VStar Entertainment Group

VStar Entertainment Group

Company type	Private
Industry	Entertainment
Founded	March 14, 1980 (1980-03-14)
Founder	Vincent Egan
Headquarters	Minneapolis , United States
Products	Family-oriented live stage shows and touring productions (e.g. Sesame Street Live, The Muppet Show, Paw Patrol Live!, Cirque Dreams)

VStar Entertainment Group is a company specializing in family-oriented entertainment productions, with its main office located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. The company is known for producing Sesame Street Live, a live stage tour inspired by the television program Sesame Street. Additionally, it has developed theatrical shows based on popular franchises such as The Muppet Show, Muppet Babies, Paw Patrol, Barney & Friends, Trolls, Bear in the Big Blue House, Dragon Tales, Baby Shark's Big Show!, and Curious George.

Vee Corporation

On March 14, 1980, entrepreneur Vincent Egan established Vee Corporation with the goal of producing a live show featuring characters from Sesame Street. At that time, family-oriented touring productions were relatively scarce. Drawing on his background with Ice Follies, Egan secured a licensing deal with Children's Television Workshop after partnering with investor Gordon Stofer. Stofer’s Norwest Growth Fund acquired a 50% stake for $500,000, while Egan also contributed his own capital to launch the enterprise.

The premiere of Sesame Street Live took place in September 1980 at the Metropolitan Sports Center in Bloomington, Minnesota. Although initial attendance varied across venues, adjustments to marketing strategies and script content resulted in a successful four-week engagement at Madison Square Garden’s Felt Forum, where approximately 100,000 people attended. By around 2000, Egan purchased Norwest’s share and broadened the company’s scope by establishing two branches: Vee Costumes & Creatures and Vee Production Services, thereby diversifying its operations.

Blue Star

Founded prior to 1995 by Sanjay Syal, Blue Star Productions initially concentrated on trade show events. In 2011, Syal expanded the business by launching Blue Star Media along with the traveling exhibition Discover the Dinosaurs. This event quickly scaled to over 120 annual shows and became one of the premier family attractions in the United States. In June 2014, AUA Private Equity invested via a leveraged buyout. That same year, a tented version of Discover the Dinosaurs was introduced at various state fairs, contributing to 14% of total yearly attendance.

VStar Entertainment Group

On April 1, 2015, Blue Star Media acquired VEE Corporation under the leadership of CEO Sanjay Syal. Vincent Egan remained involved as a consultant following the merger that created VStar Entertainment Group, merging strengths in consumer-focused and family entertainment productions. Later that year in August, VStar collaborated with the Pro Football Hall of Fame to produce a mobile touring experience. In April 2016, Eric Grilly joined as CEO after departing Comcast Sports Group to spearhead strategic expansion efforts.

In November 2016, Sesame Workshop awarded Feld Entertainment the license for a new Sesame Street Live production, which led to VStar concluding its arena shows by July 2017. Despite this change, VStar continued producing other Sesame Street-related performances and supporting USO tours while sustaining its costume manufacturing capabilities.

In January 2017, VStar further grew by acquiring Cirque Productions based in South Florida. Neil Goldberg, founder of Cirque Productions, remained as president of Cirque Dreams, enhancing VStar’s portfolio in live theatrical entertainment.

Consequences

On July 5, 2018, Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group completed the acquisition of VStar Entertainment Group, incorporating its portfolio of family-oriented entertainment properties. Nevertheless, due to financial difficulties, Cirque du Soleil sought bankruptcy protection in Canada and filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy in the United States in mid-2020.

Productions

• The Muppets:
  • Sesame Street Live (September 17, 1980 – July 2017)
  • The Muppet Show
    • Touring editions (1984–1990)
  • Muppet Babies live tours (1986–1990)
  • Bear in the Big Blue House
    • Surprise Party (2001–2002)
    • A First Time for Everything (2003–2004)

Cirque Dreams

• Cirque Dreams Holidaze (2007–present)
• Cirque Jungle Fantasy
• Cirque Dreams & Dinner (Norwegian Cruise Line performances)
• Cirque Dreams Rocks
• Cirque Dreams Unwrapped
• Cirque Dreams Revealed

Nickelodeon

• Paw Patrol Live! (2016 – present)
  • Race to the Rescue (2016 – present)
  • The Great Pirate Adventure (2017 – present)
  • Heroes Unite (2023 – present)
• Bubble Guppies Live! Ready to Rock (2017–2018)
• Baby Shark's Big Broadwave Tour (2024 – future dates)

Nick Jr.

• Nick Jr. Live! Move To The Music (2019–2022)

Additional Productions

• Curious George Live! (2009–2011)
• Discover the Dinosaurs exhibition and touring presentations (2011–present)
• Ice Age exhibit expansion (since December 2014)
• Stage show extensions and adaptations
• My Little Pony Live: The World's Biggest Tea Party (2006–2008)
• Dragon Tales Live – Missing Music Mystery (2001–2006)
• Care Bears Live – Caring and Sharing Friends (2005–2006)
• Kidz Bop World Tour (2007–2008)
• Barney Live in Concert – Birthday Bash! (2010–2011)
• Hello Kitty's Supercute Friendship Festival (2015–2016)
• Trolls Live! (2019–2022)

Sports

• The "Honor the Heroes" tour, launched October 17, 2015, showcased Football Hall of Fame inductees including Tim Brown, Joe Greene, Charles Haley, Randall McDaniel, Warren Moon, and Fran Tarkenton. This tour featured four key components: Legacy Hall presenting holographic busts alongside memorabilia; Traditions Stage with NFL Films screenings and interactive sessions; Impact Zone offering football skill challenges; and the Hall of Fame Locker Room retail store.

• NBA Jam

Divisions

• VStar Production Services: focuses on creating and fabricating exhibits, props, and scenic elements for corporate functions, entertainment venues, and museums.

• VStar Costumes & Creatures: specializes in crafting costumes and puppetry for events, sports franchises, and theatrical productions.