The “One Night for One Drop” charity show Friday marks the first time Cirque du Soleil has staged a full production in Las Vegas outside one of its resident theaters. The fourth installment benefiting Cirque’s nonprofit, water-conservation organization One Drop Foundation is set for 7:30 p.m. at Smith Center’s Reynolds Hall.
As a result of this temporary move to the Smith Center, Cirque official Jerry Nadal says, “Myron is nervous.” He is referring to Smith Center President Myron Martin, whose facility has hosted only individual scenes from Cirque shows during such events as the “Nevada Sesquicentennial All-Star Concert” two years ago at Reynolds Hall.
But “One Night” is a fully realized show, and Nadal promises, “We’re bringing all of our resources to their venue and using it to its full capacity.” So, look out for aerialists.
“One Night” is drawing again from all of Cirque’s Las Vegas productions and is directed by Cirque artist and dancer Hassan El Hajjami. Recording artist Leona Lewis and “Blackish” star Miles “Baby Boogaloo” Brown are guests performers this year.
The Smith Center was sought for this show for its status as a neutral venue. The Cirque theaters are suited for the show, of course, as they are tailored for their respective productions. But there is a universal appeal to Reynolds Hall.
“We are looking for wide appeal, and the Smith Center makes ‘One Night’ more community based than it’s been in the past,” said Nadal, who is VP of Cirque’s resident shows and heads up the “One Night” team every year. “We’re getting people coming to ‘One Night’ specifically because it’s at the Smith Center.”
The monetary goal this year is $7 million, including the charity auction, ticket sales and donations from ticket revenues from all of Cirque’s shows on the Strip this week. Over the past three years, Cirque has raised $17.6 million to aid in water conservation and preservation in impoverished regions.
It’s become a worldwide need, as Lewis noted during the show’s rehearsals at Aria’s Zarkana Theater in January. “This is all about using art to inform and inspire people through the arts to act on this problem,” she said.
“Safe and clean water is a basic human right that we don’t think of much in the West, but the idea of being able to turn on a tap and use clean water is foreign to many people around the world. That’s what makes this show and this organization so important.”
{ SOURCE: John Katsilometes, Las Vegas Sun | http://goo.gl/EYylSc }
