Cirque du Soleil returns to Portland with KOOZA

• Press Release
• Source: CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
• On 1:00 pm EDT, Wednesday October 21, 2009

             Premieres Friday, April 9, 2010 at SW Moody Avenue
                        (South of the Marquam bridge)

    Specially-priced tickets available now exclusively to Cirque Club members
         Tickets available to the General Public on January 24, 2010

Portland, OR, Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ - Cirque du Soleil is proud to return to Portland with its critically acclaimed big top production KOOZA. Proudly presented by iShares, KOOZA will premiere on April 9, for a limited engagement under the trademark blue-and-yellow Grand Chapiteau (big top) at SW Moody Avenue (South of the Marquam bridge) in Portland.

Specially-priced tickets are now available to Cirque Club members for an exclusive period through January 23, 2010 at www.cirqueclub.com. Membership is free and registration is quick and simple. Cirque Club members receive advance access to the best seats under the Grand Chapiteau, ticket upgrades, partner promotions and insider information on the world of Cirque du Soleil. On January 24, 2010, tickets will be available to the General Public.

The Name

The name KOOZA is inspired by the Sanskrit word "koza," which means "box," "chest" or "treasure," and was chosen because one of the underlying concepts of the production is the idea of a "circus in a box."

The Show

KOOZA is a return to the origins of Cirque du Soleil that combines two circus traditions - acrobatic performance and the art of clowning. The show highlights the physical demands of human performance in all its splendor and fragility, presented in a colorful melange that emphasizes bold slapstick humor.

"KOOZA is about human connection and the world of duality, good and bad", says the show's writer and director David Shiner. "The tone is fun and funny, light and open. The show doesn't take itself too seriously, but it's very much about ideas, too".

The show starts with The Trickster bursting onto the scene like a jack-in-a-box right in front of The Innocent, and that is just the first of many surprises to follow. The Innocent's journey brings him into contact with a panoply of comic characters such as the King, the Trickster, the Heimloss, the Pickpocket, the Obnoxious Tourist and his Bad Dog.

     Portland Performance Schedule
    - Tuesdays thru Thursdays at 8:00 p.m.
    - Fridays and Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
    - Sundays at 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
    - No performances on Mondays

    Specially-Priced - Cirque Club Members Offer
    - Adults: $35 to $125
    - Children (ages 2-12): $24.50 to $87.50
    - Students and Seniors: $31.50 to $112.50
    * offer ends January 23, 2009

    Regular Ticket Prices
    - Adults: $45 to $125
    - Children (ages 2-12): $31.50 to $87.50
    - Students and Seniors: $40.50 to $112.50

A VIP Tapis Rouge (French for "red carpet") package is available and includes one of the best seats in the house, and access to the VIP suite one hour before the show and during intermission. Adults: $250 / Children (ages 2-12): $175. Prices include taxes.Sponsors Cirque du Soleil gratefully acknowledges iShares®, Presenting Sponsor of the US Tour as well as CGI, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Sun Life Financials and American Express as the Official Sponsors.

Cirque du Soleil

Cirque du Soleil celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2009. From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is now a major Quebec-based organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. The company has more than 4,000 employees from over 40 different countries, including 1,000 performing artists.

Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to almost 90 million spectators in over 200 cities on five continents. In 2009, Cirque will present 20 shows simultaneously throughout the world. Cirque du Soleil International Headquarters are in Montreal, Canada.

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

To find out more about the One Drop Foundation, visit www.onedrop.org.

Pressroom

For downloadable images and additional information, please visit the Cirque du Soleil on-line Press Room at www.cirquedusoleil.com. Scroll down and click on "Press Room" and then click on "KOOZA."

Buzz up!