Greatest show on Earth arrives in Philly

By Lisa Angelucci
Collegian Editor
April 26, 2006

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! If you’re looking for entertainment that is out of the ordinary, the Wachovia Spectrum will be your place when Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey bring the 136th edition of The Greatest Show on Earth to Philadelphia. The show runs from April 20-30, often with several shows a day.

This year’s circus is an all-new version of the Barnum & Bailey classic. The show has received several modern updates, including the elimination of the three-ring circus and the addition of a 360-degree stage. The ringmaster has been replaced by a “songstress extraordinaire,” none other than American Idol finalist, Jennifer Fuentes. As her inclusion in the show would suggest, the traditional circus music has been put aside in favor of a pop-inspired score.

Philadelphians will be treated to performances of the blue tour, one of three Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey shows. The red and gold tours are currently performing elsewhere in the country. The blue tour, “Circus of Dreams,” is presented in two acts. The first act includes the opening parade and the selection of a family of four to run away and join the circus. Needless to say, this family of four is actually a group of circus performers who pretend to be aspiring dancers, ringmasters and aerialists.

In the entire production, there are 120 performers, 150 crew members, 57 animals and 50 birds. The performers and the animals combine with cutting-edge technology and fast paced action to create an avant-garde version of the traditional circus. Many of the performances are spoofs of pop culture, including Fuentes’s appearance as “Missy Elephant.” Other acts include Madame Shamsheeva with her birds and Persian cats, foot juggling by the Shenzhen Acrobatic Troupe and Wellington Silva and his upside-down foot looping and trapeze act.

The show has taken an inspirational path with “Circus of Dreams.” The finales of each act are named the “Power of Imagination Spectacle” and the “Dream Big Finale,” respectively. Although the audience family selected to join the circus is made up of actors, spectators are able to participate if they purchase a Circus Celebrity ticket. For $73 each, audience members are guaranteed center ring seats and the chance to be pulled onstage into the action by dancers and clowns.

If you’re like me, and you think the idea of clowns pulling you from your comfortable seat is a little creepy, there are cheaper seats that range in price from $12 to $48 per ticket. There are other special events scheduled for all ticket holders, and those in the cheaper seats are guaranteed that the clowns will leave them alone.

Any ticket holder is welcome to attend the Three Ring Adventure pre-show for pictures and autographs from the performers. The pre-show begins about one hour before showtime and includes the “Circus Fit” extravaganza in which participants are encouraged to lead healthy lifestyles in order to remain in circus -performance shape.

Ticket holders are also invited to meet the animals and their caretakers before the show. “Meet the animal” sessions are one hour long and end 30 minutes before showtime. The animals are unusual and include everything from alpacas (a South American animal that resembles a sheep) to Zedonks (an unfortunate cross between a zebra and a donkey).

This new version of the circus is a bit flashy and definitely unconventional, but the experience is still exciting. With the addition of this modern tour, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey once again try to prove that they really are the greatest show on earth.

angeluccil1@lasalle.edu