Circus Smirkus welcomes Fritz Grobe as the 2025 Big Top Tour Show Director. In this role, Grobe will provide artistic vision and concept for the 2025 Big Top Tour production and oversee the creation, development and execution of the show. 

Grobe has a long history with Smirkus—most recently as the 2023 & 2024 Smirkus Camp Road Show Director. He also participated in the Artistic Direction Task Force in 2020-2021, the Board Artistic Committee from 2009-2011, was the 2006 Big Top Tour juggling coach and Smirkus Camp Road Show Director from 2002-2005 and Advanced Camp juggling coach from 2001-2005.

Grobe brings 35 years of experience to the Show Director role—as a professional performer, creative director, and choreographer for award-winning circus acts and stage performances. He was a lead actor and the featured solo clown in the original cast of Cirque Mechanics’ Birdhouse Factory. As a juggler, he won five gold medals at the International Jugglers Championships and set a world record for bounce juggling way too many objects (15 balls between two people!). 

Grobe has performed in 19 countries and appeared on dozens of television shows including The Late Show with David Letterman, Ellen, Mythbusters, and The Today Show. But overall, Grobe may be best known as one of “the Coke & Mentos guys,” for his online videos featuring the explosive combination of Diet Coke and Mentos that have been viewed over 150 million times. Grobe’s video work won 4 Webby Awards and received 2 Emmy nominations. 

Rachel Schiffer, Executive & Artistic Director for Circus Smirkus, remarks, “I’m really excited to have Fritz on board with us in this role and I can’t wait to see what he conjures up with the troupers and creative team. Fritz brings a special quality to the ring in his ability to balance simple, clean concepts with a surprising, fun approach and he does so in a way that truly highlights the people with whom he works.”

Fritz Grobe said “I am honored and excited to be working with the Circus Smirkus Big Top Tour this coming year. I love seeing how each of the Smirkus kids brings their own energy, skills, and distinct personality to the ring. And I love how that allows kids in the audience to imagine themselves doing the seemingly impossible. I can’t wait to be a part of that process once again!”