CELEBRATING THE CIRCUS!

In 1768, Philip Astley, an officer of the British Cavalry, opened a riding school in London and staged exhibitions of his remarkable feats on horseback within a ring. This was the beginning of the phenomenon of the modern circus. Acts of tumbling, rope walking, and clowning were also part of the show, and ever since, audiences have flocked to big tops and arenas around the world to witness the death-defying thrills of the circus. The history of those 250 years is as rich and wonderful as the circus itself; filled with tales of romance and intrigue, and populated with the larger-than-life characters known as “Show Folk.” You can relive much of this history with a visit to The Ringling Circus Museum, which is also celebrating a milestone in 2018.

Created in 1948, the Circus Museum was the first in the nation to document and honor the history of those who dare to fly through the air, dance on the high wire, and tame the very forces of nature. It was not, as you might think, founded by John Ringling in testament to his legacy as the Circus King, but was the inspired creation of A. Everett Austin Jr. “Chick”—as he was known in the world of art—was not only the first Executive Director of The Ringling Museum of Art, he was also a member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. Austin made no distinction between the artistry of the old masters and the artistry of performers in the circus arena or on stage. This generous embrace of a wide spectrum of artistic expression, coupled with the then-presence of the circus winter quarters in Sarasota, found The Ringling uniquely poised to not only tell the history of the circus, but also to play a collaborative role in its living future. The most fruitful of those collaborations—that with the Circus Arts Conservatory— celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.

When the emerging impresario Pedro Reis set off on his mission to revitalize Sarasota’s fabled living legacy of circus, he came to The Ringling with a proposal that brought live circus performers into the cavernous Wagon Room of the Circus Museum. Those first performances attracted thousands of enthusiastic spectators and marked the beginning of the nationally acclaimed Circus Sarasota. The annual Circus Museum performances continued to grow in popularity, until, with the restoration and reopening of the Historic Asolo Theater in 2007, Circus Sarasota and The Ringling joined forces to create a unique entertainment experience by spotlighting and framing the artistry of the circus performer within the ornate splendor of the theater’s proscenium arch. Each year, the Summer Circus Spectacular has grown in scope and popularity, attracting nearly 18,000 circus lovers during its run at The Ringling. Now, following last summer’s hiatus (when the Circus Arts Conservatory was invited to hold center-ring status at the annual Smithsonian Folk Life Festival on the National Mall), Summer Circus Spectacular is returning for a 7-week, 68-performance engagement at the Historic Asolo: June 12–July 28.

Headlining this year’s roster of international circus artists is the inimitable Renaldo. For nearly a quarter of a century, this most lovable circus clown has won the hearts of avid fans with his sly antics and world-famous “Renaldorang”—performing with such legendary shows as The Royal Hanneford Circus, the Luna Stage Theater Co., Canada's Garden Brothers Circus, England's Zippo's Circus, the UniverSoul Circus, and, of course, Circus Sarasota. To round-out this hour of circus fun, Renaldo will be joined by a company of acrobats, dare-devils, jugglers, and more. At the time of this writing, the full roster of entertainers for Summer Circus Spectacular 2018 was not yet complete, but tickets are already on sale and going fast as “children of all ages” continue their 250-year-old love affair with the timeless and indefatigable magical marvel of the circus.

Ezra Masch: