Cirque Mastermind
Neil Goldberg Brings Dreams to the Stage
Many Miamians remember Neil Goldberg when he was one of the “it” party planners in South Florida. Goldberg has designed and created productions for two Superbowls, the NBA, Disney, Busch Gardens, Six Flags, Miss Universe, NBC, ABC & CBS. He has created and directed shows with the Pittsburgh, Baltimore and New World symphonies; with Marvin Hamlisch & The National Symphony and YoungArts.
These days, Goldberg is the mastermind behind Cirque Dreams, a company based out of the 30,000 square foot Dream Studios production complex in Pompano Beach.
“At the tail end of my party planning career, I had produced almost every kind of event imaginable and for clients ranging from celebrities to Fortune 500 companies,” he said.”It was actually one of those companies that approached me about producing an international entertainment spectacle that required my traveling to various countries to both research and find talent. That’s where the fascination began. Being exposed to unique performance artistry that otherwise is typically not the norm in the U.S. inspired me to create Cirque Productions whose primary focus was presenting this type of talent in a cohesive show that blended my own imagination, design skills and theatre background.”
Over 20 million people worldwide have experienced a Cirque Dreams brand show in theatres, casinos, theme parks, cruise lines, and most recently, Broadway. Goldberg’s Cirque Dreams shows have garnered the praise of critics around the country from USA Today, Associated Press and the New York Times to CNN, Today Show and Fox & Friends. His Cirque Dreams franchise includes: Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy, Cirque Dreams Illumination, Cirque Dreams and Dinner, Pop Goes The Rock, and a new musical Cirque Dreams Holidaze.
Producing these shows has brought Goldberg around the world and he has many memorable anecdotes from his journeys.
“Working in the early 1990’s with the Beijing Acrobatic Association was quite memorable. Their hospitality, tradition and protocol had me escorted all around the city ranging from public events and photo ops at the Great Wall to auditioning hundreds of students filled with ambition and talent hoping for an opportunity to visit America.”
Goldberg has also had the opportunity to discover and develop American talent. One performer stands out to him most of all.
“There is the story of a 17 year old American boy from West Virginia who was working delivering pizza and showed up to an audition for one of my shows at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. His raw talent and undeveloped skills were so impressive that I mentored him for 5 years, eventually culminating with his starring role on Broadway in Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy.”
Most recently Neil produced Cirque Dreams Broadway, featuring Linda Eder and Marc Kudisch and a cast of 140, which premiered at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Center.
In 2013 Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy will be the first ever live touring theatrical production presented in 3D. The original production made Broadway history when it became the first and only cirque show to have ever appeared on Broadway. The show recently re-launched at the MGM Grand Theatre at Foxwoods starring Pop Princess Debbie Gibson in the title role of Mother Nature. A new year-round version of the show has been redesigned as the featured entertainment show at Busch Gardens Tampa along with productions scheduled to tour Europe and South America through 2012.
