John Farrell News

'CRISS ANGEL Believe' was unveiled today as the name of the highly anticipated new Cirque du Soleil production set to open at Luxor Las Vegas. CRISS ANGEL Believe starring Criss Angel will hold its Gala Premiere September 12, 2008, with preview performances beginning September 1, 2008. Tickets go on sale today exclusively to the fans: Criss Angel Loyals, Cirque Club Members and Luxor Insiders. Tickets will be available to these groups online at http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/crissangel and http://www.crissangel.com. The Name On his death bed, legendary magician and escape artist, Harry Houdini told his wife the following; 'After my death, many people will claim that they are still able to communicate with me. If their claims are valid, they will be able to tell you a code word - that word is BELIEVE.' Criss Angel is recognized as one of the most provocative artists in the world today. In an attempt to pay homage to the late/great Harry Houdini, Criss chose 'Believe' as the title for this unprecedented live experience. The Show CRISS ANGEL Believe will be a haunting exploration deep inside the inventive mind of mystifier Criss Angel as he hovers between the land of the living and a surreal world uniquely woven together by the distinctive imaginations of Criss Angel and Cirque du Soleil. Unlike traditional magic-themed shows, CRISS ANGEL Believe transcends any preconceived notion of what it means to be emotionally engaged by the arts of mysticism and illusion. Imagine a fantasy, an allegory, a highly theatrical tableau of mood, reverie and emotion set against a backdrop of dreamlike darkness and light. Criss Angel stars as a surreal, enigmatic Victorian Noble. Along a path of imaginative exploration, he encounters Kayala and Crimson, two women who represent different aspects of femininity, four bizarre Ushers, who will introduce the audience to the baroque theater of Criss's mind and a high-energy troupe of characters and dancers who mix a multitude of styles into a high-energy visual feast, punctuated by moments of grace and sensuality. The stunning illusions in CRISS ANGEL Believe will not be presented as standalone elements, but as interdependent components using heightened imagery, fantastical creatures and impossible feats of legerdemain, all of which will be integrated into the dazzling, colorful fabric of the story. CRISS ANGEL Believe will be presented in a custom-built theater at Luxor Las Vegas. Preview performances begin September 1 and the Gala Premiere will be held Friday, September 12, 2008. The Creative Team: Guide Guy Laliberte Senior Vice President, Creative Content Gilles Ste-Croix Original Idea, Co-Writer, Illusions Designer and Star Criss Angel Director and Co-Writer Serge Denoncourt Director of Creation Pierre Phaneuf Associate Director of Creation Christiane Barette Set Designer Ray Winkler Costume Designer Meredith Caron Composer, Musical Director and Arranger Eric Serra Choreographer Wade Robson Lighting Designer Jeanette Farmer Images and Projections Designer Francis Laporte Sound Designer Jonathan Deans Acrobatic Equipment and Rigging Designer Jaque Paquin Acrobatic Performance Designer Andre Simard Props and Puppets Designer Michael Curry Make-up Designer Nathalie Gagne Illusions Department Director of Illusions John Farrell Show Schedule: CRISS ANGEL Believe will be performed Friday through Tuesday with no shows on Wednesdays or Thursdays. Beginning September 1, there will be two shows nightly at 7p.m. & 10p.m. Please consult the most current show schedule at www.cirquedusoleil.com/crissangel and www.crissangel.com. Schedule is subject to change without notice. The preview period will be from September 1 - September 11, 2008. The Gala premiere is scheduled for September 12, 2008. Regular performances will begin September 14, 2008. Ticket Information: Tickets are on pre-sale to Cirque Club members, Criss Angel Loyals and Luxor Insiders starting April 17, 2008. Ticket prices: $150, $125, $99, $79, $59 plus tax. All preview performances* will be discounted 25 percent. *Preview performances for CRISS ANGEL Believe begin September 1 and run through September 11. During these performances, the creative team is in the very final stages of production. The audience's reaction and participation is an important step in this process. The artistic team of CRISS ANGEL Believe reserves the right to interrupt the performance to make adjustments as necessary. Schedule is subject to change without notice. To Reserve Tickets: During the pre-sale period tickets will be exclusively available to Criss Angel Loyals, Cirque Club members and Luxor Insiders. These groups can purchase tickets online at: www.cirquedusoleil.com/crissangel and www.crissangel.com Following the pre-sale, an announcement will be made outlining when tickets will go on sale publicly. The trademark Criss Angel Believe is owned by Angel Productions Worldwide, Inc. and used under license. The trademark Cirque du Soleil is owned by Cirque du Soleil and used under license.

Dicapo Opera Theatre will present the New York premiere of Conrad Susa's The Dangerous Liaisons, and the world premiere of the chamber version of the opera reduced by Randol Bass, in four performances at Dicapo Opera Theatre from Thursday February 21 through Sunday, March 2.

Dicapo Opera Theatre, New York's third opera company, opens its 2007-08 season with a new production of Charles Francois Gounod's Roméo et Juliette Thursday, October 4, at 6:30PM.

We interview up-and-coming director David Epstein about 'Lipstick on a Pig' playing at Theatre Row.

Linda Evans' (Sticky Girls, Prejudice in the House) play Lipstick on a Pig will begin previews May 18, opening officially May 23 at Theatre Row's Beckett Theatre, 410 West 42nd Street, (between 9th and 10th Ave.) in Manhattan.

Max von Essen, Vivian Nixon and more will star in West Side Story for Theatre Under the Stars in Houston, TX