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During his times on stage, Pring says, “I’m the
only man with heavy makeup on. I never had to
wear such heavy makeup in my life! It’s a long
process to put it on, hut it’s fun.” (Of course it is!)
As Fire, Pring interacts with Water, Earth
and Air. Compared to them, he says, “My
character is more the hardcore, kung fu,
ass-whipping guy.” (Think butch in drag.)
“I appear throughout the show, kind of like
the annoying little brother. He’s the catalyst,
trying to provoke everybody, the little fire.”
Dancers, really cute boys, a lot of French
people, costumes, makeup— you’d think the
place would be crawling with queers, wouldn’t
you? “No, not at all,” says Pring. “I’m probably
one of three, four.” Fortunately, one of those is
a little clown named Felipe.
ly mean much,” he says, then pauses. “But
maybe it did mean something at that time. He
tells the story much better than 1 do."
Regardless, Pring continues on about how the
French clown, who had only been with the com
pany a few weeks himself, “ran backstage" to tell
a fellow performer about the gorgeous hoy in the
audience. According to Pring, the friend replied,
“You’ll meet a lot of people in the audience,” to
which Felipe shot back “No, this one is special."
Turned out he was right. “When I went
backstage to be introduced to everybody,”
Pring relates, “he poked his friend and said,
‘T hat’s the guy from the audience.’ His friend
said, ‘You fool, that’s the new Fire!’ ”
So the fools fell in love “at first sight,” Pring
says. “It was funny because he would play
onstage and he’d keep looking at me, and he
said, i swear to God, sometimes the spotlight
ast fall when Pring was accepted into
was on you....’ It’s really gushy-gushy.”
Cirque, he traveled to Montreal for a
The two are going on eight months now
¡-«•»month of training. Upon arrival, he attend
ed the group’s evening show and “made eye
with the company, enjoying all the travel and
contact” with one of the clowns. “It didn’t real-
seeing a lot of sights together. “We’re so happy;
we’ve had a really great relationship. We get
along very well; I think I’m very lucky.”
Pring says members of the company have
been incredibly supportive. “They’re just so
happy we’re together.... I haven’t found myself
yet in a place where it’s not supported...I
wouldn’t stay. It’s important for me to feel
comfortable.”
But just because there aren’t many queers
doesn’t mean there isn’t any, well, queemess.
Pring points out the show’s two “narrators”—
one male, one female— who come onstage to
sing between acts. The male role has always
been “ambiguous,” he says, “because his voice
is a contratenor, which means he sings in
falsetto...in heavy makeup, and he wears the
long feather gown.”
To prove his point, Pring proudly states that
South Park has done a spoof of Cirque du Soleil,
specifically of that very character. “It was hilari
ous,” he exclaims. “They absolutely got it.” JP1
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Call (503) 790-ARTS or Toll Free (866) PDX-OPERA.
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800-678-5440 or www.cirquedusoleil.com.