Another brilliant chapter in the history of the American stage takes place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas with Cirque du Soleil’s production of KÀ. From acclaimed theatre and film director Robert Lepage comes this innovative production about a heroic journey of love and conflict set upon an immaculate and detailed 360 degree rotating stage, which forms the backdrop for this cinematic journey of aerial adventure and perpendicular acrobatics.
Behind the Scenes
Created by Lepage ("Bluebeards Castle", "The Far Side of the Moon"), one of Canada’s most acclaimed and accomplished theatre artists, KÀ features 80 talented acrobatic artists from around the world to help this gravity-defying production reach its potential. The commanding and emotive soundtrack lends itself wonderfully to the innovative blend of acrobatic feats, Capoeira dance, puppetry, projections, and even martial arts.
In addition to Lepage, the creators of KÀ includes Guy Laliberte (Guide), Guy Caron (Director of Creation), Mark Fisher (Theatre and Set Designer), Marie-Chantale Vaillancourt (Costume Designer), René Dupéré (Composer and Arranger), Jacques Heim (Choreographer), Luc Lafortune (Lighting Designer), Johnathan Deans (Sound Designer), Holger Förterer (Interactive Projections Designer), Michael Curry (Puppet Designer), Patricia Ruel (Props Designer), Jaque Paquin (Acrobatic Equipment and Rigging Designer), Andre Simard (Aerial Acrobatics Designer and Head Coach, Creation) and Nathalie Gagné (Make-up Designer).
The Story of KÀ
Creator and director Robert Lepage describes the story of KÀ as "the coming of age of a young man and a young woman through their encounters with love, conflict and the duality of KÀ, the fire that can unite or separate, destroy or illuminate."
The title of the production KÀ is inspired by the ancient Egyptian concept of the KÀ, an invisible spiritual duplicate of the body that accompanies every human being through this life and into the next. As a young set of Imperial twins (one male and one female) become separated and hunted by Archers and Spearmen, each artist displays their impressive climbing abilities as their characters scramble to safety.
On their individual adventures, the twin brother learns to use shadow puppets to great emotional effect, while the twin sister finds herself in a majestic forest where she encounters colorful creatures on bungees and swing poles. While all this is occurring, the Archer’s Den is filled with captives who perform on the Wheel of Death where they display jaw-dropping acts of physicality.
The culmination of the twin’s adventure takes place on an enormous vertical stage featuring a unique aerial view where video projections react to the artists’ touch while the adversaries spin through the air in a captivating display of acrobatics.
Cirque du Soleil
This visually stunning and theatrical experience began in 1984 with a group of 20 street performers. Cirq
ue du Soleil grew into the international production it is now by entertaining over 70 million spectators in 200 cities on five continents. Partnering with MGM Mirage in Las Vegas, Cirque du Soleil has wowed audiences with productions of “Mystere” at Treasure Island, “O” at Bellagio, “Zumanity, the Sensual Side of Cirque du Soleil” at New York, New York, their latest “The Beatles, Love” at The Mirage and “Criss Angel Believe” at Luxor debuting in October. For more information on Cirque du Soleil, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com.
KÀ Schedule
Performing at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. every Tuesday – Saturday, tickets for KÀ can be purchased at www.ka.com, www.mgmgrand.com or at any of the MGM Mirage box offices.
Tickets are priced at $69, $99, $125 and $150 for adults & $34.50, $49.50, $62.50 and $75 (plus tax) for children aged 5-12. You can purchase tickets 120 days in advance and make reservations for groups of 15 or more at [email protected].
