Upcoming Performances in Three Cities Shut Down
Cirque du Soleil has just announced it is canceling all shows in North Carolina for the rest of the year. The Canadian-based company which employs 5000 people and has been called “the largest theatrical producer in the world,” denounced the Tar Heel State’s anti-LGBT law HB2 as regressive.
“Cirque du Soleil strongly believes in diversity and equality for every individual and is opposed to discrimination in any form,” the company said in a statement posted to social media. “The new HB2 legislation passed in North Carolina is an important regression to ensuring human rights for all.”
“We therefore choose to cancel our scheduled performances of OVO in Greensboro (April 20-24) and our scheduled performances in Charlotte (July 6-10) and our scheduled performances of TORUK – Avatar in Raleigh (June 22-26).”
“Cirque du Soleil believes in equality for all. It is a principle that guides us with both our employees and our customers. We behave as change agents to reach our ultimate goal of making a better world with our actions and our productions.”
The company, founded in 1984, is currently producing 21 different shows, based on their website. It says it “has 5,000 employees, including more than 1,300 artists from more than 50 different countries” and “has brought wonder and delight to more than 100 million spectators in more than 300 cities in over forty countries on six continents.”