Monday, August 12, 2013

CIRQUE ITALIA--FREDERICK, MD

Some turned away from Cirque Italia


Travis S. Pratt
Cirque Italia goers line up outside the tent at the Frederick Fairgrounds Friday night in Frederick.
From:  fredericknewspost.com

By Cara R. Anthony News-Post Staff
August 10, 2013
If you are going to Cirque Italia today, you might want to get there early.
Friday night’s show at the Frederick Fairgrounds sold out quickly, and more than 150 people were turned away even though many of their names were on a list submitted by a third-party ticket company.
While some ticket holders enjoyed dancing, juggling and acrobatics, others on the list were outside of the circus tent face to face with the show’s chief operating officer, Chante DeMouste, who said it was Cirque Italia’s first time working with the company Fillaseat.com.
“Tickets are selling fast and we are in popular demand,” DeMouste said after apologizing to those turned away Friday night.
DeMouste even offered to put on a second show if people were willing to stay, but most said no to the offer. She then offered them tickets to today’s show or to the show in Takoma Park set for Aug. 15.
 
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Travis S. Pratt
Emiliano and Maximiliano Fusco perform their juggling act during Cirque Italia at the Frederick Fairgrounds Friday night in Frederick.

Meanwhile, under the big top, circus-goers enjoyed the show’s colorful aquatic features and were captivated by breathtaking stunts that performers completed with ease.
Friday’s large crowd was a good sign to promoter Econuel Ingram, who helped promote the popular UniverSoul Circus for 20 years.
“This is a new and exciting show,” Ingram said. “It’s a combination of a traditional circus and aquatics, which makes it a lot different.”
The show premiered in the United States six months ago and has drawn large crowds around the country.
“When the crowds come full force and they want to see an opening show, we have this happen all the time, but unfortunately today it happened all at once,” DeMouste said.
Tonya Thomas and her family were among those turned away Friday night. They signed up to see the circus through Fillaseat.com.
The ticketing company offers its members seats to events with unsold tickets.
Thomas traveled two hours from Calvert County to see the show.
She made it to the front of the line right before organizers stopped letting people in. Right behind her was Joi Louviere, of Rockville, who was also disappointed that she couldn’t see the show, she said.
“I think it’s kind of disorganized,” Louviere said. “I think it’s kind of ridiculous that they didn’t have the lines in order and now it’s overbooked. I feel like I am waiting for a flight.”
Waiting is something Gina Del Gandio and her family did not have to do for long because they got there early to avoid long lines, she said.
“It’s great,” Delagandio said of the circus. “We avoided the crowd and got here early so that we could get a seat.”

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