FROM PENNLIVE.COM
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus is en route to Hershey
By SUE GLEITER, The Patriot-News
May 19, 2010
The Greatest Show on Earth is celebrating its 200th anniversary.
So, in true Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey style, the latest edition of the circus is big. So big they are calling it FUNundrum.
The 130 performers along with elephants, cowboys, pirates and mermaids will make its annual stop in the midstate over the extended Memorial Day weekend, May 27-31 at the Giant Center in Hershey. The circus will run over six days with 10 performances.
You’ll see the trapeze work of the Flying Caceres, the contortions of the Puyang Troupe from China and the strongest man in the world, Mighty Meetal.
An hour before the show is the All Access Pre-show. It’s free to ticket holders who will have the opportunity to step into the ring and meet the performers, get their autographs and even try on their costumes.
“It’s the party before the party. It gets everyone all hyped and ready for the show,” said Andre McClain, pre-show host.
McClain, who grew up on a ranch in Kansas City, Mo. and worked in rodeo, has been with Ringling Bros. since 2002. He likes to say he traded in the greatest show in dirt for the greatest show on the earth.
He now heads training exotic animals for Ringling. So, along with horses and Texas longhorns, he works with camels, llamas, zebras and the newest performer, a rare Watusi. The African steer has horns that grow six feet from tip to tip and is a crowd pleaser.
“I learned if you can train a horse you can train any animal,” McClain said.
The 130 performers along with elephants, cowboys, pirates and mermaids will make its annual stop in the midstate over the extended Memorial Day weekend, May 27-31 at the Giant Center in Hershey. The circus will run over six days with 10 performances.
You’ll see the trapeze work of the Flying Caceres, the contortions of the Puyang Troupe from China and the strongest man in the world, Mighty Meetal.
An hour before the show is the All Access Pre-show. It’s free to ticket holders who will have the opportunity to step into the ring and meet the performers, get their autographs and even try on their costumes.
“It’s the party before the party. It gets everyone all hyped and ready for the show,” said Andre McClain, pre-show host.
McClain, who grew up on a ranch in Kansas City, Mo. and worked in rodeo, has been with Ringling Bros. since 2002. He likes to say he traded in the greatest show in dirt for the greatest show on the earth.
He now heads training exotic animals for Ringling. So, along with horses and Texas longhorns, he works with camels, llamas, zebras and the newest performer, a rare Watusi. The African steer has horns that grow six feet from tip to tip and is a crowd pleaser.
“I learned if you can train a horse you can train any animal,” McClain said.
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