Urban-themed circus comes to town
By Michael Buettner (Staff Writer)
Published: August 3, 2010
PETERSBURG, VA - Fresh from a triumphant tour of the Caribbean, Casual Cal's Bumpin' Big Show Circus rolls into town this week.
The urban-oriented circus is a joint venture of Atlanta-based Big Top Circus, led by Calvin "Casual Cal" Dupree, and Circus Hollywood, a Bradenton, Fla.-based operation owned by fourth-generation circus impresario Serge Corona.
Dupree gained fame as the ringmaster of the UniverSoul Circus, founded in 1994 by music and theater promoter Cedric "Ricky" Walker. Like UniverSoul, the Bumpin' Big Show features mainly African-American performers and draws on urban culture and experience to entertain and uplift audiences.
Front man Econuel Ingram said one difference between the Bumpin' Big Show (also known as Big Top Circus 2010) and UniverSoul is that "D.C. gets UniverSoul, Richmond gets UniverSoul, we wanted to give to a community that doesn't get much of that quality of shows."
But despite the updated style, the circus will offer the traditional attractions, from animals and acrobats to clowns and magicians.
One crowd-pleasing act is a group of motorcyclists who perform in the "Cage of Death." Also on hand are Persian horses, Parisian dogs and plenty of music and fun.
The circus' run here starts officially on Thursday and continues through Sunday at Petersburg High School, but there's a free preview for children today, starting at 11 a.m., at Vernon Johns Junior High School on Homestead Drive.
Ingram said the circus also is looking to hire people locally to help set up and run the shows - part of the company's goal of giving something back to the communities where it performs. If all goes well, he said, "We want to make this an annual event."
In addition, the circus will donate $1 of every ticket purchase to the Petersburg School System. And another way of giving back is a Military Night on Saturday - usually the circus' biggest night - when patrons with military ID cards will receive a discounted ticket price.
Showtimes for the Bumpin' Big Show are 10:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday; noon, 4 and 8 p.m. on Saturday; and 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children. For information, call 894-5566.
By Michael Buettner (Staff Writer)
Published: August 3, 2010
PETERSBURG, VA - Fresh from a triumphant tour of the Caribbean, Casual Cal's Bumpin' Big Show Circus rolls into town this week.
The urban-oriented circus is a joint venture of Atlanta-based Big Top Circus, led by Calvin "Casual Cal" Dupree, and Circus Hollywood, a Bradenton, Fla.-based operation owned by fourth-generation circus impresario Serge Corona.
Dupree gained fame as the ringmaster of the UniverSoul Circus, founded in 1994 by music and theater promoter Cedric "Ricky" Walker. Like UniverSoul, the Bumpin' Big Show features mainly African-American performers and draws on urban culture and experience to entertain and uplift audiences.
Front man Econuel Ingram said one difference between the Bumpin' Big Show (also known as Big Top Circus 2010) and UniverSoul is that "D.C. gets UniverSoul, Richmond gets UniverSoul, we wanted to give to a community that doesn't get much of that quality of shows."
But despite the updated style, the circus will offer the traditional attractions, from animals and acrobats to clowns and magicians.
One crowd-pleasing act is a group of motorcyclists who perform in the "Cage of Death." Also on hand are Persian horses, Parisian dogs and plenty of music and fun.
The circus' run here starts officially on Thursday and continues through Sunday at Petersburg High School, but there's a free preview for children today, starting at 11 a.m., at Vernon Johns Junior High School on Homestead Drive.
Ingram said the circus also is looking to hire people locally to help set up and run the shows - part of the company's goal of giving something back to the communities where it performs. If all goes well, he said, "We want to make this an annual event."
In addition, the circus will donate $1 of every ticket purchase to the Petersburg School System. And another way of giving back is a Military Night on Saturday - usually the circus' biggest night - when patrons with military ID cards will receive a discounted ticket price.
Showtimes for the Bumpin' Big Show are 10:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday; noon, 4 and 8 p.m. on Saturday; and 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children. For information, call 894-5566.
I would like to exchange links with your site dick-dykes.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteIs this possible?
By All Means!
ReplyDeleteJust send me info at dickdykes@verizon.net.
And any material you might have also. I will do a post on the show.
I worked with Serge many years ago.
Dick