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CLOWNING around Show features acrobats, animals and, of course, clowns
The circus is coming to town! Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey's 'Greatest Show on Earth' will spend this week at the D.C. Armory in Washington, next week at the Verizon Center, also in Washington, and the first two weeks of April at the Patriot Center in Fairfax County
By LUCIA ANDERSON
Date published: 3/23/2006
The circus is coming! The circus is coming!
Those four words are guaranteed to create a thrill in all but the most jaded of hearts.
For some, it's the spangle-clad daredevils flying far up among the rafters that draws them in. For others, it's the ponderous pachyderms parading majestically around the arena. Still others come to laugh at the silly antics of the clowns.
Whatever the particular appeal, few can resist the lure of the circus. And those within driving distance of Washington have plenty of chances to take in the charms of the 135th edition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's "Greatest Show on Earth" in the next four weeks.
The extravaganza is unfolding at the D.C. Armory through Sunday. The Verizon Center will host 10 performances next week. Then everything moves to the Patriot Center at George Mason University in Fairfax for a two-week run April 5 to 16.
The trapeze artists, the elephants and the clowns will all be there, but so will some new and different acts.
Among those are the Windy City Acrobats, a group of inner-city tumblers from Chicago. The city-sponsored tumbling program began as a positive alternative for kids from the projects; the Windy City Acrobats worked to become featured performers at Chicago Bulls home games, festivals, theme parks and now Ringling Bros.
The nine members, ranging in age from 13 to 22, perform aerial acrobatics and a challenge basketball game against the circus clowns.
Another newcomer to the show is the Inner Mongolia Acrobatic Troupe. The 21 members of the group, ages 17 to 26, have spent their young lives at acrobatic school. They dive through hoops and leap from pole to pole, performing, as the press release says, "what Spider-Man can only do on a computer screen."
Bello, a favorite with Ringling Bros. audiences since 2001, will reprise his role as a comic daredevil, performing hair-raising comedy antics that justify his standing-straight-on-end hairdo.
Luciano and Gladys Anastasini grew up in circus families, performing as an acrobat and an aerialist, respectively. Gradually Luciano turned to training dogs he had rescued from animal shelters. The Anastasinis joined Ringling Bros. two years ago with a nine-dog comedy routine. This year they have a new, comic act that includes both a pony and a miniature horse, as well as the rescue dogs.
And as if all that weren't enough, there are also the husband and wife team of Brian and Tina Miser, whose togetherness includes being shot out of a cannon; Taba and his team of 11 tigers; and Sacha Houcke and his combined horse and elephant act. And did we mention the trapeze artists, elephants and clowns?
As a bonus, everyone who has a ticket to one of the performances is invited to come an hour early for an interactive preshow at no extra charge. Participants get to meet the elephants and dogs, try on costumes, learn clowning techniques and practice with the acrobats.
Holders of the $80 Circus Celebrity tickets get to join the performer parade at the beginning of the show and sit in choice seats.
For more information about the shows, visit ring ling.com on the Internet.
To reach LUCIA ANDERSON:540/374-5405
Email: landerson@freelancestar.com
WHERE: D.C. Armory, 2001 E. Capitol St., Washington (Stadium/Armory Metro stop)
WHEN: Through Sunday
COST: $12-$80
TICKETS: 202/397-7328, 703/573-7328, ticketmaster.com
INFO: ringling.com |
WHERE: Verizon Center, Seventh and F streets, N.W., Washington (Gallery Place/ Chinatown Metro stop)
WHEN: March 29-April 2
COST: $12-$80
TICKETS: 202/397-7328, 703/573-7328, ticketmaster.com
INFO: ringling.com |
WHERE: Patriot Center, George Mason University, Braddock Road and State Route 123, Fairfax
WHEN: April 5-16
COST: $12-$80
TICKETS: 202/397-7328, 703/573-7328, ticketmaster.com
INFO: ringling.com
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Date published: 3/23/2006
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