Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

‘Bathroom law’ prompts Cirque to pull productions from N.C.

2014 'One Night for One Drop': Show

Tom Donoghue / DonoghuePhotography.com

Cirque du Soleil’s “One Night for One Drop” in Michael Jackson One Theater on Friday, March 21, 2014, at Mandalay Bay.

Springsteen. Starr. Now Cirque.

Saying it “believes in diversity and equality for every individual and is opposed to discrimination in any form,” the Strip’s favorite theatrical company has pulled its touring productions out of North Carolina.

The decision was announced in the wake of that state’s HB2 legislation, the so-called bathroom law that requires transgendered individuals to use public bathrooms based on the gender listed on their birth certificates.

Earlier this month, Bruce Springsteen and Ringo Starr called off shows in North Carolina. Springsteen was set to play Greensboro on Sunday, and Starr was booked in Cary in June.

Cirque had two touring shows scheduled to perform in the state, with dates set this month and in June and July. The company statement, issued to media outlets and also on its Facebook page, says:

“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 offered refunds to ticket-holders for all of those shows.

Cirque is the predominant production company in Las Vegas, with eight resident shows (though “Zarkana” at Aria closes April 30) and also is launching its first Broadway production, “Paramour,” from its theatrical division this month.

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at Twitter.com/JohnnyKats. Also, follow Kats on Instagram at Instagram.com/JohnnyKats1.

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