Cirque’s Moscow show was a hit

Russian officials were aghast when Cirque du Soleil dropped the "Zarkana" bombshell.

Cirque's question was: Would Moscow's city fathers consider Cirque's request to put its new show in the legendary 5,000-seat Kremlin Theater?

During an interview at Aria on Wednesday, Daniel Lamarre, Cirque's president and COO, recalled the Moscow mayor's reaction. The rough translation, in Russian: "You want what!?"

"So here I am," said Lamarre, "meeting the new mayor, tall guy, former KGB, and there are about 60 people in front of me and the mayor looked at me and said, 'Do you know what you're asking for?'

"I said, 'Sir, I have no idea.' ''

The mayor explained: It would be akin to asking for a three-month run in the White House theater.

"That's what you are asking for," the mayor said.

"I don't know what happened to me but I just said, joking, 'If there (was) a theater at the White House, we'll be there.' "

With that, said Lamarre, "everybody cracked and from all the protocol and the seriousness of the meeting, it became more relaxed."

Assisted by his icebreaker, that's how "Zarkana," the acrobatic rock opera that is replacing "Viva Elvis" at Aria, ended up setting records in Russia's hallowed theater.

"It was a first," Lamarre said.

"Zarkana" had wowed New York City to the tune of a half-million ticket sales and added 300,000 more in Madrid and 300,000-plus in Moscow.

"If you succeed in New York City and Moscow, there's no way it's not going to work in this city," Lamarre said.

It didn't hurt, he said, that the Russian audiences felt a connection to Cirque founder Guy Laliberte, who rode aboard a Soyuz spacecraft for a stay at the International Space Station in 2009.

They admired Laliberte, said Lamarre, because he went to the space station "with their technology. Guy is part of them, and he's a celebrity in Russia.

"He cannot walk on the street because of that adventure. Therefore, it is almost like he had endorsed them, and now they are endorsing him by endorsing Cirque du Soleil."

The soft opening of "Zarkana," the story of a magician (Zark) who loses at love and loses his powers, will be Oct. 25. Premiere is Nov. 8.

MEDIA UPDATE

ESPN/ABC pit reporter Jamie Little took to Twitter on Wednesday to announce she's expecting. "Most of you will notice, my firesuit is expanding. @CodySelman and I are excited to say we're expecting in Aug!" They got married in December 2010. Little, in town to cover NASCAR Weekend, is a 1996 graduate of Green Valley High School. Selman, a racing exec, formerly managed Kyle Busch. ...

Chet Buchanan, host of KLUC's "Morning Zoo" show, came up with a sweet surprise for his girlfriend, Amy Byro, a local executive pastry chef. On Tuesday, the third anniversary of the night they met at a St. Baldrick's cancer benefit for children, they returned to McMullan's Irish Pub on East Tropicana. Unbeknownst to Byro, 30 friends and family members were waiting for them, and Buchanan popped the question. The night they met, Buchanan had "shooed away" a buddy who had struck out after a bad pickup line.

THE SCENE AND HEARD

The last 100 tickets for Saturday's grand opening of The Smith Center are available today at $500, $750 and $1,000. Information: 982-7805.

SIGHTINGS

Mike Tyson, at the Mob Museum on Tuesday for a USA Today photo shoot. ... Actress Kristen Bell, Angel Porrino of "Absinthe" and Josh Strickland of "Peepshow" with U.K. businessman Sir Phillip Green at a party Wednesday at the Encore's Sinatra. The grand opening of Green's Topshop and Topman brands at the Fashion Show mall is today.

THE PUNCH LINE

"As of tomorrow, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, and Rick Santorum all get Secret Service protection. Meanwhile, Ron Paul will get a can of mace." -- Conan O'Brien

Norm Clarke can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke.