The circus comes to town
 

By David Freese

St. Tammany News
October 17, 2012
The circus, with its traditional migrating crimson, gold striped ‘Big Top’ architecture, savory illusions, conglomerate of acrobatic and aerial performances, combustion of exotic-animal tricks, soaring human cannonballs, array of coordinated clowns and colorful family ties, is a more than 150 year old American phenomenon.
Florida-based Cole Brothers Circus of the Stars will host their 128th edition of the circus today and tomorrow at the Northshore Harbor Center, 100 Harbor Blvd., in Slidell. Shows will begin both days at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
The world’s largest big top circus will present “an incredible two-hour program featuring elephants, tigers, clowns, amazing physical feats, and spectacular daredevil stunts,” Cole Bros. said. The circus performance will consist of more than 80 tons of rigging, props, lighting and sound equipment, all huddled under a giant five-story high red, yellow tent.
According to history, Cole Bros. Circus remains the only circus organization to have survived through a century, 100 years of ‘Big Top’ tradition. Since that time, three generations of Americans have “thrilled to the sights, smells, sounds and feats of skill that typify the Cole Bros. Circus.
William Washington Cole began the Cole story in the 1880s. W.W. Cole stated the following in 1884, “Presented in a reputable manner by reputable people.”
Cole received numerous accolades for his support of the circus and when he died in 1915, he left an estate of $5 million, quite a sum of money during the early 1900s.
Within the turn of the century the circus changed its name from “W.W. Cole’s New Colossal Shows” to Cole Bros. Circus, which remains today. The circus would be purchased by Canadian showman Martin Downs and his son James. During the 1920s Cole Bros. Circus was owned and operated by two brothers, Floyd and Howard King, who brought the circus to the western frontier where performances were held at military bases, mining camps and remote boomtowns.
Like many organizations, the circus took a big hit during the Great Depression but advocates with Cole Bros. Circus had faith. Jesse Adkins and Zack Terrell would then acquire and restructure the circus itself. During the 1935 Cole Bros. Circus performance, Adkins and Terrell moved the show on thirty-five double-length railroad cars. The performance was delivered to townsfolk by a giant street parade from railroad yards to circus grounds.
A new chapter in the Cole Bros. Circus began in 1935 when legendary performer Clyde Beatty joined performers. It was around this time that the “Human Cannonball” act was included.
read more---
http://m.thesttammanynews.com/mobile/news/article_93f8c9f4-17dc-11e2-b941-001a4bcf887a.html

State Fair of Texas Closes Run for This Year

 

from: kbtx.com

Updated: Mon 12:36 PM, Oct 22, 2012
DALLAS -- The State Fair of Texas - marked this year by the loss of the towering, cowboy-hat-wearing Big Tex in a fire - came close to surpassing the all-time high spent in previous years on food and amusement rides.
The fair ended Sunday. Fair officials say visitors this year spent $36.6 million on food and amusement rides. The fair's record was set in 2010 at $37.3 million. This year's total was $2 million more than last year's total.
The fair this year included a Chinese Lantern Festival and an exhibit celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts.
On Friday, the 52-foot-tall Big Tex was destroyed by fire due to an electrical malfunction. But officials say Big Tex will be restored and will be back for next year's fair.

‘The American Circus’ Chronicles the Big Top's Glory Days (Photos) from-- thedailybeast.com
 

Jacob J. Gayer / National Geographic Society-Corbis

It wasn’t always about fights over animal rights and Cirque du Something or Other. The American circus has been around almost since the birth of the republic, and in the space of little more than two centuries it’s seen more changes than a Ringling showgirl has sequins. But the one thing that sets American circuses apart from their European counterparts is size. In this country we liked them big almost from the get-go. Now the art form has a book to match its grandeur: The American Circus, an extraordinary collection of vintage photographs and essays by experts on everything from pachyderms to parades. Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please!
FABULOUS SLIDE SHOW--CHECK IT OUT HERE--
http://www.thedailybeast.com/galleries/2012/10/21/the-american-circus-chronicles-the-big-top-s-glory-days-photos.html

Jackson County Fair 2012 kicks off Sunday

 

AMANDA McCOY/SUN HERALD

Kylie Bosarge, 6, of Pascagoula rides the carousel at the Jackson County Fair in 2010.
By LEIGHANNE LOCKHART
from: sunherald.com
October 21, 2012
JACKSON COUNTY-- The show has begun at the Jackson County Fair Sunday through Oct. 28, and is possibly one of the county's most eagerly awaited weeks of the year.Jackson County turns 200 years old this year, a feat that brings more elements to the fair that features amusement park rides, stockyard exhibits and seafood gumbo."You know fall has truly arrived when the Ferris wheel starts going up," said Eddie Russell of the Fair Association.The Bicentennial Fireworks Show is scheduled for Family Night on Tuesday at 7:45 p.m. This will be the first fireworks display in the history of the fair. It will be staged on Singing River Health System property north of the new Singing River Medical Park.Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2012/10/20/4255744/jackson-county-fair-2012-kicks.html#storylink=cpy

Under the BIG TOP

from--- thesttammanynews.com
Saturday, October 20, 2012

Above, clowns with the Bermudez Troupe perform an act titled “The Bermudez Family Revs up” during a showing of Cole Bros. “Circus of the Stars.” The circus had showings on both Wednesday and Thursday at the Northshore Harbor Center. This act in particular provided slapstick comedy for the audience. One clown, who mimicked an elderly grandmother, was shown dodging a speeding taxi. After picking up the elderly clown, the driver of the taxi sped off spewing clothing and belongings everywhere. Once the taxi breaks down, a passenger attempts to inspect the damages, which is the scene featured above.
 At bottom, a female performer with the Cole Bros. Circus glides airborne during an act titled “The Biggest Stars in Our Galaxy.” Behind her is the interior of the Cole Bros. “Big Top” tent, which is decaled with stars. (Staff Photos by David Freese)

 

CIRCUS MODELS

 

 

 

Chinese national circus Cirque Chinois to perform flying feats and ancient tricks at Miller Auditorium


Cirque Chinois, the National Circus of the People s Republic of China, will come through Western Michigan University's Miller Auditorium on Oct. 26.

By Mark Wedel
Special to the Kalamazoo Gazette The Kalamazoo Gazette
October 21, 2012
KALAMAZOO, MI -- Members of Cirque Chinois will literally bend over backwards to please a crowd.
The touring production of the National Circus of the People's Republic of China will hit, bounce from, and fly above, the Miller Auditorium stage Oct. 26.
They travel with 45 performers, who have an average age of 24, deputy director Shaojie Wu wrote through an interpreter via email.

 

The feats they perform obviously take much skill, and some look like they require bones made of rubber. One segment features female contortionists bending in unnatural ways as they form a pyramid four bent bodies high.

How do they do it? "It does take a lot of daily training from very early age," Wu wrote, simply.
Performers for the National Circus start training as early as age 4, the show's website states. The circus is based in Beijing; more than 500 students study the arts from plate-spinning to clowning. Most come from families with a long tradition of circus performing.
The National Circus was founded in 1953, but the tradition goes back around 3,000 years. It began as a folk art, called "the show of a hundred tricks," meant to entertain the imperial houses of China.
read more--
http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2012/10/chinese_national_circus_cirque.html

Circus festival ends with fabulous closing night
International Circus Festival wrapped up a month of performances with a wonderful show at Cairo’s Al-Azhar Park on Saturday
from-- ahram.org.eg
Farah Montasser
Sunday 21 Oct 2012

CirCairo, the International Circus Festival, ended its series of events with a performance at Al-Azhar Park on Saturday.
From juggling and rope walking to acrobatics, choreography and puppet sketches, CirCairo wrapped up with a diverse show.
All the performers took the audience by storm but the highlight of the evening was Balagans from Spain and the Kosha Puppet team from Egypt.
"Revolutionary" was a term used by some audiences members as Balagans brought new dance moves to the traditional circus show. Consisting of a male and a female performer and accompanied by a musician, Balagans used brooms as part of their routine which attracted such wild applause and whistles that one could not hear the music at times.
 

They added some Spanish touches, mainly Salsa and Tango, to their circus routines. Their graceful routines gave life to the wooden brooms they held.
Adding to the audience's wonderment, the musician used a remote control attached to his drum to make a number of brooms dance. Audience members, who could not see him what he was doing, kept wondering how the brooms moved alone on stage.
“Those brooms have magnets attached to the stage making them stand up straight and move as the performers please!" a female audience member told her friends.
Besides the broom sketch, Balagans performed a traditional rope-walking sketch.
Accompanied by gypsy-style music, the performing couple danced together on the rope. Their choreographed routine included acrobatics like the famous Canadian troupe Cirque du Soleil.
Following them and ending the show, Kosha Puppet Team from Egypt danced and engaged with children and adults in the audience to bring street art to life.
They chose a mawal (traditional Egyptian chant) that spoke of poverty, unemployment, food shortages, and most importantly gas cylinders, known as ambouba. The ambouba has been a problem for many Egyptians over the past year due to price hikes and shortages.
A Kosha member wearing an ambouba costume toured around the audience singing and dancing with children.
Sadly, CirCairo has come to an end but throughout its almost month-long programme it managed to reach out to many people in Cairo, Alexandria, Mansoura, and Menoufeya.
"We were welcomed in every place we visited across Egypt, and the general public, especially those in the governorates outside Cairo, asked us to be a frequent presence in their communities," CirCairo director Ashraf Kennawy told Ahram Online.
CirCairo 2012 opened on 4 October and finished on 20 October at Al-Azhar Park.
read more--
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/5/35/56155/Arts--Culture/Stage--Street/Circus-festival-ends-with-fabulous-closing-night.aspx

HALLOWEEN HUMOR
FROM THE PAST--

 

 

 

 

 

The Arts Show: Ice Age Live, Cardiff Motorpoint Arena

 

from--walesonline.co.uk
15 Oct 2012
Arts correspondent Dave Owens talks to Welsh puppeteer Todd Jones who is helping to bring to life the magic of Ice Age Live: A Mammoth Adventure. The show has its world premiere at Cardiff's Motorpoint Arena on Friday and runs until 21 October.
Read More http://www.walesonline.co.uk/multimedia/entertainment/showbiz/2012/10/15/the-arts-show-ice-age-live-cardiff-motorpoint-arena-91466-32038072/#ixzz29vybPhDE

 

Circus at Sangarmaal
RenzuShah gives life to Maut Ka Kuan

 

Circus at Sangarmaal
from---greaterkashmir.com
SYED IMRAN ALI HAMDANI
Srinagar, Oct 20: Circus, a typical amusement of the yesteryears, which had faded away in the fast life electronic era, is making a comeback in a big way at Sangarmaal, City’s fashionable hangout where a beeline of visitors is expected to see live events like acrobatics at Maut Ka Kuan (Daring Death Well) and performing jugglers.
 Srinagar Development Authority, the mall custodian, has introduced the amusement facility as a part of the ongoing Sangarmaal festival which apart from others attracted dignitaries like Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and the First Lady. A high level delegation of Australian diplomats during a recent visit to Kashmir didn’t miss to visit the hangout and found it “very interesting”.
 The circus was inaugurated by SDA Vice –Chairman Farooq RenzuShah while visitors at Sangarmaal were elated at the development. Not only kids but even the elderly enjoyed watching the amusements.
 For the past few months since Sangarmaal got a new life amid series of festivals which improved the mall footfall, visitors had often been complaining of lack of amusement for children. This was when the SDA VC had pledged to introduce some “amusement which not only children but entire family would love to enjoy.”
 RenzuShah’s pledge realized with the inauguration of the circus, scheduled to last for over a week.
 Talking to reporters RenzuShah said it was his desire to see entire family enjoy their visit to the Sangarmaal for shopping. 
 His views were endorsed by the visitors. “My children loved the circus so much that they want to come here again and again,” said a parent from Nishat area.
 The icing on the cake is that the circus has been started at a time when most of the children are enjoying their post exam holidays.
 Sangarmaal, the state government’s prestigious project had been a “dead horse” since its inception in 2010. But it finally got a new life earlier this year and has been witnessing hustle-bustle since.
 Meanwhile the mall shopkeepers said discount offers would continue for festive shopping.

State Fair officials seek answers in Stratosphere stall

by WENDY CORONA

WFAA

Posted on October 20, 2012

Dean Martin and John Wayne

Uploaded by BaldViking on Mar 17, 2008

A clip from many years ago with Dean Martin and John Wayne, with John Wayne telling the audience he wants for his daughter. Very nice speech by "The Duke".

Hugo to host TV show casting call on Oct. 29
from---durantdemocrat.com
October 20, 2012
A new television series is looking for big talent in small towns, and one of their first casting calls will be just an hour’s drive away in Hugo.

The Hugo Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting open auditions for “Road Show” on Oct. 29 at the Bill Grant Civic Center in Hugo. The auditions are for a “new, unscripted original series” featuring local talent from small towns. The AMC network gave a green light to the project in September.

Local organizers of the one-day casting call are inviting people from surrounding communities to participate and “get the chance of a lifetime to be in the spotlight.”

Dave Hinkle, President of the Hugo Area Chamber of Commerce said that he hopes to draw talent from area towns, including Durant.

The casting company has limited participants to anyone age 18 and up. Beyond that, the sky’s the limit. They are looking for regular folks (in their words, “the town mechanic, baker or candlestick maker”) who are “passionate about their craft.”

Specific talents being sought include, but are not limited to “magicians, jugglers, dancers, singers, comedians, ventriloquists, musicians and more.” Holding a casting call in Hugo, one of America’s premiere circus homes, will help the talent pool. But Durant has more people – therefore more talented people – who could answer the call.

As with most contests of this type, incentives include Hollywood mentors working with finalists, and cash prizes for top finishers as well.

The Road Show casting call will be held from 2-6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 29 in Hugo. Bill Grant Civic Center is at Fifth and Rena streets in Hugo, and can be reached by taking US 70-B (Jackson Street) into Hugo and turning left (north) at the Fifth Street traffic light. BGCC is at the end of North Fifth Street.

For more information, call the Hugo Area Chamber of Commerce at (580) 326-7511 or email frazier@kasstinginc.com.
Read more: Durant Daily Democrat - Hugo to host TV show casting call on Oct 29 

It's Nik Wallenda Day In Sarasota

King Of The Highwire Nik Wallenda comes home to Sarasota after a summer of incredible feats, including walking across the Grand Canyon.

By Charles Schelle

from--- sarasota.patch.com

October 19, 2012

Nik Wallenda receives his Nik Wallenda Day proclamation from County Commissioner Christine Robinson on a tightrope at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. Credit Charles Schelle Sarasota County Commissioner Christine Robinson and Nik Wallenda

Published on Oct 19, 2012 by sarasotacounty1

SPOOK SHOW POSTERS

"SPOOK SHOW"
POSTERS FROM THE PAST

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grizzly, gators add excitement at fair

 

at the Alachua County Fair on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012 at the Alachua County Fairgrounds.
Matt Benson/Correspondent
By Hannah O. Brown, Correspondent
from---gainesville.com
Saturday, October 20, 2012

Jumbo corn dogs, adrenaline-inducing rides and local livestock are not the only attractions drawing Alachua County residents to the fair this year. The promise of wild animal encounters is what some fairgoers credit as the fair's headliners.

 

Mazie Foote, left, and Madison Foote, right, show off the goldfish they won at the Alachua County Fair on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012 at the Alachua County Fairgrounds. (Matt Benson / Correspondent
Six hundred-pound grizzly bear "Tonk" and the "Kachunga and the Alligator" show drew big crowds on a lazy Saturday afternoon — the second day of this year's fair, which runs through Oct. 27 at the Alachua County Fairgrounds on Northeast 39th Avenue.

Bear trainer Dexter Osborn led Tonk around a metal cage holding sugary foods in front of his nose as a reward. The man and his bear performed a series of tricks while Osborn's wife relayed a library of facts about hiking safety, bear anatomy and what to do if you encounter a bear in the wild.

Tonk stands 7 feet tall on his back paws. He raised his arms and lumbered across the enclosure to meet Osborn on the other side. Osborn popped a marshmallow into Tonk's snout with his bare hand. The crowd cheered.

Then he coaxed Tonk onto his muscular back, exposing his belly. Osborn explained that he has taught the massive bear tricks with the sole use of positive reinforcement, a training method that relies on rewarding sought-after behaviors.

The show climaxed with Tonk devouring the contents of an entire liter of Mountain Dew in several seconds. He licked the last drops off his nose after Osborn took the crushed bottle out of Tonk's enormous paws.
read more---
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20121020/ARTICLES/121029967/1109/sports?Title=Grizzly-gators-add-excitement-at-fair