Cirque Musica brings Holiday Wonderland to Paramount

Holiday classics meet what Cirque Musica founder Steve Cook calls “the greatest hits of circus” in Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland.

“We are proud to say it’s one of our most beautiful shows in all our years of holiday magic making,” Cook said.

The show is fast-paced, intertwining singing and dancing with juggling, rolla bolla, lyra, risley (foot juggling) and more into a show that runs just under two hours, including intermission.

Audiences who have seen Cirque Musica haven’t seen this show before. This year brings new music, fresh costumes and more clowning while telling the story of rediscovering the spirit of Christmas once it has been lost.

“There’s sort of hijinks to help that process,” Cook said. “The audience is involved in that process.”

The show, which showcases beautiful acrobatics and daring feats of skill and strength, takes the stage at the Paramount Theatre, 123 3rd Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, on Nov. 30.

Cedar Rapids is one of the touring show’s more than 80 stops across the U.S. and Canada this holiday season — and you thought your holiday calendar was booked. Although, there are two units of 25 to 30 performers covering all that ground.

The Cirque Musica cast is made up of artists from across the globe including Ukraine, Ecuador, Hungary, Canada, Mexico and the U.S.

“There’s the cirque performers, which we get from all over the world. There’s the theatrical performers, so Broadway singers, dancers, actors, actresses, things like that, and then the musicians,” Cook said. “So it’s sort of a mixture of the three, and I think that’s what makes us unique.”

  Buy Photo

Cook said a normal day includes arriving at the venue at 7 a.m., and loading in by 8 a.m. Between 2 p.m. and the start of the show, sound and lighting are handled, and performers rehearse. After the show, they tear things down and load it out, hitting the road around midnight or 1 a.m.

“We’re driving to the next city, anywhere from 100 to 500 miles a night,” Cook said, “It’s a real tour.”

This year’s tour kicked off in Ottumwa, Iowa, at the Bridge View Center on Nov. 19, which is where both Cirque Musica touring units rehearsed.

“We love Ottumwa ... the venue is really great, the people are great,” Cook said, noting the company is based in Frisco, Texas.

  Buy Photo

Cook started Cirque Musica 15 years ago to blend orchestra and circus. Prior to founding TCB Entertainment, Cirque Musica’s parent company, Cook worked in marketing for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey and a major orchestra.

He said that in a world dominated by screens, live entertainment is an important venue for human interaction. But, technology has changed audience attention spans, and TCB Entertainment has reacted.

“Our shows used to be two and a half hours long,” Cook said. “Now they’re two hours or less. People’s attention spans are less. So I think when you build the shows you have to be cognizant of that and you have to build to where people are.”

Cook said his favorite part of going to see Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland is watching the audience.

“You see a family and their kids are on the parents’ laps and they’re eating popcorn, and they’ve got their little lights and they’re just giggling and having a good time, and they’re really engaged with what the artists are doing. That’s what’s special to us,” Cook said. “More than any particular act or anything like that, it’s more about the emotions that we’re evoking from people. That’s what I like.”

  Buy Photo

Comments: bailey.cichon@thegazette.com

Sign up for the weekly Curious Iowa newsletter to read answers to reader questions — along with behind-the-scenes observations.