THE BALLOON MAN

Circus: 'Old fashioned fun' returns to Spencer

The James Cristy Cole Circus returns for a second year at the Clay County Regional Events Center this weekend. The traveling three-ring circus will perform at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, then again at 2 p.m. Sunday

Tuesday, March 22, 2011
By Randy M. Cauthron, Managing Editor
James Cristy Cole Circus returns to Spencer, IA this weekend for three shows. The circus will perform twice Saturday, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Clay County Regional Events Center, then close out its stay with a 2 p.m. matinee show on Sunday. For those who attended the three-ring show in March 2010, producer Jim Plunkett, a lifetime circus man, promised an entirely different show for the 2011 edition.
"This year's show is completely new. Everything's new," Plunkett explained, while on the road Monday afternoon. "It's a lot bigger show than last year."
Featured this year, Plunkett is bringing a couple of thrill acts. Motorcycle daredevils "The Dominquez Riders" who travel round-and-round and upside down in the "sphere of fear," which is also known as the "Globe of Death." The fearless "Dangerous Dominguez" will also climb the giant space wheel high in the sky.

Elephants, tigers and dogs, oh my. From domesticated doggies to tremendous pachyderms - the James Cristy Cole Circus will offer something for everyone in the audience. (File photo)

America's own animal trainer, Vincent Von Duke, will perform in the steel bound arena with a select group of royal Bengal tigers and black-maned Nubian lions.
"This is one of the few acts in the country that has both lions and tigers, and white tigers. It's a really big cat show," Plunkett said.
This show will also feature the internationally famous dancing elephant "Anna Louise."
"It's really adorable," Plunkett added.
"Of course we'll have trampoline and an aerial act. It's a lot bigger show than it was last year. ... and if you come a little early or during intermission you can have your picture taken with a big python, ride elephants. There's lots to do before and after the show." "We are truly excited to bring back this full three-ring family circus to Spencer," said Scott Hallgren, general manager for VenuWorks at the Clay County Regional Events Center. "James Plunkett, the owner and producer of our Circus, is a fourth-generation circus performer himself, and he knows how to produce a quality show. James has worked with several Shrine organizations across the country in producing circuses for them. In fact, the same circus and circus acts you'll be seeing in Spencer were in Omaha for the Tangier Shrine Circus. ..."
"It's a traditional three-ring circus. It's something you would have seen 50 years ago. It's Americana. It's lived through the times," said Plunkett.

He continued, "I remember my first circus. I think everybody, whether they are 100 years old or 10 years old, they remember their first circus. Usually it's the animals or the clowns. But it's something you always remember. It's generational, something that can be shared between grandparents and grandchildren, parents and kids."
Plunkett has been around the industry for 54 years in one way or another. His great-grandfather was part of a circus in 1886. His grandfather moved to Dickens, Neb., and had 11 children. All of those children played instruments and on Saturday nights would play dances. They transitioned into performing three-act plays, and when the family home burned down in 1929, they literally took their show own the road. Plunkett started out as a tramplinist and learned the tight-wire act, performing all over the world in Europe and Japan.
From its home office in Mabank, Texas, the James Cristy Cole Circus tours 25 weeks a year, performing mainly on the Shrine Circus circuit.
"The all-American circus entertainment started out as vaudeville style acts. Then circuses started pulling in the European talent. PT Barnum decided he could get more people into a tent with three rings," explained Plunkett. This served as the beginning of the three rings of entertainment that have entertained audiences for years.
The ringmaster for the James Cristy Cole Circus is Plunkett's wife, a working-mom-of-three, Cristine Herriott-Plunkett. Appearing with her Registered Lipizzaner-Pinto horse, "Cebero" and registered American miniature stallion, "Demitri." As co-producer of the James Cristy Cole Circus, she designs and sews all of her costumes and puts the "bling in the ring."
The circus is named for the couple's three children: Star Cristy, 18, Jesse James, 16, and Cole, 11.
Plunkett said he would like to make Spencer a permanent stop on the circus' circuit.
"We felt we were well received last year. The events center staff are really great people to deal with. We want to come back and try it again. We're hoping to come back year-in and year-out if the community supports us.
"Come on out, leave your troubles at the door, and enjoy yourself. We'll give you two hours of fun and make it seem like 30 minutes," Plunkett said.
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The James Cristy Cole Circus will appear at the Clay County Regional Events Center at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, and at 2 p.m. Sunday. To purchase tickets, customers can visit the Events Center Ticket Office (Monday -- Friday, 9am -- 4pm), the Ticketmaster website (http://www.ticketmaster.com/), call the charge-by-phone (800-745-3000), or any Ticketmaster outlet.