Displaying items by tag: Circus

Physical Theater Festival Chicago is proud to announce the full lineup for its 13th anniversary celebration, June 1 - 7. The Festival kicks off Monday, June 1 and Tuesday, June 2 with two nights of local artists’ showcasing new work, at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. The Festival continues with five days of international and national performances, workshops and conversations also at Theater Wit and The Dance Center at Columbia College Chicago, 1306 S. Michigan Ave. Artists and companies scheduled to perform during the seven-day special event include: the Chicago return of Argentinian’s physical chameleon Luciano Rosso; the United States premiere of Peruvian mask theater ensemble Compañia de Teatro Físico; Korean-American powerhouse Sora Baek and Portland’s all ages clown duo A Little Bit OFF. The Physical Theater Festival of Chicago also announces a new partnership with The Dance Center at Columbia College Chicago which will host the premiere of award-winning Belgian company Chaliwaté. Tickets for individual shows at Theater Wit are $36, (general admission); $23, (industry/students/seniors/veterans) and for The Dance Center at Columbia shows: $40, (general admission);$26, (industry/students/seniors/veterans). Festival passes for all out-of-town shows are $159 (general admission) and $89, (industry/students/seniors/veterans). Tickets and passes may be purchased at PhysicalFestival.com.

Physical Theater Festival Chicago brings to Chicago audience-beloved, ​award-winning and critically acclaimed new dramas, comedies and dramedies from around the world that inspire theatergoers and local artists to reimagine what a live theater experience can be and do across cultures, languages and genres. Showcasing a variety of genres, including Clown, Mime, Improv, Puppet and Object Theater, Circus, Dance and Street Theater, ​award-winning and critically acclaimed new dramas, comedies and dramedies, the Physical Theatre Festival also includes workshops and post-show discussions building a connection between audiences and artists. 

“Every show we are bringing this year is filled with hope, humanity, joy and beauty. They celebrate the very best of the human spirit in a spectacular and original way, brought to the stage by these extraordinary artists and companies,” said Artistic Director Alice da Cunha. “Each year, we do our best to host a theater celebration, and I am so excited to gather with our audiences, new and old, and experience the 13th edition together.”

“We’re taking a big step forward this year with a new partner – The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago. Together, we’ll be hosting a world-class company from Belgium called Chaliwaté in the South Loop. We’re also thrilled to continue our partnership with Lakeview East’s Theater Wit for the fourth year. We’ll be hosting incredible shows there from Chicago to Peru all week long. As always, we’re excited to celebrate physical theater in a community-forward way with cultural exchange at the forefront,” added Executive Director Marc Frost.

13TH PHYSICAL THEATER FESTIVAL CHICAGO CALENDAR OF EVENTS

(Information on companies and individual artists may be found at PhysicalFestival.com. Workshops, post-show discussions and classes will be announced in April.)

Performances at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave.

Monday, June 1 at 7 p.m. 

Scratch Night

Scratch Night is a curated theater showcase of works-in-progress featuring innovative local theater makers. Scratch Night features six previews of original contemporary, visual and physical theater by different Chicago artists to foster their development. Produced by local curators, Scratch Night aims to provide a social space for community, conversation and collaboration.

Tuesday, June 2 at 7 p.m.

Being Made in Chicago Night

Being Made in Chicago will spotlight two new works from Chicago-based artists and companies who have previously performed at Scratch Night. Join us as we celebrate the creativity and resilience of our local physical theater community right in sweet home, Chicago!

Wednesday, June 3, Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, June 7 at 2 p.m.

Los Regalos/The Gifts by Compañia de Teatro Fisico (Peru)

The international section of the festival opens with this beloved multi-award winning show from Peru. A father and his two sons live alone in a house without women.The most routine of tasks such as preparing breakfast, bathing

or housework turns into real adventures when tackled by three inexperienced men and their fear of now knowing what they are doing. The journey that the elder brother needs to make in order to leave home, and the fear of saying goodbye to the ones we love, will be the starting point of our story.

The June 3 performance of Los Regalos/The Gifts will be followed by a meet and greet and talk back with the artists and a Peruvian reception sponsored by Tanta Chicago and the Consulate General of Peru in Chicago.

Wednesday, June 3 at 9:00 p.m., Saturday, June 6 at 5 p.m. and Sunday, June 7 at 11 a.m.

Beau and Aero by A Little Bit OFF (Seattle, USA)

Multi-award winning Beau and Aero ask the question, “What if the Wright brothers went wrong?” Beau and Aero is an acrobatic, slapstick, latex-heavy comedy featuring two incompetent aviators on their quest for flight. Pompous pilot Beau and his clueless co-pilot Aero have crash landed. The unlikely aeronautic duo tries everything to get back into the air - from propellers and parachutes, to balloons of all sizes, but to no avail. Distracted by their own imaginations, and the notably unhelpful contents of their emergency supply crate, the two tumble through hijinks and comedic conundrums, before emerging out the other side. The show blends clown with elements of acrobatics, mime, and puppetry, with wordless humor that will tickle audiences of all ages and languages. A strong vintage aesthetic paired with the duo’s ridiculous antics onstage is a nostalgic nod to timeless classics of old American Vaudeville. It’s like Charlie Chaplin meets Amelia Earhart. 

Thursday, June 4 at 7 p.m. and Friday, June 5 at 7:30 p.m.

SELL ME: I am from North Korea by Sora Baek (South Korea/USA)

A sold-out hit at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe and performed in the United States. Capitol Center, this powerful, fast-paced solo piece is inspired by the true stories of courageous North Korean women defectors. On her fifteenth birthday, Jisun, a North Korean girl, decides to sell herself to an old man to buy medicine for her dying mother. After risking her life crossing into China, she learns her body is considered worthless. Will she survive in a merciless foreign land where her very existence is illegal?

Thursday, June 4 - Saturday, June 6 at 9 p.m. 

Apocalipsync by Luciano Rosso (Argentina/France)

The Argentine actor from Un Poyo Rojo (Physical Theater Festival 2025), takes audiences on an extravagant journey with his one-man show Apocalipsync. Born during the spring 2020 pandemic, this show offers a reflection on isolation, creativity and a cartoon-like view of our contemporary world. Luciano Rosso brilliantly embodies around forty eccentric and witty characters who accompany him on an endless journey within the solitude of his apartment. On stage, he uses his elastic body to showcase his many talents: dance, clowning, contortion and especially lip sync. It is an exhilarating and hilarious performance about the many inventive ways we find to escape boredom.

Performances at The Dance Center At Columbia College

​​1306 S. Michigan Ave.

Thursday, June 4 and Friday, June 5 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, June 6 at 2 and 6 p.m. 

Jetlag by Chaliwaté (Belgium)

Jetlag is, above all, an emotional journey—one that is constantly out of step.

Moving between airports, from crowded transit zones to the confined cabin of an airplane, a man struggles to keep his loneliness at bay. Caught between exhilaration and confusion as he travels from one place to the next, space and time begin to blur, and he dreams of a new beginning. Yet as he moves forward in his quest, he comes to realize that things may not unfold as he had hoped.

ABOUT ALICE DA CUNHA, CO-FOUNDER and ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Alice de Cunha is a Chicago-based Brazilian and Portuguese actress, director and producer. She co-directed with Sandra Marquez the multi-award winning Teatro Vista show The Dream King. Acting credits include Steppenwolf Theatre, Remy Bumppo, Theater 503, as well as House Theater for which she received a Jeff Award for Best Ensemble for United Flight 232.

She is the artistic director and co-founder of Chicago’s Physical Theater Festival, an annual festival committed to present in our city international acts that represent the future of what theater can be and do. She has extensive experience in the international theater festival sector and has worked, among other festivals at CASA (UK), Shortcutz London, TODOS (Portugal) and the Chicago Latino Film Festival. De Cunha is an artistic consultant to Theater Unspeakable and an adjunct professor at Loyola University.

ABOUT MARC FROST, CO-FOUNDER and EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Marc Frost is an actor, deviser, educator and Chicago native who has performed and produced work in Brazil, Ireland, Spain, the United States and the United Kingdom. He created Theater Unspeakable as a platform for original works of devised, physical theater. Based in Chicago, the award-winning company has toured nationally, performing at venues including Lincoln Center Education (NY) and Kennedy Center (DC). He currently teaches at Roosevelt University. Frost is also a proud graduate of the Commercial Theatre Institute’s 14-Week Training Program for Commercial Theatre Producers in New York City.​​

ABOUT PHYSICAL THEATER FESTIVAL CHICAGO

Physical Theater Festival Chicago brings to Chicago audience-beloved, virtuosic live performances from around the world that inspire theatergoers and local artists to reimagine what a live theater experience can be and do across cultures, languages and genres. Launched in 2014 by Alice da Cunha and Marc Frost the festival was founded to introduce a more progressive, physical approach to theater-making in Chicago.

Now in its 13th year, the festival showcases award-winning, ensemble-created works spanning traditions such as clown, mime, improv, puppetry, object theater, circus, dance and street performance, while also highlighting outstanding artists and Chicago companies.

The 2026 Festival partners include Chicago Latino Theater Alliance, International Latino Cultural Center Of Chicago, The Dance Center At Columbia College, Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center, Theater Unspeakable, Consulate General Of Argentina and Consulate General Of Peru.

It is that time of year again to ring in the daze of the Holiday season with some Cirque Du Soleil Holidaze at the Chicago Theatre (175 N. State St), December 14th -16th. Holidaze is a two-hour spectacular, brightly lit and sparkling holiday themed show that encourages audience members and families of all ages to embrace the joy and color of the season, and enthusiastically support these talented acts.  A combination of Broadway and variety show like no other, featuring sensational performers with countless talents, the show has over 300 imaginative costumes and interactive holiday displays. Cirque du Soleil continues to roll in the holiday season with original music celebrating all the holidays of the season, Christmas, Chanukah, and the New Year. This amazing tour will hit 40 cities and have a range of talents from 5 different casts over its holiday run this year.

As any creative Cirque Du Soleil show, the audience is introduced to an international cast of talented performers from as far as Europe, Ethiopia and Mongolia.  Taking place throughout the production is a collection of air defying aerialists (hoop performers, ribbon dancers), twisted contortionists and talented tumblers (managing 20 flips in a row!), daredevil roller skaters, and magical costume changes, as well as balancing and juggling acts.  It was a surprise that with all this amazing variety, the number of open seats in the theater.

The music and sparkly sensation of each holiday representation lifted the spirits of the children munching on popcorn in the audience, and slowly warmed up the adults in the crowd.  Gingerbread men, penguins, jugglers, the performances of the plethora of circus performers had audience members on the edge of their seats with their high-flying acts and risky tricks. You never knew who would be performing or what amazing talent they would be performing next. 

By the time intermission came around, many of the audience were whooping or whistling their appreciation for the talents of these unbelievable performers, whom of which also smiled brighter and embraced the encouragement of the crowd. Neil Goldberg, director of this holiday extravaganza and Florida native, was one of the first to choreograph circus themed, animal free shows. With such finesse, each song and act transition always had something on the stage that grabbed your attention. Whether it was dancing candy canes, elaborately decorated trees and a cast of interesting holiday characters brought such life throughout the show.

Having attended a Holidaze show in Chicago before, I can say that I was still pleasantly surprised by the variety of acts. Along with the rest of the audience, we were thrilled to the edge of our seats by each amazing new talent and singing along with the songs I knew and loved the original renditions of holiday classics.  Cirque Du Soleil will always give you something you never expect, they will thrill you, and guarantee that it will never watch the same Holidaze show twice.  Melt the Chicago cold, warm your hearts and bring in some sparkly holiday spirit.  This is not a show to be missed!

After a 146-year run, Ringling Bros. Circus, is finally bringing down its curtain for what has been tabbed as “The Greatest Show on Earth”. That’s right. With final shows in May of 2017, one of the world’s most popular events will come to a close after nearly a century and a half of entertaining families from all walks of life. 

Kenneth Feld, chairman and CEO of Feld Entertainment recently told the Chicago Tribune regarding Ringling Bros. closing, “There isn’t any one thing. This has been a very difficult decision for me and my family.”  

Far away are the days when the circus would come to town and people would line the streets to watch the animals and performers enroute to the big top. But has circus excitement really fallen to the wayside? 

Several factors were included in closing the Ringling Bros. show including high operating costs and lengthy encounters with animal rights groups. And though a change in public taste is also blamed for the demise of the circus, it’s easy to argue against that. Live circus acts draw an excitement level like no other as proven by the success of Las Vegas Cirque Du Soliel’s Zarkana, a show that brings back classic feats such as death-defying aerial, trapeze, juggling and high-wire stunts. 

Others also realized the value in circus entertainment. Simon Painter, Tim Lawson and MagicSpace Entertainment have resurrected three-ring enthusiasm by putting their resources together to produce Circus 1903 – The Golden Age of Circus. The team has an established track record with the world’s biggest magic show, The Illusionists, and War Horse under their belts already, the latter of which had won awards for its puppeteer work. 

Set in a grand circus tent at the turn of the 20th century, the show is narrated by the Ring Master, who introduces one breathtaking act after another, starting off with a team of acrobatics who propel each other high into the air by jumping on opposite ends of a large teeter totter. The higher they are launched, the more impressive their flips and twists. Other acts include a beautiful contortionist (Senayet Asefa Amare), an aerialist (Elena Gatilova), an amazing bicycle balancing routine by “The Cycling Cyclone” (Florian Blummel) and one of the best juggling performances you’ll ever see by Francois Borie, otherwise known as “The Great Gaston”.  

The second act opens with possibly the most impressive of the show’s acts as sixth generation circus performers Alejandro and Ricardo Rossi, more simply known as The Rossi Brothers, pulling off a “foot juggling” act to perfection that was perfected by Fratelli Rossi back in the early 20th century. As one brother juggles the other into the air who is being flipped at rapid speeds, we get a taste of the athleticism, precision and balance involved in an act than can only be described as “jaw-dropping”.     

Circus 1903 also contains a good amount of humor with The Ringmaster (David Williamson) often interacting with the crowd and creating plenty of very funny moments as he brings children to the stage as volunteers. Williamson, a renowned magician who has appeared on numerous top-rated prime-time network specials, gives the show its needed continuity, entertaining between acts, adding suspense and drawing several laughs from the audience each time he appears.  

Another highlight in the show is the use of puppeteers to create and bring to life both a full-grown elephant along with its playful baby. Taking place in 1903, I feared for a moment that this could turn into the sad story of Topsy, the circus elephant that was put down by electrocution that same year. Thankfully, the show did not go into that direction.

A daring high wire act featuring The Lopez Family brings the show to its grand finale, bicycle balancing along with stunning acrobatics tackled high above the stage from one end to the other. 

The circus is not dead, people. In fact, it’s an absolute blast. And this this circus holds no controversy when it comes to animal cruelty. With several amazing acts, Circus 1903 does a fantastic job at recreating the era with its costume and set design and is the perfect way to introduce new fans to the grandiose of big top entertainment. 

Recommended for adventure seekers of all ages.

Circus 1903 – The Golden Age of Circus is currently touring nationally and will is being performed at Oriental Theatre through March 26th. For more info on this magnificent show, click here. 

Cirque du Soleil has innovated the circus as we once knew it and has transformed it into something that has become so more visual, musical and exciting than ever could have been imagined. While some Cirque shows are set to a particular theme such as the music of the Beatles or Michael Jackson or perhaps an epic Asian battle or even a water spectacular, Zarkana is different than most as it focuses on three ring circus acts that we grew up with, likely beneath a large tent.

Zarkana is performed center strip at Las Vegas’ Aria Resort and Casino inside a massive, and very beautiful theatre. Prior to the show, some of the 70-plus cast members from around the world are sprinkled throughout the venue interacting with people searching for their seats setting an exciting tone for what is about to come.

Each circus act brings out another gigantic set and bevy of creative costumes that are full of imagination with colors and movement that transcend the audience to another world for ninety minutes. Bringing to the forefront such fantastically traditional circus feats such as walking the high-wire, balancing acts, death-defying flying trapeze stunts and mind-boggling juggling, Cirque intensifies the experience of each with hypnotic music, amazing visuals and often incorporates its rich Vaudevillian humor.

Oohs and aahs are heard across the auditorium as acrobats fly overhead, performing maneuvers that can only be found in one’s deepest imaginings. Dream like motions are brilliantly blended with dangerous stunts that sometimes will have one on the end of their seat. An ingenious cast of characters are as colorful as they are funny. Zarkana is a show that can appeal to just about anyone’s sense of adventure.

Of the many acts performed, the Wheel of Death was probably one that caused the most amazement. The "wheel" is actually a largespace framebeam with hooped tracks at either end, within which the performers can stand. As the performers run around on either the inside or outside of the hoops, the whole apparatus rotates. The performers also perform balancing skills with the wheel in a stationary position. As the device spins faster and faster the stunts become more intense. Another stand out act was the Cyr Wheel. This is where acrobats rolled around the stage within large hoops while performing all kinds of mind-blowing tricks.

Each act was remarkable in its own right and opened one new world of imagination after the next. Whether an eight-year-old kid or a seventy-five year-old kid, Zarkana is certainly a sight to be seen and an experience you will not soon forget.

A Las Vegas show not to be missed, Zarkana has two performances each evening (7pm and 9:30pm) Friday through Tuesday. Tickets currently run between $69-$180 and can be purchased at 855.ZARKANA or by visiting http://www.aria.com/cirque/zarkana.