Photos courtesy of Joya
Joya, the new Cirque du Soleil show that opened in Mexico's Riviera Maya in November, is meeting with rave reviews, with seats virtually sold out for each performance, said Karen Collado, a Joya spokeswoman.
The show, which represents Cirque du Soleil's first permanent production outside of Las Vegas and Orlando, is also the most intimate show ever produced by the company, featuring just 600 seats in a theater-in-the-round setting. "There's no bad seat in the house," said Collado.
In still another first, Joya is the first Cirque du Soleil show to offer dining experiences. "Clients who buy tickets with dining options will have dinners with dishes made with amazing Cirque-style presentations one hour prior to the show," said Collado.
As for the 70-minute show itself, the performance proffers up an artistically rendered tale about a defiant girl named Joya who is transported into a mystical Mayan jungle by her grandfather. "The creators of the show actually traveled all over Mexico to capture different kinds of natural and cultural elements that show a different side of the country," said Collado. Somehow, the show manages to weave monarch butterflies, the artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, mariachis, masked wrestlers and pirates into the story.
The theater is situated in a free-standing complex in front of the Vidanta's Grand Mayan resort, which also includes a restaurant and bar, from which visitors can view the theater.
To date, Collado said the show has been attracting virtually all types of visitors, from singles to couples to families. "We have a lot of families traveling to the Riviera Maya and Cancun area who were looking for an activity where they could spend time together at night," she said.
Guests can choose between four packages, including two that include dinner and champagne, one with champagne, and another for just the show.
Cirque du Soleil's partner in the Joya project is Grupo Vidanta, a resort developer.
In 2018, the two companies will open a Cirque du Soleil theme park in Nuevo Vallarta, the details of which have yet to be released.
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