Author Archives: Circus Smirkus
Let the Games Begin!- Friday, July 19th
What’s exciting about being on tour is that every site- and every town- is completely different. In Essex Junction, Vermont we were on a fair ground (the Champlain Valley Expo) and in Princeton, Massachusetts we were on a ski resort (Wachusett Mountain); in Brattleboro, Vermont we were on a farm. The scenery always changes and the surrounding towns all have unique things to offer. Though some things are always different, some things are always the same. We have the same Big Top and the same bunk houses and the same Troupers and staff at each stop, and though parts of…
It Takes a Lot of Character: Tuesday, July 16th
There are many things that set Circus Smirkus apart and that make it what it is; one of them is the idea that Smirkus is a story circus. Each winter, Artistic Director Troy Wunderle and Creative Director Jesse Dryden work together to come up with a theme for the summer’s Big Top Tour. This year’s theme of “Oz Incorporated” is a twist on the classic Wizard of Oz story that everyone knows and loves. Every act in the show fits into the storyline, and every performer in the show is a character in the plot. It’s really cool to see…
Young and Old, We All Laugh Together: Monday, July 15th
The jump from Saratoga Springs, New York to Essex Junction, Vermont was a long one, but after an early start to the day the Troupers and staff made it to the Champlain Valley Exposition without a hitch. The Champlain Valley Expo – “CVE” – is an event facility just a few miles from Downtown Burlington, and the biggest site we’ve had so far. While the Champlain Valley Fair will be happening right there later this summer, for now most of the fair ground aside from the Smirkus lot was quiet. Just past the “pie car” (the mobile kitchen where the…
Wishes and Dreams Come True- Wednesday, July 10th
After a long jump on the 4th of July, we arrived in Saratoga Springs, New York for five shows. The first show on Friday, July 5th, wasn’t until 7pm, giving us all time to explore the area during the day. We were located on the Saratoga Race Course, a historic site – this year, they’re celebrating 150 years! There is something enchanting about the Circus Smirkus environment. Both behind-the-scenes and during the show, there’s a certain kind of magic in the air that’s a result of the combination of the 26 talented Troupers, and one Trouper-in-Training, and all of the…
Full-Circle and a Jump: Friday, July 5th
With two sold-out shows, I’d say Smirkus’s first day in St. Johnsbury was a success! Although it was still raining (as seems to happen quite often!), after the second show I headed with many of the tour staff to Milk House, a nearby ice cream place, for maple creamees (for those not from Vermont, a maple creamee is maple-flavored soft-serve ice cream) were just what we needed after a long day of two shows. Getting to visit a local business was a cool experience; none of us are locals, and checking out these places that are unique to the town…
Same Bunk, Same Tents, Same People… New City!- Wednesday, July 3rd
When I woke up Monday morning, something felt different. I was in the same bunk with the same roommate (Sarah, one of our cooks) and walked past the same tents, but my surroundings were entirely different! We got to St. Johnsbury on Sunday afternoon, and spent the rest of the day and all day Monday setting up for the shows- Tuesday and Wednesday at 1pm and 6pm. Breakfast was a bit later than usual, at 8:30am, so I had time to go for a run before we ate. Being in an actual town, as opposed to a more rural area…
It’s Show Time!- Monday, July 1st
It’s a few minutes before six – almost dinner time – and I’m sitting on a forest green picnic table, watching tent crew set up the Big Top and listening to the many dogs on tour running around and barking. I’m on a baseball field in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, and the weather is so pleasant; warm enough to wear shorts but not too hot. I don’t think this is the life I would have pictured for myself upon graduating from college. But something I’ve realized is that perhaps the appeal of the circus is that it isn’t a life that…
Laughter is Magic- Monday, July 1st
On Thursday, there was a staff meeting at lunch, where the entire tour staff gathered in the studio over grilled cheese and tomato soup. It was the first time that we actually got to meet and be in one room with every person that’s going to be working on tour. Because the jobs are so varied- from Tent Crew, who set up the Big Top itself, to the Counselors, who make sure the Troupers are taken care of- we’re not always spending a lot of time together during the day aside from mealtimes. Yet as varied as these jobs are,…
Cue-to-Cue and a Stumble-Through- Friday, June 28th
Circus Smirkus is a place full of magic, but the magic that is most evident happens in the circus ring. After weeks of rehearsals, it was breathtaking to see the show finally come together in the cue-to-cue rehearsal on Tuesday and the first stumble-through of the show on Wednesday. It’s exciting to see the acts rehearse, and to watch acts from bambouk (a swinging aerial apparatus that two people perform on) to diabolo as the Troupers perfect their skills and their routines. We’ve been lucky to have beautiful weather (albeit punctuated by a few rain clouds—but rain just means rainbows!)…
Last week of rehearsals!- Tuesday, June 25th
***We would like to announce Sarah Muench as the winner of our contest to win an autographed copy of Circus Smirkus: 25 Years of Running Home to the Circus. Sarah- please contact us at info@smirkus.org with your mailing address!*** I’ve noticed over the past few weeks that life moves at a slower pace when you’re in a rural area. Without the hustle and bustle of the city (where I went to college) or even the suburbs (where I grew up), there’s just simply less to notice and less to distract you from the task at hand- be…