After a nearly sold out engagement at the Staples Center, November
11-13, the new Cirque du Soleil arena show inspired by James Cameron’s
record-breaking movie AVATAR, TORUK – The First Flight
returns to Los Angeles at The Forum for six performances only from January
12-15, 2017. Pupeteer Ron Laqui entices us with details about the new show.
Tell me about working with Cirque du Soleil. How long have
you been with them?
TORUK - The First Flight is my first Cirque du Soleil show. I started with the majority of artists in July of 2015. I actually first
auditioned for Cirque du Soleil in 2001 and made it to their artist database in
2002. It was puppetry that finally got me to run away with the circus!
As a puppeteer, you obviously bring much imagination into
the proceedings. Describe what is most magical about the puppets in TORUK.
The whole experience is magical. We puppeteers, and the
creatures of Pandora we portray, are just one of the visually stunning and
immersive elements of TORUK that draw audiences in and engage their senses. The
entire arena floor becomes an otherworldly playground for the life size, full
scale puppets and the level of design detail is so nuanced that it's easy for
us puppeteers and the other artists onstage to believe we are on the moon
Pandora.
Tell us about the story a little bit. It's before Avatar
began, correct? How many puppet characters are new to us?
Yes! Our story takes place thousands of years before the
events of the movie Avatar and details the adventures of some brave Na'vi
youngsters and the first Toruk Makto. I don't want to give too much away...
you'll have to see for yourself! Just know that if you are a fan of Cirque du
Soleil and/or Avatar you will see a side of both that will thrill and surprise
you. And yes, there are some new creatures that are new to the fans of Avatar. There are two new animal species approved by James Cameron himself.
When Cirque approached you in 2014 about TORUK, did they ask
you to design the puppetry for the show?
No, the puppets are designed by Patrick Martel, who is based
out of Montreal. One of the cool things about being involved with TORUK from
creation is seeing how the show evolves. Cirque makes it a point to continue
improving and honing the concept of the show to make it better. This is the
same with the puppets. We continually seek to improve how the puppets are made
so they can be the best tools for the puppeteers as artists to fully express
the creatures of Pandora. I think my background in working in a puppet building
studio helps me understand mechanics and materials better to assist in how the
puppets get better. It really is a collaboration.
Talk a bit about War Horse and that whole wonderful
experience.
War Horse was the production that set me down the road of
puppeteering as a true artistic endeavor. I hadn't thought of myself as a
puppeteer before War Horse and couldn't have dreamed of a better introduction
to the world of full scale puppetry. Working with the designers (Handspring
Puppet Company) of those incredible puppets and the creative and producing
teams (National Theatre of Great Britain/ Bob Boyett) of the production was
inspirational. It was a dream job I didn't even know I needed! It was one of
those rare projects in an artist's life that are truly delightful and
absolutely transformative.
You have a great musical background as a dancer and
performer. When did you first get interested in being a puppeteer? Your musical
background must help your performance a lot. Explain.
I've always loved puppets and puppeteering. I think I'm like
a lot of people in that my first exposure to puppetry was through Jim Henson
and the Muppets. I thought there was a magic in how much life and personality
went into the Muppets. When I look back at companies that have caught my
attention, (Mummenschanz, Imago out of Portland) and companies I've worked for
(HT Chen and Dancers, MOMIX) I see glimpses of why puppetry is now my main
focus. These companies have elements of technical physical training and
extensive prop and object manipulation. I say that I kind of approached dance
like puppetry in that I would 'puppeteer' my body.
I trained in musical theatre because it was my main
performance exposure and honestly, I thought it would yield the most
employment, but looking back it was the best training because it gave solid
background in how to marry physical technique, musicality, and expression in
performance.
Funny, if you would've told me as an aspiring artist in
school that I'd have the career path I've had, I definitely would've thought
you were crazy! It has been such an amazing journey and working for Cirque du
Soleil and this show has been a culmination of so many dreams I didn't even
know I had!
What for you sets Cirque du Soleil above every other circus?
What makes them special?
Cirque du Soleil make dreams come to life. They use circus
arts as a way into fantastic worlds of imagination. The incredible artists
Cirque du Soleil uses, from the acrobats able to perform super human feats, to
the designers who come up with the brilliant concepts and whimsical landscapes,
to the artisans and technicians that physically create and maintain these
visions, these talented people allow the audiences to wonder if they are still
in everyday reality and if you think about it, they are not. The millions of
people that have seen a Cirque du Soleil show have been transported to these
universes of ingenuity and fantasy and have left forever changed. It's an honor
to be part of this company and this show and to give people a taste of what they
never thought was possible.
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