It must be the Kodak Theatre's happy lot to be home to giant, whimsical sets and statues.
Just as the monolithic Oscars are being rolled out of the Hollywood venue -- farewell, gold icons -- a new production will be rolling in, almost immediately: Cirque du Soleil's "IRIS."
The film-focused spectacular is set for a July 21, 2011 debut, but, of course, it takes awhile to prep all the various wires and cables and whizbang whizbangery that's become standard for the Montreal-based troupe.
Word has it the actual physical trappings of "IRIS" won't pull into Hollywood before April, but the advance production team'll be on the ground starting on Monday, March 7.
And we can't trapeze out of here without mention of all the big, big numbers that are attached to "IRIS." Some 72 performers will don some 200 costumes. And there will be 174 loudspeakers. Hair already being blown back in anticipation.
And those mondo speakers are staying put; "IRIS" is for keeps. It's described as a "permanent" show, only leaving the Kodak, briefly, when a certain shiny gold man returns to play next late winter.
