They call it “the abyss.” It is not really a stage. It’s
more of a platform or deck that is raised from seven stories
below the void where a stage would normally be.
And elevating the deck was a huge engineering challenge
for Cirque du Soleil’s newest production, KÀ.
KÀ, which began preview performances November
26, 2004 at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, brings
together acrobatic performances, and the thrills and
action of martial arts from all over the world, plus
astonishing innovations in puppetry, multimedia, and
pyrotechnics. But before November 26, there were also
some amazing performances that took place below the
scenes, so to speak, when the crew was creating the
deck’s motion control system.
“With this production, there were the normal pressures
like time and money,” says Jeremy “Jem”
Hodgson, the Head of Automation and project engineer
for KÀ. He explains that there were also creative pressures.
Cirque du Soleil is known for its completely
unique brand of theatrical arts presentations. Hodgson’s
job was to take the creative vision and turn it into a
mechanical system that worked safely and reliably. |
“They are very protective of the creative. This is where
the success comes from.”
Adding to the design pressures were architectural
considerations. Las Vegas is in a seismically active area.
Any lifting system would have to be constructed as its
own structure. No attachments to the MGM’s existing
building were permitted.
The success of KÀ is dependent on safely raising the
25- by 50-ft deck from a 67-ft deep abyss at the right
time and at the right speed, 2 ft per second. “Fully
loaded, the deck weighed more than a 757 airliner
packed with passengers, luggage, and fuel,” notes
Hodgson.
Hodgson recalls that he considered several options for
the lifting system. When he finalized the design, his list
of possible suppliers narrowed down to just a handful.
But key to his decision to choose Parker-Hannifin Corp
(Mayfield Heights, OH) was his belief in their ability to
deliver on time a system that would reliably work, especially
the huge custom-made cylinders with 67-ft stroke
lengths. “Back in 2003, we fast tracked several items,
including the cylinders.” explains Hodgson. “We con- |
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