By Karen Bloom
For those that need a summer fix of circus antics, the Cole Bros. Circus is ready to entertain with 100 minutes of outrageous action presented by daredevil performers from around the world. The ³Circus of the Stars² sets up in Oceanside this week, with performances on Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 6-7, at Firemen¹s Memorial Field.
This 123rd edition continues an American tradition: It is the last of the large traveling tent circuses.
Self-proclaimed as the ³The world¹s largest circus under the big top,² the Cole Bros. Circus performs all the traditional circus acts ‹ elephants, clowns, acrobats, and aerialists ‹ all under its ³Big Top² tent. That innovative Crimson and Gold Big Top measures 136 feet wide by 231 feet long.
The circus¹ star elephants, Tina and Jewel, continue to delight audiences with their antics. They lead a cast of animal and human stars who aim to thrill and amaze their guests, under direction of Ringmaster Chris Connors and singing co-host Alissandra.
Revving immediately into high gear, the circus opens with ThunderDrome, where extreme riders from Latin America defy gravity in an act that doubles the danger when the Moto-Globe splits in two. The action continues with Beijing¹s Bungee Divers, who in a display of pluck and incredible timing, plummet from a lofty roost high above the audience in a human cascade.
Then there are those high fliers, the Ponce Family from Guatemala, who fearlessly soar across the Big Top tent, triple somersaulting from trapeze. Not to be outdone, the Kim Brothers take juggling to new heights as they prove their ability to multi-task. They combine extraordinary juggling skills with acrobatics and horsemanship, by vaulting onto horseback to manipulate spinning objects while balanced atop their rapidly moving mounts.
On hand to provide comic relief, South America¹s Bermudez Clowns cavort in a series of comedic mishaps, in a zany bakery, concocted to consternate stately Ringmaster Chris Connors. More laughs are provided by Brazil¹s amazing Andrey, the world¹s wackiest acrobat.
³Seeing is believing,² pronounced Circus V.P. Renee Storey. ³When we looked at the show line-up on paper, we thought it looked good, but the proof is in the actual performance. Our talented artists present all that you could hope for in a circus, from animals to acrobats to flying trapeze. The Bermudez clowns are truly funny, and we have incredible daredevils performing in ThunderDrome and as The Human Cannonball. Cole Bros. breathtaking, aerial ballet features three, amazing acts ‹ twin chiffons, straps and swinging trapeze, each of which deserves to be in the center ring. We¹re extremely proud to bring Cole Bros. Circus of the Stars on tour this year.²
Animal antics include Abuhadba¹s poodles, which compete with the beloved circus elephants, Tina and Jewel, to steal the show.
Finally, the remarkable Zarina the Human Cannonball ‹ actually Tetyana Sinovyat, who is billed as Ukraine¹s Blond Bombshell² ‹ takes aim at circus stardom when she bursts from the gigantic barrel of a cannon to end the show with a bang!
The community is also invited to watch the gala tent-raising from 7-10 a.m., on opening day, Aug. 6. The tent-raising extravaganza is free and open to all. Visitors are encouraged to bring their cameras to witness how the Cole Bros. Circus folks build a Big Top in just one morning.
Cole Bros. Circus of the Stars
Monday and Tuesday, Aug 6 and 7, 5 and 8 p.m. daily. $17 adult, $12 child/senior; reserved seat upgrade $3, VIP seat upgrade, $5.
Sponsored by Oceanside Hose Company #1 at Firemen¹s Memorial Field, Mott St. off Long Beach Rd. Tickets on sale through Aug. 5 at Oceanside Fire Department headquarters at 65 Foxhurst Rd. or Ticket Wagon at Sands Shopping Center on weekends. Or purchase tickets at(888) 332-5200. On show days, tickets are sold only at the circus box office. For information, visit www.colebroscircus.com.
