BWW TV: Artistic Director Tim Smith Talks Cirque du Soleil's TOTEM!

Robert Lepage's newest Cirque du Soleil creation TOTEM, now on tour in California, features never-before-seen images of evolution through acrobatics and state-of-the-art projections. Artistic Director Tim Smith recently spoke to BroadwayWorld correspondant Audra Stafford about all things TOTEM and everything behind-the-scenes show at San Diego's Hotel Indigo. TOTEM opens in San Diego on April 25 and will make stops in Boston and Washington, D.C. this summer.

TOTEM traces the fascinating journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly. The characters evolve on a stage evoking a giant turtle, the symbol of origin for many ancient civilizations.  Inspired by many founding myths, TOTEM illustrates, through a visual and acrobatic language, the evolutionary progress of species. Somewhere between science and legend TOTEM explores the ties that bind Man to other species, his dreams and his infinite potential.

TOTEM is Robert Lepage’s second Cirque du Soleil show following KÀ in Las Vegas in 2004.

From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is a major Québec-based organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. The company has 5,000 employees, including more than 1,300 artists from more than 50 different countries.
 
Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to more than 100 million spectators in more than 300 cities in over forty countries on six continents. In 2012, Cirque du Soleil will present simultaneously twenty-one different shows around the world.

For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit cirquedusoleil.com.

Audra Stafford is excited to share her love of San Diego theatre with BroadwayWorld.com! As the entertainment reporter for ABC-10 in San Diego, Audra covered the world premieres of A Catered Affair and Dancing in the Dark at The Old Globe, the West Coast premiere of Xanadu at the La Jolla Playhouse, and she was also one of only two journalists in the nation to be embedded in a production of CATS during its national tour. Audra has also interviewed many of Hollywood?s and Broadway?s finest actors, directors and producers, including Scott Sanders, Tom Hulce, Frankie Valli, Robin Williams, Jon Voigt, Helen Mirren, George Lopez, Teri Hatcher, Dakota Fanning, Jerry Bruckheimer and Henry Selick. Audra is a distinguished graduate of San Diego State University?s Television, Film and New Media Production program, where she earned two Student Emmys. She also received an Emmy for her work as producer of 10-4 San Diego. Audra is a proud member of the Screen Actors Guild. To see more of Audra?s entertainment coverage in San Diego, check out her blog: http://audrastafford.wordpress.com

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