Totem is a touring show by Cirque du Soleil that premiered in Montréal on April 22, 2010. It was written and directed by previous collaborator Robert Lepage(Kà). Cirque du Soleil describes Totem's theme as the evolution of humanity from its primordial, amphibian state toward the aspiration of flight, taking inspiration from many of humanity's founding myths. The show was awarded the 2013 New York Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience. All of Cirque du Soleil's previous touring productions were originally created to be performed inside large, custom-designed tents (called the grand chapiteau), but many of those shows have since been re-staged in arenas and other venues after the conclusion of their "big top" tour.Totem's creation team faced the challenge of designing a show that could be adapted for arenas and other venues from the outset.Totem began its tour in Canada (Montreal and Quebec) before heading to Europe (Amsterdam). This was a change from the usual touring routes, the next stop usually being San Francisco, as Cirque already had three touring shows (Ovo, Koozå andAlegría) in the United States

 

Cirque du Soleil's Grand Chapiteau (big top) is starting to take shape at the Santa Monica Pier on Tuesday, January 7, 2014. 

A person works on Cirque du Soleil's Grand Chapiteau (big top) on Thursday, January 9, 2014.

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