As an institution of spectacle, Cirque du Soleil has become a beacon of artistic distinction. Their recent production, Songblazers, shows the traveling circus giving reverence to the legends and legacy of country music. Writer and director Amy Tinkham dove deeper into the annals of the genre than most paying their respects to its titans. Songblazers does as its name suggests, blazing a path from country’s earliest days in 1867 to its current global reach. “Telling the truth and telling the story is the beautiful part of country music,” Tinkham said in a press release. “That’s what Songblazers is about.”
Imagine, then, the surprise of a rising South Austin country star when she got the call that she would be an integral part of bringing Tinkham’s vision to fruition. “I was in the car with my dad after being in the recording studio when I got the email,” 19-year-old Allora Leonard told the Chronicle. “I’m pretty sure he and I both screamed! I’ve auditioned and tried out for so many different opportunities before this and had gotten very used to hearing no. It had been my dream as a little girl to one day perform at this magnitude, and I was in utter shock that I reached that milestone.”
Paying homage to the legends is second nature to the singer, who gained notoriety for her renditions of classics from the likes of Etta James (“At Last”) and George Strait (“It Ain’t Cool to Be Crazy About You”). Music has been a fervent passion of Leonard’s since she was 14 and had the opportunity to visit the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville for her birthday: “It was right then that I knew music was my calling.”
It’s a calling that led her to this very moment performing on one of the world’s most revered stages, creativity set loose and voice set free. “Cirque is so similar, yet different from other things that I’ve done,” she said. “I grew up competing in rodeo and other equine events from a very young age, which required a lot of training and discipline similar to the performers in Cirque. While there’s definitely a lot of rehearsals and staging that go into Songblazers, it’s such a family-like atmosphere and is very creatively stimulating. All ideas are welcome and appreciated.”
In Songblazers, Leonard plays Ranch Girl/Willow, a role she’s not unfamiliar with. “This is such a fun part to play,” she said, “because I see so much of myself in it. I’m literally a ranch girl and have spent most of my life in the saddle [rather] than on foot. Not only that, but I love getting to try my hand at stunts, dancing, and acrobatics knowing that I had never really done it before. I also get to sing so many of the songs I grew up on, and I love seeing some of the audience sing it back to me.”
The combination of being surrounded by a cast of like-spirited performers and singing songs so close to her heart does often open cracks in the spirit when pulled away from loved ones. However, Leonard takes the feelings in stride, particularly because the Austin show opening on Aug. 14 will bring her near the family and friends she misses.
Leonard relishes the opportunity to tell a story deeper than the music itself. “Although this show is most certainly a celebration of country music, it’s also a story of friendship and how it grows and changes over time,” she said. “It is truly beautiful to witness, and I know it’s something the audience will be able to relate to.
“It’s an honor getting to share the stage with such talented people. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I’m most definitely enjoying the ride.”
Oh, and one more piece of advice before you come to the show: “Look out for the chicken!”
{ SOURCE: Austin Chronicle }
