Offstage Magazine by irene mallafre

ACT 1 - ACTION ONE NIGHT IN THE CIRCUS CARAVAN PARADE P.13 THE MIDNIGHT CIRCUS P.20 DRUMROLL, ACTION! P.25

ACT 2 - PASSION A STEP TO JOY THE EXPERIENCE OF MEGAN KEY P.34 COSTUME PANIC! P.43 LET'S HEARTBEAT P.50

ACT 3 - VOCATION THE SEWING WONDERLAND THE ART OF LISA WOOD P.55 JUST ASKING WHY P.60 IS IT TECHNIQUE THE CLUE? P.70

EDITORIAL Welcome to offstage. Apologies if this missive comes across as more rambling than usual. I’ve had some of the underlying material in pieces before but this was the first time I’ve seen it come all together in such a concrete object: the magazine that you have in your hands right now. This publication is a collection of experiences, places, people, hard-work and, certaintly, strong feelings. Going through its pages would allow you to see the life in backstage in the front line. If you’re interested in what goes on behind the scenes, then come along to one of our backstage tours where you’ll get to meet the staff, see where the actors prepare and visit the fascinating old and new buildings that make up The Watermill. This publication is a collection of experiences, places, people, hard-work and, certaintly, strong feelings. Going through its pages would allow you to see the life in backstage in the front line.

ACT 1 ACTION

irgile Peyramaure swings Andrey Mantchev up into a one-handed handstand in the air. Balancing the 115-pound acrobat on his raised arms, Peyramaure lies down and brings his young partner into a headstand – his skull on Peyramaure’s foot. The couple’s hand-tohand act at the Big Apple Circus draws applauses and enthusiastic cheering. Their movements look elegant, almost natural. But as much as talent is part of their act, so is years of practice. Some people are born into the circus life, as their families are in the circus, which is probably the best way to start. It becomes the way you live, plus it is in your blood. You have watched your parents, maybe even your grandparents, and you meet so many different people. The circus life becomes a tight knit family, of people doing a job for the benefit of other people, giving them some enjoyment for their lives. It is not all glamour though, it is lots of hard work, and you might be beside the elephants where you have to sleep in your trailer, or some other smelly animal. You will have to work holidays, weekends, and also the rest of the week. You might be in a bad mood, or just do not feel like doing the act today, but the show must go on, so you do it. If there are only a few people in the audience, you continue to do your job. When you finish in that town, you pack up all the things, get the animals ready, move to another town and do it all over again. This is your life and you love it anyway.

Wander down the alley, Mix and mingle with the crowd, see the sideshows, colored lights and prizes, games of chance with carnies calling out their wares so loud fortune in a hundred different guises.

walk the house of mirrors – Will it show the inner you?

can its tricked-up glass change how you feel? what you look like’s not quite right, and yet you don’t feel blue,

Somehow you can tell it’s not for real.

CIRCUS

w or d s : c h r i s t o p e r g u m n p h o t o gr a p h y : a l e x i s k u n

CARAVAN PARADE

THE CIRCUS BRINGS US MEMORIES OF A LIFETIME

h, the Circus, that magical spell that casts over us at the sights of the huge and colorful Circus Posters on Billboards, tv spots and Commercials of the daring young circus performers on the Flying trapeze followed by tons of thundering performing circus elephants and the wafting smells of freshly cooked popcorn, sawdust, and the circus tents. The arrival of the circus meant the opportunity for many a child to work for their free circus tickets by helping the circus get ready. Maybe they hauled a bucket of water for the circus animals or helped carry parts to the circus tent. Whatever the task, these lucky souls were going to see the circus acrobats, circus animals, those funny old circus clowns, and circus performers under the circus tent for a once in a lifetime experience. Nothing brought more pleasure to the families across this great land than the Circus in America. For over 200 years the general public has been awestruck at the sounds of the first steam engine pulling the circus train into town until the lights finally went out late that night. No where else could you

find the rhythm of eight strong backs swinging a sixteen pound sledge hammer in a sequential unison to drive the five inch round wooden tent stakes in the ground in just a short amount of time. Teams of horses, elephants, tractors, and trucks all pulled wagon after wagon off of the circus trains which were so large it took steam and diesel Locomotives to pull four separate sections of the Circus train into your town. The Vintage circus brought 1500 workers, circus performers, musicians, circus animals, and management staff to make that one day in your town the most fantastic day to remember for a very long time. The Circus was a world of wonder as it arrived, unloaded, started to unfold, and slowly created an entire new town. It is complete with a fulltime restaurant staff, generators to create their own electricity, physicians and veterinarians, Postal services, Legal Counsel, Press Departments, Blacksmiths, mechanics, Wardrobe personnel, designers and choreographers.

" I t j u s t l o o k e d l i k e s o m u c h f u n, l i v i n g i n c a r ava n s , a l l l o o k i n g a f t e r o n e a n o t h e r , c o m m u na l c o o k i n g a n d e at i n G "

CARAVAN PARADE

"The scariest thing I do is probably a 12m drop from the top of the tent, head-first"

CARAVAN PARADE

The Circus was a world of wonder as it arrived, unloaded, started to unfold, and slowly created an entire new town.

"The circus world even included a circus school for the children on the show" It is complete with a fulltime restaurant staff, generators to create their own electricity, physicians and veterinarians, Postal services, Legal Counsel, Press Departments, Blacksmiths, mechanics, Wardrobe personnel, designers and choreographers. The circus world was completely self sufficient and even included a circus school for the children on the show to keep up with their education.

The advance crew for the circus had been here almost two weeks ago now. They had their very own circus train car that was highly decorated like a giant circus poster. Large circuses such as the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus would have as many as four advance cars in front of the circus to promote the arrival of the circus. The circus poster came in many sizes showing circus animals, circus performers, different featured circus acts, circus tents, and the circus train sometimes all on the same poster. A daub of Circus posters covered large areas of a barn or fence making the circus billboards throughout the town.

"It's a difficult way of life to sustain for a long period of time"

CARAVAN PARADE

Inside the massive flapping tents of canvas, was found the mysteries of the world that only had been read about in books or magazines but never seen in person before. The strange, odd, and curious from around the world were there for all to see. People with rubber skin, girls allowing electricity to pass right through their bodies, sword swallowers, fire eaters, natural oddities, and magical illusions were here for one glorious day and one day only. Inside the huge travelling zoo or menagerie were animals from the exotic parts of the world as well as right here at home. Lions, Tigers, Zebras, Giraffes, and the circus Elephants were practically expected when the Circus came to town. So they brought more than you expected like the rare and unusual Burmese White elephants, or the most terrifying creatures ever known like Gorillas, Hippopotamus, Rhinoceros, Sea Elephants, or Water Buffalo. The early morning activities usually included a fine circus parade through the streets of downtown with glamorous Show girls finely costumed, Horsemanship, magnificently carved parade wagons with bands on top, the limber circus acrobats, a display of many of the circus animals, including a line of elephants and the screeching of the boisterous Steam Calliope acting as the Pied Piper to the world to come see the Circus. Once the performance began, the thrill and pure terror of seeing one man facing twenty lions and tigers was amazing but the three ring circus that was full of fun, action, and excitement at the same time was too

much to see all at one. The beautiful spectacles as the paraded around the tent showed many finely costumed circus performers and Circus themes. The daring aerialists and the incredibly loud cannon as it shot a person across the circus tent all remained with us for a lifetime of memories. Circus is a good mean of entertainment. In the past, circus shows were very popular. Young and old, men, women and children, all liked to enjoy a circus show. But now the cinema has pushed the circus in to the background. Children alone "INSIDE now like to visit a circus. The circus owner move from place to WERE place with his company, giving FOUND THE his shows. Circus is a good mean MYSTERIES of entertainment. In the past, circus shows were very popular. OF THE Young and old, men, women and WORLD children, all liked to enjoy a circus show. But now the cinema THAT ONLY has pushed the circus in to the HAD BEEN background. Children alone now READ ABOUT like to visit a circus. The circus IN BOOKS" owner move from place to place with his company, giving his shows. Circus is a good mean of entertainment. In the past, circus shows were very popular. Young and old, men, women and children, all liked to enjoy a circus show.

CARAVAN PARADE

"you feel like you are changing people's lives. You are giving them something that is uplifting to the spirit, It's not the adulation, it's what you instil in other people. That's fantastic. You can't beat it."

"It's a difficult way of life to sustain for a long period of time"

AC T 2 PASSION

THE EXPERIENCE OF MEGAN KEY P.34

COSTUME PANIC! P.43 LET'S HEARTBEAT P.50

s the energy of a circus season wanes, the performers, crew and management, most of whom have spent the better part of a year living in each other’s laps and breathing common air, pack their bags. “See you down the road,” a clown yells to an aerialist as trailer and truck motors fire up across the back lot. “Until we meet again,” a juggler whispers to an acrobat after the music has stopped and the tents are packed. What circus performers, crew and management don’t say to one another is “good-bye,” a sentiment that, under the big top, has all the charm of a mud puddle. It’s a term loaded with bad luck. In the world of circus, a huge cast change between seasons is as normal as a red nose on a clown. Indeed, it is this continual exchange of talent that helps resurrect a show that can become stale and predictable otherwise. And the circus world is such a small one that the chances of a clown from France meeting again the Russian acrobat he shared a ring with years ago in Brazil are very good. “First and foremost, circus people are circus. They’re not French, not Russian, not Italian, but circus. We are a family,” says Circus Historian Dominique Jando.

See you down the road

I work hard every day of my life I work â&#x20AC;&#x2122;til I ache in my bones

At the end of the day I take home my hard earned pay all on my own I get down on my knees

And I start to pray

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Til the tears run down from my eyes Lord, somebody, oh somebody

Can anybody find me somebody to love?

THE EXP ERI ENC E OF THIS YEAR HAS BEEN FULL OF HIGHS AND LOWS. THE CHALLENGES A N D R E WA R D S H AV E B E E N E Q UA L LY E P I C . w or d s : c h r i s t o p e r g u m n p h o t o gr a p h y : a l e x i s k u n

the experience of megan key

AS MY YEAR COMES TO CLOSE, I H AV E B E E N A S K E D T O TA K E SOME TIME AND REFLECT ON W H AT I H AV E L E A R N E D

he circus is a jealous wench. Indeed that is an understatement. She is a ravening hag who sucks your vitality as a vampire drinks blood – who kills the brightest stars in her crown and will allow no private life for those who serve her; wrecking their homes, ruining their bodies, and destroying the happiness of their loved ones by her insatiable demands. She is all of these things, and yet, I love her as I love nothing else on earth.

HERE IS THE LIST OF LESSONS I WILL TAKE WITH ME WHILE I continue my journey

I definitely have no regrets about joining the circus. I think that if I ever do, it will be that I didn’t stay in the circus long enough. There were, of course, times when it was difficult. We sacrificed a great deal when we were developing our act as teenagers, and we had conflicts with each other, our parents and our coach. We also suffered our fair share of injuries. And then there’s the stress that comes with traveling and living on the road. I miss performing with the circus every day. My year with the Big Apple Circus was such a vivid one that I imagine it’ll take a lifetime to digest everything that happened and all the experiences I had. In terms of what I miss the most, it’s difficult to pinpoint an exact thing, but I think I’ve always enjoyed the practice and rehearsal that goes on behind-the-scenes more than anything else.

the experience of megan key

AND DO IT AGAIN & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN AGAIN

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI AGAI

NEVER GIVIN UP

the experience of megan key

IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN IN

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

R NG

& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & &

The entire company will forever be my host family into the Ensemble theatre world. Touchstone gave me a place to grow, instilled tough love whenever necessary, and most importantly, always made room for play. Each one of us struggled and failed, yet found the strength in one another to stand up again. One nugget of wisdom that I will continue to carry with me is the gift of collaboration in the absence of compromise. With an open mind and open heart, we can achieve anything. It’s been a tough year. Much tougher than I ever imagined, and for those reasons I’m relieved to close the chapter called “Touchstone.” But I grew. I grew so much. And I can be nothing but grateful for that. Working at an ensemble theatre company gets one accustomed to being around and relying on a family of artists and company members that surround you constantly. When you get home in the evening and the mob isn’t present, sometimes the silence of an empty house can be deafening. A sense that we’re all in this together. Our theatre is like sitting in someone’s slightly overlarge living room; we create work that literally grows out of our lives and our community. As the Follies curtain was about to open, nowhere was it being more sweetly expressed. I felt a tug, and I could hear the pop of my left calf muscle tearing even over the band playing. I went to step down and the pain was medieval. There I was in the middle of my act, in the middle of the ring, and I couldn’t walk. It’s just plain embarrassing and equally as silly being carried out of a circus tent on a stretcher dressed as a clown. And between the times I was in the ambulance on my way to Mass General until I was medically cleared to go back into the show three weeks later, I was granted a lot of time to reflect.

the experience of megan key

IT’S OKAY IF YOU DON’T GET IT THE FIRST TIME; CHANCES ARE THERE. THERE’S GOING TO BE A SECOND, THIRD, OR TENTH OPPORTUNITY TO GET IT IN THE END.

the experience of megan key

Perhaps it was the painkillers (Percocet taken three times per day with food. My food of choice being ginormous-sized Crumbs Cupcakes.) But as I thought about the past months, I got nostalgic and even a little emotional. I had done it. I had run off and joined the circus. And it wasn’t all popcorn and cotton candy. I left a job I loved, my home, and a very patient wife in order to fulfill a childhood fantasy. And I had to develop a whole new set of performance muscles. For the eight years prior, I’d honed my clowning skills on the pediatric floors of Memorial SloanKettering Cancer Center as Dr. Bovine, clown doctor. And the transition of my hospital clown skill set that was perfectly suited bed-side for one child, to performing alone in a circus ring for 2000 spectators was not just challenging — it was downright frightening.

HAVE FUN WITH THE STRUGGLE. SERIOUSLY...

HAVE

FUN

And it’s ok, almost preferable, if you allow yourself to get a little scared from time to time. In my opinion if you choose to be a performer you had better keep challenging yourself. If you become too comfortable, you run the risk of becoming lazy and then you’re dead in the water. I shifted from a very successful commercial acting career to becoming a professional clown at 38 years old. Scary. I was 44 when I learned to walk stilts on a cruise ship during a hurricane. Pretty damn scary. And I was 3 years shy of my 50th birthday when I first stepped into a circus ring. And every show, right before I stepped into the ring, every time, I had no idea if my act was going to crash and burn or soar. All I could do was take a breath and jump. It’s all worth it when it works, and a tent full of people are laughing and children are smiling and you never feel more alive. If I tell you a secret do you promise not to tell anyone? Promise? Even with all the fear and doubt and hours of driving, the sweat and torn muscles and time away from loved ones, the exhaustion of 12 shows a week or 3 shows in one day sometimes, and the sacrificing of your holidays to make strangers’ holidays more special. The secret is I would do it all again, tomorrow, and for free.

I have emerged feeling

INVINCIBLE NO ARE LIMITS THERE

TO WHAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH WE SIMPLY MUST BE WILLING

to dive in AND ASK THE QUESTION