Drawn to Life Presented by Cirque du Soleil & Disney

Written By: Gail Clifford | Published By: Weekend Notes | October 04, 2022

https://www.weekendnotes.com/drawn-to-life-presented-by-cirque-du-soleil-disney/

Grateful to have survived Hurricane Ian, Walt Disney World opened Disney Springs and, with it, the Cirque du Soleil performance built for Disney audiences. Incorporating princesses and villains and favorite characters (Mrs. Potts!), the stunning show filled with acrobats, dance, a juggler, ballet, unicyclists, and men jumping around a double wheel of death, leaves your eyes darting everywhere and still certain you’re missing something important.

And, as with all things Disney, there is a story. Beginning with the departure of her father whose life was spent in Animation, Julie first rejects his gift of several seconds of animation for her to complete. Instead, she goes through the torment of loss, protected and surrounded by the Disney characters Drawn to Life with Mr. Pencil’s help, encouraged by four animator friends, and reenacted by the incredible athletes that complete the Cirque du Soleil cast.

When we initially entered the theater, within moments of the doors opening, I wondered if we’d somehow confused the time. There were cast members inviting children onto the 270-degree (or so) stage to participate, drawing various pictures, musicians singing and playing the cello, violin, and drum, comic stuntmen performing with pink rubber band-looking devices that would come into play later, and mime who was already taking pratfalls. Part of it looked like a rehearsal but all of it warmed up the audience with young Julie already on stage, “asleep” in her chair.

When the others clear the stage, the story begins with the father’s departure. It appears he has died but we can’t tell whether the scene later is a dream sequence, a flashback, or a possible homecoming.

First, young Julie progresses into her father’s studio. Then, four drafting tables move as though wagons are pulled into a circle. And, suddenly, one of them separates, acting as a bucking bronco to move the story to the next plot point.