"Cirque du Soleil's Kurios — Cabinet of Curiosities" debuted Thursday night in the Big Top tent near the United Center, 1901 W. Madison St. The touring show runs in Chicago through Sept. 20.

Tickets, which range from $35-$145, are available online.

To celebrate the show's arrival in Chicago, here are six facts about the inspiration, cast and crew of the production.

• "Kurios" brings Cirque back to its roots.

Inspired by cabinets of curiosities — the precursor to museums — the whimsical "Kurios" brings Cirque du Soleil back to its humble Québec beginnings, said Amélie Robitaille, the production's publicist. Back in 1984, Cirque was just a band of colorful characters striding on stilts, juggling, dancing, breathing fire and playing music on the street.

 

"Before Cirque became the world-renowned name that it now is, it was 20 street performers," Robitalle said on site Wednesday. "Kurios" "is really high tech in some points, but we wanted to keep it really mechanical — [focused] on human power."

To do that, "Kurios" includes a number of traditional circus disciplines "presented in a different way," and incorporates Cirque's lowest stage ever so the performers can best interact with the audience, Robitaille said.

"We want to keep them on the edge of their seat," she said.

The cast includes acrobatics, contortionists, an aerial bicyclist and high-flying "acro net" artists, who pirouette, bounce and rebound on a net that covers the entire stage.

"Kurios" is Cirque du Soleil's 35th production since 1984. There are currently 19 different Cirque shows in operation — 10 resident shows and 8 touring shows.

Today, the company employs close to 4,000 employees, including 1,300 artists from more than 50 countries.

• The show's director worked on Madonna's Super Bowl halftime show.

In 2012, Cirque's writer/director Michel Laprise collaborated with pop star Madonna, providing artistic direction for her performance at the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show. He later went on to direct her "MDNA" tour. 

Antanina Satsura, the artist who plays Mini Lili in "Kurios," is 3.2 feet tall and weighs 39 pounds.

"Kurios" is the first of Cirque du Soleil's shows to feature a welcoming act on top of the Big Top tent before the show starts. As weather allows, three performers will climb atop the tent to welcome audience members, playing music and acting.

"Kurios'" 46 performers are from 14 different countries, and the 109 tour members include newbies and veterans who have more than 20 years of touring experience with Cirque.

To make the Accordion Man's attire, a "Kurios" costume maker spent an entire week sewing inside the costume. 

There are 426 props used in "Kurios," the most of any show in Cirque du Soleil's history. The team of prop makers spent about 250 hours alone building the show's Micro-Cosmos ball.

The famous British artist Banksy is back with a brand new project called “The Walled Off Hotel,” and people can literally sleep inside this work of art. Located in Bethlehem, Palestine it offers the ‘worst view in the world’ with windows overlooking the controversial wall that separates the West Bank from Israel.

From the budget room, outfitted with surplus items from an Israeli military barracks, to the presidential suite with a plunge bath, a roof garden, home cinema, and other lavish features, this hotel (former pottery workshop) will officially open on March 11, with beds starting from $30/night.

Banksy and his team have spent 14 months establishing the hotel and decorating it with murals, paintings, and various installations. “[It’s] a three-storey cure for fanaticism, with limited car parking,” he said.

Image credits: The Walled Off Hotel

But aside from the wonderful interior filled with various artworks, it has one drawback on the outside

Image credits: 

The infamous wall barrier between Israel and Palestine is right next-door and you can actually see it through the window

Image credits: The Walled Off Hotel

“[It’s] a three-storey cure for fanaticism, with limited car parking,” Banksy said

Image credits: The Walled Off Hotel

The hotel has nine unique rooms and one presidential suite as well as an art gallery showcasing works created in Palestine

Image credits: The Walled Off Hotel

Bookings for the low-cost options start at $30/night, so if you’ve always wanted to visit Palestine now is the time

Image credits: Thomas Coex

Image credits: The Walled Off Hotel

Image credits: The Walled Off Hotel

Image credits: The Walled Off Hotel

Image credits: The Walled Off Hotel

Image credits: The Walled Off Hotel

Image credits: The Walled Off Hotel

Image credits: The Walled Off Hotel

Image credits: The Walled Off Hotel

Image credits: The Walled Off Hotel

Image credits: The Walled Off Hotel