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Picture this: America is under construction. e West is
booming. e railroad is being developed. In the middle of
the desert, a town comes to life, and within it—the saloon.
Against a backdrop of the mythical American West, Cirque
Éloize presents audiences with a raucous acrobatic comedy.
Storytelling with contemporary circus flair, "Saloon"
weaves a western spectacle peppered with acrobatic daring
and the folk sounds of mandolin, banjo and fiddle. e
timeless tunes of Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash and others set
the traditional, epic scene (with a few twists!) for a fast-
paced show with no shortage of thrills.
"e inspiration for this show comes from what has been
our driving force for nearly twenty-five years," says Jeannot
Painchaud, President and Artistic & Creative Director for
Cirque Éloize. "It comes from the world of the Wild West,
with which we share the frontier spirit of cutting new trails
and pushing boldly onward."
Hailing from the Magdalen Islands off the coast of
Nova Scotia, Cirque Éloize has taken part in numerous
prestigious international festivals, captivating both New
York's Broadway and London's West End. Since 1993 the
company has presented more than 4,000 performances in
over 500 cities, and has been seen by over three million
spectators.
"'Saloon' is a thrilling, fun and funny musical, an invitation
to a party," says Painchaud. Now this company brings
their own brand of "heat lightening," the definition of
the Acadian word "éloize" that inspires the energy of these
performers, to Austin, Texas this Spring. ■
21 2017-2018 W I N T E R/S P R I N G S E A S O N
CIRQUE ÉLOIZE PRACTICING SOME HAND TO HAND ACROBATICS
(PHOTO BY BERND WACKERBAUER)
