes you up a little bit.

The technicians were worried it would be a seven hour repair job, but thanks to a mysterious length of cable hiding in one of the trunks, it only took about two and a half hours. And hey, this time no one bled, so that's kind of a win, right?

Overheard During Training

"Why isn't there a circus discipline made out of pillows?"

Overheard Onstage

"Want to hear a joke? Okay, so two croissants are in a fridge and one says to the other... oh shit, that's not how it goes..."

Overheard During Training

"Excellent. I could see the glitter and sequins shooting out of your fingertips!"

That Awkward Moment When...

...the director comes backstage after the show and hugs you, but you aren't wearing any pants.

Behind the Scenes at CDS

The following is a really fascinating video showcasing the work that goes on behind the scenes at Cirque du Soleil when it comes to integrating new artists and getting them show ready. On a fun side note, the smallness of the circus world never ceases to amaze me. In this video I saw at least three former classmates, my German wheel coach, and one of my first gymnastics coaches EVER. Quel vie de cirque indeed!

Overheard Backstage

“I hate clowns. The only good clown is a dead clown.”

So It Is

Waiting in the pitch black for B to pass by so I could make my way into the wings, I turned to the bass player and asked him if he needed a Kleenex (the poor guy was sniffling up a storm). Suddenly I’m on my knees in immense pain, little green lights popping in and out of focus in front of me.

When I turned to the bass player he turned toward me too and damn near gouged my eye out. He later said it was just his pinkie finger, but his pinkie finger is as big as my index finger. I finished the rest of the show with one squinty, watery eye and, nearly 24 hours later, my eye still aches.

I guess mom was right. It really is all fun and games until somebody loses an eye.

Overheard Backstage

"What are you up to?"

"Vengeance."

Confidential to C and L

 I miss you both.

That's Not It

Whenever I'm backstage and suddenly find myself drawing a blank as to what it is I'm supposed to do next, my first instinct is to take off my costume...

Somehow, that never seems to be the right response...

In the Wings...

Overheard Backstage

"My subtext is 'Evil Mermaid'."

I Think We're Being Followed...

What the...?

Where did you come from?! We left Nantes over a month ago!

Overheard Backstage

"How are your arms?"

"They're good. Oh... they're bleeding..."

And this?

Leaves me even more perplexed.