As performers wearing colorful costumes entered the Circus Smirkus ring, they captured the gaze of wide-eyed children among the 750 audience members seated under the big top tent on a hot July afternoon. Performers Avery Steere and Cora Williams playing the roles of a king and queen effortlessly and elegantly rode unicycles as audience members’ eyes followed them in circles.

Although this was Waterbury’s first year hosting the Vermont-grown youth circus, ticket sales were strong with sold-out performances over the three-day run at Farr’s Field along U.S. Route 2 last week. Venue owner John Farr was pleased with the reception saying he has received positive feedback after hosting the event. “We’ve been talking to them for three years,” he said. “We wanted to host the circus last year, but it was the same day of our biggest show of the year, the Vermont Antique & Classic Car Show.”

With a cast of 30 performers ages 10-18 and a crew that brings the total close to 80, Smirkus kicked off its summer tour around New England last week with performances at its Circus Barn in Greensboro followed by its first stop on the road in Waterbury, July 4-6.

For years the circus’ Central Vermont stop was Montpelier but changes to the site at the high school there had circus managers looking for a different location for its 2023 Midsummer Night’s Circus. The roughly 10-acre Farr’s Field that regularly hosts large public events such as the car show and the weekly flea market fit the bill. The venue is already equipped with bathrooms and water, so it was easy to prepare for the circus show, Farr said.

Circus Smirkus performers demonstrate skill in and above the ring. Photo by Gordon Miller

Now in its 36th year performing the Big Top Tour, the program features an extensive assortment of circus arts consisting of aerials, acrobatics, juggling, and clowning. The circus travels with 23 support vehicles carrying performers, coaches, cooks, tech and tent crew members, supplies, equipment and multiple tents. The spectacle arrived the day before the first show to assemble the set-up where it would present the show billed as an adaptation of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

June Mello, a communications associate for Circus Smirkus, explained some of the technical aspects that go into making the show possible. Aerial acts, for example, need someone attached to the other end of the rope to balance weight as performers move up and down over the center ring. Most of the music is pre-recorded but accompanied by a live percussionist who lines up beats with the performers, adding live drums and cymbal effects in real time to the action. The set-up and clean up require lots of hands and involve everyone in the entourage including the youth performers as they travel from town to town.

Mello noted that in each community where Circus Smirkus performs, they look to recruit host families to accommodate performers for home stays if possible and local volunteers to assist on show days with checking tickets, handing out programs, directing parking, etc. Oftentimes, community members participate for multiple years. In Waterbury last week, they didn’t fill all of their volunteer spots and fewer host families signed up than they had hoped for. But Mello said that wasn’t surprising given it was the first year in Waterbury. If it works out to return in 2024, Mello said, hopefully there will be more interest then.

Casting a Spell on the Audience

Fifth-year trouper Frederick Buford of Brooklyn, New York, gets attention as Puck . Photo by Gordon Miller

The current show, “A Midsummer Night’s Circus” puts an acrobatic spin on the Shakespearean story. The tale takes place in a mystical dream-like woods with fairies and sprites. When confronted by the king and queen, trouble ensues through the kingdom until the chief mischief-maker, Puck, saves the day.

While the cast embraced the plot and storytelling, the nuances may have been lost on many of the younger audience members who sat captivated at the tight-knit Circus Smirkus performers.

Under the big top, the production creates a community using contagious energy. Audience members sit in close proximity to one another under the royal blue tent, its ceiling dazzled in red, yellow and white stars, creating an intimate environment. Children ages 8 and younger are invited to come down from the bleachers and sit ringside just inches away from the action.

High-pitched excited anticipation chitter-chatter that filled the tent before the Circus Smirkus cast took the center stage turned into cheers as performers entered through the tent’s side aisles, creating an immersive experience. Young children seated on mats along the ring’s edge leaned over the low barrier at times attempting to get as close as they possibly could.