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Lessons in Sensory Overload
Calum Pearson oversees Cirque du Soleil’s shows as they’re built from the ground up
by Marion Hixon
For an extended interview with Pearson, including reflections on his varied career, ww.IAAPA.org/blog.
 IN ANTICIPATION OF IAAPA ATTRACTIONS EXPO 2009’s exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Cirque du Soleil’s Beatles-inspired “Love,” FUNWORLD caught up with Calum Pearson, senior director of technical and show support–Resident Shows Division. He’s been with Cirque since 2004 and currently oversees all technical elements of the company’s stage shows. Before settling in Las Vegas, Pearson built a hefty resume both onstage—as a guitarist in the ’80s rock ’n’ roll scene—and off—managing technology for legendary acts like Van Halen and Bon Jovi and later producing “Disney on Ice” events. Here’s a glimpse of what attendees should expect on the tour.
FUNWORLD: How do you describe “Love” to people who’ve never seen a Cirque show?
Calum Pearson: It evokes emotions related to music guests grew up with; however, people will enjoy it even if they didn’t live through the Beatles era, but appreciate good music.
 We never do the same thing twice— you’re going to have a certain level of quality and a level of creativity. Everything you watch—as soon as you hand in your ticket—you’re in our environment. For instance, at the Vegas theaters, we use tinted glass that reflects sound and keeps out noise from the casinos, and we use double Air Lock doors so slivers of light can’t creep in.
FW: How do you manage time and maintain efficiency in such intricate shows?
CP: Cirque has a lot of people working across boundaries. With every bit of choreography happening onstage, there are three backstage movements that are just as choreographed.
What’s unique about our shows is that we give the directors carte blanche to create. Once we have the creative element, we start looking for efficiencies. Time management must maintain artistic integrity, and a lot of that is achieved by our internal training.
FW: What’s one lesson you’ve learned from working with Cirque that translates to both small and large productions?
CP: You really have to do your research on what’s been tried before so you don’t reinvent the wheel. A big part of our process is to document every single stage production, no matter how innocuous it may seem at the time. If you do a similar show four years from now, you need to know what you spent time and money on doing wrong.
FW: What can IAAPA Attractions Expo attendees expect at the behind-the scenes “Love” experience?
CP: It’s more of a workshop where we show what we’ve changed through the years and bring everything from behind the scenes to the front. Our technicians will demonstrate some of the elements built specifically into the theater for “Love”- people will get a chance to see the nuts-and-bolts visuals of the show. Some of the artists will be there to talk about their roles, and we’ll provide a Q&A session at the end.
Tickets to the behind-the-scenes tour are $199 for members, $299 for nonmembers, and include a ticket to the 7 p.m., Sunday, November 15 performance of "Love." Tour attendees must be 16 years or older. Advanced registration is required and available at IAAPA.org/ expos/attractions/attendees/Registration. asp.
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