Immerse yourself in a world of beautiful insects at Cirque du Soleil’s OVO show this fall. The family-friendly experience will premiere at Dickies Arena with five shows that run from Thurs., Sept. 22-Sun., Sept. 25. Keep reading to learn about the OVO story + a behind-the-scenes interview with members of Cirque.
Jump into the show 🐛
It’s been a long time coming — Cirque du Soleil is returning to Fort Worth for the first time since 2017. Back in 2020, the OVO show was scheduled to perform in Cowtown but plans were canceled due to the pandemic.
After a two-year wait, the show is returning with a colorful and vibrant performance featuring 52 acrobats and aerial artists from across the globe. The jaw-dropping performance brings together high-level acrobatic acts like trapeze, slackwire, hand-balancing + juggling often 20 feet in the air.
The story behind the theme 📖
OVO — which means “egg” in Portuguese — begins with a community of insects that were disturbed by a stranger with a large egg. Throughout the show, the audience will be mesmerized by bouncing crickets, a hypnotic spider contorting inside a web + foot juggling ants that explore the beauty of biodiversity.
Plan your visit 🎟️
Fans will have five chances to see the performance over four days. Here’s a full breakdown of the schedule:
- Thurs., Sept. 22 + Fri., Sept. 23 | 7:30 p.m.
- Sat., Sept. 24 | 3:30 p.m. + 7:30 p.m.
- Sat., Sept. 25 | 1 p.m.
Groups with 10+ people should contact the Dickies Arena sales team. Embrace your inner child + purchase your tickets.
Q+A with the OVO artists 🗣️
We’re bugging out — we got the opportunity to talk to Houston-native Kyle Cragle and Canadian Svetlana Mitsuko Delous from the OVO show. We asked them six questions about their journey in Cirque du Soleil + what the audience should expect at their upcoming performance at Dickies Arena.
How did you get into Cirque du Soleil and how long have you been part of it?
Svetlana: I became a ballerina at 5 years old and took a circus class in college out of curiosity. I ended up loving it and progressed pretty quickly because of my background in dance. I was hired by Cirque in 2020 with the OVO show and have been part of the team ever since.
Kyle: I started gymnastics when I was 7 years old and after seeing my first Cirque show when I was 9 I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I moved to Montreal to study at the circus school for five years — majoring in hand-balancing and contortion — before I was hired by Cirque in 2016. I did the show through 2018 before changing positions within Cirque. I became a makeup artist for a few years and post-pandemic I returned to OVO playing the same role. It’s been an amazing opportunity to return to the character and interpret it through a different lens as I’ve grown over the years.
DYK: Kyle was featured on America’s Got Talent as a contortionist, all while dressed in drag and heels.
What role do you play in OVO?
Svetlana: I play the Red Spider — a very dynamic character that’s mischievous, curious, and full of energy. I come out of this fragile cocoon and I experience new life coming into the world and learning how to move. I’m able to use my dance background to translate that movement and energy to the audience.
Kyle: My character is the dragonfly and I interpret that with quick and sharp movements while still maintaining a calmness.
What’s your favorite part of the show?
Svetlana: I love the colony of bugs and the stranger that brings an egg with him — but my favorite part has to be the wall at the end of the show. I get to climb this massive wall and it’s filled with so much energy and dynamics, it’s just the perfect way to end the show.
Kyle: The act with all the ants right before I go on is my favorite. I actually got to watch that scene from an audience perspective recently and by the middle of the number, I was in tears. The movement is very creative and filled with energy — one of my close friends is also part of that act so it’s special to me.
How do you get into character before the show?
Svetlana: The makeup and the costume really bring the character to life. When we train for a role in Montreal, CA, we work with makeup artists who will paint one side of our face and we have to recreate it perfectly. Being able to move my body in peculiar ways really creates a story that brings the character to life.
Kyle: When I do my makeup I get the chance to center in and become part of my character. The Dragonfly is turquoise — so putting that color on my face puts me in a different mood. The second I’m waiting under the stage and I can hear the crowd, the energy just overcomes me and I feel electric.
What do you hope audience members get out of your show?
Svetlana: Let yourself be transported into a different world. Cirque has so much talent and performance to details — it really captivates the audience into a different world.
Kyle: This show transports the audience into a child-like context. We get to magnify this micro world that we step over every day in a very cartoon-like way through props and movement.
What is your favorite place you’ve performed?
Svetlana: London, there was something just so magical about it.
Kyle: I know Svetlana said this, but London. The energy there is just so special. I also got the opportunity to be a part of the BAFTA awards and see Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Lawrence.