VMSD - September 2016 - 88

Checking Out Interview by Steve Carly Kaufman Hagedon TOPIC irdconline.com Remembering MJ After 16 years, Cirque du Soleil's former creative director has taken a leap of faith, launching a new career as a consultant and author. One of your last projects was creating Michael Jackson One. Thriller? Where and how did your journey begin? I was born and raised in Montréal, the son of immigrants from Haiti. I grew up somewhat the odd man out, black in a predominantly white neighborhood. I had two choices: try to fit in or embrace my differences and stand out ... eventually, through trial and error, I chose to stand out. Stand out, but then become part of an ensemble. Circus is a Latin word meaning "circle," [so] people from different disciplines under the special space of the big top. You're chosen to express a unique theme, but for 280 shows a year. How do you stay fresh with that repetition? Absolutely! The show celebrates the Interesting name, Welby. Where did that come from? My parents called me Welby because they wanted to predestine me to become a doctor. It's the classic story. Immigrant parents leave you two choices: doctor or lawyer. That must have become your challenge when you went from casting director to creative director. But you chose neither. No, I started university ... but one summer, I worked with Brian De Palma, who was shooting the [1998] movie "Snake Eyes" with Nicolas Cage in Montréal. I was in charge of choosing and managing 500 extras. It was supposed to be a summer job, but it led to a career in casting for movies, television and advertising. What was your biggest challenge as director of casting for Cirque du Soleil? Most auditions ask performers to fit in. I was asking to see that thing unique to themselves. We were always looking for those unusual artists [that] truly stand out with their skills and emotions. 88 SEPTEMBER 2016 | vMSd.coM Yes. Do we just keep replaying our greatest hits? Not unlike the retail design world, there's always a tension between legacy and heritage and future and relevance. Operations, business models, marketing strategies, production challenges and budgets all affect content and creation. Retail innovation isn't easy - it's difficult to plan for the long term when you live and die by sales results, quarter to quarter. And now you've left Cirque behind. I left in June after 16 years. I'm writing a book on what I call practicing creative courage, though I don't yet know whether it will be freelancing, starting my own organization, or going to work for another organization. I love the quote, "Jump and the net will appear." My life itself has been an act of creation, one pretty big project.  creative genius of Michael. He had a very controversial, difficult life, of course, and we didn't shy away from these things. Rather, we integrated them into a celebration of incredible music which was both popular and visionary. Was he a personal hero? I was about 10 at the heyday of Michael, and I developed a little routine. Kids in kindergarten [at my school] would have me perform for their class. I'd say a few words in broken English in the voice of Michael, do a little "Beat It" or "Billie Jean," then explain that my helicopter was waiting outside, but that it was great to perform for them. HE ADS HO T: E r ic J Am i S On / S T uD i O J ©2 0 13 c ir q u E Du S O lE i l . m J On E: m A r i O n T x A / S Hu T T E rS T O c k . c O m Welby Altidor http://www.irdconline.com http://www.SHuTTErSTOck.cOm http://www.vMSd.coM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of VMSD - September 2016