Instead of playing a typical pit orchestra instrument, Suzie Gagnon plays the accordion and has done so for close to two decades.

On Tuesday night, Gagnon, a veteran musician for Cirque du Soleil, came to the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, in conjunction with the Bandier Program for Music and the Entertainment Industries, to present “Alegría,” a film version of one of the many Cirque du Soleil shows in which she has performed. Gagnon held a Q-and-A session with the audience following the screening.

Each family-friendly show Cirque du Soleil puts on is meant to bring magic to life through performance art. “Alegría,” which translates to “jubilation” in Spanish, tells a story about the passing of time — having the ability to be unaffected by it and the social changes that come with it.

Like most Cirque du Soleil performances, the costumes presented in “Alegría” are elaborately colorful, and are worn as acrobats fly on the trapeze, perform trampoline routines and twirl batons on fire. The cast of characters includes kings’ fools, minstrels, beggars, old aristocrats and children.

The film also shows instances of audience participation, including pulling members of the audience on stage to dance with cast members, further enhancing the viewer’s experience at home by displaying how a live performance would be.

After the film ended, Gagnon opened the Q-and-A session to the students present at the film screening. She discussed how the troupe and film crew were able to translate a live performance from stage to screen.

“We practiced for two weeks to prepare for it,” Gagnon said. “We had to learn to move differently because of the nine cameras.”

Some questions were asked about performing for the shows. As musicians, Gagnon said, they all have to be in tune with not only themselves, but the other artists, as well. To help with timing, each musician has a metronome playing in an earpiece.

One student asked if there was anything needed to change with makeup and costumes for the film.

“Yes,” Gagnon answered, “because there was different lighting that we had to work with.”

Before every show, Gagnon said she mentally prepares herself by meditating in some way, whether it’s by doing tai chi or simply sitting still.

Traveling is one of the main components of Cirque du Soleil performances, aside from putting on the actual show. Gagnon said the cast and crew travel by whatever vehicle is most efficient, depending on where the next show is located.

“I’ve been living out of my suitcase for so long. For the newer performers, it’s sometimes hard,” Gagnon said. “They come in very excited and eager, but as we perform several shows over the year, the excitement dies down a bit.”

She said the company is like a small city, with more than 50 people working together. They even have a school set up for child performers.

Because Gagnon has been with the troupe for so many years, she said the show and its members have become like a family to her. She loves performing on stage — the orchestra is in this particular film version of the show — and in the pit.

“I prefer being near the audience, though, because I feel more connected with them,” Gagnon said.

Although a small number of students went to the event, Julia Newman, a freshman in Newhouse and the College of Arts and Sciences, said she thought the presentation was entertaining and informative.

Natasha del Amo, a freshman political science major, agreed, and said the movie and Q-and-A both went well.

“I came because it was an extra credit opportunity, but I think I was surprised by how good it was,” del Amo said. “It went better than expected.”

Gagnon will speak again on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in Lender Auditorium in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management. She will focus on the business side of Cirque du Soleil, as part of the Bandier program.

Published on September 11, 2013 at 1:56 am

Contact Claudia: ctceva@syr.edu