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James Hadley talks about new Cirque du Soleil show at The Theater at Madison Square Garden

James Hadley, Cirque du Soleil Senior Artistic Director chatted about the new show at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.

New Cirque du Soleil holiday production
New Cirque du Soleil holiday production. Photo Credit: Errisson Lawrence.
New Cirque du Soleil holiday production. Photo Credit: Errisson Lawrence.

James Hadley, Cirque du Soleil Senior Artistic Director chatted about the new show at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

He spoke about being a part of the digital age, and being able to put a circus show together.

New Cirque du Soleil show

Cirque du Soleil’s “Twas the Night Before…” will be performed at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York from December 7 to 28, 2023.

On being a part of this production, Hadley said, “It has been an absolute joy to be a part of what’s turning in to a Christmas tradition for so many across the USA.  The creative team had so much fun creating this show.”

“We have many new artists joining us and each brings their own unique talents and tricks. It’s always a fun surprise for us to integrate them into the acts. I’m constantly amazed by what our artists bring to the show,” he added.  

Favorite part of the experience

His favorite part of the experience was rediscovering the poem that it is based on. “Even though, like so many kids, we read it as a family every Christmas, there were so many beautiful lines that I’d forgotten. And then the challenge was finding surprising ways to link them to acrobatic acts and characters,” he explained.

The digital age

On being an artistic director in the digital age, now with streaming, technology and social media being so prevalent, he said, “A big part of our show revolves around exactly that. This generation has always had their devices in hand, so it’s totally normal for them to be on them all the time. This show talks about the importance of family and human connection.”

“It definitely that it takes a village to create a show at Cirque du Soleil,” he admitted.  “Circus performance adds a whole other level of complexity. Fortunately, we had an incredibly talented and experienced village to pull this off.”

Career-defining moments

On his career-defining moments, he shared, “I was very fortunate to work with exceptionally talented directors and choreographers when I was a performer on Broadway  It was the best school I could have had.”

Success

On his definition of the word success, Hadley said, ” In terms of the show, of course I hope the audience comes away joyful and delighted.”

“I also hope these artists who’ve come from all over the world to share their gifts and are away from their families at Christmas, find a new family with the cast of ‘Twas and an unforgettable experience,” he added.

Closing thoughts on the show

Hadley concluded about the show, “As wonderful as Christmas is, I think we can agree that it can be an incredibly hectic and stressful season. I hope this show gives them a chance to escape that for short time and come out feeling amazed by these incredible performers and with a little more Christmas cheer in their hearts.”

Markos Papadatos
Written By

Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News. Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 22,000 original articles over the past 18 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a 16-time "Best of Long Island" winner, where for three consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022), he was honored as the "Best Long Island Personality" in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times.

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