Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba at Disney Springs closed forever at the end of 2017, but just before it did, Disney confirmed that a new Cirque du Soleil production was being developed for this theater.
Based around some of Disney’s most iconic films, this new show will “draw its inspiration from Disney’s heritage of animation,” and will “celebrate Disney’s legacy of storytelling in Cirque du Soleil’s signature way, with a tribute to the one-of a kind craftsmanship that makes Disney so extraordinary.”
Image: Disney
And while this new show was supposed to begin preview performances on March 20th, it was suspended and postponed indefinitely. And with the company racking up nearly $1 billion in debt, and laying off roughly 3,500 employees, many thought the final curtain had dropped on this project before it even had its first show. However, reports seem to indicate that Cirque du Soleil: Drawn to life may actually yet have some life still in it.
Starting with…. bankruptcy?
This week Cirque du Soleil officially filed for bankruptcy protection after weeks of rumors while it develops a plan to restart its business amid the pandemic. And while this may initially sound like bad news, the company has said that it expects to resume its resident shows in Orlando as soon as possible, and Cirque du Soleil: Drawn to Life could premiere at Disney Springs as soon as this fall if there are no government regulations in place prohibiting large gatherings later this year.
In a statement, Cirque du Soleil spokesperson Mélanie Fontaine said “Employees for ‘Drawn to Life’ .. are being kept on temporary leave for the time being to ensure a swift and efficient return as soon as the ban on gatherings is lifted and show operations can resume”
Don’t expect an announcement any time soon
Image: Disney
Though it looks like this show is still going to move forward in some capacity at Disney Springs, we wouldn’t expect an announcement any time in the near future as COVID-19 cases are on the rise in Florida, and several locations inside Disney Springs are closing as restrictions are once again tightened in the state to slow the spread of COVID-19.
And while there’s no way to know what the situation will be like this fall, it is at least a good sign that the door is being kept open for Cirque du Soleil: Drawn to Life to finally debut at Walt Disney World as soon as possible, despite the larger company’s current financial woes. Only time will tell if they’re able to make their fall 2020 target, but hopefully we’ll be able to experience this exciting new show as soon as it is safe to do so.
As always, while this situation is evolving, all travelers should check out the CDC’s official site here, which has information on the virus and how to prevent its spread.
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