ZOPPE IN CHICAGOLAND

Zoppe Circus Show Debuts in Hanover Park

Submitted by Devinne Stevens on July 7, 2010

Beginning July 21 and ending on July 25 at Caputo's Fresh Markets in Hanover Park, world-renowned clown Giovanni Zoppé and his Zoppé Family Circus circus will make a return performance complete with trapeze feats, dancing dogs and horseback tricks. This is the only appearance in Chicagoland this year. Caputo’s Fresh Markets is located at 1250 Lake Street. The performance times for the five day-run are Wednesday through Friday at 7 p.m.; Saturday 1, 4 and 7 p.m.; Sunday 1 and 4 p.m. Adult ticket prices are $18 the day of the show and $15 in advance. A limited number of advanced purchase tickets are available with a $7.00 discount. Children’s tickets are $14 or free with a coupon from Caputo’s. Tickets can be purchased at any of the Caputo’s Fresh Markets or by calling the box office at 773-255-6788.

Giovanni, a sixth-generation circus performer joined legendary entertainers Charlie Chaplin and Red Skelton when he was the youngest ever inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame. Giovanni, who combines comedy with acrobatic skills, received international attention with his aerial loop-to-loop performance as Nino, an old-world, European-style clown. He has traveled throughout the United States, Europe, Mexico and Canada performing his act. At the age of two, he was performing regularly with his family; by the age of nine, he became the youngest circus performer to accomplish a somersault on the back of a galloping horse.
Joining Giovanni in the ring will be a number of stars. As long as he is up from his nap, Giovanni’s eight month old son Giovanni Julien Veneto Zoppé will be making his Zoppé Family Circus debut. Little Giovanni is the first performer of the seventh generation of this renowned circus family. On the cloud swing will be Amy Zoppé, performing 30 feet in the air. And Giovanni’s sister, Tosca Zoppé, will once again perform equestrian feats. Tosca has been performing since she was two days old traveling around the country with her famous family.

Also in the ring will be Gentile Duo, a unique comedy foot juggling number which includes kicking, tossing and spinning a large vase. This act consists of circus family Carlo Gentile and his wife Orlene. Both trained with the Hebei Acrobatic Troupe, Wuqiao Acrobatic School in Hebei Province, China, and are graduates of the Circus Center San Francisco’s Clown Conservatory.
They are joined by Gregorio, a Russian style strong man who can lift over 1,000 lbs. His act follows the traditional circus strong man performers coming out of Europe.
This year’s show pays homage to patriarch Alberto Zoppé who passed away in March 2009 at the age of 87. As a circus performer in the Veneto region of Italy since his youth, Alberto was offered a job by John Ringling North of Ringling Brothers fame, who was putting together the circus acts for Cecil B. Demille's Oscar-winning film, “The Greatest Show on Earth” in the late 1940s. With this move, he introduced his talents to America with Ringling and his legacy is now continued with his family’s seventh generation of performers.
In a European-style, one-ring tent designed by the Zoppé family, the audience will experience a daring and funny performance. The show brings in the audience from being spectators to actually becoming part of the circus.
“We try to touch every emotion during the show,” Giovanni explains. “They’ll laugh, they’ll cry, and they’ll feel for the characters. It’s more of an event than a show.”