Barnum's Kaleidoscape
Encyclopedia
Barnum's Kaleidoscape was an American circus
staged by Feld Entertainment, the owners of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
, at a start-up cost of $10 million. It ran for one season, 1999-2000.
Inspired by both European traditions and the contemporary circus
movement, it was the first Ringling show to be held under a tent since 1956 and also its first one-ring presentation in more than a century. The tent was carpeted with wood flooring and amenities to create an intimate setting with seating for 1,800 on cushioned seats and sofas and no one further than 50 feet from the circus ring. Besides traditional circus fare like popcorn
(sold from an old-fashioned circus wagon) upscale items such as cappuccino
and veggie wraps were offered. The show consisted of 62 performers, 54 crew members, 8 horses and 27 geese, with 50 trucks involved in moving it from site to site.
, instead having its star attraction clown
David Larible (an auguste) and his foil Pipo (a whiteface) introduce acts and perform interludes between them. In the opening act, the entire cast helped a makeup-less Larible put on his costume and make-up, in the process assuming his clown persona. The only animal performers were the aforementioned horses and flock of geese plus a duck. The program had a full score composed by Linda Hudes and performed by a small orchestra. The show was directed by Raffaele De Ritis, an Italian circus and theater director who had previously worked with Cirque du Soleil
and the Moscow State Circus
. The costumes were designed by Pascal Jacob from France. The head rigger was Valery Panteleenko.
and Cirque du Soleil
. Kenneth Feld
acknowledged to the New York Times, "...it's hard to say that we've ignored Cirque du Soleil. If a market is out there, we feel we should get more of our fair share."
Larible, who was among those who created the show, responded to questions about elements that seemed to bear a resemblance to Cirque du Soleil
thusly:
Kenneth Feld
dubbed it "a total entertainment immersion experience." Theater critic Clive Barnes
stated "This is the kind of show for which God invented the circus."
In the industry many questioned whether the show would prove viable. Circus historian Greg Parkinson, a former executive director of the Circus World Museum
, told The New York Times
before the opening, "In a tent of this size they'll have to have a high percentage of sales to break even. And there will be competitors." Similarly, Big Apple Circus
founder and artistic director Paul Binder
told the Times, "the economics of a one-ring tent are tight and very nasty." Binder after seeing the show also described it as "extraordinary."
Ishibashi and Colwell first met when hired for the show and subsequently formed the band Jupiter One
.
A Feld Entertainment press release noted the New York performances marked the first time in its 130-year history that a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus tent was raised in Manhattan. The New York run also had some controversy in what the New York Times dubbed a holiday war between it and the Big Apple Circus.
. Early in the tour (September 1999) it was indicated that future sites for the show would include Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, DC, and Denver but it did not actually visit those cities, perhaps reflecting the difficulty the show had in its first year securing accessible locations in metropolitan areas with visibility.
Feld, in analyzing the initial year of the tour, opined that it was "a new brand that has expanded the family entertainment market ... [It has] blown away our projections by 50%. What we didn't realize at first is that it's a totally new product ... [Sales are] 100% capacity on weekends, 80% during the week." In the aftermath of its successful Chicago run, Feld enthusiastically stated, "When we premiered Barnum's Kaleidoscape last year in Los Angeles I believed that audiences would respond to this unique blend of the circus arts with the luxury and comfort of a theatre. We now know that people do indeed want to experience this other world we have created. Barnum's Kaleidoscape marks our triumphant return to the business of tented shows and we will be in this business for a long time to come."
. Then, with no public explanation, the new season never happened. One observer noted, "Barnum’s Kaleidoscape could not overcome the high costs of moving and operating the show under a tent in large markets". Industry observers estimated Feld had spent over $20 million on the show without turning a profit.
Larible subsequently returned to the main Ringling shows along with some of the other performers, where he continued headlining through 2005. He has since returned to Europe and currently is the star of Circus Roncalli
.
Circus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
staged by Feld Entertainment, the owners of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is an American circus company. The company was started when the circus created by James Anthony Bailey and P. T. Barnum was merged with the Ringling Brothers Circus. The Ringling brothers purchased the Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1907, but ran the circuses...
, at a start-up cost of $10 million. It ran for one season, 1999-2000.
Inspired by both European traditions and the contemporary circus
Contemporary circus
Contemporary circus, or nouveau cirque , is a genre of performing art developed in the later 20th century in which a story or a theme is conveyed through traditional circus skills. Animals are rarely used in this type of circus, and traditional circus skills are blended with a more character-driven...
movement, it was the first Ringling show to be held under a tent since 1956 and also its first one-ring presentation in more than a century. The tent was carpeted with wood flooring and amenities to create an intimate setting with seating for 1,800 on cushioned seats and sofas and no one further than 50 feet from the circus ring. Besides traditional circus fare like popcorn
Popcorn
Popcorn, or popping corn, is corn which expands from the kernel and puffs up when heated. Corn is able to pop because, like sorghum, quinoa and millet, its kernels have a hard moisture-sealed hull and a dense starchy interior. This allows pressure to build inside the kernel until an explosive...
(sold from an old-fashioned circus wagon) upscale items such as cappuccino
Cappuccino
A cappuccino is an Italian coffee drink prepared with espresso, hot milk, and steamed-milk foam. The name comes from the Capuchin friars, referring to the colour of their habits.- Definition :...
and veggie wraps were offered. The show consisted of 62 performers, 54 crew members, 8 horses and 27 geese, with 50 trucks involved in moving it from site to site.
Show overview
The show had no ringmasterRingmaster (circus)
The ringmaster is the most visible performer in the modern circus, and among the most important, since he stage-manages the performance, introduces the various acts, and guides the audience through the entertainment experience. In smaller circuses, the ringmaster is often the owner and artistic...
, instead having its star attraction clown
Clown
Clowns are comic performers stereotypically characterized by the grotesque image of the circus clown's colored wigs, stylistic makeup, outlandish costumes, unusually large footwear, and red nose, which evolved to project their actions to large audiences. Other less grotesque styles have also...
David Larible (an auguste) and his foil Pipo (a whiteface) introduce acts and perform interludes between them. In the opening act, the entire cast helped a makeup-less Larible put on his costume and make-up, in the process assuming his clown persona. The only animal performers were the aforementioned horses and flock of geese plus a duck. The program had a full score composed by Linda Hudes and performed by a small orchestra. The show was directed by Raffaele De Ritis, an Italian circus and theater director who had previously worked with Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil , is a Canadian entertainment company, self-described as a "dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment." Based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy...
and the Moscow State Circus
Moscow State Circus
The title “Moscow State Circus” is used for a variety of circuses. Most commonly, it refers to one of the two circus buildings in Moscow, the “” and the “Bolshoi Circus” , or to traveling shows which may or may not be directly related to Russia.The Russian Circus rose to world acclaim during the...
. The costumes were designed by Pascal Jacob from France. The head rigger was Valery Panteleenko.
Motivation for mounting
One purpose Feld had for the show was to expand into the new high-end markets pioneered by shows like Big Apple CircusBig Apple Circus
The Big Apple Circus is a circus that is based in New York City. Opened in 1977, it has become a tourist attraction as well. It has been highly influential towards the creation of Cirque du Soleil, tent-based circuses and smaller non-profit shows, such as Circus Flora.-The 1970s:The idea of...
and Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil , is a Canadian entertainment company, self-described as a "dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment." Based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy...
. Kenneth Feld
Kenneth Feld
Kenneth Jeffrey Feld is the CEO of , which owns Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Disney on Ice!, and He is also the producer of several Broadway plays. The business was started by his father Irvin Feld and Ken became CEO upon his father's death in 1984. He has three daughters, two...
acknowledged to the New York Times, "...it's hard to say that we've ignored Cirque du Soleil. If a market is out there, we feel we should get more of our fair share."
Larible, who was among those who created the show, responded to questions about elements that seemed to bear a resemblance to Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil , is a Canadian entertainment company, self-described as a "dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment." Based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy...
thusly:
Kenneth Feld
Kenneth Feld
Kenneth Jeffrey Feld is the CEO of , which owns Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Disney on Ice!, and He is also the producer of several Broadway plays. The business was started by his father Irvin Feld and Ken became CEO upon his father's death in 1984. He has three daughters, two...
dubbed it "a total entertainment immersion experience." Theater critic Clive Barnes
Clive Barnes
Clive Alexander Barnes, CBE was a British-born American writer and critic. From 1965 to 1977 he was the dance and theater critic for the New York Times, the most powerful position he had held, since its theater critics' reviews historically have had great influence on the success or failure of...
stated "This is the kind of show for which God invented the circus."
In the industry many questioned whether the show would prove viable. Circus historian Greg Parkinson, a former executive director of the Circus World Museum
Circus World Museum
The Circus World Museum is a large museum complex in Baraboo, Wisconsin devoted to circus-related history. The museum, which features not only circus artifacts and exhibits, but also hosts daily live circus performances throughout the summer, is owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society, and...
, told The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
before the opening, "In a tent of this size they'll have to have a high percentage of sales to break even. And there will be competitors." Similarly, Big Apple Circus
Big Apple Circus
The Big Apple Circus is a circus that is based in New York City. Opened in 1977, it has become a tourist attraction as well. It has been highly influential towards the creation of Cirque du Soleil, tent-based circuses and smaller non-profit shows, such as Circus Flora.-The 1970s:The idea of...
founder and artistic director Paul Binder
Paul Binder
Paul Binder is the founder and artistic director of the Big Apple Circus.The native of Brooklyn, has earned many doctorates, including an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from Dartmouth College, his alma mater. He also was honored by Long Island University, Pratt Institute and Rhode Island College...
told the Times, "the economics of a one-ring tent are tight and very nasty." Binder after seeing the show also described it as "extraordinary."
Acts
The acts included:- Sylvia Zerbini - trapeze and equestrian
- Picaso, Jr. - juggler
- Golden Statues - trio of strong men/hand-balancing
- The Kabanovs - acrobats
- Alexander Petrov and Lucky Kinlova - inclined wire perch pole artists
- Guy Tell and Regina Bouglione - crossbow marksman
- Bogino Troupe - acrobatic tumblers
- Hassani Troupe - tumblers
- Nuts & Bolt - musical comedy
- Olga Rogacheva with Istvan Toth - trained geese
- Fanny Kerwich - clown/acrobat
Orchestra
- Rik Albani - orchestra director
- Kaoru Ishibashi - violinist
- Anthony Cerabino - drums
- Vanessa Fisher - cello
- Zac Colwell - flute
- ? - trumpet
Ishibashi and Colwell first met when hired for the show and subsequently formed the band Jupiter One
Jupiter One
Jupiter One is an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2003. Inspired by a wide range of influences, they create upbeat indie pop songs, with a grounding in futuristic-sounding New Wave-style synth sounds...
.
Touring schedule
The production toured the United States between April 1999 and December 2000, visiting 14 cities. Previews were to start February 26, 1999; shows in Sarasota were cancelled and the visit to Austin as a warm-up was postponed when rehearsals took longer than expected and tornado warnings further disrupted the schedule.| Dates | City | Venue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. - March 1999 | Sarasota, FL | Sarasota County Fairgrounds | rehearsals |
| April 7, 1999 - April 18, 1999 | Irvine, CA Irvine, California Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California... |
Irvine Meadows | soft opening/preview |
| April 30, 1999 - May 23, 1999 | Century City, CA | Century City Mall Westfield Century City Westfield Century City, formerly Century City Shopping Center & Marketplace, is a shopping mall in the Century City area of Los Angeles, California. It is owned by Westfield Group. Its anchor stores are Bloomingdale's and Macy's... |
official premiere |
| June 22, 1999 - July 25, 1999 | San Mateo, CA San Mateo, California San Mateo is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a population of approximately 100,000 , it is one of the larger suburbs on the San Francisco Peninsula, located between Burlingame to the north, Foster City to the east, Belmont to the south,... |
San Mateo County Expo Center | |
| Aug. 11, 1999 - Sept. 26, 1999 | Minneapolis, MN | Mall of America Mall of America The Mall of America, also called MOA and the Megamall, is a shopping mall located in Bloomington, Minnesota, a suburb of the Twin Cities, in the United States. It is located southeast of the junction of Interstate 494 and Minnesota State Highway 77, north of the Minnesota River and is across the... |
run extended |
| Oct. 12, 1999 - Oct. 31, 1999 | Austin, TX Austin, Texas Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in... |
Highland Mall Highland Mall Highland Mall, is a shopping mall located in north Austin, Texas, on Airport Boulevard west of I-35 and north of US Route 290. Opened in 1971, Highland Mall was Austin's first suburban shopping mall... |
postponed from March |
| Nov. 17, 1999 - Dec. 12, 1999 | Tempe, AZ Tempe, Arizona Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2010 population of 161,719. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale... |
Tempe Diablo Stadium Tempe Diablo Stadium Tempe Diablo Stadium is a baseball field located in Tempe, Arizona. It is the spring training home of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the home field for night games of the Arizona League Tempe Angels... |
|
| Dec. 24, 1999 - Jan. 23, 2000 | Houston, TX | George R. Brown Convention Center George R. Brown Convention Center The George R. Brown Convention Center opened on September 26, 1987 on the east side of Downtown Houston, Texas, United States.The center was named for the prominent Houstonian George R. Brown, an entrepreneur, civic leader and philanthropist. Brown’s Texas Eastern Corporation donated six of the 11... |
|
| Feb. 5, 2000 - Mar. 12, 2000 | Dallas, TX | Valley View Center Valley View Center Valley View Center is a super-regional shopping mall located at Interstate 635 and Montfort Road in north Dallas, Texas, USA. The mall is owned and managed by The Macerich Company.... |
|
| Mar. 21, 2000 - April 30, 2000 | Chicago, IL Chicago Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles... |
Soldier Field Soldier Field Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears... |
|
| May 13, 2000 - June 11, 2000 | Cleveland, OH | Nautica Entertainment Complex | |
| June 23, 2000 - July 16, 2000 | Southfield, MI Southfield, Michigan According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which 0.04% is water. The main branch of the River Rouge runs through Southfield. The city is bounded to the south by Eight Mile Road, its western border is Inkster Road, and to the east it is bounded by Greenfield Road... |
Green at the Southfield Civic Center | |
| July 28, 2000 - Aug. 20, 2000 | Pittsburgh, PA | Station Square Station Square Station Square is a indoor and outdoor shopping, dining and entertainment complex located in the South Shore neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States.... |
|
| Sept. 6, 2000 - Oct. 8, 2000 | Atlanta, GA | Centennial Olympic Park Centennial Olympic Park Centennial Olympic Park is a 21 acre public park located in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, USA that is owned and operated by the Georgia World Congress Center Authority. The park was built by the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games as part of the infrastructure improvements for the Centennial... |
|
| Nov. 21, 2000 - Dec. 31, 2000 | New York, NY New York City New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and... |
Bryant Park Bryant Park Bryant Park is a 9.603 acre privately managed public park located in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is located between Fifth and Sixth Avenues and between 40th and 42nd Streets in Midtown Manhattan... |
A Feld Entertainment press release noted the New York performances marked the first time in its 130-year history that a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus tent was raised in Manhattan. The New York run also had some controversy in what the New York Times dubbed a holiday war between it and the Big Apple Circus.
Initial results
It often set up in parking lots or adjacent to suburban malls. The initial tour was slated to run approximately 45 weeks. Just before the rehearsals commenced, composer Linda Hudes spoke of it as being a three-year tour, with the first year to be spent on the West CoastWest Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
. Early in the tour (September 1999) it was indicated that future sites for the show would include Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, DC, and Denver but it did not actually visit those cities, perhaps reflecting the difficulty the show had in its first year securing accessible locations in metropolitan areas with visibility.
Feld, in analyzing the initial year of the tour, opined that it was "a new brand that has expanded the family entertainment market ... [It has] blown away our projections by 50%. What we didn't realize at first is that it's a totally new product ... [Sales are] 100% capacity on weekends, 80% during the week." In the aftermath of its successful Chicago run, Feld enthusiastically stated, "When we premiered Barnum's Kaleidoscape last year in Los Angeles I believed that audiences would respond to this unique blend of the circus arts with the luxury and comfort of a theatre. We now know that people do indeed want to experience this other world we have created. Barnum's Kaleidoscape marks our triumphant return to the business of tented shows and we will be in this business for a long time to come."
End of show
By the end of the first year of the tour, Feld spoke of a seven-year tour plan calling for the creation of a second unit in 2001. The first unit would continue playing the United States for four years, then go overseas for three. August 2000 Feld claimed the show "is going to be a major profit center for this company" and he hoped it would return "year after year" to annually play New York. As late as November 2000 there were plans for the show to continue into 2001, playing the West Coast again (San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Denver). Instead, all the 2001 dates were cancelled with promises of a new show to be created, aimed at opening in the fall of 2001 on the East CoastEast Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
. Then, with no public explanation, the new season never happened. One observer noted, "Barnum’s Kaleidoscape could not overcome the high costs of moving and operating the show under a tent in large markets". Industry observers estimated Feld had spent over $20 million on the show without turning a profit.
Larible subsequently returned to the main Ringling shows along with some of the other performers, where he continued headlining through 2005. He has since returned to Europe and currently is the star of Circus Roncalli
Circus Roncalli
Circus Roncalli is a German circus founded in 1976 by Bernhard Paul and André Heller. According to Bernhard Paul, the name was inspired by a film script of his fellow Austrian Peter Hajek, "Sarah Roncalli, Tochter des Mondes"...
.
External links
- Barnum's Kaleidoscape (pictures of the tent from the outside)
- Website of David Larible
- Website of Nuts & Bolts
- Website of Picaso, Jr.
- Website of Linda Hudes
- "Equine Ballerina Comes Home To Florida With Cavalia Show In Tampa" (profile of Sylvia Zerbini)
- "This Big Apple Circus Juggler Is Full of Hot Air" (profile of Picaso, Jr.)
- "The True Love Story of a Gypsy Acrobat and a Dallas Lawyer" (profile of Fanny Kerwich)