'Alegria' brings joy to the BJC

By Lori Falce

Think “circus” and, traditionally, images of elephants, sideshows and clowns packed into tiny cars come to mind. But 25 years ago, all that started to change.

That’s when a new kind of spectacle began to dominate the big top. Cirque du Soleil was born in Montreal, fusing the wonder of a circus highwire with the tangible magic of European street performance, wrapped in a dramatic blanket of music, lighting and artistry.

The long-running Cirque du Soleil production “Alegria!” will unfold for eight shows Sept. 30-Oct. 4 at the Bryce Jordan Center.

More than 10 million people have thrilled to the wondrous world of “Alegria” since it debuted 14 years ago.

“The starting point for all the shows is to find a different universe to explore,” senior artistic director Michael Smith said. “For ‘Alegria,’ at that time in 1995, there was a lot of talk about the effect of the Internet, how we communicate, and the effect on the generations and how they interrelate. That’s still relevant today.”

Originally, the show toured in a more traditional circus fashion, with its own big top that visited only major cities all around the world. This year, however, it began to travel in a new arena format, trimming its baggage from 57 trucks to just 15 and allowing the production to visit smaller venues, like a college town in the middle of central Pennsylvania.

What it didn’t do was scale down the show itself. Smith said that while the production was maintained intact, there were changes that had to be made to maximize locations like the Bryce Jordan Center. Originally, the show was presented in a mostly front-facing fashion to an audience gathered in one location. But for arenas, the performers could be surrounded on three sides by eager onlookers. Most arenas also dwarf a big top tent, so “Alegria” also had to be inflated to make sure that it filled the venue without losing the subtlety and nuance of the athletic artists.

Cirque du Soleil marries art with athletics as its performers present staggering feats of strength, agility, grace and balance, from those who contort themselves into impossible shapes to those who fly through the air on ribbons and wires.

“We take elite athletes from the Olympics and world class competitions, and we turn them into artists,” Smith said.

“Alegria” features a cast of 55 performers from 17 countries. Smith said even more travel with the show in case of accident or injury to ensure a fantastic show for the audience.

A connection with the audience is always foremost in the cast and crew’s thoughts. “We hope everyone comes out with a sense of joy,” Smith said. He also noted that “alegria” is the Spanish word for joy.

“We want that emotional connection with the audience. You enter, and you take with you what speaks to you. Hopefully, it’s elation, joy, inspiration.”