Cirque du Soleil’s magical productions on the Las Vegas Strip celebrate classic elements of circus, avant-garde artistry and some of the most famous music in the world. But the company’s new show breaks ground by celebrating a place.
And not just any place. Mad Apple is an energetic tribute to all things New York City, appropriately performed in the gorgeous, 1,200-seat theater at New York-New York Hotel & Casino. Loaded with acrobatics, music and comedy, Mad Apple began preview performances earlier this month and marks its grand opening just before Memorial Day weekend.
“It’s a fun night out and a celebration, a great place to come have a drink and enjoy some incredible entertainment inspired by the greatest performers in the history of New York,” said producer Simon Painter.
Mad Apple was designed to blur the lines between circus, live entertainment and the nightlife culture of the iconic city. The spectacular acrobatics we know so well from Cirque du Soleil are a major part of the show, Painter said, but so is stand-up—from a variety of performers including star and host Brad Williams—and music, recalling artists from Billy Joel and Run-D.M.C. to George Gershwin and Lady Gaga.
“The soundtrack of New York City is really central to this show, and we have some unbelievable singers who really made me say, ‘Wow!’ many times when I auditioned them,” Painter said. “Acrobatically, it’s still really strong, and that talent should stand on its own. And yes, there is some more adult comedy. It’s a bloody fun night out, but it’s also a beautiful show.”
Williams is a familiar face for Las Vegas audiences, a comedy powerhouse who has performed at various venues on and off the Strip. Mad Apple is an entirely different adventure for him, which is why he’s so excited about it.
“Even if you’re used to seeing other Cirque shows, which are spectacular, this is special, because normally you’d have to go to different shows to see comedy, acrobatics and music like this,” Williams said. “Now you can go to Mad Apple and see all of that, and it obviously works with the whole theme at New York-New York. I feel like anything can happen in that city, and it’ll be the same for this show.”
The unique space has been renovated to bring the audience closer to the performers than ever before in a Cirque show, adding interactive elements. Don’t be late to this one; you’ll miss the exciting preshow that incorporates the brand-new bars that have been installed in and around the theater.
“I would put the preshow up against any show in Las Vegas—magicians walking around the theater doing incredible magic before the show even starts, and a bar where you can walk up and get a drink, which will morph into the stage,” Williams said. “If that doesn’t start things out with a bang, I don’t know what will.”
{ SOURCE: Las Vegas Magazine }
