It might be too late to run away and join the circus, but this month you’ll have a few opportunities to at least go and see one. Cirque Du Soleil’s Quidam is hitting Orlando for an eight-show run from May 15-19 at the UCF Arena in Orlando.
The show features a variety of jaw-dropping acrobatics, juggling, balancing acts, and feats of strength, and providing the live soundtrack for the show is Josue Anuar, the main vocalist of the production.
“I’m the voice of the principal character,” he explains. “She is basically creating a world with her imagination, and so I’m the voice of her thoughts and fantasies.”
The story of Quidam centers around a young girl named Zoe who, feeling ignored and alienated by her parents, dreams up a world named “Quidam” to which she can escape. Anuar feels that the show’s message is universal and can be enjoyed by people of all ages and walks of life.
“The show is very human,” he says. “It really deals with human life and emotions, and I think it applies to everyone.”
“We are healers,” he continues. “I feel that sometimes when people come to the show and they are having a bad week, or are dealing with a lot of negative things in their lives, we remind them that life is beautiful and exciting. They come away feeling happy, even renewed.”
Anuar’s journey to end up spreading that happiness and sense of renewal was a long road, spending two years auditioning before landing his contract with Quidam. Having now been with the production for quite some time, his pre-show routine has been refined to a science.
“We usually have Monday and Tuesday off, and from Wednesday to Sunday we are training and doing the shows,” he says. “So I like to get to the show about two and a half hours before the start. I sit and get into makeup and costume, do about 30 minutes of warm ups, have some hot tea with honey, and then do some meditation to get to a neutral, clear-minded point for the show.”
Anuar is looking forward to returning to Florida, as he has spent some time in the area, but his reunion with the Sunshine State will be bittersweet.
“I’ve been in Orlando a few times, gone to Disney World and all, and when I was 12, I was part of a contest on a Spanish TV show called Sabado Gigante in Miami,” he says. “Then when I worked for Royal Caribbean, my training was in Hollywood, Fla. So I’m very much looking forward to coming back to the area, I really like Florida.”
“But Orlando is going to be my last week with Quidam,” he continues. “After that, I’m off to Australia to sing in Dralion.”
Not only will Anuar be saying goodbye to this production of Quidam, but the show itself will soon be saying goodbye to the US. The team of performers and crew will have a two week break after Orlando, then resume 10 more weeks in the US.
After that, Quidam will be off to Europe for a two year tour.
To catch it before it leaves, visit UCFArena.com for ticket information and show times.
