For immediate release
IRIS
A JOURNEY THROUGH THE WORLD OF CINEMA
Written and Directed by Philippe Decouflé
EXCLUSIVELY AT KODAK THEATRE
PREMIERES SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
Los Angeles, September 25, 2011 – Cirque du Soleil and CIM Group present tonight the world
premiere of IRIS, a new major, resident production created exclusively for the Kodak Theatre at the
Hollywood & Highland Center, home of the Academy Awards®, on September 25. Proudly presented
by Sun Life Financial, IRIS is written and directed by French stage and film director, artistic director,
dancer and choreographer Philippe Decouflé.
About the show
A poetic phantasmagoria inspired by the world of cinema, IRIS presents an imaginary journey through
the evolution of cinema – from the foundations of the art form to the bustle of the soundstage –
through optical effects and film genres. IRIS transposes into a language of dance and acrobatics all of
cinema’s splendor, inventiveness and, above all, its sense of wonder.
When the two young heroes – Buster and Scarlett – find themselves plunged into the joyful chaos of a
film set, their escapades transport the spectator into a kaleidoscope of movement, moods and images
supported by an orchestral score.
IRIS conjures up a place between motion and picture, light and sound, that shifts constantly between
reality and make-believe, to explore the limitless possibilities of cinema. By combining dance, acrobatics,
live video, film footage and interactive projections, the show illustrates both the mechanics of cinema
and its extraordinary power to deceive the eye.
About Philippe Decouflé
Cooperation with others is essential to Philippe Decouflé’s process. In 1983 he gathered together a
group of artists and artisans who have been with him ever since as members of his dance company DCA,
which has created scores of playful and fantastic productions that represent a veritable revival in
contemporary dance.
In 1992 Philippe created the magnificent opening and closing ceremonies of the Albertville Olympic
Games. Watched by two billion viewers, this work earned him an international reputation. Philippe
Decouflé also created the show Désirs that has been running at the Crazy Horse Saloon in Paris since
2009. IRIS is his first show with Cirque du Soleil.
The creative team
Along with Philippe Decouflé, the creative team consists of the following distinctive talents:
Guy Laliberté
Gilles Ste-Croix
Philippe Decouflé
Danny Elfman
Jean-François Bouchard
Pascale Henrot
Jean Rabasse
Philippe Guillotel
Daphné Mauger
Patrice Besombes
Anne-Séguin Poirier
Olivier Simola
Christophe Waksmann
François Bergeron
Boris Verkhovsky
Shana Carroll
Pierre Masse
Nathalie Gagné
Artistic Guide
Artistic Guide
Writer and Director
Composer
Director of Creation
Associate Director of Creation
Set Designer
Costume Designer
Choreographer
Lighting Designer
Props Designer
Projection Designer
Projection Designer
Sound Designer
Acrobatic Performance Designer
Acrobatic Performance Designer
Acrobatic Rigging and Equipment Designer
Makeup Designer
Tickets information
Tickets range from $43 to $133 (VIP tickets are available at $253). Tickets can be purchased on line at
www.cirquedusoleil.com/IRIS or by calling 1-877-943-IRIS.
For parties of 12 or more, contact Cirque du Soleil group sales by calling 877-504-7164.
For Preferred Seating and other American Express® Cardmember benefits, please visit
www.cirquedusoleil.com/amex.
Sponsors
Sun Life Financial is the presenting sponsor of IRIS. Infiniti and American Express are the official sponsors
of this new production.
About Cirque du Soleil
From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is now a major Quebecbased organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. The company has 5,000 employees,
including more than 1,500 performing artists from close to 50 different countries. Cirque du Soleil has
brought wonder and delight to more than 100 million spectators in nearly 300 cities on six continents.
For more information, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com.
To find out more about the One Drop Foundation, visit www.onedrop.org.
About KODAK Theatre
Kodak Theatre is the crown jewel of the Hollywood & Highland Center, a retail, dining and
entertainment venue located in the heart of historic Hollywood. The theatre opened in November 2001
and soon became known to more than one billion people across the globe as the first permanent home
of the Academy Awards®. Kodak Theatre was designed by the internationally-renowned Rockwell Group
to be as glamorous as its onstage artists and celebrity guests, yet capable of serving the enormous
technical needs of a live worldwide television broadcast on Oscar® night.
For more information visit: http://www.kodaktheatre.com
About Sun Life Financial
Sun Life Financial is a leading international financial services organization providing a diverse range of
protection and wealth accumulation products and services to individuals and corporate customers.
Chartered in 1865, Sun Life Financial and its partners today have operations in key markets worldwide,
including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan,
Indonesia, India, China and Bermuda. In the United States and elsewhere, insurance products are
offered by members of the Sun Life Financial group that are insurance companies. Sun Life Financial Inc.,
the holding company for the Sun Life Financial group of companies, is a public company. It is not an
insurance company and does not offer insurance products for sale in the United States or elsewhere,
and does not guarantee the obligations of its insurance company subsidiaries. Product offerings may not
be available in all states and may vary depending on state laws and regulations. As of June 30, 2011, the
Sun Life Financial group of companies had total assets under management of $492 billion. For more
information, please visit www.sunlife.com. Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York
(NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.
Media contacts:
Tim Choy
Davidson & Choy Publicity
(323) 954-7510
t.choy@dcpublicity.com
Leticia Rhi Buckley
Cirque du Soleil
(323) 308-6379
leticia.buckley@cirquedusoleil.com