Cirque Du Soleil’s “Paramour” — Eruption of color, dance, gasp-inducing acrobatics

By Black Star News Special

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2016-12-22 02

Front Row Productions’ Stephen Byrd, Alia Jones-Harvey with Black Star News publisher Milton Allimadi at a recent performance.

Looking for a Broadway show for this holiday season? Try the magical, wondrous, invigorating Cirque Du Soleil’s “Paramour” at the Lyric Theatre.

The show is a colorful eruption of spectacular dance, gasp-inducing acrobatics, a story, and a good dose of humor.

The plot is simple enough: the overly-time tested, will-the-beautiful-girl choose true love over Hollywood glamor, fame, and wealth?

Set in the 1930’s-1940’s Golden Age of Hollywood, a has-been film director finds the new pretty young girl for the starring role that will land him back on his feet.

So what sets this performance apart?

Well, the seamless combination of dialogue, music, dancing, and acrobatic performances. These include: elegant leaps across the stage; aerialists (twin brothers Andrew and Kevin Atherton) gliding beyond the stage and dangling above the gasping audience while executing daring twists and turns; the dancer on the uni-cycle who effortlessly lifts another while riding in-between other performers; and, the chase scene towards the end that will resolve the love-triangle.

True, it seems at times there’s too much going on; but there’s enough to keep you entertained whatever you decide to focus on.

Many, many times you’ll find yourself asking: “How did they do that?”

In between it all, there’s time for the story about the young movie star Indigo James (Ruby Lewis) and her not-so-glamorous song-writer Joey (Ryan Vona) who’s actually in love with her; first they’ll have to contend with the film director, the charming, arrogant, tyrannical and innovative AJ Golden (Jeremy Kushnier).

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AJ pushes Indigo’s supporting cast into risky maneuvers in his desire to make each new
film top the last one. He believes since he
“discovered” Indigo and “made” her, quite naturally, he’s entitled to have her. After all, he always get his way.

Here’s a sampling of scenes from Acts 1 and 2 that offer the show’s flavor: “A Screen Test — Lila’s Song,” “A Nightclub–AJ’s Blues,” “Cleopatra–The Goddess of Egypt,” “The Dream–Revenge Fantasies,” “The Director’s Office–Love Triangle…”

“Paramour” is one energy-packed performance that’s guaranteed to leave you smiling at the end, maybe even singing, and maybe even dancing.

The Lyric Theatre is located at 213 West 43rd Street in Manhattan. Showtime is 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Cirque Du Soleil’s “Paramour” is produced by Cirque Du Soleil Theatrical with Stephen C. Byrd and Alia Jones-Harvey of Front Row
Productions (the only African American Broadway Producers), The Ambassador Theatre Group, The Araca Group and Anthony Lacavera.

The show’s director and conceiver is Philippe Decoufle; the creative director and creative guide is Jean-Francois Bouchard; and the
managing director and president is Scott Zeiger.

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