ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Having Cirque du Soleil’s show "Corteo" at the PPL Center this week will no doubt be magic for those who come to see the spectacle of actors and acrobats.
But the bigger magic may be what happens behind the scenes.
“Corteo,” which premiered in Montreal in April 2005, has performed before 10 million spectators in 20 countries on four continents. It will perform six shows March 28-31 at the PPL Center — the show's first time in Allentown.
"Corteo," which means cortege in Italian, is the story of the main character clown, picturing himself at his own funeral in "a theatrical world of fun, comedy and spontaneity situated in a mysterious space between heaven and earth."
“At the end of the day, you’re taking care of about 120 people, to make sure everybody’s happy, all their needs are met and that the show is going well.”Cirque du Soleil Senior Tour Director Michael Veilleux
If that sounds like a massive production, it is — carried city to city by 21 trucks.
It’s a set that’s so big it divides the arena — meaning the show is different for each patron, depending on his or her point of view (more about that later).
A show that big has a cast and crew of 120 that has to be housed and fed for the duration of the weeklong, six-show stay.
“Essentially I’m in charge of the tour, and it’s mostly admin/operational stuff,” Cirque du Soleil Senior Tour Director Michael Veilleux said in a recent phone call from Jacksonville, Florida.
“But at the end of the day, you’re taking care of about 120 people, to make sure everybody’s happy, all their needs are met and that the show is going well.”
Here’s what it’s like behind the scenes:
Arriving and settling in
“Corteo” is on the road up to 46 weeks a year, Veilleux said.
“So it can be busy at times," he said. "But the way that the schedule works is that we work 10 weeks, and then we have two weeks off.
“When you have a month or two months off, I consider ourselves lucky. But when we’re on the road, we’re working, like, full time all week.”
That means it’s important to keep everyone comfortable all week, Veilleux said.
“I’m lucky because I have three other directors who help me make this an amazing place to work,” he said. “I have an artistic director who takes care of about 53 artists. I have a technical director who takes care of about 30 technicians … as well as the office takes care of box office and accounting.”
“She goes out on Tuesdays and shops and everything is fresh. We make everything fresh. So a lot of the purchases … like she’ll purchase stuff in the morning that will be cooked fresh the same day."Cirque du Soleil Senior Tour Director Michael Veilleux
The entourage likely will arrive in Allentown from Greenville, S.C., on Monday. They usually take up about 120 hotel rooms, though “it varies,” he said.
“Sometimes it’s a little bit less,” he said. “If there are B&Bs in the area, some employees will prefer to take the lodging money and go toward their B&Bs.
“In the best of times, we try to have it walking distance to the arena. When it’s not possible, then we’ll just order shuttles and have shuttles going through.”
Feeding the crew also is work, but somewhat easier, Veilleux said.
The traveling show has “a tour manager who takes care of everything that has to do with catering — all the catering staff, the kitchen staff,” he said.
“We’re lucky,” he said. “We have our catering manager, our kitchen manager, who takes care of making us feed fat and all that.
“She goes out on Tuesdays and shops and everything is fresh. We make everything fresh. So a lot of the purchases … like she’ll purchase stuff in the morning that will be cooked fresh the same day. And it’s a team of five and they cook for us, all 120.
“And like I said, it’s, like, super healthy and really good food. I can’t help it, but it makes me fat.”
Setting up
The technical crew usually arrives Wednesday and takes about 12 hours to load in and set up the performance area, Veilleux said.
Tests are run Wednesday night or Thursday morning.
“Corteo” has been on the road just shy of 20 years.
"And during the beginning of the show, at one point when there’s a certain reveal, then they realize, ‘Oh my God – there’s people on the other side, too.’”Cirque du Soleil Senior Tour Director Michael Velliuex
“When it came out the first time, it was under the Big Top,” Veilleux said. “And then it transferred into arenas, which I feel is actually a better format for this show than a Big Top because when you walk into an arena, right then and there, you see the ‘Wow,’ you feel the theatrical concept of the show, which is pretty amazing.
“I’m lucky enough from times up there when the patrons first walk into the bowl. And to see their reactions is always amazing.
“And the amazing thing is, people forget that. So when they come in the bowl, they’re on one side. And during the beginning of the show, at one point when there’s a certain reveal, then they realize, ‘Oh my God – there’s people on the other side, too.’”
“And it’s just part of the ‘Wow’ factor.”
And the show
Veilleux said he’s been to PPL Center before — with the Cirque du Soleil show “Toruk” in 2015, the year PPL Center opened.
“The PPL is the new arena, right? … I just remember everything, it still smelled new and was an amazing building,” he said.
“So what the people in Allentown have seen … when you stop back and think of Cirque du Soleil, you think of acrobats, et cetera. And we always try to bring something new — a certain ‘Wow’ factor.
“I think that, especially for family shows, I think this is where people — nowadays everyone wants to get their bang for their buck. This is definitely gonna be a show that is going to be worth it.Cirque du Soleil Senior Tour Director Michael Veilleux
“In this case, what you’re going to see in the show itself is this theatrical element. You’re gonna have the usual acrobatics that you’re used to with Cirque du Soleil, but this show is gonna be a very, very rich show.”
Veilleux noted that “Corteo” means “cortege” in Italian — “so it's a parade.”
"It’s in this atmosphere where they try to create between heaven and earth, so you’ll see angels and some stuff that happens in the air or on the stage," he said.
“And so all of that brings that rich, rich texture of, you know, when in some parts you’ll see some angels flying by. It’s just, like, so, so beautiful.
“This show has been around the world and even America, North America in general, you name it, the show, it always impresses, regardless of the culture. And I think when you add to that, a layer of the music, it’s amazing.
“I think that, especially for family shows, I think this is where people — nowadays everyone wants to get their bang for their buck. This is definitely going to be a show that is going to be worth it.
“We’re there only for a week; we only have [six] shows and we cannot wait to be back in Allentown and see everybody.”
Tearing down, back on the road
The final show at PPL Center will be 1 p.m. Sunday, March 31.
Afterward, it takes the stage crew about 3 1/2 hours “to take it all down,” Veilleux said.
“As I’m saying this, I’m touching wood, too, because recently our travels have been quite good. So we’re really happy.”Cirque du Soleil Senior Tour Director Michael Veilleux
“Sundays for us is the big, exciting day because it’s not only the last show of the week, but also when we tear down everything,” he said.
“And often we move that same night. So sometimes we’ll, depending on the distance, we’re either going to bus it or take a plane.
“When we take a plane, it’s either going to be a charter flight or it’s going to be, when we’re lucky, a commercial flight. If not, we might have to bus to the nearest airport, then fly out from there.
“And then the usual logistical challenges that everybody faces when they travel — like flight delays, traffic jams, breakdowns," he said with a laugh. "So that’s kind of the story of our lives.
“As I’m saying this, I’m touching wood, too, because recently our travels have been quite good. So we’re really happy.”
Cirque du Soleil "Corteo," 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 28, and Friday, March 29; 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday, March 30; and 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday, March 31, PPL Center, 701 Hamilton St., Allentown. Tickets: $45-$90, www.pplcenter.com, 610-224-4625.
