FLEW Open! showcases the next generation of professional jugglers, nimble acrobats, and high-flying aerialists in an all-new circus spectacular for the whole family! Join the first graduating class from Philadelphia's own Circadium School of Contemporary Circus in a performance celebrating camaraderie, caring, and flying through doorways into new stages of life! This marvelous display of artistry is directed by renowned circus artist Marie-Josée Gauthier.
About Circadium
Circadium is the only higher-education program for circus artists in the United States, offering a three-year course that grants a Diploma of Circus Arts recognized by the Pennsylvania Board of Education. Circadium is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with the mission of radically changing the future of circus-and the performing arts as a whole- by bringing a multidisciplinary and experiment-driven approach to creation and performance.
Director Bio: Marie-Josée Gauthier
After having performed as an actress and director in the theater for many years in Canada, Marie-Josée Gauthier met the circus world and was soon hired as a director for numerous circus shows. In 2011 Ms. Gauthier conceived and directed the École nationale de cirque (ENC) circus show Pomme grenade presented at la Tohu followed by Tourbillon the 2015 Circus Monti Show in Switzerland (co-directed with Sylvain Lafortune). She conceived and directed Demain for ENC presented in 2016 at la Tohu. She co-directed Moby Mick, a solo clown show featuring Mick Holsbeke produced and toured in France (2016). She went on to direct Dreambox for Circus Monti 2017 (conceived and co-directed with Sylvain Lafortune).
In 2018 Cirque du soleil hired her as an acting coach and dramaturgy adviser for the show Bazzar. She will soon be conceiving and directing the next Circus Monti show in Switzerland.
As an actress, Marie-Josée Gauthier has appeared in numerous Canadian films most notably Sous les draps les étoiles, ThirtyTwo Short Films About Glenn Gould, Le Violon rouge, and Monica la mitraille. She is co-founder of Théâtre Complice and has participated as an actress in a number of productions of the company including Le Shaga, Roche papier ciseaux, and Les jours fragiles. Directorial credits include Juliette by Estelle Clareton, La pluie by Daniel Keene, La maison de Bernarda by Federico Garcia Lorca, Mi ricordo by Veronica Melis (co-directed with the playwright), and C’est ainsi mon amour que j’appris ma blessure by Fabrice Melquiot (co-directed with Denis Lavalou). Recent theatre credits include Le souffleur de verre, Grains, My Name is Jean-Paul, and Sexy béton.
Since 2006, Ms. Gauthier teaches acting and is an artistic advisor at Enc, l’École nationale de cirque, in Montreal. She has also been giving workshops at l’École de danse contemporaine (Montreal). Since 2015 she is frequently asked to work as an acting coach at Cirque du Soleil.