Nickelodeon expands relationship with Cirque du Soleil’s VStar to turn franchises into theatrical shows.
Nickelodeon is looking to increase its presence on the stage and is expanding a relationship with Cirque du Soleil’s VStar Entertainment. The new five-year agreement will put characters such as Dora the Explorer and Paw Patrol on stage together for the first time, and VStar will be able to further mine Nickelodeon’s library of children’s properties.
Nickelodeon first teamed up with VStar in 2016, with an onstage version of Paw Patrol, and the shows went on to sell 3m tickets worldwide. Cirque du Soleil, known more for acrobatics and other circus-style acts, acquired VStar in 2018 as part of efforts to diversify its operations.
Nickelodeon recognises that theatre and ice-skating shows for children have become big business and expects the move to offset declining TV ratings, though Viacom CEO Bob Bakish has said that there are signs of improvement.
The first show under the new deal, “Move to the Music,” will feature a mix of characters such as genie friends Shimmer and Shine, and will debut this autumn.
