By Staff
THE BIG TOP The public is invited to see the "city that moves by night" rise before their eyes. Meet Tina the elephant and her trainer on the midway at 9:15 a.m. Saturday when they demonstrate elephant education and pachyderm proficiency. Take a behind-the-scenes tour of the Circus Village inhabited by more than 100 acrobats, aerial daredevils and exotic animals. Tent raising will be from 7 a.m. until noon on Saturday on the south side of Bonita Lakes Mall. Submitted photo
By Penny Randall/The Meridian Star
Oct. 26, 2001
Lions and tigers will roar, acrobats will soar through the air and clowns will entertain children of all ages this weekend at the Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. Circus.
The circus, sponsored by CBL &Associates, owners of Bonita Lakes Mall, will set up on the south side of the mall for two shows daily Saturday and Sunday. Shows times are 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
During the circus' annual eight-month, 110-city tour across the eastern United States, the "city that moves by night" travels an average of 10,000 miles performing a minimum of two performances daily, every day of the week.
The circus will feature:
Wilson Dominguez' Whirling Wheel of Wonder. Dominguez challenges two tons of spinning steel as he races the rigging to execute both forward and backward somersaults.
Tiger and lion king Ted McRae. McRae is in control of a mlange of lions and Bengal tigers mingled in a sparkling steel arena affixed in Center Ring.
The Russian Air Force Extreme Trapeze. The Big Top provides a tented arena large enough to accommodate the high-flying feats and aerial acrobatics presented by this stellar troupe of daredevils who not only spin from the flybar, but also from the arms of a strongman, Vasily, who casts them into the air at the apex of the arena.
Svetlana Shamsheeva's Purr-fectly Precious Pets. Svetlana accomplishes the seemingly impossible with a plethora of pigeons and persnickety Persians, coaxing them to cooperate with her and with each other in a presentation that rewards both the audience and animals.
The Great Vladimir. Born in Russia and raised in the Ukraine, Vladimir's only fear is that he makes the dangerous art of high-wire walking look too easy.
Prancing Pony Pageant. Don't let their size fool you; these diminutive creatures don't horse around when it comes to strutting their stuff. Under the guidance of Gloria Bale, the pony prodigies perform at liberty a program "loaded" with fun for the whole audience.
The Dotsenko Troupe's Russian Bar. World-class athletes whose gymnastic medals led them to careers in the circus, the Dotsenko brothers and their families present nearly unbelievable feats of aerobatics and equilibrium.
The Human Cannonball. Witness the Cannonball's lightning-fast flight through treacherous tanbark terrain, a heartbeat away from disaster and stopped in the nick of time by a nearly invisible, narrow net at the end of the arena.
Cole Bros. Circus Performing Pachyderms. It's no wonder that circus audiences love elephants. The elephant's lumbering gait and gray, wrinkled countenance provides a humorous counterpoint to its keen intelligence and ability to communicate with humans.
Penny Randall is an editorial assistant at The Meridian Star. Call her at 693-1551, ext. 3216, or e-mail her at prandall@themeridianstar.com.
Reserved seats
Adults (ages 13-61): $16
Child/senior: $11
General admission
Adult: $14
Child/senior: $9
VIP ringside seats: $25