Cirque du Soleil’s Totem comes to National Harbor August 15 through September 16. Before the show—billed as a “journey into the evolution of mankind”—can go on, Cirque’s crew has to raise its blue-and-yellow tent and assemble an elaborate set. Here’s how.
Day 1: Sixty-five trucks arrive with 235,000 pounds of equipment. The
team installs eight generators (which produce enough electricity for about
2,000 homes), assembles work spaces and backstage tents, and raises the
big top’s four 80-foot masts.
Day 2: The big top goes up. Workers install one of the set’s key
pieces, the moving “scorpion bridge”—it uses eight hydraulic motors and
weighs 10,000 pounds. Technicians also install a trampoline-like floor
under the stage for the acrobats.
Day 3: The crew builds the rest of the stage and installs 86 speakers
and nearly 500 lights. The musicians’ platform is constructed, and
winches—cranks to raise and lower the ropes—are set up for the
artists.
Day 4: The set’s centerpiece—a turtle shell weighing 2,700 pounds—is
built. Ropes are reeved onto the winches, the audience bleachers are
built, and lighting and sound consoles are set up. The show uses more than
15 miles of electric cable.
Day 5: Chairs are installed on the bleachers. The winches and rigging
are tested, and the lighting is focused. The show’s internal-communication
system and video monitors are installed.
Day 6: The crew continues to adjust the set until the artists arrive
at 11 am. The band does a sound check, and the moving lights are preset.
The crew works with the artists to make sure everything works
properly.
Day 7: More technical adjustments are made.
Day 8: The show premieres.
This article appears in the August 2012 issue of The Washingtonian.
Anatomy: What Happens When the Circus Comes to Town?
An inside look at the eight days it'll take to raise Cirque du Soleil's tent at National Harbor.
Cirque du Soleil’s Totem comes to National Harbor August 15 through September 16. Before the show—billed as a “journey into the evolution of mankind”—can go on, Cirque’s crew has to raise its blue-and-yellow tent and assemble an elaborate set. Here’s how.
Day 1: Sixty-five trucks arrive with 235,000 pounds of equipment. The
team installs eight generators (which produce enough electricity for about
2,000 homes), assembles work spaces and backstage tents, and raises the
big top’s four 80-foot masts.
Day 2: The big top goes up. Workers install one of the set’s key
pieces, the moving “scorpion bridge”—it uses eight hydraulic motors and
weighs 10,000 pounds. Technicians also install a trampoline-like floor
under the stage for the acrobats.
Day 3: The crew builds the rest of the stage and installs 86 speakers
and nearly 500 lights. The musicians’ platform is constructed, and
winches—cranks to raise and lower the ropes—are set up for the
artists.
Day 4: The set’s centerpiece—a turtle shell weighing 2,700 pounds—is
built. Ropes are reeved onto the winches, the audience bleachers are
built, and lighting and sound consoles are set up. The show uses more than
15 miles of electric cable.
Day 5: Chairs are installed on the bleachers. The winches and rigging
are tested, and the lighting is focused. The show’s internal-communication
system and video monitors are installed.
Day 6: The crew continues to adjust the set until the artists arrive
at 11 am. The band does a sound check, and the moving lights are preset.
The crew works with the artists to make sure everything works
properly.
Day 7: More technical adjustments are made.
Day 8: The show premieres.
This article appears in the August 2012 issue of The Washingtonian.
Most Popular in News & Politics
The Missing Men of Mount Pleasant
Another Mysterious Anti-Trump Statue Has Appeared on the National Mall
Muriel Bowser Defends Her BLM Plaza Decision and Looks Back on a Decade as Mayor
Yet Another Anti-Trump Statue Has Shown Up on the National Mall
Want to Search Donald Trump’s Truth Social Posts? A New Site Is Here to Help.
Washingtonian Magazine
July Issue: The "Best Of" Issue
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
How Would a New DC Stadium Compare to the Last One?
The Culture of Lacrosse Is More Complex Than People Think
Did Television Begin in Dupont Circle?
Kings Dominion’s Wild New Coaster Takes Flight in Virginia
More from News & Politics
AC Problem Closes Four Smithsonian Museums on the National Mall
Epstein Files Fiasco Continues to Be Weird and Entertaining, GOP Congressman Sued Over Unpaid Rent, and Lotuses Hit Peak Bloom
I Tried to Train for American Ninja Warrior
Trump Wants to Rename Soccer, the Nationals Chose a Shortstop, and Virginians Are the US French-Fry-Eating Champions
Guest List: 5 People We’d Love to Hang Out With This July
The Washington Nationals Just Fired the Manager and GM Who Led Them to a Championship. Why Has the Team Been so Bad Since?
FBI Building Now on Track to Leave DC After All, Whistleblower Leaks Texts Suggesting Justice Department Planned to Blow Off Federal Court Orders, and NPS Cuts Leave Assateague Island Without Lifeguards
Families of DC Air Disaster Victims Criticize Army’s Response, Trump Settles His Scores Via Tariff, and Police Dog Kicked at Dulles Returns to Work