Wynn Magazine - Las Vegas
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/49393
right: Built in-the-round, the stage for Le Rêve "puts every audience member into the show," Gray explains. "The last row of the theater is only 40 feet from the water onstage, so we are able to get an incredibly tight audi- ence/actor relationship. That's one of the reasons that Franco intentionally did not use extreme or radicalized makeup that would hide the facial features and bodies of the performers." One notable exception is the comedic character known to the crew as "Winnie," who dons clown makeup and a ringmaster-like ensemble. "His red costume symbolizes him as part of the dream world," explains Gray. "He protects the dreamer and is one of several characters who guides her from one experience to the next." below: During the "Tango" number, dancers on the platform mirror the dance being performed by syn- chronized swimmers in the water below. Gray says the Claude Santerre-designed, in-the-round theater is one of the reasons moments like this work so well: "It forces the audience to focus on the performers, as there isn't a tremendous amount of scenery." Gray also credits the show's success to the storyline. "We identify with and are following the character of the dream. Yet at the same time the audience can still use their imagination and fill in the blanks, making them part of the experience." 84 WYNN PHOTOGRAPHS BY TOMAS MUSCIONICO (LEFT); TOMASZ ROSSA (RIGHT, BELOW LEFT AND RIGHT)