Curiocity: New Cirque Show 'Wonderland' Set For Holidays

A new production coming to Mystic Lake Casino promises to go beyond a holiday celebration and fully immerse its audience into holiday captivation.

Cirque Dreams Holidaze returns to the Mystic stage for the winter season but this time, with a new twist. Original co-founder of the Cirque brand, Neil Goldberg, has created an updated show called, "A New Wonderland," which is a change from the previous performance that came to Minnesota.

Goldberg said the show is truly a celebration of the holiday season, starting with Thanksgiving and going all the way to New Year's.

"The show is a combination of holiday favorites, things that people would hear on the radio as well as a lot of original music," he said.

The cast for Cirque Dreams features more than 30 performers, with each portraying a different aspect of the holiday season.

"Whether they be from holiday ornaments or penguins on skates, a lot of very creative artistry and a lot of never before seen things, especially since our show has been at Mystic Casino in the past," Goldberg said. "There will be a lot of new and exciting things for audiences to see."

The non-stop, 80-minute show is packed with more than 300 costumes, all further displaying the holiday spirit coming to life on stage. While the Holidaze show itself has been touring around the country for the last two seasons, "A New Wonderland" is a redesign that will premiere for the first time at Mystic, starting Dec. 1.

"There's some magic, there's some illusion, there's live singers, there's some fun audience participation, all the amazing 'wow' things that audiences look forward to seeing -- you know, performer hanging in the air and dangling from their feet, contorting, defying gravity, that's all there. But when you add the staging and the theatrics of holiday-inspired marching bands and different things like that, it just takes it to another level," Goldberg said.

Beyond the high-flying acts, he said the show includes a world-class skip roping troop (that got the attention of "America's Got Talent") and a couple doing a rendition of "Holy Night" – where the woman performs en pointe, using her partner's body as her canvas.

Those that enjoy other Cirque shows will get a bit of an added bonus with Holidaze. It's that same "artistry of the human body and the imagination of the mind," Goldberg said, but with this show, it comes at a much more intimate level.

Besides being a great family show, it's also jam-packed full of entertainment, ensuring there's truly something for everyone, no matter what age, Goldberg said.

Perhaps one of the best compliments he's gotten about the show, he said, is its affect on the audience's spirit.

"After audiences and fans see the show, they said it put them in the holiday spirit and they just wanted to go out and go shopping," he said. "These are some challenging times that we live in today and I think if you're looking for something to put a smile on your face and just escape reality and pay tribute to the reality of the time period we're in, this is the show for you."

"Cirque Dreams Holidaze: A New Wonderland" begins Dec. 1 through Dec. 11 in the Mystic Showroom at Mystic Lake Casino. Tickets are $26 and $34. For more information or to buy tickets, click here.