The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil Dances Its Way from San Francisco to Las Vegas in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of The Beatles' First and Only Appearance in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS, Aug. 22, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Cast members from The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil, Southwest Airlines and McCarran International Airport joined together today to commemorate the 50^th Anniversary of The Beatles' historic Las Vegas arrival in 1964. In celebration of the band's first and only visit, cast members from LOVE took the same route the Fab Four did 50 years ago by taking a Southwest flight from San Francisco to Las Vegas while travelers arriving from all over the globe were treated to surprise performances from the critically acclaimed show inside McCarran's Terminal 1 baggage claim.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7290651-cirque-du-soleil-southwest-airlines-mccarran-international-airport-team-for-the-beatles-love-50th-anniversary/

"It's hard to believe Beatlemania swept the United States 50 years ago," said Tim Smith, Artistic Director for LOVE. "We at LOVE are delighted to keep that spirit alive every night at The Mirage in Las Vegas.  It was natural for us to want to honor The Beatles and their fans by celebrating the only way we at Cirque du Soleil know how – with exhilarating live performances that bring the music of The Beatles to life."

Earlier in the day cast members surprised guests at San Francisco International Airport with a special performance prior to boarding a Southwest flight to Las Vegas. During the flight, passengers were treated to in-flight giveaways as they posed for photos with the cast.

"We love to create special moments onboard our flights," said Linda Rutherford, Southwest Airlines Vice President Communication and Outreach.  "Celebrating this historic flight with The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil is a fun and unique way to leave a lasting memory with our customers."

The celebration continued at McCarran International Airport's baggage claim as travelers were greeted with pop-up performances by the LOVE cast. The performances featured a special arrangement of three of The Beatles' biggest hits including "Get Back," "Drive My Car" and "Sgt. Pepper," with LOVE performers dancing on top of the carousels and acrobats flipping on trampolines as a vintage 1960s Volkswagen Beetle was driven through baggage claim.

LOVE, a Cirque du Soleil creation and co-production with Apple Corps Ltd., celebrates the musical legacy of The Beatles and is presented exclusively at The Mirage in Las Vegas. LOVE marks the first time that The Beatles and Apple Corps Ltd. agreed to a major theatrical partnership. The project was born out of a personal friendship and mutual admiration between the late George Harrison and Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte.

The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil opened to rave reviews on June 30, 2006 and has played to more than six million audience members.  LOVE is the recipient of three GRAMMY Awards.

ABOUT CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is now a major Quebec-based organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. The company has close to 4,000 employees, including 1,300 performing artists from close to 50 different countries. Cirque du Soleil who celebrates its 30^th anniversary this year has brought wonder and delight to close to 150 million spectators in more than 300 cities in over forty countries on six continents.

Cirque du Soleil has eight permanent productions in Las Vegas: Mystere at Treasure Island; "O" at Bellagio; Zumanity, The Sensual Side of Cirque du Soleil at New York-New York Hotel & Casino; KÀ at MGM Grand; The Beatles LOVE at The Mirage; CRISS ANGEL Believe at Luxor; Zarkana at ARIA Resort & Casino; Michael Jackson ONE at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. For more information, visit the Cirque du Soleil website at www.cirquedusoleil.com/lasvegas.  Join the conversation on Twitter @Cirque #BeatlesLOVE. Like us on Facebook.

ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
In its 43rd year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by more than 45,000 Employees to more than 100 million Customers annually. Based on the most recent data available from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Southwest is the nation's largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded.  The airline also operates the largest fleet of Boeing aircraft in the world to serve 93 destinations in 40 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and five near-international countries. Some flights are operated by wholly owned subsidiary AirTran Airways. Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known for its triple bottom line approach that takes into account the carrier's performance and productivity, the importance of its People and the communities it serves, and its commitment to efficiency and the planet. The 2013 Southwest Airlines One Report™ can be found at southwest.com/citizenship.

From its first flights on June 18, 1971, Southwest Airlines launched an era of unprecedented affordability in air travel described by the U.S. Department of Transportation as "The Southwest Effect," a lowering of fares and increase in passenger traffic wherever the carrier serves. With Southwest Airlines, Bags Fly Free ® (first and second checked pieces of luggage, size and weight limits apply), and there are no change fees (fare difference may apply) when you need to change your flight. Southwest's fleet offers leather seating and the comfort of full-size cabins, a majority of which are equipped with satellite-based WiFi connectivity over the United States, which enables live and video-on-demand TV currently FREE compliments of DISH, and a new, sustainable cabin interior. Southwest acquired AirTran Airways in May 2011 and by the end of 2014 intends to complete the full integration of the AirTran network into Southwest. With 41 consecutive years of profitability, the People of Southwest and AirTran operate more than 3,600 flights a day. Southwest Airlines' frequent flights and low fares are available online at southwest.com or by phone at 800-I-FLY-SWA.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7290651-cirque-du-soleil-southwest-airlines-mccarran-international-airport-team-for-the-beatles-love-50th-anniversary/

SOURCE Cirque du Soleil