A love letter, performed live
Drawn to Life is the first stage collaboration between Cirque du Soleil and Disney: the story and imagery of Disney animation interpreted through Cirque's acrobatics, performed only at the Cirque du Soleil theater on Disney Springs' West Side — the former home of La Nouba.
Watch: Drawn to Life by Cirque du Soleil, guided
3 videos · summaries from the actual guidesThe long road to opening night
The show premiered November 18, 2021, after a long pandemic delay, and Laughing Place's opening-night record on this page captures the welcome ceremony: remarks from Walt Disney World president Jeff Vahle and self-described Disney nerd John Stamos, with producer Josh Gad speaking about what Cirque meant to him growing up. This was an event years in the making, and the room knew it.
The music is the bridge
Disney Parks' behind-the-scenes piece follows the original score by Benoît Jutras — who also scored La Nouba — weaving classic Disney animation themes into new music, performed live by musicians perched high in the wings of the theater. If the show has a thesis, it's there: the animation you know, re-heard through the circus.
Who it's for
Disney adults and Cirque fans equally — it's the one nighttime show at Disney Springs built as a full theatrical production rather than a dinner add-on, and the official spot on this page gives the fastest taste of its aerial style.
Sources: the three videos on this page — the opening-night record, the behind-the-scenes music feature, and the official spot — summarized from their entries in our catalog.