Author Archives: Circus Smirkus
New Leadership. New Roles. New Adventures.
We are delighted to announce the appointment of Steve MacQueen as Circus Smirkus Executive Artistic Director — a new leadership role designed to provide strategic and artistic oversight for the entire Smirkus organization and promote a culture centered on excellence, innovation, diversity, equity, and inclusion. After an extensive national search, we found Steve right here in Vermont! For the past 10 years, he has been the Artistic Director at the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, one of Vermont’s leading arts organizations. Over the course of his 24 years as an arts administrator, Steve has been the Director of Florida State University’s Opening Nights festival,…
No Better Way to Spend Summer
Editor’s Note: This post was written by Smirkus Camp Head Coach Doug Stewart And just like that another Smirkus summer has come and gone. It feels like just yesterday I was sitting in my living room in Massachusetts assigning pen pals and counselor groups. As I am writing this, I’m looking at the tents, half-way through tear down. It’s hard to believe that just a few days ago was our final show. In some ways, it feels like it was this morning, and in other ways it feels like it was weeks ago. Time always feels strange when leaving Smirkus. At…
Laughter Yoga
Our Lead Clown Coach Chase Culp is a certified Laughter Yoga Leader. Created by The Laughter Guru Dr. Madan Kataria, a medical doctor from India, Laughter Yoga helps people bring more laughter and joy into their lives through the daily practice of Laughter exercises. Check out some snippets from a recent Laughter Yoga class at Smirkus Camp!
History of the Tents at Smirkus Camp
Editor’s Note: This post was written by Smirkus Camp Communications Intern Spencer Hovel You may have heard of the awesome power of “Smirkus magic.” Whether or not you are familiar with Smirkus magic, I am here today to explain that a large part of that magic is often attributed to the magnificent and colorful big top tents here at camp. The four tents at camp this year are named Mama Mia, Natalie, Millie, and Ruby. They each house a specific discipline of circus here at camp: Aerial Arts, Acrobatics, Juggling, and Clowning/Performance respectively. Each tent has their own unique history as well…
That’s A Wrap!
Editor’s Note: This post was written by Tour Communications Intern Teagan Allen This week the 2021 Big Top Tour troupers and staff finished filming the last of the Smirk-o-Vision Finale! All summer, our Smirkus Troupers have been creating acts, performing and filming their show, Flare, A Campfire Story, which will stream on August 21. Filming a show was a new experience for everyone involved and it came with many stories and lessons. Without giving away too much of the show, here are a few things we learned: Always have bug spray nearby for outdoor shoots. Rely on Vermont to rain at the most…
Ben Scheff
Ben Scheff, Tour General Manager and Composer Ben Scheff is a sound designer and composer for theatre, dance, and circus. Selected credits include Off-Broadway: Only Human (Jesse James Films), Kennedy: Bobby Kennedy’s Last Crusade (LDK/New Circle Theater), Red Roses, Green Gold (MWM Live). Touring: ’Twas the Night Before… (Cirque du Soleil), The Great American Road Trip and Carnival (Circus Smirkus). Regional: The Secret in the Wings and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (South Coast Rep Youth Conservatory), No Room for Wishing (Company 1/Central Square Theater). Assistant/Associate Sound Design: Roundabout Theatre Company, Manhattan Theatre Club, New York Theater Workshop, Cherry Lane Theater, Primary Stages, Playwright’s Realm, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, South Coast Rep, The Geffen Playhouse,…
Chase Levy
Chase Levy, Smirk-o-Vision Director of Photography and Editor Chase Levy is a longtime Circus Smirkus Camper and, between the summers of 2016 and 2019, he performed with the Circus Big Top Tour as an acrobat, juggler, and clown. During this time, he also created the tour trailers for the 2017, 2018, and 2019 shows, as well as other promotional material. In 2020, Chase was the Smirkus Camp Intern and Assistant Director for Smirk-o-Vision. Chase in his second year at the École Nationale de Cirque in Montreal. At school, he studies hand to hand and diabolo. Loving both filmmaking and circus equally, Chase seeks to…
Celebrations All Around
Editor’s Note: This post was written by Smirkus Camp Head Coach Doug Stewart Greetings from Smirkus Camp! Today was a day full of celebrations. Not only did we celebrate “Bagpipe Appreciation Day” and “National Stilt Walking Day” but they both happen to fall on the one and only TuTu Tuesday! So it is pretty safe to say we’ve been having a pretty amazing day. In fact, we’ve been having a week full of celebrations! Starting on Sunday, we got to celebrate the good news that all of our Covid tests came back negative. That means as a community, we get to…
From Trouper to Counselor: Lindsey Barrows
Editor’s Note: This post was written by Tour Communications Intern Teagan Allen Lindsey Barrows is one of this year’s fantastic Smirkus Tour counselors. One of the things that makes her a great counselor is that she was a Smirkus Trouper. From the ages of 15 to 18, Lindsey went on tour and experienced Smirkus magic through being a performer and trouper. Now, she is helping create magic for troupers as a counselor. In this conversation with Lindsey, learn about where her experience as both a trouper and counselor intersect. When you were a trouper did you want to be a counselor?…
An Interview from the Juggling Tent
Editor’s Note: This post was written by Camp Communications Intern Spencer Hovel Hey Pher! Hey Ari!… Hey Ferrari! Let’s get to know a bit more from our juggling coaches Pher Gleason and Ari Slavin. Spencer: What is/ isn’t juggling? Pher/Ari: Every time you come in contact with an object you are juggling. So basically everything is juggling. Every time you take a step, you are foot juggling the world. Theoretically if you are floating naked in space you might not be juggling but only if you don’t think of yourself as an object. Spencer: How long have you been juggling? Ari:…