Cirque Du Soleil in Reno
Reno Gazette Journal
LAS VEGAS — After 17 years on The Strip, Cirque du Soleil’s “Zumanity” is closing permanently, the company announced Monday.
“Zumanity” at New York-New York is the first Cirque du Soleil show to permanently close since the company shut down all productions due to COVID-19 concerns.
“’Zumanity’ was a groundbreaking departure for Cirque du Soleil when it opened in September of 2003,” said Daniel Lamarre, president and CEO of Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, in a statement. “We are forever grateful to the extraordinarily talented cast, crew and staff who helped make Zumanity an unforgettable experience for more than 7.25 million guests.”
Zumanity is one of the more risqué Cirque du Soleil shows, with unconventional acts and artists that explore the spectrum of human sexuality and the natural beauty of the human form. (Photo: Cirque du Soleil)
About 120 artists, crew members and staff worked on “Zumanity,” according to the Las Vegas Review Journal.
Cirque du Soleil is an institution on the Las Vegas Strip, with its pricey, mesmerizing shows high on visitors’ vacation agendas.
The company had six shows operating in major Las Vegas casino hotels when coronavirus crushed travel and closed casinos for nearly three months: “Zumanity,” “O,” “The Beatles LOVE,” “Ka,” “Mystere,” and “Michael Jackson ONE.”
Major shows like Cirque have not reopened in Las Vegas under the state’s guidelines covering large crowds. Cirque shut down its shows in Las Vegas and across the world on March 14.
The company announced in June it is filing for bankruptcy.
“From the very beginning of the new coronavirus outbreak, (Cirque du Soleil) took rigorous measures to protect its work teams and the public,” a statement said at the time. “Our priority has always been, and remains, the health and safety of our artists, our partners, our employees and our audiences. We will continue to monitor and assess the situation to determine when shows will resume.”
Contributing: USA TODAY
Ed Komenda writes about Las Vegas for the Reno Gazette Journal and USA Today Network. Do you care about democracy? Then support local journalism by subscribing to the Reno Gazette Journal right here.
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