They Just Keep Going, and Going, and Going, and Going…
Despite our smaller audiences in Plattsburgh, our troupers still were able to keep their show energetic and full of intensity. These kids — I truly have a hard time calling them that — these PERFORMERS… are truly remarkable. They start their day at 9 a.m. and begin unloading the prop truck. They have a noon call for warm-ups and then makeup, perform a two-hour-long show, sell concessions during intermission, and after the show they clean up the bleachers. Between performances the troupers eat dinner and clean pots and pans in the pie car, and then warm up for the evening…
Hello, Plattsburgh!
If you take a moment to look around the circus tent, you’ll notice that from city to city it is almost exactly the same inside — the lights are in the same place, the bleachers surround the ring, the proscenium remains at the top of the ring, and the entrances remain stationary. For the first three weeks of my internship, the Smirkus tent was hugged by the mountains of the Northeast Kingdom. The luscious greenery and picturesque mountain views were breathtaking. Our first jump brought us to Essex, Vermont. After spending three weeks detached from a “city” in Greensboro, it…
Meet our Plattsburgh presenters….
We left the Champlain Valley Expo grounds to travel to Plattsburgh, NY, where the colorful Smirkus Big Top is going up at City Beach, on the shores of Lake Champlain. Our four shows – at 1 & 6 pm on Sunday, July 10 and Monday, July 11 – are presented by the Champlain Valley Transportation Museum for the second year in a row. The money raised will go toward a $1 MILLION matching grant, from the New York State Department of Transportation, to enhance “Kids’ Station,” an interactive arm of the non-profit museum designed especially for kids. CVTM was founded in…
Like camp counselors…but more
Everyone at Smirkus has a vital role. The directors create the show, the composer writes and plays the music, the coaches train the troupers, the cooks feed everyone. What about the counselors? At summer camp, counselors are the campers’ guardians. Smirkus’ counselors are so much more! The three counselors — Willow Yonika, head counselor (who is also an ICU nurse and a former trouper), Danielle Kehlmann from Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and Andrew Jones from Chicago — support the troupers in every way. The trio ensures the troupers are staying healthy by urging them to eat nutritious meals, drink lots of…
When it Rains…
…it pours! Essex welcomed us with open arms — and six sold-out shows! Our gleeful audiences packed the Big Top and were enthusiastic throughout both shows. The performances are much tighter and smoother with each show. It will be amazing to see the difference between our current show and the performance at the end of the season. It was balmy and sunny when our first performance began. Fox 44 meteorologist Steve Glazier interviewed troupers Maia Gawor-Sloane and Al Mireault for a feature on Smirkus which was broadcast last night on ABC-22. Check out the story and video here! During the…
“STRAW HOUSES” IN ESSEX
In circus lingo, a “straw house” is a sold-out show, so-called because the ushers would spread straw for people to sit on in front of the general admissions seats in an attempt to squeeze in a few more audience members. We launched our 2011 Big Top Tour with a “straw house” in Greensboro, and just got the word this morning that all tickets for all six shows at our current location, at Champlain Valley Expo in Essex, VT, are SOLD! This is great news for our young performers, who deserve a packed house, but it is always hard to turn…
Load-Out, Jump, Load-In
The final bars of the vibrant finale music were just fading from the Big Top after the first shows in Greensboro on Sunday night, when the members of the Smirkus tent crew began the process known as “tear-down.” The sidewalls of the Big Top came down: the first step in a long process of dismantling the tent and packing up everything to move to the next town — Essex, Vermont. After the crowds left the grounds, “load-out” went into full swing. First, all of the novelties and food items from the two concessions tents were carefully packed into bins, road cases,…
Sold Out Opening!
Hey everyone! Happy Independence Day!!! Our staff and troupers have worked tireless hours putting together this beast we know as the Smirkus Big Top Tour. Yesterday we kicked off the season to full houses. The high energy the audiences brought into the tent combined with the enthusiasm and excitement from the troupers and the upbeat, and vibrant tunes from Tristan Moore and Parker Bert made for a thrilling show. The hard work has just begun, however. After the show, the crew began to tear down the tent in preparation for today’s “jump” to Essex, Vermont. Tomorrow I will let you…
SHOW TIME!
Photo by Alex Zaprudsky Creative Director Jesse Dryden hoarsely exhorted the troupe to repeat some steps “Again! Again! Again!” Artistic Director Troy Wunderle and his daughter, Ariana, rehearsed a slapstick fall. Trouper Magnus Gaiever practices a mincing walk for a clown gag as juggling coach Tyler Parks, suggesting sound effects. Lighting director Tim Cryan tweaked the color of the spotlight. Just some of the hundreds of moments from yesterday’s dress rehearsal. Make that rehearsals. There were two of them. Yes, they were a bit rough. Yes, gags and acts and transition bits had to be repeated (“Again! Again! Again!”) until…
The Hard Work Paid Off
Music was blaring, acrobats were flying, and the buzz of excitement filled the air at the Smirkus Headquarters yesterday. The troupers performed the entire show during their “Stumble-Through” rehearsal. “Frontpage Follies” is about to hit the newsstands and fly off the shelves! The troupers and staff at Smirkus are the hardest-working, most efficient folks I have ever worked with. Time moves quickly here in Greensboro and I tend to forget that merely three weeks ago, the troupers were green performers; some of whom never performed in the ring before — and now, less than a month later are stars under…