An exclusive sneak peek at Cirque du Soleil’s 1st Christmas show

ATLANTA - "’Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house…"

Sure, you already know all the words to Clement Clarke Moore’s classic Christmas poem, "A Visit from St. Nicholas." But it’s one thing to hear those words read aloud from a storybook and another to see them come to life with the kind of magic and whimsy that only Cirque du Soleil can create!

"‘Twas the Night Before by Cirque du Soleil" is the iconic performance company’s first-ever Christmas show, and it’s opening at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre this Friday for a two-weeks-only engagement. Conceived and directed by Cirque du Soleil senior artistic director James Hadley, the show is based on Moore’s poem, using legendary lines from the work to create a new story about a young girl who — according to Cirque du Soleil — "rediscovers the magic of the holidays."

Now, being a Cirque du Soleil show, you know this new holiday extravaganza is going to include jaw-dropping acrobatics performed by talented artists from around the world; featured acts include the Duo Straps, Acro Table, Hotel Cart, and Roller Skate Duo. We’re told there are 26 total cast members, and that they’ll be performing to a soundtrack of holiday classics including "O Holy Night," "O Christmas Tree," and "Deck the Halls."

Presented by Regions Bank Broadway in Atlanta, "‘Twas the Night Before by Cirque du Soleil" opens Friday, Nov. 29 and runs through Sunday, Dec 15 at the Fox Theatre — for showtimes and ticket information, click here. And click the video player in this article to check out our exclusive first look at the show, live from the Fox Theatre’s Marquee Club!