Cirque Theatre Troupe Goes Virtual for “Alvie” Benefit Performance
YouTube hosts play benefiting HopeLink of Southern Nevada
To benefit HopeLink of Southern Nevada (HopeLink) families devastated by the financial impact of COVID19, award-winning theatre company, A Public Fit, alongside author and director Gabriella Giocomo will broadcast a pre-recorded cast reading of Alvie: A Nouveau Cirque Play, created by author and director Gabriella Giocomo. The performance will broadcast for free on YouTube from Thursday, Sept. 17 through Sunday, Sept. 20.
Presented by the Best of Las Vegas award-winning theatre company A Public Fit, with Gabriella Giocomo at the directorial helm, the 13-member volunteer cast features guest performers from Las Vegas stages, circus artists and some of the community’s finest actors in this online performance with a fun, new original script. Alvie is a warm and humorous performance that follows the story coming-of-age of a girl who spent her childhood surrounded by the contemporary circus world. All scenes were recorded over Zoom and edited as one with the show’s storyboard and stage directions. The performance also includes two featured acts by Cirque du Soleil artists.
“We’re happy to have a way to perform, and for a good cause,” said Gabriella Giocomo. “Alvie is a project close to my heart and it’s been wonderful to watch this cast bring their unique skills to flesh it out,” Giocomo added. “The entire cast is performing for free in hopes that viewers will contribute to HopeLink’s efforts to help heal the Las Vegas community.”
The cast will include – Narée Asherian (in the main role of Alvie), Marcus Weiss (a circus artist in the role of Cyril), Erik Amblad (an actor and director playing Barnaby), Thomas Hanson (acrobat of The Beatles LOVE playing Jack), Ginger Ana Griep Ruiz (aerialist of Cirque du Soleil playing Victoria), Timothy Cummings (a circus artist playing Kinney), Dina Emerson (an actress and longtime singer with Cirque du Soleil playing Deb), Casey Weems (most recently seen in FRIENDS! The Musical parody, playing Claire), Jake Staley (frequent onstage actor playing Miles), Gabriella Giocomo (author, director and performer playing Maggie), Jorge Luis (playing Fernando), Adriane McLean (playing Zeynab) and Grabeila Strahan (playing Kim). For more information about the theatre company A Public Fit, visit www.apublicfit.org and watch for the upcoming podcast “Behind the Buzzz” where you access your favorite podcasts.
“Sometimes the worst of times bring out the best in people,” said Stacey Lockhart, HopeLink’s executive director, “Our local performing arts community has been shut down by the pandemic with many struggling to get by, yet they’ve come together to create something beautiful to help strangers they may never meet all to continue to do what they love most and to share it with others. In my opinion, this is the heart of generosity, compassion and philanthropy in its truest form.”
The YouTube link to the free performance will be posted on HopeLink’s Facebook page at 4 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, and will be available through Sunday, Sept. 20 at midnight. Anyone interested in donating to help benefit the cause is encouraged to donate to HopeLink at www.link2hope.org. For more information on HopeLink, please visit their website link2hope.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
About HopeLink of Southern Nevada
HopeLink of Southern Nevada, a 501(c)(3) founded in 1991, serves Southern Nevada with housing, food, medical, employment, shelter, utility and low-income child, family, senior and homeless assistance programs from its offices at 178 Westminster Way in Henderson and 3535 W. Sahara Avenue in Las Vegas. HopeLink, now in its 29th year, is a designated Family Resource Center (FRC) in Clark County operating on donations from individuals, corporate giving, foundations, grants and annual fundraising events. For more information, visitwww.link2hope.org. Follow us on Facebook at, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. (NOTE: HopeLink of Southern Nevada is not affiliated with other HopeLinks in Washington State, Indiana or elsewhere.)