Cirque du Soleil, the globally successful circus-arts company, is bringing its “Quidam” show to town for its Philadelphia arena premiere Nov. 10-13 at the Liacouris Center.
This particular show follows the story of young Zoé who is bored, thanks largely to her distant and apathetic parents, and seeks to fill the void with an imaginary world where she meets characters who encourage her to free her soul.
Out performer Mark Ward plays the ringmaster, John, in this world. He’s been in the Cirque family for many years and has performed more than 6,500 consecutive shows.
PGN caught up with Ward for a few quick questions about the show and his experiences with Cirque.
PGN: Can you recall the first Cirque show you ever saw? MW: My first Cirque show was “Saltimbanco” in 1993.
PGN: How long after that did you say to yourself, “I’m going to be a part of this”? MW: It was actually about two weeks. I was performing as a ballet dancer in Chicago and received a call from a choreographer who was looking for a performer and dancer with acrobatic capabilities. I sent them a tape and I was hired. So it was a very fast baptism, if you will.
PGN: How does “Quidam” compare to other Cirque shows? MW: “Quidam” has the distinction of being the most human show because it deals with human emotions and real-life situations. The other shows are fantasy and create different worlds. There’s a lot of fantasy in this one but it’s based on reality. PGN: Have you performed in other Cirque shows? MW: My first show was “Mystère” in Las Vegas. It was the first Cirque du Soleil permanent show in Las Vegas and I was there from 1993-98.
PGN: Are there any other Cirque productions you’d like to perform in? MW: At the moment I’m really happy with “Quidam.” I’ve been here for 14 years now and can see myself here for longer. I’m never going to say I won’t do another show but I’m quite happy in “Quidam.”
PGN: What is your role in the show as Ringmaster? MW: I’m kind of the guide for the public and the little girl in the show. I guess you can say I’m the link.
PGN: Physically, how demanding is this show compared to other Cirque productions? MW: It’s not as physically demanding as my previous Cirque du Soleil show where I was an acrobat and dancer, but I’m quite active. I have four acts of my own and I am all over the place. It’s mentally challenging as well because I have to have constant communication with the public.
PGN: Is it uncommon for a performer to have as long a career with Cirque as you have had? MW: I can’t speak for other companies but I do know dancers who have pretty long careers, until their bodies can’t do it any more. I’ve been in the company for 18 years. There are people who have been there for longer. It depends on the artist. I’ve been very lucky.
“Quidam” runs through Nov. 13 at The Liacouras Center, 1776 N. Broad St. For more information or tickets, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com or call 215-204-2400.