The 7 Fingers Bring DUEL REALITY to the Ahmanson Theatre

 Duel Reality from The 7 Fingers, also known as Les 7 doigts de la main, will make their Center Theatre Group debut, with their signature electrifying and endearing mix of circus, theatre, illusion, music, and dance.
 
The circus troupe's latest piece is an acrobatic, dynamic tour-de-force for all ages inspired by the star-crossed tale of Romeo and Juliet performed for a limited 15 performance engagement from Thursday, September 12 to Sunday, September 22, 2024. Tickets and information are available at CenterTheatreGroup.org.
 
Duel Reality asks the audience to imagine a world where star-crossed lovers are circus stars, and their love story unfolding through graceful and death-defying acrobatics. In an epic, cirque-infused performance that dazzles the senses and stirs the heart, the two feuding families engage in a battle of skill, each competition more daring than the last – while the pair of star-crossed lovers struggles to escape the showdown. They are fierce players, but do they care who wins or loses if playing the game can bring them closer together?

With direction by Shana Carroll, co-founding artistic director of The 7 Fingers and co-designer of the first segment of the Sochi Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony, Duel Reality delivers a thrilling adventure for all ages with romance, integrity -- and deceit -- through death-defying acrobatics.  The audience chooses a side and lives through the battle of these two feuding families in this one-act extravaganza. The show received a Seoul Arts Award in 2023.
 
Duel Reality then is an elaborate and fast-paced mashup of Shakespeare's most famous love story and the intense world of competitive team sports. Exhilaration and danger provide a thrilling backdrop to The 7 Fingers' one-of-a-kind daredevil theatrical extravaganza. Duel Reality was originally produced and created with Virgin Voyages, produced by The 7 Fingers with commissioning partner ArtsEmerson (Boston).  
 
The 7 Fingers are represented on Broadway right now with The New York Times Critics' Pick Water for Elephants, and are renowned for their Tony Award-winning work on the 2013 revival of Pippin. 
 
Elodie Marriott of the Edinburgh Festival Magazine wrote, “Round after round, the opposing sides exhibit their abilities with hula hoops and diabolos, showcasing their incredible strength and balance. The stakes are high, with the cast climbing eye-wateringly tall poles and pausing for applause, before dropping swiftly headfirst, coming to an abrupt stop less than an inch away from the floor. Duel Reality is a spectacle that will truly astonish all who experience it.” 
 
Jasmine Arden-Brown wrote in BroadwayBaby.com, “what sets it apart is the company’s mesmerizing use of big emotions to tell the basics of a story … [and] It holds all the electricity of a big sporting match where the passions run high. The soundtrack is exhilarating, the performers are charismatic, and the stunts had my hands rushing to cover my mouth every minute or so.”  
 
Carla Rick in The Berkeley Beacon wrote, “Audiences can expect neon hues with a variety of music and performance styles—a hula-hoop stunt done to jazz, a sultry dance with slow, romantic music, a seesaw duel set to an intense score … this acrobatics show is not to be missed. Trust in the 7 Fingers to shock and awe you while simultaneously taking you on an unforgettable emotional journey.”
 
The Edinburgh One4review wrote “***** Never was a story of more ‘wow’ than of Juliet and her Romeo. Duel Reality is a striking portrayal of hope. As performers shed their divisive colors, they unite, reminding us that we are all the same underneath. The finale is a poignant reminder that we are more than what divides us.” 
 
The cast includes Daniela Corradi, Adam Fullick, Gerardo Gutiérrez, Michelle Hernandez, Marco Ingaramo, Miliève Modin-Brisebois, Einar Kling Odencrants, Anton Erik Persson, Santiago Rivera, Ashleigh Roper, and Arata Urawa.
 
The production features music directed and composed by Colin Gagné with excerpts from Sergei Prokofiev's Dance of the Knights, and lyrics from William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. 
 
The production also features lighting design by Alexander Nichols, costume design by Camille Thibault-Bédard, with production direction by Maude St-Pierre. With technical work by Simon Carrière and Audrey Belzile with acrobatic coaching from Francisco Cruz. 
 
Tickets for DUEL REALITY are available through CenterTheatreGroup.org, Audience Services at (213) 972-4400 or in person at the Center Theatre Group Box Offices (at the Ahmanson Theatre) at The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Avenue in Downtown L.A. 90012. 

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