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Mangalore: The Great Bombay Circus opens in M’lore

By Viloet Pereira

Pics by Suresh Vamanjoor
Mangalore, Mar 19: The Great Bombay Circus was inaugurated on Friday, March 18th 2011, at Karavali Exhibition Grounds, Mangalore. The Mayor of Mangalore City Corporation Praveen Kumar Inaugurated the circus by lighting the traditional lamp. In his inaugural address Praveen Kumar said that the Bombay circus is popular for the past 38 years and that it is a famous circus company in India. Mangaloreans are very fortunate to witness this show. He urged the citizens of Mangalore to come in large numbers and support the show.
There will be three shows everyday and the first show will start at 1 p.m followed by the shows at 4 p.m and 7 p.m. The highlights of the circus will be the Chinese Rolar Act, Cube Pyramid Juggling, Russian Acrobatics, Chinese Candle Balancing, American Limping Board, Russian Spider Ring act, Verticle spinning acrobat, Russian Devil Clown act, High wheel cycling, skipping act, African Timbo (fire dance), Pole acrobatics, Pyramid acrobatics and rope skipping.
The total number of 300 people, including 64 animals and birds will be performing in the circus. The special attraction of the circus is the cricket match of Elephants.

The organizers urged the public to come in large numbers to watch the circus. The tickets are available at the cost of Rs. 40/-, 70/-,100/-, and 150/-. More than the expected crowd was seen on the very first day. A number of people who witnessed the show said that they would like to see the circus again.

Cirque du Soleil cashes in on magic

Cirque du Soleil has grown from a ragtag troupe of street performers in 1984 to a 5,000-employee entertainment giant

By Michel Viatteau (AFP) – 1 day ago
MONTREAL — For the first time ever, the Cirque du Soleil is forecasting that this year its special brand of circus melding death-defying feats with plot-driven theater and haunting music will bring in over $1 billion in revenues.
Founded by Guy Laliberte, the company has grown from a ragtag troupe of street performers in 1984 to a 5,000-employee entertainment giant presenting some 20 circus shows simultaneously around the world.
Laliberte, a former fire-eater and stilt-walker who in 2009 enjoyed a two-week trip to the International Space Station, has sold a 20-percent stake to two Dubai firms, but retains control of the Montreal-based company.
Now after a major international expansion, Cirque expects to bring in more than $1 billion (720 million euros) in ticket and merchandise sales in 2011 after posting revenues of $850 million last year, president Daniel Lamarre told AFP.
Cirque du Soleil is currently producing 17 shows around the world
Known for blending traditional circus acts with dance, music, mime and vivid theatricality, it is currently producing 17 shows around the world, including seven permanent shows in Macau, Tokyo, Las Vegas and Orlando, Florida.
Its 2011 forecast relies on the success of three new spectacles, including one featuring the music of Michael Jackson to debut soon in Montreal, and another "Iris" which will take Los Angeles audiences on a fanciful, kinetic foray into the history of cinema and its genres.
But, Lamarre said, the risks are high: each show costs $50-60 million to develop and to turn a profit it must tour for 10 years, selling up to 100,000 tickets per tour.
So far, no Cirque show has ever recorded a loss, instead posting returns of 25-30 percent.
"It's a good business," Lamarre says.
"The Beatles Love," for example, has continued since its launch in 2006 to pack in audiences at a 2,000-seat theater at the Mirage resort in Las Vegas for 10 shows weekly.
Another created for the estate of Elvis Presley scored big too.
Of course, not everyone shares in the success equally. Performers are paid on contract and reportedly not large sums. But it is difficult to verify as great secrecy surrounds working conditions.
"Admittedly, the circus is a booming cultural industry," said Michel Beauchemin, head of the Professional Association of Performing Arts of Quebec (APASQ).
"But the working conditions are far from ideal, at least according to murmurs in the industry," he said.
Cirque spokeswoman Renee-Claude Menard countered: "That's a bit misleading."
"We have more than 1,500 performers and their contracts are renewable. But our staff turnover is very low, only 20 percent, and it is usually due to injuries or career changes," she said.
In fact, no labor complaint has been lodged against Cirque, which offers some fairly unique job opportunities for all those who ever dreamed about running away to join the circus.

Emporia's circus train

Imegene Marsh

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Forty-four years ago, March 4, 1967, a special train took approximately 1,200 children and over 150 supervising adults to the Arab Shrine Circus in Topeka. Scott Thomas was one of the 3rd grade school children who went the first year. A picture of his class from Butcher School was taken at the Topeka depot before they returned home. The first year, the Shriners took the 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades and the next year, 4th, 5th and 6th, alternating each year for eight years. Scott recalls riding the train at least two or three times.
This was a dream come true for Dean Marsh. Let me tell you the story —
44 YEARS AGO, A DREAM WAS BORN
The year was 1967, and Dean Marsh was elected President of the Neosho Valley Shrine club in Emporia, Kansas. As an engineer on the AT&SF Railroad, he thought it would be great to take the Emporia schoolchildren on a special train to Topeka for the Arab Temple Shrine Circus.
The surrounding small towns took their schoolchildren to Topeka to the Shrine Circus in their school buses. Emporia school buses were not allowed to travel on the highways.
Dean remembered as a child, the big special trains would take railroad families to the Big Four picnics in Emporia. With this in mind, he began his quest. He went to the Santa Fe officials with his idea. They told him that all of the crew that ran the train would have to donate their time and that a nominal charge would be required by the Federal Interstate Commerce Commission for insurance purposes, would cost each child 95 cents. Liability insurance would also need to be provided by Arab Temple. Dean talked to all the Santa Fe crew that would operate the train (which were all Shriners) and they agreed to donate their time. Since the train operators were middle division railroaders, Dean had to get permission to run the train over the eastern division into Topeka.read the rest of the story at:http://www.emporiagazette.com/news/2011/mar/19/emporias-circus-train/

SUNDAY FUNNIES

Final piece of roller coaster track installed for Cheetah Hunt at Busch ...

75 years of Big Top entertainment

Carson & Barnes Circus opens its performing season in Paris, TX

Double Wheel of Death

Jimmy and Jasmine Garcia, two of the aerialists with the Carson & Barnes Circus, run through some maneuvers in the Double Wheel of Death

Sally Boswell

HUGO, Okla. - For fun for the whole family, it's hard to beat the circus. There's something for everyone, young and old, to be found at the circus.And from the top of the tent to the floor of the main ring, Carson & Barnes Circus delivers true family fun.

A circus tradition
Carson & Barnes Circus continues 75 years of tradition when it presents its performing elephants under the big top.

The Flying Cavellini FamilyThe Flying Cavellini Family is one of the featured acts in this year's rendition of Carson & Barnes Circus.

WimpieWimpie, one of Carson & Barnes’ elephants, is due to deliver a calf in June of this year.

BILL PRICKETT VISITS

CHINESE IMPERIAL CIRCUS

Comache, Iowa

September 5, 1996

All pictures taken by Bill Prickett.

Mike Gorman, GM

Errol Maguire, OPM

Lilliam Maguire, Novelties

Ringmaster, Jim Royal

Albert Vonderhide, Pony Ride

Anita Vanderhide, Front Door

Marie Vonderheide, Office
Dorey Miller owned the show.

It was combined with equipment that he had purchased from

Alan Hill's "CIRCUS USA" the year before.

Unfortunately it only toured this one season.

LARRY SNYDER VISITS

THE INDIAN RIVER COUNTY FAIR

Vero Beach, FL

Fair runs thru today (Sunday)

Of Course The first Picture is a Novelty Stand!

Appears to be on the independent midway.

Larry just didn't visit he was "helping" Doug Perkins

in his Pizza Joint.

Strates' Double Decker European Carousel

And this one appears to be on the show midway.

Nice "Rest Station"

Strates Shows Office Complex

Ray Beers, longtime employee of Walter Cox's Concessions

Little Richard's French Fries

Little Richard's Cafe

Strates Tears down Sunday Night here and move on to Sandford, Fl. For the Sandford County Fair. It might also be noted that this year Strates is sending the show overland by trucks for the Florida portion of the tour.

Mangalore: Worker Engaged in Pitching Circus Tent Dies

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore,India Mar 19:

Ravi (34), a native of Jharkhand, working for Great Bombay Circus, died in an accident on Friday March 18. Ravi fell from a height accidentally, while pitching the tent for the circus show, which began on Friday at Karavali Utsav Maidan in the city.
It is learnt that he was critically injured in the accident, and breathed his last while being shifted to a hospital. He was a permanent employee of the circus company.
A case of unnatural death was registered in Barke police station.

Zippo's circus returns to Birmingham, UK

March 18, 2011

DAREDEVIL bikers hurtling 60mph inside a steel-mesh ball and trapeze artists dangling from the ceiling can only mean one thing - the return of Zippo’s Circus.
The celebrated Big Top show is back in Birmingham until Tuesday and even features world star Yasmine Smart with hermuch-loved horses and ponies.
She has joined other performers at Swanhurst Park, in Kings Heath, for the extravaganza, returning to the UK for her first national tour since 1986.
Glamourous ring mistress Yasmine will show off her Arab stallions as she tests and tames them.
Other acts include Kimberely defying gravity as she hangs by one toe from her trapeze bar, incredible juggler Nicolas, comedians The Konyots and world-famous ringmaster Norman Barrett.
It will also be the first time that the Globe of Death motorcyclists perform. Riding in the steel-mesh ball, the three riders will be joined by a female performer standing in their midst.Read More http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2011/03/18/video-zippo-s-circus-returns-to-birmingham-97319-28363086/#ixzz1H5jBpgK

Five places to step right up for sideshow oddities

Jill K. Robinson, Special to The Chronicle

San Francisco Chronicle March 18, 2011

Jarek and Darek perform at the Circus Circus resort in Las Vegas.
People with a taste for the bizarre may love the traveling circus or carnival, but it's not for the main performance. They're drawn to the midway and sideshow fried foods, fun games and weird acts. Here, sequins are shunned and strange is embraced. If you gravitate toward the weird and wonderful, check out these five places to keep memories of the old sideshow spectacles alive.Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/03/18/TR9P1I3ICK.DTL

Circus on the Wall

03/18/2011

From The Cape May, NJ County Herald

Gallery14 March Exhibits March 18 – April 24

Meet the Photographers, Sunday, March 20, 1–3 PM
"Circus on the Wall”, Carl
“Ladies and Gentlemen, children of all ages….Welcome to the Greatest Show on Earth!”
The band strikes up!Clowns and acrobats race into the ring!The animal parade follows close behind!The audience yells in delight!
The excitement of the big top plays out year round across the globe. For young and old the circus brings great joy.
The circus remains with us, a childhood memory. As parents and grandparents we share it with our own children and their children. From the spring to the winter of our lives we keep returning to the circus!
What is so special that the circus always remains a deep and special part of our lives?

With the series "Circus On The Wall", Carl Geisler’s images provide answers. read more at:http://www.mercerspace.com/node/89220

World's Fairs live on in Stony Brook exhibit

Photo credit: AP Photo

Fair-goers linger outside the Holland building at the New York World's Fair in Flushing, New York on May 5, 1939, at the time of its formal dedication.

March 17, 2011 By STEVE PARKS steve.parks@newsday.com

For many New Yorkers, the last World's Fair was 1964-65 on what is now Flushing Meadows Corona Park, the footprint of the 1939 World's Fair.
But the history of World's Fairs in the United States is far longer and wider. The Long Island Museum of American Art, History & Carriages celebrates its reawakening from a winter's nap -- the Stony Brook museum was closed for budget reasons in January and February -- with a new exhibition, "Centuries of Progress: America's World's Fairs, 1853-1982."
That makes it nearly 30 years since the last world expo on American soil. What caused their demise? Deficits. "Most of them lost money," says Long Island Museum history curator Joshua Ruff. But also, ironically, technology.
A glimpse of the future was a major World's Fair theme. "That's where many Americans were introduced to television and before that, the automobile," says Ruff. Now you can see a World's Fair every day at Disney World's Epcot Center. Or check out Vegas' annual Consumer Electronics Show. Or go online.

A CHANGING WORLD
"The international pavilions used to be the only way most people could see the world in their lifetime," Ruff says. That was before air travel became available to the masses. Now, with gas prices soaring higher than a supersonic, maybe World's Fairs will make a comeback. Meanwhile, the only way to visit is through the past.
"Centuries of Progress" is a mash-up of a traveling show originated by the Hagley Museum and Library in Wilmington, Del., with '39 and '64 artifacts and prints curated by Ruff. The 16 American World's Fairs begin at New York City's Crystal Palace and end at Knoxville, Tenn. "One of the primary focuses is how the fairs influenced technology and consumerism. Marketing was always a big part of these exhibitions," says Ruff. Although today it's hard to think of it as technology, an early Remington typewriter is displayed with dozens of other inventive breakthroughs of their time. New commercial products abounded. Without World's Fairs, we may never have enjoyed Juicy Fruit or Dr Pepper. Ice cream, then generally hand-cranked at home, was broadly popularized by the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.read more at:http://long-island.newsday.com/going-out/museums/world-s-fairs-live-on-in-stony-brook-exhibit-1.2763284

Cal's Big Bumpin' Circus is back

"Casual Cal"
from: http://freeport.nassauguardian.net

March 19, 2011

Soft Productions, the Grand Bahama Port Authority, and the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce announced Wednesday that they are bringing back Cal's Big Bumpin' Circus to Grand Bahama, Nassau and now Eleuthera and Abaco.
At a press conference held at the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce David Wallace, event organizer, announced plans for the return of the successful circus show. "We are very excited to announce that the circus is returning to Grand Bahama on March 27 thru 29 and to Nassau on March 31 to April 2. This year we will also be adding in Eleuthera and Abaco shows on March 30 and April 4 and 5 respectively," noted Wallace.
"I am also very pleased to tell you that we will be bringing back some of last year's favorite acts, the Rubber Band Man, the high wire act, as well as a few new ones that include a magician, ventriloquist, and a trampoline jumping clown," said Wallace. "We are also going to shine some light on our own Bahamian talents, Juice Unit, a local Grand Bahama dance team. The group will join the show this year and will also tour with Big Cal in the US."
Wallace noted that tickets are already on sale for the shows and that they will have both matinees and evening show times. "We have a great family package for our premier night in Grand Bahama." For more information persons may access the website www.circusbahamas.com.
Donna Jones, GB Chamber of Commerce Director, also spoke about the return of the circus "The Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce is pleased once again to support this positive opportunity for wholesome family entrainment on Grand Bahama and in our sister islands. We congratulate the organizer for having the foresight and commitment to once again host this event."
Wallace is hoping that bringing the circus back will also give a nice boost to the local economy on all islands the circus will visit. Wherever possible the circus is utilizing local companies to make the event possible. "We rent event locations, we use local companies for lighting and sound equipment, we use local vendors for food sales, we hire temporary staff for event management, hotel rooms, etc ... it's a win, win for all!"
Helping make it all possible are the circus cosponsors which include Kerzner International, Colina, Royal Bank of Canada, Dominoes, BahamaIslandsinfo.com as well as local ticket sponsors Borco, Grand Bahama Power Company and many more. On hand at the press conference was returning sponsor Grand Bahama Port Authority representative Charles Pratt who noted, "that GBPA is proud to lend their support to the return of the circus. We applaud the innovative and persistent efforts of the organizer to bring this event to The Bahamas and to help make it an annual event for all. One that showcases positive entertainment and uplifts our spirits too."
Through last year's shows Wallace felt he had really fulfilled his main goal of bringing smiles to so many young Bahamians. "In fact last year the circus was such a draw that the Eleutheran All Age School and the students' parents chartered the Bohengy ferry to come and see the show. So, because of this, we are going to them this year and hope to expand to more islands next year."
As time draws near to the event Wallace and his team are working diligently to spread the word about show dates as well as soliciting sponsors to help disadvantaged local children enjoy the show too. "It's all about making them smile and sparking their imagination," beamed Wallace. "So come on out and enjoy a great time."