Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil has come full-circle with a show of dazzling Hawaiian colours and culture in a rebuilt Honolulu theatre.
Auana is new at Outrigger鈥檚 posh Beachcomber hotel in Waikiki, famous for shopping, restaurants and photo-op sunsets.
Now add world-class circus to the list of must-see attractions in the bustling beach district, where wrestler-turned actor Dwayne 鈥淭he Rock鈥� Johnson was among the first 784 people to enjoy on opening night Tuesday, Dec. 17.
"I thought the show was brilliant, the performers were amazing, but what I really loved is that our Polynesian culture is at the forefront of something that pierces cultures like Cirque du Soleil,鈥� raved Johnson of Cirque's first permanent residence show in Hawaii.
In eight acts over 80 minutes, the immersive, interactive production thematically riffs on the 鈥渏ourney鈥� of 32 characters of Cirque, whose French Canadian co-founder, Guy Lalibert茅, decided on the sunny company name while in Hawaii 40 years ago.
For the next 10, minimum, Cirque has a deal with Outrigger to stage Auana in a completely re-imagined theatre where local legend Don Ho once entertained, and a school-aged Bruno Mars opened for a long-running magic show.
With Auana, hula dancers are featured alongside both local and international talents in the spotlight. A "Golden Age" act travels back to the early days of Hawaiian tourism. In an homage to Hina, goddess of the moon, a performer ascends in an aerial hoop (lyra) dance.
Also featured is a comedic trickster who weaves the stories together through stunts and some audience participation (a Hawaii Five-0 jam among four brave gents pulled from their seats), and a rola bola acrobat who pays homage to the birthplace of surfing. A daring Wheel of Life act closes the show.
Video highlights of 's 'Auana' opening night last week, with and more.
鈥� Tom Zillich (@TomZillich)
How the Canadian circus company has come full-circle with a show of dazzling Hawaiian colours and culture in a rebuilt Honolulu theatre:
Wisely, in his work to bring breathtaking acrobatics, multimedia projections and mo鈥榦lelo (stories) of the Islands, director Neil Dorward collaborated with Aaron J. Sal膩 and other Hawaiian creatives including Manaola Yap (costumer designer), Kumu Hula Hiwa Vaughan (hula choreographer) and Keao NeSmith (Hawaiian linguist).
鈥淢ore than anything, this show is a celebration of the spirit of Hawaii through the lens of Cirque du Soleil,鈥� said Dorward, who co-directed the company's hit show at New York-New York Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
鈥淭hanks to this team, we have created this spectacular world for audiences to enjoy, but more importantly, for the community of Hawaii to be proud of.鈥�
And they sure are, judging by post-show comments by locals on opening night.
Cirque "firsts" with Auana include the most advanced lighting system of any of its shows, touring or residence. The company has also never produced a show more culturally significant, and the new Outrigger theatre is the smallest, most intimate theatre of any Cirque residence productions.
Each act of Auana has a different lighting design, culminating in a rainbow and plenty of confetti at show鈥檚 end. Fittingly, the theatre seating chart features colours of a rainbow, seen frequently in Waikiki.
The show certainly represents a Hawaiian homecoming for Cirque du Soleil, agrees Martha Seroogy, the company's Senior Director of Show Operations & Revenue.
"There were conversations about creating the show pre-pandemic, and the deal was signed about a year and a half ago, April 2023," she noted. "Our creation period, from when the artists arrived in the theatre, their training and rehearsing, was five to six weeks, and a typical Cirque creation is much longer than that, closer to a year. It was a condensed timeline."
Performances run Wednesday through Sunday at 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Tickets are sold on for $85 and up. Also available is the Auana "VIP Experience," an add-on that includes a 90-minute reception in an open-air lounge at the hotel's Maui Brewing Company, with cast members in attendance.
