Stunning acrobatics — with an uplifting message for the family: Cirque du Soleil premieres in Northern Virginia on Thursday night.
The latest show creation from Cirque du Soleil, entitled “Echo,” is an idea that writer and stage director Mukhtar Omar Sharif Mukhtar said was years in the making.
“There was a really beautiful message about connection, about reconnecting with what matters, what’s important. And that’s the nature around us, the animals we share this planet with,” he told WTOP.
Mukhtar, once a performer himself, said it’s been a joy to watch this cast of performers bring his vision to life.
Aside from the normal death-defying acrobatics and dazzling visuals, Mukhtar said the show unveils a brand-new two-story prop piece that’s sure to blow you away.
“It’s one of those things that people have to wait and see,” he said. “But I will say that we use it as a metaphor, artistically, for our world. The more we take from it, the emptier it becomes. The more we give it, the fuller and healthier it becomes.”
“It’s a unique visual experience in itself,” he added. “I think the message as well is going to be inspiring, not just to them [the adults], but also to their kids.”
WTOP also spoke to acrobat and performer Tom Leask, a 19-year-old member of the cast from Australia. Leask said performers in the latest Cirque du Soleil show, who represent 19 different countries altogether, have been perfecting their routine for months.
“I’m a teeterboard artist,” he explained. “They call me a ‘Teeterbird,’ and I finish in the last act of the show, called ‘Connection,’ which is probably all I can say without giving too much away.”
Leask described the stunts he and others perform in the show — on various tightropes, seesaws, trapezes and much more — as “daredevil” performance, and said the attraction is something you won’t want to miss.
Cirque du Soleil’s Aug. 7 premiere at 8 p.m. at Lerner Town Square in Tysons will feature a red carpet and extra special events with food and games for guests who come out.
The “Echo” show itself runs through Oct. 22 and tickets can be purchased online.
