Circus Season Begins
Ed LeClair, Circus Smirkus Producer and Executive Director
I often get the question, “How in the world do you guys put together a circus?”
I don’t know how other people do it, but here at Smirkus we keep it simple.
I tell staff, “Start by recognizing that you are a part of something larger than yourself. Encourage each other to take pride in all our combined efforts. Be kind, funny, and imaginative. Welcome every new person you meet. Feed whimsy whenever you can. Everything else will take care of itself.”
Right now it’s hard to hear yourself think around here. There is a constant staccato of hammers and a drone of saws and sanders. It smells like the concessions teams are testing the popcorn machines. Bright blue and yellow star-covered canvas is being raised to the sky. Everywhere staff is cartwheeling from project to project to project getting ready for YOU: old friends returning and new friends we can’t wait to meet.
This issue of Spotlight gives you a chance to meet some the team who construct the Smirkus magic; a sample of the dedicated, behind the scenes — and center ring— celebrities who even now are preparing to welcome you into our newly-assembled, forever-to-be-remembered, temporary, traveling home.
- We’d like you to meet Tent Boss Nat Brown, Camp Nurse Alice Day and trooper Arianna Wunderle, who at age 13 has been performing in the circus ring for 11 years.
- Enjoy reading what “Best of Central Vermont” thinks of Circus Smirkus in their recent 30th Anniversary profile.
- Take a look at all the pictures for our Smirkus Camp Work Party Weekend highlighting our amazing volunteers.
- Read all about the Alumni Troupers that will be joining founder Rob Mermin at the Smithsonian American Folklife Festival June 29th through July 9th.
- Read about our recently completed program at Lakeview Elementary School, and the extended Smirkus Residency that lasted about half of the school year as part of the PE curriculum.
- Read the reflections of former Smirkus Adult Camper Jennifer Brodowski, who works for the U.S Army in Civil Service, stationed in Wiesbaden, Germany, and writes fondly about her experiences at camp last summer.
- Read about a 12 year old Texas girl who is coming to Smirkus Camp for the first time, and the news station in her homestate who helped get her here.
So how do we build a circus? Smirkus is put together by small people with big dreams, working together to deliver a larger-than-life show. Step inside our tent. Meet the people. You’’ll feel the sense of belonging, of being invited into an inclusive, carefree, constantly amazing world.
See you down the road,
Ed LeClair
Producer and Executive Director