In addition to being entrusted by MGM, the world's leading entertainment company, with the architecture, design and theatre design of a performance venue in Macau, the Montreal-based company Scéno Plus will also be responsible for the creation and production of the first three shows to be presented there in 2017 and 2018.
MONTREAL, May 15, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - In October, the Montreal-based company Scéno Plus will present the grand opening of the MGM Theater in Macau, a state-of-the-art 1,800-seat, multipurpose performance venue. This is the 3rd performance venue created by the Montreal company for the multinational MGM to open in less than a year, after the Park Theater (Las Vegas) and The Theater at MGM National Harbor (Washington D.C). In addition to entrusting Scéno Plus with the design and scenography of the MGM Theater in Macau, MGM also sought out Quebec expertise and creativity by tasking the Montreal-based company with the creation and production of the first three shows to be presented there starting in November 2017! Scéno Plus has therefore decided to broaden its horizons by adding an all-new division, Scéno Plus Production. With a team made up of some of the biggest names in the Quebec entertainment industry, Scéno Plus is once again venturing into the production of major shows!
A performance venue and three shows "made in Montreal"!
Entirely conceptualized and developed by Quebec designers, the MGM Theater and the 3 productions with bold artistic and scenographic ambitions were created and developed in Montreal over the last 20 months. The scenographic elements (which notably include the world's largest indoor LED screen), costumes, video and music were all designed and tested in Montreal and will eventually be sent to Macau! In addition, all the rehearsals and the first artistic and technical sequences will take place in Montreal on several sets at Scène Éthique in Varennes starting in June before leaving for China in August.
Quebecers represent 90% of the production team for these shows, which target Chinese audiences! The economic benefits for Montreal are considerable, with over 200 jobs created and several million dollars' worth of contracts awarded to local businesses. Given that the architecture, design and many elements of the venue – from the swivel-seat system to the decorative features – were created in Montreal, and that the design and production of the shows are the result of Quebec know-how, you could almost say that, starting in the fall, Chinese audiences in Macau will be immersed in a "100% made in Quebec" environment!
"This project was possible thanks to the quality of the designers and artisans from Quebec's entertainment industry, who brought their talent, passion and unique expertise, and most of all, their outward-looking attitude." – Patrick Bergé, President of Scéno Plus.
Although Scéno Plus is world-renowned as a leader in the design of spaces for creating and showcasing the performing arts, having most notably designed Céline Dion's famous Colosseum in Las Vegas as well as the O theatre at the Bellagio, the company is a new player in the production of large scale, international shows. However, this is not their first foray into show production. In its early days, Scéno Plus worked as executive producer for several shows in Quebec including Starmania (1986), award shows (the ADISQ and Gémeaux awards ceremonies in 1987), Offenbach (1985) and Diane Dufresne (1986). Because of the expertise that they had developed in design, scenography and performance venue architecture, they no longer had time for production, so, in the early '90s, they decided to focus on the architecture and creation of spaces for the performance arts. Now, show production represents a return to their roots for this Montreal-based company founded in 1985.
MGM and Scéno Plus: A thriving business relationship.
The MGM Theater in Macau will be the 3rd theatre designed by Scéno Plus for MGM and inaugurated this year, after the Park Theater (Las Vegas) and The Theater at MGM National Harbor (Maryland). Since February, the Park Theater in Las Vegas has hosted internationally renowned artists such as Cher and Ricky Martin, who will make his residency debut there. The only theatre in Las Vegas opening on to a public park and featuring a full glass facade, the Park Theater is considered the entertainment capital's most immersive venue thanks to a 728 m2 projection surface designed by Scéno Plus. Olivier Berthiaume-Bergé, a 32-year-old Scéno-Plus designer based in Montreal, designed this new 5,200-seat venue, the company's largest to date.
Located on the banks of the majestic Potomac River in Maryland and on the outskirts of Washington, D.C., the MGM National Harbor is a world-class tourist complex whose reputation attracts visitors from all over the world. The $1.4B project includes a 24-storey boutique hotel, a convention centre, restaurants and a casino with a gaming area measuring more than 11,600 m2. MGM Resorts International turned to Scéno Plus for the construction of a state-of-the-art, 3,000-seat transformable theatre. The level of flexibility of the Theater at MGM National Harbor and the technological solutions designed by Scéno Plus make it a unique venue on the East Coast and the theatre has already attracted the biggest names in entertainment such as Bruno Mars, The Who and R. Kelly. Its transformability and flexibility allow it to host touring artists, sports events, conferences and banquets, thus maximizing its programming capacity.
About Scéno Plus
Founded in 1985, Scéno Plus is an international design firm based in Montreal specializing in the design of performance venues and buildings for cultural or recreational use. To date, the company has created more than 200 performance venues in Montreal and around the world (Usine C, Théâtre d'Aujourd'hui, Théâtre Hector-Charland, the Colosseum (Las Vegas), Bellagio (Las Vegas) and Treasure Island (Las Vegas), to mention only a few). The company offers an exclusive approach of integrated services under one roof: architectural and interior design, theatre design, specialized equipment and technologies, as well as multimedia immersion and interactivity. It recently created a subsidiary, Scéno Plus Production, and has begun producing shows and events.
SOURCE Scéno Plus
For information, visuals and interviews: Laurence Chartrand, Communications Manager T : 514-529-4364 | lchartrand @scenoplus.com
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