Street Culture Roots Keep Cirque Du Soleil Alive for 33 Years Says CEO Daniel Lamarre - CircusTalk

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Street Culture Roots Keep Cirque Du Soleil Alive for 33 Years Says CEO Daniel Lamarre

Daniel Lamarre is just a “ticket seller”.

At least that’s how the president and chief executive of Cirque du Soleil describes himself.

Only he’s selling more than 13 million tickets to consumers around the world every year, and Cirque du Soleil is raking in more than $US1 billion ($1.25 billion) in revenue annually.

“We are in full growing mode right now,” says Lamarre, a former journalist and PR man who joined the business in 2001, and is now leading the company’s move into China in a bid to double ticket sales.

Street culture

Cirque, which started with a small group of street performers in a town near QuĂ©bec, Canada, 33 years ago, now has almost 5000 employees, including some of the world’s best artists and acrobats, and has entertained more than 180 million spectators in 450 cities around the world.

Its international headquarters are now in Montreal where its theatrical productions are developed, costumes are custom-made, and much of its R&D, including that behind its latest James Cameron-co created Avatar-inspired show, Toruk — The First Flight, takes place. The company also routinely partners with universities like MIT and companies such as Microsoft.

The reason Cirque’s succeeded for so long, Lamarre says, is that it’s grown out of a street culture that still resonates with audiences. Its very first show in Las Vegas, Mystère, is still running after 24 years, and is one of six resident shows in Vegas, the others being O, KĂ , Zumanity, The Beatles Love,and Michael Jackson: One. The shows aim to hit some of the almost 45 million tourists who flock to Vegas each year.

 

Link to Full Article at The Sydney Morning Herald. 

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