Laliberté grows from ‘O’ to Frooogy
On the weekend his masterpiece on the lake, “O,” turns 25, Guy Laliberté shows up with lilly pads.
And frogs, of course, or “Frooogs” in his unique description. Laliberté brought his tripped-out Frooogs Camp to Las Vegas on Friday morning. Cirque du Soleil’s co-founder led a parade of more than 30 “Frooogy” custom-painted RV’s along the Strip, complete with a non-Frooogy Metro Police escort.
The caravan stared at the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign and halted at the Westgate’s famous marquee. The Frooogy Family wore green Frooog hats with googly eyes. Smiling from behind the wheel, Laliberté honked at nonplussed motorists as the group cruised the Strip.
The parade started at 9:02 a.m., and was to end at 10:04 p.m. But the Frooogy Time Zone is a slippery thing. Laliberté s crew showed up 30 minutes late. Or was it 38? It hardly matters.
The event marked a return to the city that is home to some of Laliberté’s greatest triumphs. In the days he owned Cirque, Laliberté launched “O” at Bellagio, along with creative direction from Gilles Ste-Croix and the late Franco Dragone.
“O” has sold more tickets than any other single residency show, surpassing 19 million (“Phantom of the Opera” on Broadway sold 18 million). “O” has also earned more than $2 billion at the box office, also a top mark for a show in a single theater.
Speaking whimsically of “O,” Laliberté , who sold his interest in Cirque in 2015, said, “It’s probably the greatest single-production show, ever. The creative team was really at the top of their game with ‘O.’ I think the show has the possibility of 50 years, 100 years. Visiting ‘O’ is like visiting one of my children.”
The kids right now are wearing Frooogy gear.
A familiar encampment at Burning Man, Laliberté’s Frooogs Camp is at once an concept, way of life, and motivation for a publicity event to assist Nevada Donor Network. Laliberté donated $50,000 to the organization mission of organ, eye and tissue donation in the state.
Laliberté’s cultural, and philanthropic, message is splashed with color.
“I’m an artist and I’m using metaphor instead of taking a hammer to something,” Laliberté said in the Frooogy Camp’s lead RV, decorated in plush orange and red. “I believe in self-medicine, and right now color is the self-medicine of the world.”
It’s helpful that Nevada Donor Network’s base colors are Frooogy green, blue and yellow. Organization president Steve Perralta grinned as he hung with the entertainment visionary.
“This is absolutely phenomenal for us to be able to collaborate with a genius like Guy,” Perralta said. “Nothing like this has ever been done. There are 56 other organizations like us across the country, so being able to partner with Guy is completely different. It’s very Las Vegas.”
Laliberté will be on hand to celebrate “O’s” 25th. The 64-year-old billionaire and former street performer says the Frooogy Camp charity endeavor represents his return to the city.
The details are scant — Laliberté boasts a ringmaster’s flair for the big reveal. He went, “Gribbit! Gribbit!” in Frooogy-speak when asked for his plans for Vegas. But we do anticipate a Frooogy encampment at Resorts World during the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix next month.
“It’s super-important to come here and reconnect with a wonderful community cause,” Laliberté said. “I have not been here much since 2015, so this is like planting a seed. I am not retired. I am not drinking margaritas every day at the pool. I am inviting the world to see what we are doing.”
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
