Circus director’s event educates and entertains
February 8, 2011 by BECKY ATKINSON
Once the tent is packed up and the circus moves to the next city, all that remains is a circle of sawdust in the now empty field where the circus ring used to be.
This is the inspiration for the name of a touring multi-media one man show presented tonight at Canopy Studio — “Circle of Sawdust: Circus Tales of Mud, Myth, Magic, Mirth and Mayhem” with Rob Mermin.
“I’ll be telling stories and anecdotes of my various adventures and misadventures at the circus,” said Mermin, host of the event. “I have some old film clips in the early circus I traveled with 40 years ago in Europe. It will be a very entertaining, but very educational show about the world of circus and what life is really about for a circus performer.”
In his 20s Mermin ran away to join a traveling circus in Europe.
With training in mime and a degree in drama and literature from Lake Forest College, Mermin’s career exploded in a variety of directions.
He became director of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College; founder of Circus Smirkus; a clown in circuses across Europe, Scandinavia and the former Soviet Union; an author; a director and a university lecturer.
Sharing stories of his life under the big top and vintage circus clips from his own personal collection, Mermin will tell about the traditions of circus culture and the lifestyle of being a circus performer.
“Circus has a revival of interest among young people and students studying circus arts,” Mermin said. “I’ve found there’s a good two dozen of these circus schools and training places around the country that teach great skills, but no one is really teaching the traditions of the circus culture.”read more at:http://www.redandblack.com/2011/02/08/circus-director%E2%80%99s-event-educates-and-entertains/
Once the tent is packed up and the circus moves to the next city, all that remains is a circle of sawdust in the now empty field where the circus ring used to be.
This is the inspiration for the name of a touring multi-media one man show presented tonight at Canopy Studio — “Circle of Sawdust: Circus Tales of Mud, Myth, Magic, Mirth and Mayhem” with Rob Mermin.
“I’ll be telling stories and anecdotes of my various adventures and misadventures at the circus,” said Mermin, host of the event. “I have some old film clips in the early circus I traveled with 40 years ago in Europe. It will be a very entertaining, but very educational show about the world of circus and what life is really about for a circus performer.”
In his 20s Mermin ran away to join a traveling circus in Europe.
With training in mime and a degree in drama and literature from Lake Forest College, Mermin’s career exploded in a variety of directions.
He became director of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College; founder of Circus Smirkus; a clown in circuses across Europe, Scandinavia and the former Soviet Union; an author; a director and a university lecturer.
Sharing stories of his life under the big top and vintage circus clips from his own personal collection, Mermin will tell about the traditions of circus culture and the lifestyle of being a circus performer.
“Circus has a revival of interest among young people and students studying circus arts,” Mermin said. “I’ve found there’s a good two dozen of these circus schools and training places around the country that teach great skills, but no one is really teaching the traditions of the circus culture.”read more at:http://www.redandblack.com/2011/02/08/circus-director%E2%80%99s-event-educates-and-entertains/
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