Performing A Circus

It's nearly Thanksgiving, and that means The Big Apple Circus is in town!

Having attended as an audience member for the past decade, I now have the distinct pleasure of watching this year's show with a sense of relief and accomplishment. As all directors know, the moment a show opens it belongs to the performers, and so if there was anything you didn't get done during rehearsals, well, it's too late now.

I can say with confidence that I got everything done.

From model....

...to the ring

From the moment I walked into the rehearsal tent in Walden, I knew that this particular show had the potential to be something special. The set was mostly in place and it made a statement from day one: this show had better live up to the design. I spent most of my time in rehearsal trying to get out of the way of the talents and energies we'd assembled. The collective spirit was so positive, the desire to excel so strong, that my job was to let the show determine what was needed, and not screw it up with ego or attachment.

We were fortunate to have preview audiences before we moved to Lincoln Center, and we all started to feel there was a show in place. The years of preparation, the placement of acts, the attention to theme and throughline, and the very specific choices made in performers and design elements began to pay off. The audiences were responsive and the artists began to feel confident in the show as a whole.

The company

The move to Lincoln Center was seamless; even after many days off, the company jumped right in, not missing a beat. Our reviewers came and went, leaving kind words and praise in their wake. The company adjusted to their rigorous performance schedule, and the show has been sailing smoothly ever since.

And now? Well, I continue to attend the show whenever possible, often bringing my two year old son who likes to shout "More! More!" at the end. My work is done, my purpose there has played itself out. So I do my best to be an audience member. I get some popcorn, find my seat, and gasp and laugh through the show with everyone else.

Thanks to all who made this remarkable show possible. And for those who haven't seen it yet, you are in for a treat!