KÀ (Cirque du Soleil)

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"KÀ" redirects here. For other uses, see "Ka".

A billboard for KÀ at the MGM Grand Las Vegas

KÀ is a show by Cirque du Soleil at the MGM Grand Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada. $165 million was spent in creating the theatre and the show.^[1] It was created and directed by Robert Lepage.

KÀ is the first Cirque du Soleil production that deviates from the company's usual format; it is instead more like a Vegas production show than a traditional Cirque production. The presentation of the story is very straight-forward and easy to understand, unlike the more abstract visuals presented by other Cirque productions.

1 Stage
2 Plot
3 Music
4 Effects
5 Sound and video
6 KÀ in popular culture
7 References
8 External links

[edit] Stage

KÀ is the only Cirque du Soleil production to lack a traditional 'stage' and instead relies on floating platforms that rotate and move with the performers on top. This floating stage twists from horizontal to vertical, sprouting poles for performers to climb, and can be covered with sand for actors to hide within. The theatre and stage were designed by British architect Mark Fisher. The structural design of the stage platforms was by New York engineer Mal McLaren.

[edit] Plot

KÀ follows a twin brother and sister, heirs to the empire in an unknown land. During the annual sword play celebration, the royal family is attacked. The story documents their strange encounters and their epic battles against their attacker.

There are three preshows for KÀ, unlike other Cirque du Soleil performances. Twenty minutes before curtain two musicians enter the lobby and climb up to two stringed instruments specially designed for KÀ and integrated into the architecture. Ten minutes before the show in the theatre, actors appear in the metal framework to the left and right of the stage and perform flips and leaps assisted with ropes to dive into the audience and attempt to scare viewers. Five minutes before showtime a staged act unfolds demonstrating how there is to be no flash photography or cell phone usage.

[edit] Music

KÀ features an off-stage orchestra that accompanies the acting, acrobatics, and singing that takes place on stage. During various portions of the show, different musicians make appearances in the show, performing in costume directly on the stage.

Music of KÀ is composed by René Dupéré, who also composed music for Cirque's Mystère at Treasure Island.

[edit] Effects

KÀ combines complex automation, pyrotechnics, puppetries, and multimedia projections that allow the audience to immerse in the story.

[edit] Sound and video

Every seat in the KÀ Theater is equipped with a pair of stereo speakers at ear level. The digitally-mixed audio system can route sounds to these in-seat speakers, which when combined with the main house speaker system, can create a very dynamic surround sound audio experience.

The multimedia projection utilized in the show allows the system to track the location of individual performers and change the video content accordingly. This allows the video projection to interact with the performers, creating ever-changing environmental effects. The same technology can be seen in some movie theatre lobbies where kids can step on and burst video projected bubbles.