FUSION Productions Returns to the Stage After Four-Year Pause
MONCTON – FUSION Productions will have its first production in four years this coming fall. Matt LeBlanc, founder and CEO of FUSION Productions, says he is beyond excited to bring his art to life on stage once again.
LeBlanc is an abstract artist based in Moncton. In 2011, he created FUSION Productions to bring a unique approach to presenting his art.
“Instead of just doing your typical art exhibition, I decided back then to incorporate other stuff in the evening,” LeBlanc tells Huddle. “I remember I had a chef cooking live, and I had musicians, which is basically a different way to showcase your art.”
Initially, FUSION Productions only held shows in Moncton. However, over time it has grown into what people have come to recognize today. It now holds shows across New Brunswick and in Nova Scotia.
Each show is now less of an art exhibition and more of a full production. LeBlanc says every show is themed to have a sort of storyline. Being part film and part performance, FUSION Productions give a sense of art and theatre that other places may lack.
“A lot of people say it kind of reminds them of the Cirque du Soleil,” says LeBlanc. “It is a pretty big show though for a local show, and we’ve grown over the years.”
This fall, FUSION Productions will hold its first production since 2019. That production, AKIKO, will visit six different cities in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with a total of eight shows. LeBlanc says that this will be FUSION’s biggest production so far.
What makes FUSION Productions shows truly stand out, though, is that it recruits performers from each city it visits. This means that although it is one production with all the same storyline, each performance will be unique from the others.
“Because I really felt that this show was very community-based, and we raise funds for local charities, to me it was super important to recruit locally so you get that local flavour in every show,” says LeBlanc.
Although there is a very small group of about six people who travel to each show, LeBlanc says that they are more so staff members than performers. These would be people such as light technicians, makeup artists, and others.
LeBlanc says that with each city, he provides the music and the storyline for the show but the choreography may differ drastically. With each city having different choreographers to maintain that local sense, there will be a variety of styles and interpretations while telling the same story.
On average, LeBlanc says that there is usually 30 – 75 local performers per show, depending on the size of the venue and the community.
Tickets for FUSION AKIKO Moncton are on sale now, with tickets for all other locations being available soon.
“Most of our shows, they’ve always been sold out. Like we, knock on wood I don’t want to jinx ourselves for this year, but pre-pandemic all the shows were sold out, which is amazing,” LeBlanc tells Huddle.
LeBlanc says that all signs are pointing to good this year, with there already being 500 people confirmed for Moncton alone. With tickets going fast, LeBlanc says to keep an eye out for when all other locations go on sale.
Ryley Roach is a Huddle student intern, based in Fredericton. Send her your feedback and story ideas: [email protected]