Cirque Mechanics: “Tilt" at the Orpheum Theatre -- October 23.
Thursday, October 23, 7 p.m.
Orpheum Theatre, 57 South Kellogg Street, Galesburg IL
A journey to the back lot of an inventive theme park, where audiences will dwell in the shadow of the roller coaster and under the lights of the Ferris wheel, Cirque Mechanics' stage spectacular Tilt comes to Galesburg's Orpheum Theatre on October 23, inviting guests to meet the gifted, acrobatic carnies, characters, and operators that keep the thrills coming and the rides running.
Inspired by modern circuses, Cirque Mechanics presentations find their roots in the mechanical and their hearts in the stories of American industrial ingenuity. Yet the shows, imbedded in realism, display a raw quality rarely found in modern circuses. Cirque Mechanics' signature style is wrapped in acrobatics, mechanical marvels, and a bit of clowning around. This sensibility can be found in the company's five other theatrical productions – Birdhouse Factory, Boom Town, Pedal Punk, 42ft, and Zephyr – that infuse the entertainment world with original apparatus and unique designs that can be found nowhere else.
In 1999, while working at Cirque du Soleil, Chris Lashua and Aloysia Gavre began experiments using an innovative aerial apparatus. This apparatus combined Chris’ German Wheel with a set of rollers and winch that allowed for Aloysia’s hoop to be lifted by the rotation of the large wheel. This Trolley device was the inspiration for the development of other machines that would showcase the relationships between the acrobatic and mechanical worlds.
In 2004 , these machines became the center piece for a new theatrical work. Chris and Aloysia joined Sandra Feusi, Rex Camphuis, Sam Payne, and Steven Ragatz to work together on the creation of the 30th Anniversary production of the Pickle Family Circus, which was produced by the Circus Center of San Francisco. This year-end show which would become Birdhouse Factory was Cirque Mechanices' collaborative effort.
Birdhouse Factory went on to tour for 10 years, and in that time, it visited more than 10 countries on five continents. The success of Birdhouse Factory lead the creative team to research and build other innovative, man-powered apparatuses. These devices would become the signature of the touring theatrical shows. Generating content that can fill a large stage and still pack up and travel requires thoughtful planning, yet this creative problem-solving has lead to the creation of devices even more perfectly suited for the event world. This focus on these original contraptions, in addition to storytelling and high-level acrobatics, has remained the heart of what Cirque Mechanics does.
Cirque Mechanics' Tilt lands at the Orpheum Theatre on October 23, admission to the 7 p.m. show is $35.16-45.56, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)342-2299 and visiting GalesburgOrpheum.org.
