Cirque du Soleil is as much of a part of the fabric of Las Vegas as financial ruin and alcohol poisoning. And like the Strip itself, reinvention was the name of the game for the venerable stage show stalwart.

 

R.U.N was Cirque’s first action thriller. Fights, stunts, motorcycles flying across the stage, a Robert Rodriguez-penned tale of betrayal and revenge, and a marked lack of whimsical clowns. 

 

We put together press materials for the show. When producer Gabriel Pinkstone said, “If you’re expecting to see our trademark acrobatics in a dream-like, impressionist world, you’re in the wrong place … ‘R.U.N’ is what happens when the stunt people send the acrobats out for coffee and then lock the doors behind them” those were our words coming out of his mouth.

 

To gather all the materials we interviewed Rodriguez, Guardians of the Galaxy and John Wick composer Tyler Bates and more to package together bios, set details, fast facts and more. When stunt bike riders were casually making death-defying jumps off ramps in rehearsal, we were sitting in the theater seats to get the details for the on written collateral. 

 

It was a tale of vengeance. Of lust. Of violence, scheming and plotting. A tale of wrath. And also of wicked cool explosions. Especially the explosions.