From an Oriental Land Co. Press Release…
Oriental Land Co., Ltd. and Cirque du Soleil have reached an agreement to indefinitely close the Cirque du Soleil Theatre Tokyo, located in Tokyo Disney Resort®. Performances of ZED will end on December 31, 2011.
“ZED” premiered on October 1, 2008 at Cirque du Soleil’s first permanent theater in Japan and was set for an indefinite long run at this venue. It proved to be very popular and reached the one-millionth guest milestone faster than any other show in Japan. Through the over 1,000 performances of “ZED,” many people were provided with an additional new way to enjoy Tokyo Disney Resort.
It is with regret, however, that due to the effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake, the business environment for this theatre greatly changed. Based on a review of the expected results and the long-term viability of the show, it was mutually agreed that the business environment would remain extremely difficult; therefore, it was decided to close the show.
Accordingly, the current business partnership with Cirque du Soleil for “ZED” will be dissolved. A study on future use of the theatre facility will be conducted at a later date. Cirque du Soleil will proceed to the redeployment of its staff and artists