Avant-garde theater pioneers Cirque du Soleil will bring one of their shows to New Orleans’ Smoothie King Center February 1-5.

Dubbed Toruk – The First Flight, this particular production is inspired by James Cameron’s massively popular 2009 film “Avatar.” It’s a rather bizarre source of inspiration for a troupe that has developed an international reputation for pushing the boundaries of large-scale performance art, but then again, weird themes have always been part of Cirque du Soleil’s charm.

Toruk’s story is “set thousands of years before the events depicted in the film.” It is also the first Cirque du Soleil production to feature video projected special effects, backtrack lighting and a visually interactive set design.

Tickets for Toruk are now on sale. A full list of the scheduled New Orleans performances can be found below.

In related news, tragedy struck the set of Cirque du Soleil’s LUZIA last night in San Francisco when a member of the show’s crew was killed after being struck by a telescopic lift.

Toruk New Orleans Schedule:

– Wednesday, February 1st – 7:30 pm show

– Thursday, February 2nd – 7:30pm show

– Friday, February 3rd – 7:30pm show

– Saturday, February 4th – Two shows:  4:00pm and 8:00pm

– Sunday, February 5th – 1:00pm show