CIRCKOPOLIS to Open FirstWorks' Season at Providence Performing Arts Center, 11/1-2

The FirstWorks season kicks off at the Providence Performing Arts Center with Cirkopolis, Friday, November 1, 2013 at 7:30pm and Saturday, November 2, 2013 at 4:00pm. A spectacular show by Quebec-based Cirque Éloize (pronounced [sirk el-waz]) that transports performers-and spectators of all ages-between dream and reality in an uninterrupted stream of dazzling acrobatics, illusions and imagery.

From one of the architects of the astonishing acrobatics at the 2006 Olympic Game closing ceremonies (Cirque Éloize's creative director Jeannot Painchaud) and the world-renowned choreographer of Cirque du Soleil's Zumanity and LOVE (Dave St-Pierre) comes a magnificent circus spectacle that lives between dream and reality, underscored by a continuous stream of original music, and brought to vivid life by 3-D projections. With Cirkopolis, Cirque Éloize takes their breathtaking blend of circus arts, theater, and dance to a highly stylized metropolis setting. Performing within an inventive stage design inspired by Fritz Lang's Metropolis and Terry Gilliam's Brazil, twelve acrobats and multidisciplinary artists rebel against the limits of an imposing factory-city, lifting the veil of anonymity and replacing it with bursts of colors and expressive drama. 2013 marks the 20th anniversary of Cirque Éloize which is positioned at the heart of the renewal of circus arts. This one-of-a-kind company has captivated audiences in 40 countries and has partnered with Cirque du Soleil for a long-term relationship based on common creative visions and international entertainment appeal. Tickets are on sale now.

"After a stunning European tour, Cirque Éloize joins us for the first time in Providence to kick off what promises to be our best season yet," said Kathleen Pletcher, Executive Artistic Director, FirstWorks. "Bringing the big top onto the stage, Cirque Éloize gives audiences heart-stoppingspectacle blended with artistry, making Cirkopolis unlike any other circus arts production you've seen."

"Cirkopolis was imagined as a crossroads-between imagination and reality, between individuality and community, between limits and possibilities. The show is driven by the poetic impulse of life, the physical prowess of the circus and the humor, at once serious and light-hearted. Entering Cirkopolis is all about letting go and allowing yourself to be borne aloft by hope," explained Jeannot Painchaud, creative director of Cirque Éloize and co-director of Cirkopolis.

FirstWorks presents Cirkopolis by Cirque Éloize, Friday, November 1, 2013 at 7:30pm and Saturday, November 2, 2013 at 4:00pm at Providence Performing Arts Center, 220 Weybosset Street, Providence. Tickets are $38-68 with a special offer on selected tickets purchased as Friends and Family four-packs. The offer provides a savings of 35% on $48 and $58 four-pack tickets. Tickets are available online at first-works.org and at the PPAC Box Office: 401-421-ARTS, Friends and Family four-pack code is FF4P. Ticket prices include a $3 restoration fee.