WATER FOR ELEPHANTS NEWS INTERVIEW

Circus comes to town with shows beginning today

For fans of tigers, elephants and acrobats, this week may be the best of the year. The 2011 Shrine Circus begins its three-day run at the Corn Palace in Mitchell tonight with a 7 p.m. show. Shows will take place at 4:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday.

Children ride an elephant before the start of the show in this photo from last year’s Shrine Circus at the Corn Palace in Mitchell. This year’s circus begins with a show at 7 p.m. today and continues with more shows Wednesday and Thursday. (Republic File Photo)
By: Austin Kaus, The Daily Republic
April 19, 2011,
For fans of tigers, elephants and acrobats, this week may be the best of the year.
The 2011 Shrine Circus begins its three-day run at the Corn Palace in Mitchell tonight with a 7 p.m. show. Shows will take place at 4:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday.
Steve Morgan, circus chairman for the Corn Palace Shrine Club, said the event is the “one and only” fundraiser for the local club. Money made from the event is used throughout the year for a variety of activities, including covering transportation costs for children going to Shriners Hospitals for Children.
Morgan said the circus brings with it some changes this year. The traditional male animal trainer has been replaced by a female who will lead tigers and other animals in a cage this week.
For the younger fans, a BMX bike act has been added. The act, which also appeared last year, will feature some new additions.
Morgan said there is something for all ages.
“I hope they enjoy the circus this year,” Morgan said.
Corn Palace Director Mark Schilling said ticketing options are also changed this year to streamline the purchase process.
Tickets have previously been available at a variety of locations across the city, Schilling said. This year, tickets are exclusively available at the Corn Palace Box Office, which Schilling said makes ticket purchasing more efficient.
The $13 and $10 tickets are also available through the box office website at www.cornpalace.com.
“We’re just hoping that a lot of people will come out to the circus again this year,” Schilling said.

Circus arrives for 6-day run

Last year’s Shrine show was marked by a fatal accident involving an elephant handler

Workers unload a truck inside the 109th Field Artillery Armory in Wilkes-Barre to prepare for the Irem Shrine Hamid Circus. The shows begin Monday, with a one-hour outdoor program scheduled for the next day.

CLARK VAN ORDEN/THE TIMES LEADER
BILL O ’ BOYLE boboyle@timesleader.com
April 19, 2011
WILKES-BARRE – The Irem Shrine Circus featuring Hamid Circus Inc. begins Monday at the 109th Field Artillery Armory and will feature acrobats, trapeze artists, clowns, tigers and, yes, an elephant.
Jim Hamid, 65, is the third generation of the Hamid circus, which his grandfather began in 1932. He said the Hamid Circus travels as far west as Colorado and can be seen throughout the Midwest, South and East. Meanwhile, preparations continue for the annual circus in Wilkes-Barre. The bleachers have been installed at the armory, waiting for thousands of circus-goers to arrive.Volunteers from the Irem Shrine were on site Monday getting it ready for when the circus comes to town. The circus runs April 25-30.
“It wouldn’t be a circus without an elephant,” said Jim Hamid, circus owner. “Last year we had a tragic incident, a horrific accident. We never expect anything like that to ever happen.”
Andrew Anderton’s death was ruled an accident after the show’s lone elephant, Dumbo, a female African elephant, killed the groomer. Anderton, 48, of Florida, was trying to fix electrical wires in the ceiling attached to the wall that were sparking near the elephant.
The coroner’s report stated the animal was startled after coming in contact with the wires and inflicted traumatic injuries on its groomer.
“Elephants are a part of every circus,” Hamid said. “Elephants are part of the tradition. People love elephants.”
Hamid said he contracts with different people each year for animal acts. Wonderful World of Animals of Peoria, Ill., is the licensed facility that owned the elephant. Hamid said that to his knowledge the elephant was not put to sleep after the 2010 incident. He said the elephant may now be at a zoo or a sanctuary.
Investigation launched
Dave Sacks of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s animal and plant health inspection service, said Monday his office did get a request to investigate the 2010 incident, but he did not know the result of that investigation. He said he will find out what action was taken, if any.
Last year, USDA officials received a letter from the group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals requesting the agency investigate the incident and revoke the license of the animal exhibitor who provided the elephant.
This year, Hamid said, the elephant for the circus is owned by a different company. Hamid said the trainer is Tom Demry.
“Every year we change companies to get our animal acts,” Hamid said. “In the case of elephants, usually they are owned by individuals.”
Hamid, 65, is the third generation of the Hamid circus, which his grandfather began in 1932. He said the Hamid Circus travels as far west as Colorado and can be seen throughout the Midwest, South and East.
“We’ve always had a wonderful response to animal acts when we come to Wilkes-Barre,” Hamid said. “The intimacy of the armory is wonderful for the audience. And those high ceilings make it easy for us to rig up.”
Meanwhile, preparations continue for the annual circus. The bleachers have been installed at the armory, waiting for thousands of circus-goers to arrive.
The old, unused Stegmaier Beer Time clock that was used for Wilkes-Barre Barons basketball games decades ago still hovers at the west end of the armory, serving as a memory of legendary days. It has been there for every circus and many other events.
Volunteer drivenBill Patton, co-chairman of this year’s event for the Shriners, said volunteers will be working all week in preparation of the event. He said the bleachers were installed Sunday.
Patton said the Irem Shriners own the bleachers that were purchased after the 1972 Agnes Flood.
“The proceeds from the circus go to the Irem uniform units,” Patton said. “We also handle all of the concession and novelty items.
Amy Oberst, office manager for the Irem Shrine Circus, said there will be a few changes to this year’s circus.
The number of shows has been reduced to 11 from 13, she said, and there will not be a show on Tuesday afternoon or Saturday morning. The Tuesday evening show will start at 6:30 to allow younger children to attend and still make their early bedtimes.
On Tuesday, April 26, at noon, the circus visits the River Common for a one-hour program featuring the ringmaster, some acrobats and animal acts. Shriners will be there with motorcycles.

North Korea Stages Biggest Magic Show Ever

Fireworks, floating bus, a dancing bear: Good ol' fashioned magic tantalizes N Korean audiences

North Korea has unveiled a magic show, starring Ri Thai Gum and designed by a man dubbed the "David Copperfield of North Korea" which will run for seven performances through early May. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder) The Associated Press
By JEAN H. LEE Associated Press
PYONGYANG, North Korea April 18, 2011 (AP)


Amid a burst of fireworks and a haze of smoke, a burly showman in a white sequined suit and gold lame cape appears with a flourish. Over the next 45 minutes, he appears to make a Pyongyang bus levitate and wriggles free from a box sent crashing to the stage through a ring of fire.
This is magic North Korean-style performed in a show touted as the country's biggest ever and mounted in a city where good, old-fashioned illusion, a dancing bear and a dose of slapstick comedy can still command the biggest crowds of the year.
The country's love for magic is a legacy of the circus traditions they inherited decades ago, during an era of Soviet influence.
North Korean founder Kim Il Sung ordered the creation of the Pyongyang Circus in 1952 in the middle of the Korean War. The tradition of highly technical stagecraft — including the Arirang mass games, where 100,000 performers move in sync in a feat that has come to embody North Korean discipline and regimentation — still dazzles in a country where high-tech entertainment is scarce.
"They love magic shows, together with the circus," said Tony Namkung, a scholar who often serves as a liaison between North Korea and the U.S. and other governments. "Like so many other things, it harkens back to a pre-electronic past when things were much simpler."
In fact, North Koreans so love magic that two diplomats dispatched to the United Nations had a special request in 1995 of their American hosts: They wanted to go to Las Vegas to see David Copperfield.
Wowed by the world-famous illusionist, the diplomats were determined to bring Copperfield to Pyongyang. But politics and finances trumped entertainment, and plans to bring the American magician to a nation still technically at war with the United States vanished in the haze of diplomatic tensions.
Undeterred, North Korea has kept putting on shows of its own, and it unveiled a massive one Monday at the capital's May Day Stadium. It was designed by Kim Chol, dubbed the "David Copperfield of North Korea," and will include seven performances in all.
read more at:http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=13400225

Animal activist protest circus

So the show went on as planned on Sunday afternoon, with the animals and clowns surrounded by their fans

Apr 17, 2011

By Arnold Wyrick
CARBONDALE, IL (KFVS) - When the circus comes to town young and old alike get excited about seeing the show under the big top.
But, not everyone in Carbondale was anxious for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus to set up their show at the SIU arena.
Several animal activist protested outside the building as thousand of circus fans made their way inside.
"They have to live in trailers and travel year around," said Amy Misner.
"Their training methods have not always been the best. And we just want to educate the public that the animals aren't always treated the best."
But, the shows Production Manager Jason Gibson says those allegations are way off base.
"We have a veterinary staff network all around the country," said Gibson.
"We have veterinarians on staff as well. We also have five veterinarians employed by FELD Entertainment our parent company, who travel throughout the three circus circuits making sure our animals are well taken care of."
The promoter goes onto say that the circus wouldn't be the same without the animals.
"Because people come to Ringling Brothers to see the animals. Millions of people come to see the show each and every year, and they want to see the animals."
Some of the circus fans in attendance for the final day of the action underneath the big top say, they disagree with the animal activist when it comes to how the animals are treated.
"All animals are trained by their owners," said Connie Cavins of Carrier Mills.
"I don't see why this is any different then someone training a dog or horses. I don't think it's abuse."
"I don't think so, with all the publicity today on all the animal awareness," said Vera Panzier of Waltonville.
"It would be unsafe for people to do that. And it's got so much recognition, no I don't think they're abused."
So the show went on as planned on Sunday afternoon, with the animals and clowns surrounded by their fans.
The circus moves to the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau, Missouri next Friday.

Carnival goes on despite the rain

DN PHOTO BOBBY ELLIS

Carnival goers walk between the different food stands at the event on Saturday. Ball State students, Muncie residents, and Burris Academy students came out to the fair despite low temperatures.

By Lisa Ryan, Ball State Daily News

April 18, 2011


The lines continued to snake through Late Nite Carnival Saturday as students, determined to have a good time, braved the rain and wind for Ball State's last big hoorah.
Inclement weather Friday night led Late Nite organizers to postpone the carnival until the following day. Relay for Life was also cut short over the weekend.
Hannah Harrison, Late Nite adviser, said she was impressed with the turn out despite the weather.
"We had people waiting in line, rain or shine," she said.
Public relations graduate student Sara George was one of the people waiting in line.
"Other than the cold, we're having a joyous time," she said. "We're troopers."
The carnival included 15 rides, more than 10 game booths, two stages and free snacks.
Rides include a Ferris Wheel, a merry-go-round, Power Surge and the dunk tank.
The event was free to students, and vendors sold food that cost up to $4.
Freshman pre-medicine major Danielle Moretti said she pre-registered and arrived an hour before the general admission.
"Despite the rain, it's great," she said.
Some people sought shelter in the heated shuttle stop, including sophomore elementary education major Hannah Meacham.
Meacham said even with the lousy weather, she was happy to be at the carnival.
"I really like the rides," she said. "That's why I come."
Junior natural resource environmental management major Dave Brown said he was not happy about the weather.
"They should have rescheduled when it was warm and not spitting rain," he said. "Other than that it was good."
Harrison said rescheduling it for Saturday was the right decision. Friday's forecast called for thunderstorms and high winds, which would have endangered the riders.
"The weather isn't as dangerous today, but it's not as nice," she said.

Ball State student soared through sky in Peru Amateur Circus

PHOTO COURTESY OF KATHI GREEN

Kylee Cress and other trapeze artists perform during the Premier Rampe National Youth Circus Competition in 2007. Cress is a sophomore at Ball State.
By Sam Watermeier
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Ball State Daily News
Kylee Cress said people don't trust her when she mentions her past. The girl who spent her spare time poring over magazines, soaking in the rich details of its design as a teenager had a more unusual hobby growing up.
"Most people don't believe me when I tell them I was in a circus," Cress said. "I always have to show them photos or videos of my acts."
Sophomore video art major Corrinne LeNeave was one of the non-believers initially.
"It's insanely awesome," she said. "I can't wait to tell everyone that my roommate is a trapeze artist."
The sophomore journalism graphics major aspires to be a design editor for a music and fashion magazine, but for 12 years she was a trapeze artist for the Peru Amateur Circus.
Like her passion for magazine design, Cress had an interest in the circus sparked at a young age. Her family played a large part in lighting the fuse.
"I always knew that my mom performed as a child, and when I watched my sister perform, I couldn't wait until I was old enough to perform," she said.
Cress was ready for the circus by the age of 7. When she saw other performers, she desperately wanted to swing from the ropes with them. She said it was surreal when her dream became a reality.
"I always looked up to a girl that was in my sister's hand-balancing act," she said. "I wanted to be just like her. It's funny now that I know her, and we're actually good friends."
The Peru Amateur Circus is based in Miami County, Ind., and has approximately 250 young performers from age 7 to 21. For the performers, circus training begins in March for the 10 shows, which take place the second week of July.
Among her accomplishments, Cress performed in the Premiere Rampe Circus Competition of Monte Carlo, Monaco, for Prince Albert and Princess Stephanie.
Cress said the circus was her inspiration, which a lot of people are taken aback by. In turn, Cress often has to disprove misconceptions regarding circus work.
"When people find out that I was a part of a circus, they are usually pretty shocked, because when most people think of the circus, they think of side shows and carnies, but that's not what our show is about at all," Cress said.
Last year, Cress decided to focus her summer on work and preparing for college, although she doesn't plan on retiring from the circus entirely.
"I do plan on going back every year to help with the rigging and the performances," she said. "I could actually get a scholarship for going back and helping out. And later on, I might go back and perform in an alumni show, but that would be a long time from now."
For now, Cress' attention is on magazines. Although she does not plan on performing regularly, the circus still courses through her veins

COLE BROS CIRCUS, APRIL 4, 2011,

MYRTLE BEACH, SC

Area man joins, returns home with circus troupe

April 12, 2011

By Jimmy Mincin (jmincin@altoonamirror.com) ,

The Altoona Mirror Alex Hilton is living proof that you can indeed run off and join the circus. Last April, the 20-year-old Duncansville native and 2008 Hollidaysburg Area High School graduate joined the Royal Hanneford Circus as a stage handler and props person, said his mother, Sherry Hilton, 42, of Duncansville. He returned to the area yesterday as the troupe commenced the 71st annual Jaffa Shrine Circus with a 15-show, week-long run. "We're very excited to see him. It's his one-year anniversary with the troupe," she said three days prior to his arrival. "We're all so very proud of him and everything he's accomplished. We can't wait to see him." It all happened when Alex Hilton, who has played the drums most of his life, and lifelong circus lover, decided at last year's Jaffa Shrine Circus that he was going to go backstage and apply for a position in the troupe. "I just wanted to get out on the road doing something that had to do with entertaining and performing. I went to the Jaffa Circus on a Friday night looking for an opportunity," he said. "I knew the owner [and executive director Struppi Hanneford] from seeing pictures of her in magazines and asked her for a job. I also talked to [troupe vice president and performer] Billy Martin and [troupe superintendent and performer] Benito Aguilar and ended up with a job. Struppi said, 'So you want a job?' I said, 'Yeah I want a job ... I want to be on the road.' She said, 'OK, you start tomorrow.' After the first month of being there, I proved myself to be one heckuva worker and just a good guy to be around. Right now, I'm just working up the chain and looking for more opportunities." As a non-performing crew member, his responsibilities include making sure all the performers' props are in the right place before an act begins, Alex Hilton said last week in a phone interview, just prior to a performance at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, adding props hands play an integral part in any circus production. Once thought of as a boring, thoughtless job, today it is a serious and artistic skill performed by creative people, he said. "[Working the props] is and of itself an art," he said. "You have to be very quick when you clean the rings for the next act, and you always have to know what's before and after every act." And it's no flash-in-the-pan gig either, he said. The young man has parlayed his once-in-a-lifetime opportunity into a full-time year-round job (he has off during the month of December). He plans on staying on for the long haul, eventually working his drum skills into the act. "Actually, there is a possibility I might play drums in Altoona. There's a small chance that might happen, but I'm not quite sure," he said. His drumming accomplishments include performing on stage with the Dallas Brass and Prelude, the Wash., DC-based official White House jazz band. He was the recipient of the John Philip Sousa award and the Spirit of the Band Award in high school and placed first at the 2008 District 6 Jazz festival. In addition to the Royal Hanneford Circus, he also currently tours with the Billy Martin's Cole All-Star Circus. "Playing for a circus is such a great feeling with kicking all the tricks from the animal acts to giving that intense drum roll when the performers are going for the triple," he said. "I wouldn't be able to do all this without the blessing from my savior Jesus and help from my family." Alex Hilton grew up in an "entertainment-oriented family that never missed the circus," Sherry Hilton, who co-owns Hilton Family Entertainment in Duncansville with her husband, Rich Hilton, 45, said. "Ever since Alex and his sister [Kayla, 18] were born, it's been a family tradition to go to the circus every year. We've never missed the Jaffa Circus," she said. "When they were little, they used to put on their own little circus performance for the family. They'd pull out their stuffed animals and perform. Alex was always the lion tamer. "We always knew that he'd be in the entertainment business in some fashion," she said. "It's been his passion since he was in ninth grade. We knew somehow, somewhere, he was going to perform - we just didn't realize it would happen so quickly. But we're glad to see him doing what he's doing. We're very proud of him." Despite having a girlfriend, close friends and a loving family in the area, life on the road with a traveling circus hasn't demoralized his spirits. "I miss everyone, but I don't really get homesick too much," he said. "I do have a girlfriend back home. She's the one I miss the most. But she actually likes what I do and has been very supportive. She thinks it's cool." And indeed she does. "I'm very proud of him for following his dreams and doing what he's wanted to do his whole life," his girlfriend, Katrina Hayes of Cresson, said. "Having the guts to do what he's done is amazing. I think he's an inspiration to a lot of people who've lost faith in their dreams. He's inspired me too, and words couldn't describe how proud I am of him."

The circus is coming to town!

Just in time for Spring Break, the Carson & Barnes Circus will be in Tehachapi on Tuesday, April 19. The show is a fundraiser for the Kiwanis Club of Tehachapi.

By: Tina Forde, Staff Writer, Tehachapi News

Friday, April 15, 2011 What could be better than hanging out with your kids on Tuesday, April 19 (it’s public school Spring Break), watching Carson & Barnes Circus erect its new Big Top tent, and then coming back in the afternoon or evening to see the show? Although it’s a new world of mechanization, and the elephants no longer do the heavy lifting to erect the tent, the public is welcome to watch the Big Top go up and to look at the animals in the traveling petting zoo. Carson & Barnes, a four-generation family-owned operation, is proud of its animals, which are on display 24 hours a day and people can see the care they are given. The circus will be coming in a convoy of trucks to Tehachapi from a performance in Ridgecrest. According to Sasha Fry at the circus headquarters in Hugo, Okla., the setup begins “as soon as they hit the lot.” Observers will see teamwork and the hard work it takes to get the Big Top ready. It takes two to three hours to set up the tent, Fry said, depending on the weather. The public may watch from outside the tent. The tent holds an audience of 2,500 and is built to give everyone a close-up view of the acts. The April 19 location is at the east end of Tehachapi Blvd. at Highway. 58, next to Love’s Travel Center, which was built on the site where the circus last set up several years ago. Fry said the activity would begin as early as 9 a.m. She recommended coming at 10:30 or 11 a.m. Star clown The 2011 Carson & Barnes acts include trapeze artists, aerial acts, Motorcycle Madness, jugglers, contortionists, elephants, dog acts and more. There are no lions or tigers, Fry said. The star of the show is clown Freddy Alex Acero (“He’s in and out during the whole performance,” Fry said), known as the King of Circus Comedy for his high-bounding feats on the trampoline. The son of South American circus performers, Acero says that his friends and his love of soccer inspired his athletic clown character. Acero first received recognition on Clown Alley on the Ringling Brothers Show. He is articulate in Spanish, Portuguese and Spanish.

Welcome To Hugo, Oklahoma

Author Dave Johnson Thursday, Mar 31, 2011 http://www.easttexasdailynews.com/ Welcome to Hugo, Oklahoma. This town of about 5,400 is one of the gateways into Oklahoma from Texas. It is the county seat of Choctaw County and located in the tourist area known as Kiamichi Country. Oklahoma is divided into seven tourist areas with Kiamichi Country encompassing the Southeastern part of the state. Several famous musicians came from Hugo the most notable probably being B.J. Thomas. Ray Wylie Hubbard, Bill Grant and the 5 Americans all came from Hugo but the list of famous people doesn't end with musicians. Buster Brown was from Hugo and is buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetary. Actually William Edmond Ansley was one of more than 20 midgets hired by the shoe company to portray the five-year-old comic strip character. Ansley portrayed the character for 27 years. He died of a heart attack in 1972 and is buried under a shoe in the cemetary. Mt. Olivet has two other prominent areas--Circus and Rodeo. Known as Circus City U.S.A., Hugo is the winter home of three traveling circuses, Carson & Barnes, Kelly-Miller and Culpepper-Merryweaher. With this many circuses, there are bound to be many deaths as performers and owner age. Mt. Olivet Cemetary has a section known as Showman's Rest identified by granite markers topped with an elephant statue. The section is the final resting place for the founder of Kelly-Miller, Obert Miller. His son D.R. who founded Carson and Barnes is also found in Mt. Olivet as are many other Millers. By the way, there was never a Carson or Barnes, D.R. just liked the way the names sounded together. Rodeo has always been a big deal in Hugo and Mt. Olivet has three world champion bull riders in residence. "Daddy Whatley was the R.C.A. All Around Cowboy of 1947, and the Bull Riding Champ of 1953. He was shot to death in 1966. Freckles Brown is a legendary name in rodeo and the Freckles Brown Memorial Bull Riding event takes place in Hugo each year. Brown won his World Championship in 1962 but may have been more famous for riding Tornado, The Unrideable Bull in 1967. Lane Frost always wanted to be buried next to Freckles and got his wish much too soon. Frost, who was the 1987 World Bull Riding Champion, was killed by a bull in 1989 at the age of 25. As a tribute to Urban Myth, there is a gravestone for Max Bryan "Turk" Robinson who is not dead. Everyone believes Robinson died of cancer because that's the rumor that continues to be told. The story is repeated because Robinson was the the original "Marlboro Man".

Late Nite Carnival 2011 from Sarah Boswell on Vimeo.

The Ball State Daily News VIDEO: Late Nite Carnival By Maria Strauss Sunday, April 17, 2011 Ball State students gathered for the Late Nite Carnival Saturday evening, braving the cold weather for rides, food and entertainment. Late Nite advisor Hannah Harrison said she's still hoping they reached their goal of 7,000 people. To warm up, some students sought shelter in the heated shuttle stop before heading back to the carnival.

Tons of fun at the circus

April 17, 2011

Barstow, CA Desert Dispatch

Destiney Silva, 7, rides an elephant during an intermission at the Carson and Barnes Circus at the intersection of L Street and West Main on Saturday afternoon. The traveling circus was in town Saturday and Sunday and had acts including acrobats, trapeze artists, aerialists, and clowns.

A gift funds a day under big top for many families

April 17, 2011

By Akilah Johnson, Boston Globe Staff

For several years, the two oldest of Chantal Augustin’s three children have been asking a question about what has been a childhood rite of passage for generations: “When can we go to the circus?’’ But Augustin, who has been unable to work for medical reasons, never had the money to take them. Yesterday she made their dream come true. Augustin and her children, ages 14 to 4, sat in an audience of hundreds of people who “oohed’’ and “ahhed’’ at the Big Apple Circus at Boston City Hall Plaza thanks to a donation to the Boston Foundation. The anonymous donation enabled the foundation, which awards grants to local nonprofits, to buy out the performance and provide service organizations in Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, and Lynn with 1,700 tickets for their members. The money also covered the cost of standard circus sustenance: cotton candy, hot dogs, and lemonade. “I am so happy right now,’’ Augustin said before the show. “As a mother, when your kids are asking you for something [that you can’t provide], you feel like you’re letting them down.’’ Augustin, 35, of Dorchester, received tickets through the Community Health Worker Initiative, a job training program provided by Action for Boston Community Development. Her classmate, Emma Prevazi, was just as excited about being able to take her two children to the circus, although the Albanian native said she had no idea what to expect. “I’ve never been!’’ Prevazi, 30, of West Roxbury, said before the show. “It will be their first time, too.’’ When asked what they expected, Prevazi said “maybe games or shows.’’ And the audience received a show indeed. Orange, red, yellow, and green lights bathed the center ring in a rainbow of color as the honorary ringmaster, Governor Deval Patrick, welcomed the crowd wearing a black top hat. But he skipped the ringmaster’s traditional tailcoat, joking, “I think you need to draw the line.’’ “We’re so glad you’re here,’’ Patrick said to a crowd of excited adults and children, many of whom were wearing bright red clown noses that the governor handed out before the show. “We’re excited for the show.’’ Allisha Martinez, 4, sat at the edge of her seat as the Wuqiao Acrobatic Troupe jumped rope while pedaling monocycles and contortionists in yellow tutus twisted and turned their bodies. The box of popcorn she’d munched on so intently before the show sat discarded in her mother’s lap. Entertaining audiences that traditionally don’t get the chance to visit the big top is an integral part of the mission of the Big Apple Circus, which was founded in the 1970s as a nonprofit organization. Boston for decades has been an annual stop for the traveling circus, which tours New England from September through July.