Moving Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Iris’: What it takes

So how large an undertaking is it to move one Cirque du Soleil show out of a theater? It’s massive — but manageable with the right equipment and crew. Take a look at what it took:

16: Number of 53-foot semi-trailers used to move the sets

8,000: Number of person-hours spent moving

8 tons: The heaviest piece — the track-and-trolley bridge that hangs over the stage

27 feet: The tallest piece — the Empire State Building flat

1 millimeter: The smallest piece — Swarovski crystals appliquéd to a false eyelash

45,000: Square footage of plastic stretch wrap used

30: Number of road cases used to pack costumes, along with 16 racks

10: Road cases for wigs and makeup

126: Number of panels that make up “Iris” show deck — the scenically painted removable platform that covers the existing Kodak stage

5 square feet: Size of each show deck panel

5: Number of semi-trailers used to move show deck

— Glenn Whipp