It is hard to believe Cirque du Soleil Drawn to Life has been entertaining guests for nearly three years already. I was fortunate enough to attend its grand opening and have had the pleasure of seeing the show a few times since. In that time, I have fallen more in love with this beautiful production. For those of you who don’t know, this family-friendly show tells the story of the love between a father and a daughter and draws inspiration from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 100-year heritage of storytelling.It celebrates iconic Disney stories and characters — from Snow White to Baymax — with innovative design, acrobatic performances, dazzling choreography, musical scores, and brand-new animation lovingly created by Disney Animation artists.
Soon, the show is only half of what you could be seeing. Starting May 24th, Drawn to Life will kick off their “Page to Stage Signature Experience.” This new experience will offer guests an intimate behind-the-scenes look at the show, including a backstage tour and artist meet-and-greet that really does pull back the curtain on this amazing production.
I was recently invited on a preview of this tour and I have to say, if you are a fan of Drawn to Life or just Cirque in general this will be a MUST DO! The “Page to Stage Signature Experience” offers nine guests per event some of the best seats in the theater as well as a pre-show experience that includes select concessions of their choice to enjoy during the show, including a souvenir popcorn bucket.
Following the breathtaking show “Page to Stage,” guests will meet with some of the show’s talented
artists for photos and Q&A. The true highlight of the evening follows as guests embark on a
backstage – and under-the-stage – tour of Drawn to Life, with the opportunity to get an up-close
look at some of the show’s intricate costumes and one-of-a-kind props. I have always loved the added features on Disney VHS, DVDs, Blu-Rays…on Disney+, so the ability to watch this amazing show then learn how so much of it is done within the span of an hour is just so cool! Our preview was given before the show, so we had a bit of a different format than what the normal experience will encompass, but we were shown most of what will be seen during the normal experience — we just saw a little bit of the rehearsal process on the stage.
Due to the timing of the media preview, we were able to watch part of the Drawn to Life training and rehearsals. This will not take place during the regular Page to Stage Signature Experience
As mentioned, the group is limited to 9 guests and one very knowledgeable host. As you traverse the backstage and under stage areas, you understand why such a small group. The tour takes guests into the heart of the theater and past a few doors I would have liked to have been able to see more of, including the Costume Shop. One of the interesting bits of trivia we learned about the costumes for this show is most are just screen printed on fabric. This is useful to help with the weight and breathability of the costume, plus it makes it very easy to make or replace a costume if they need a new one.
One of the coolest parts of the experience was the under stage area where we got a chance to get up close with some of the set pieces from the show, including the animator’s desk that plays such a pivotal role in the story (take a look at this photo and then scroll back up to the photo of the stage.)
As the group comes back up, we get to see more of the sets and props used on the stage with stops a plenty to learn more about each. My personal favorite was a look at the animator’s desk that comes to life during the show and gallops around the stage like a wild horse.
I have been lucky enough to take a backstage tour of Drawn to Life before, but this one is done just perfectly with a great path and some storytelling of its own and I can’t recommend it enough! The “Page to Stage Signature Experience” will be offered following the second performance on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets for the unique experience are $285 for adults and $225 for children (taxes and fee included), which includes premium seating for a Drawn to Life performance, backstage tour and artist meet-and-greet, collectible merchandise and more.
Click HERE for more information and how to book your tickets.
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