(AUSTIN, TEXAS — March 9, 2023; source: Juice Consulting) — Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group (“Cirque du Soleil”) is excited to announce that their newly appointed Creative Guide, Michel Laprise, will be in Austin, TX, for SXSW and participating in Quebec Day on March 13, 2023, from 4 – 4:40 p.m. at CANADA HOUSE (Swan Dive, located at 615 Red River St, Austin, TX 78701.) In this inspiring talk, Michel will share with passion a few aspects of the collaborative creation process at the company. He will expose how this organic process is part of a social, personal, emotional and artistic experience and show us that the actual physical space deeply influences the collaboration and inclusion of the creative workplace everyone might want to create. He will also talk of an experiment where, using the internet, the circle of collaboration was opened to include the audience in the crowdsourcing of a scene. Michel was promoted to this new role after being a long-time director and contributor to Cirque du Soleil; starting as a talent scout at casting, he has worked in creation ever since and has directed many large-scale projects, including the performances for the 400th anniversary of Quebec City and the opening ceremony of Eurovision 2009. Michel is also the director of the shows KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities, Septimo Día – no descansaré, and Drawn to Life. Outside of Cirque, he directed Madonna’s international tour in 2012 and the musical Robin Hood presented in Europe. For more information on Cirque Du Soleil, see here.
“It is an honor for me to be speaking at the 2023 edition of SXSW about Cirque du Soleil’s creative vision. As I have been a long-term collaborator and show director for Cirque,” said Michel Laprise, “I am now looking forward to broadening our creative horizons and approaches to continually offer our audiences new experiences that surpass their expectations for the company’s new golden age.”
As a fast-growing, diversified live entertainment company, the largest creator and producer of original content in the world, and one of the largest live entertainment ticket sellers in the world, Cirque Du Soleil ticket sales have been stronger than expected, following higher demand leading the company to surpass 2019 gross sales by the end of 2022 while breaking many historical records. A year after the relaunch of its shows worldwide, Cirque du Soleil is renewing its commitment to take audiences beyond expectations, to the outer limits of the imagination, and to feel the most profound emotions.
To reaffirm Cirque du Soleil’s artistic leadership, the creative structure has been reworked to reflect the organization’s imaginative strength. In addition to Michel Laprise’s new role as Creative Guild, Cirque du Soleil has appointed Matt Nickel as Chief Show Creation and Production Officer, where he is responsible for all creative and production operations.
With 32 active shows worldwide (Cirque du Soleil, Blue Man Group, VStar, and The Works), Cirque Du Soleil Entertainment Group has brought wonder and delight to more than 375 million spectators in nearly 90 countries across six continents since its inception, and today continues its mission to cultivate creativity and bring joy and hope to audiences around the world.
ABOUT MICHEL LAPRISE – AUTHOR, SHOW DIRECTOR, AND
CREATIVE GUIDE:
Michel Laprise worked in theatre for nine years as an actor, director, and artistic director before joining the Company in 2000. At Cirque du Soleil, Michel spent five years as a talent scout, scouring the planet to find the best artists and designing new ways to audition them, before being promoted to the Special Events division in 2006, where he directed numerous audacious and innovative events, including the large-scale performance event created for the launch of the Fiat Bravo in Italy (2007), the Cirque du Soleil performance event celebrating Quebec City’s 400th anniversary (2008) for 6 representations in front of 14 000 persons each time, the launch of Microsoft’s Kinect console at the 2010 Electronic Entertainment Expo broadcasted on MTV, the opening show of the Eurovision Song Contest held in Russia in 2009, and the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 FIBA International Basketball Federation World Championships in Istanbul. In 2012, Michel Laprise collaborated with pop star Madonna, providing artistic direction for her performance at the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show. He later went on to direct her MDNA tour in 2012, earning the singer a Billboard Award for Best touring artist that same year. In 2013, Michel directed the acclaimed musical Robin des bois – Ne renoncez jamais, which toured in Europe, and Cirque du Soleil’s KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities in 2014.
Michel Laprise also co-wrote and directed the VR (Virtual Reality) movie “Kurios: Inside the Box” which won three awards, including the Emmy Daytime award in the Outstanding Interactive Media category. In 2017, Michel wrote and directed Cirque du Soleil’s 40th production, “SEP7IMO DIA – No Descansaré”, inspired by the music of Argentina’s most cherished rock band of all time, SODA STEREO. Michel is the writer and director of the new Cirque du Soleil resident show in Disney Springs, FL, Drawn to Life, which opened in November 2021.
In 2022, Michel was appointed Creative Guide and joined the ranks of the Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group’s Executive Committee. In his new role, Michel is today responsible for developing a new creative vision for Cirque and ensuring that it is cultivated through the upcoming and future creations of the Company.
ABOUT CIRQUE DU SOLEIL ENTERTAINMENT GROUP:
Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group is a world leader in live entertainment. On top of producing world-renowned circus arts shows, the Canadian organization brings its creative approach to a large variety of entertainment forms such as multimedia productions, immersive experiences, theme parks and special events. Going beyond its various creations, Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group aims to make a positive impact on people, communities and the planet with its most important tools: creativity and art. For more information about Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, please visit CDSentertainmentgroup.com.
