Every Trouper in Every Act?
Editor’s Note: This post was written by summer Tour Communications Intern Teagan Allen
This past Friday the coaches had a surprise in store for our troupers. When they walked into the tent during the time they would usually warm up for the day, they were handed a note. The note instructed them to create a show for their coaches with no guidance. This was to be done in an hour and a half. If that doesn’t sound difficult enough, they couldn’t use any circus equipment, perform any tricks, and every trouper had to be in every act.
The troupers instantly circled up and began coming up with a game plan. They used a massage stick as a talking stick to keep some order and started brainstorming. While one of our senior troupers, Alexa, led the group, another senior trouper, Maia, took diligent notes so the wonderfully wacky ideas they were coming up with would not be forgotten. After about 30 minutes of talking through the show, they walked through each act once in order to create blocking then talked through the show. Just like that, it was time for the audience to arrive. The staff and coaches filed in with no idea as to what they were about to witness.
The show was a spectacle to say the least. It started off with “kidnapping” a coach who would have to perform with them throughout the show. Every few acts the troupers would switch locations on the lot by sprinting to their next performance space and waiting for the audience to catch up. The show included, but was not limited to, handstands standing up, an acro routine on the floor, a segment where we all waited for bread to toast in the dining dink, a dramatic reading of “Green Eggs and Ham”, and live music performed by our talented troupers. The show ended in the big top, where the troupers turned the surprise around on their coaches by handing them a note, similar to the one they got just a couple of hours ago. They made the coaches lip sync and perform in order to win back their still kidnapped fellow coach, Delaney.
The whole experience showed how creative, organized, and funny this troupe is. After the extravaganza, the coaches and troupers reflected on the experience. All the coaches were blown away by how developed and creative the show was. Our creative director, Troy, said he wasn’t surprised. Through directors time, he knew how capable these troupers were when it came to creating a show. The troupers loved this exercise and know how to put on a brilliant performance. If their final performance is half as entertaining as this one, you won’t want to miss it.
