Letter - Circus Flora

Dear Friends,
On behalf of our artists, staff, and crew: I welcome you to the 29th annual production of St. Louis’ very own Circus
Flora. We are thrilled to debut One Summer on Second Street, a unique view of a city, presented in a way that only
Circus Flora can!
Travel with us to a typical block in a typical city in the heart of the Jazz Age. We pay homage to this exciting time
in American history, when families of all different backgrounds found themselves living in tight quarters, forced to
experience each others’ cultures and recognize each others’ humanity. Familiarity teaches us about each other;
relationships can then be built upon shared experiences.
Part of the fun of this production is that we also explore these concepts behind the scenes at Circus Flora. Our worldclass artists come from all over the United States and the globe, setting all cultural differences and language barriers
aside for one shared goal: creating the unique performance that you are seeing today. For 29 years, we have assembled a new company who might be tentative towards one another at our initial company meeting, but by the time we
have created and rehearsed the show, have become inseparable. We live together, we work together, and we take
care of each other. Our proximity and intimacy, not to mention conversation over some delicious and eclectic potluck
dinners, are uniting forces within our company.
Circus Flora has experienced a year of growth and change. In 2014, we presented two highly acclaimed productions:
The Pawn, in our Big Top, and A Winter Fable, in Powell Hall in collaboration with the St. Louis Symphony. Even with
our successes, the year was not been without sadness. In May 2014, Circus Flora lost our beloved co-founder and
long-time Artistic Director, David Balding. David’s gravelly voice and steady compassionate leadership have been
central to Circus Flora’s productions since our 1986 founding; his passing was terribly sad for all of us in the Circus
Flora company. I am humbled to step into his shoes and his eggplant-purple pants. Grief can, however, also be a unifier. Though we miss David and know that his absence creates a hole, we are excited by the honor and challenge of
continuing to explore and fulfill his founding mission by combining the arts of the theatre and the classical American
circus.
I want to thank you for coming to Circus Flora. To our generous donors, sponsors, and volunteers, I extend a special
thanks for making our production possible. Now, I invite you to sit back and let our Big Top tent transport you from
Grand Boulevard in St. Louis, to our magical Second Street, where excitement and adventure await.
Jack Marsh
Artistic Director
ONE SUMMER ON SECOND STREET
Artistic Director
Jack Marsh
Theater Director/Featured Performer
Cecil MacKinnon
Executive Director
Joel K. Emery
Tentmaster
Erik Jaeger
Resident Composer
Miriam Cutler
Musical Director, Arranger and Composer
Janine Del’Arte
Scenic Designer
Sarah Pearline
Costume Designer
Nina Reed
Lighting Designer
Jesse AlFord
Audio Designer
Mark Kreitler
Dramaturg
Hovey Burgess
Writers
Cecil MacKinnon, Jack Marsh
Creative Consultant
Amanda Crockett
Alan Ulhmansiek
Assistant Tentmaster & Site Boss
Mission Statement: To bring joy, delight, and laughter to life through the magic of circus.
For more information:
Circus Flora
3547 Olive Street, Suite 210
Saint Louis, MO 63103
(314) 289-4040
www.circusflora.org
There is nothing like summer in the city: the energy and excitement can magically transform a city block into a living,
breathing being. In One Summer on Second Street, set to the urban sights and sounds of the Jazz Age, the diverse
people of Second Street live and work in close proximity, bystanders and agents in each other’s lives. Devious landlords and angry neighbors require courage, strength, and humor to navigate. Can romance and camaraderie win out?
Swing on down to Second Street to see what develops!
Nada se compara con el verano en la ciudad. Como arte de magia, la energía y las emociones pueden transformar
toda una cuadra en un ser vivo, que respira. En One Summer on Second Street, con un panorama urbano y los sonidos de la Era del Jazz, las distintas personas de Second Street viven y trabajan uno al lado del otro, y actúan como
testigos y agentes en la vida de cada uno. Entre propietarios taimados y vecinos enojados se necesita circular con
coraje, fortaleza y humor. ¿Podrán prevalecer el romance y la camaradería? ¡Acércate a Second Street para ver qué
sucede!
Es gibt doch nichts Schöneres als Sommer in der Stadt! Die Energie und die Dynamik können einen Stadtteil im Handumdrehen in ein lebendiges, atmendes Wesen verwandeln. In One Summer on Second Street, mit der Bühnenausstattung städtischer Sehenswürdigkeiten und Klängen des Jazz-Zeitalters, leben und arbeiten die unterschiedlichsten
Menschen von Second Street in der näheren Umgebung, Sponsorvertreter und Zuschauer im Leben des jeweils
anderen. Hinterhältige Vermieter und böse Nachbarn erfordern Mut, Kraft und Humor, um zu navigieren. Kann Romantik und Kameradschaft siegen? Auf zur Second Street, um zu sehen, was sich so entwickelt!
Il n’y a rien de tel qu’un été en ville : l’énergie et l’excitation peuvent magiquement transformer un quartier en un être
vivant respirant la vie. Dans Un Été dans la Second Street au rythme d’images urbaines et de sons de l’ère du Jazz,
les divers habitants de la Second Street vivent et travaillent à proximité, spectateurs et agents dans la vie de chacun.
Les propriétaires sournois et les voisins en colère doivent faire preuve de courage, de force, et d’humour pour s’y
frayer un chemin. Est-ce que la romance et la camaraderie peuvent l’emporter ? Swinguez vers la Second Street
pour savoir ce qu’il adviendra !
城市里的夏天总是与众不同这里充满活力与激情，能够魔法般地将一个城市街区变成一个充满生命气息的
舞台。在《第二街一夏》爵士时代的城市景象和声音背景之下，第二街形形色色的人们将近距离地一起生
活和工作，旁观者与经纪人也将融入彼此的生活。狡诈的房东和愤怒的邻居需要展现勇气、力量和幽默才
能妥善处理困难的局面。浪漫和友爱能够最终胜出吗？赶快来第二街拭目以待吧！
Ne postoji ništa slično ljetu u gradu: energija i uzbuđenje mogu da čarobno transformišu gradski blok u živo biće
koje diše. U Jednom ljetu na Drugoj ulici, postavljenom među urbanim znamenitostima i zvucima iz doba džeza,
različiti ljudi Druge ulice žive i rade u neposrednoj blizini, posmatrači i učesnici u životima jedni drugih. Potrebna
je hrabrost i humor za navigaciju između nepoštenih stanodavaca i ljutih komšija. Mogu li romansa i drugarstvo
pobijediti? Navratite dole do Druge ulice da vidite šta će se iz toga razviti!
Translations Provided by AAA Translation
www.aaatranslation.com
Act One:
One summer day can seem like any other on Second Street. Residents and businesses go about their day, while the
neighborhood children happily play in the streets. Though the block might seem pleasant and cheerful, not everyone
wants to get along. A matriarch is particularly keen to keep her daughters away from trouble, though their instincts
are to seek out love and danger on the street, and with its eclectic inhabitants.
At night, a couple cannot sleep in their apartment because of screeching alleycats: their path to peace and quiet is to
befriend them and take them in. Their landlord, however, does not approve of so many animals living in his building.
Their eviction stuns the town, as does the arrival of some outsiders who are, with the landlord, set on changing the
character of the block.
Act Two:
Second Street residents all seem to develop relationships with animals, even in the heart of the city. Birds, roosters,
and horses all become unlikely elements of apartment life: not the changes that the landlord had in mind. Meanwhile,
the matriarch’s daughters continue to rebel; they find adventure and danger throughout Second Street. As tensions
mount on all sides, old ideas must make way for the new - something has to give.
Flash photography and video recording of the performance are prohibited. Please post to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or use Carrier Pigeons to tell everyone that you are at our Big Top having a magical time. Then please put away
your electronic devices and enjoy the show!
The Circus Flora Company
Sidney “Iking” Bateman
Andriy Bilobrov
Hovey Burgess
Melvin Diggs
Adam Kuchler
Cecil MacKinnon
Jack Marsh
Mayya Panfilova
Helena Valla
Alanian Riders: Cecile D. Borrey, Lev Gigolaev, Veronica Painter and Alina Stasik
Duo Tux: Terrance Robinson and Laurie Marchand
Daring Jones Duo: David Jones and Blaze Birge
Quatuor Bounce: Pauline Baudgillard, Jasmin Blouin, Marine Crest and Felix Di Pasquale
The Flying Wallendas: Tino, Olinka, Aurelia, Alex and Claire Wallenda-Zoppè
The St. Louis Arches: Director & Coach: Jessica Hentoff
Coaches: Warren Bacon, Sidney Bateman, Elliana Grace, Keaton Hentoff-Killian, Richard Kennison and Rosa
Yagaantsetseg
Members: Sebastian Braun, Lilly Bowman, Austin Buhr, Nick Dodson, Brandi Jennings, Chauncey Kroner, Ollie Lloyd,
Isabella Majzun, Ari Mayaan, Finn Mateo McNamee, Yahel Retter, Sally Sneider, Kyran Walton and Maya Zuckerman
Circus Flora Band: Janine Del’Arte with Suzanne Morissette Cruz, Michael Girard, Zeb Briskovich, Abbie Steiling and
Robert Anderson
Instruments and artist support provided by:
St. Louis Music Supply, Dixon Drums & Hardware, Sabian Cymbals, Vic Firth DrumSticks, Evans Drumheads, Latin
Percussion, Fodera Basses and Acoustic Image Amplifiers
The Circus Flora Animals
Alanian Riders’ Horses: Bubba (8 year old Halflinger Palomino-Cross, Blonde), Kontos (8 year old Nakota Blue Roan),
Fez (10 year old Fjord Paint Cross, Buckskin Paint), Remington (8 year old Nakota, Black with Blaze), Lancelot (6 year
old Thoroughbred Bay), Hershey (9 year old Appaloosa) and Foster (8 year old Arabian Appaloosa)
Mayya Panfilova’s Housecats: Vika (14 years old), Mushka (10), Britni (10 ), Sonya (9), Amaliya (7), Agasha (7), Dasha
(6), Dina (6), Marry (5), Lusee (5), Ksusha (5) and Maks (5)
Small Animals: Kimball (9 year old Miniature Horse), El Nino (11 year old Miniature Donkey), Noah (28 year old Paint
Pony), Red Oak Mike (35 year old Miniature Horse), Max (9 year old Miniature Pigmy Goat) and Dos Passos (1 year
old Red Rooster)
Circus Flora Administration
Seana L. Beard, Box Office Manager
Joel K. Emery, Executive Director
Scott Layne, Communications Coordinator
Jack Marsh, Artistic Director
Susan Mintz, Director of Development
Clowns on Call
Benjamin Domask, Performer
Matthew Duncan, Performer
Tom Eggers, Performer
Stewart Minor, Performer
Angie Smart, Performer
Claire Wedemeyer, Performer & Coordinator
Board of Directors
Peter H. Bunce
Jennifer Chickey
Ken Christian
Ann Grove Dillon
Barry Duel
Eric Emmenegger
Pam Krekeler
Rocky Kroeger
Jeffrey Kuhn
Kristi Mattison
Jeffrey Mishkin
Debbie Monterrey
Cate Ponder
Darryl T. Sagel
Vince Schoemehl
Mary Ann Srenco
Production Team:
Yvonne Anguiano, Wardrobe Assistant
Laura Carpenter Balding, Equestrian Advisor
Amanda Crockett, Creative Consultant
Warren Bacon, Technical Advisor
Jake Barnett, Ring Crew
Hovey Burgess, Dramaturg
Dorothy Carpenter, Videographer
Danielle Conley, Artistic Assistant
Brent “Cheeko” DeWitt, Caliola Master
Jesse AlFord, Lighting Designer
Erik Jaeger, Tentmaster and Site Advance
Mark Kreitler, Audio Designer
Morgan Lepperson, Wardrobe Assistant
Nate Lewis, Ring Crew
Cecil MacKinnon, Theater Director
Jack Marsh, Artistic Director
Sarah Pearline, Scenic and Prop Designer
Laura Pearson, Wardrobe Assistant
Nina Reed, Costume Designer
Brad Salter, Ring Crew
Peter Schroeder, Ring Crew Chief
Anne Stirnemann, Wardrobe Assistant
Carlos Svenson, Equestrian Advisor and Harness Maker
Alan Uhlmansiek, Assistant Tentmaster and Site Boss
Aurelia Wallenda-Zoppè, Company Manager
Kaitlyn M. Weise, Wardrobe Assistant
Katie Weise, Wardrobe Assistant
Gary “Bear” Wilbur, Ring Crew
Front of House & Hospitality Team:
Oliver Beard, Box Office
Seana L. Beard, Box Office Manager
Harald Boerstler, House Manager
Hannah Boyd, Box Office
Laura Cross, Box Office
Rachel Hanks, Hospitality
Alyssa Hodges, Box Office
Cynthia Holmes, Box Office
Amy Johnson, Box Office
Scott Josse, Concessionaire
Bill Larson, Box Office
Corinne Layne, Box Office
Scott Layne, Assistant House Manager
Shannon Lischwe, Box Office
John Milonas, Box Office
Stewart Minor, Merchandise
Ashleigh Packard, Merchandise
Elizabeth Van Pelt, Hospitality
Jessica Wilken, Box Office
* * Hundreds of Dedicated and Wonderful Circus Flora
Volunteers * *
Official Media Sponsors:
Donated Services:
Circus Flora thanks the following individuals, companies, and organizations who donated all or part of their time or
professional services to the 2015 production, as of April 15.
AAA Translation
A-Mrazck Moving & Storage
Academy of Science, St. Louis
Aspen Spa
Bach Society of St. Louis
Bentley Studio, Ltd.
Blueberry Hill
Harald Boerstler
Botanicals Design Studio
Arlene & Stanley Browne
BSI
Bumbershoot Aerial Arts
Butler’s Pantry
Byerly RV
Dorothy Carpenter
Chad Carroll
Casa Loma Ballroom
Stacey Cassmeyer
Chamber Music Society of St. Louis
Cinema St. Louis
Circus Harmony
Clearbrook Water
Climb So Ill
COCA
Cohen-Hilberry Architects
Craft Restaurants, Ltd.
The Crane Agency
Curly Girl Design
Dance St. Louis
The Design Loft
Ann & Jim Dillon
Joe Edwards
Evangeline’s Saint Louis
Evntiv
Excel Bottling
Extra Virgin – An Olive Ovation
Jeff Finazzo
Forest Park Forever
Larry Giles
Hacking Law Practice, LLC
Jennifer Hayes
HBD Contracting, Inc.
Homestead Veterinary Hospital
Hotel Ignacio
Indigo Massage & Wellness
Erik Jaeger
Jazz St. Louis
JMAXX Integrated Graphic Solutions
Juniper
Landmark Theatres
Bill Larson
Terry Laupp
Left Bank Books
Lindy Hop St. Louis
Jennifer & James Lord
LuxCo
The Magic House
Peter Martin
Mid-Rivers Equine Center
John Milonas
Missouri Bartenders Association
Missouri Botanical Garden
Missouri History Museum
Moolah Theatre
Mrs. Walter L. Moore
The Muny
Neiman Marcus
Steve Parisi
Parkway Hotel
Sacha Pavlata
Perennial Artisan Ales
Cate Ponder
Premiere Rentals
RBICRU7 - Sports Cards & Collectibles
Residence Inn
Robert Mondavi Private Select
Robust Wine Bar
R&R Contracting
Lei Ruckle
Salon Branca
Schlafly Tap Room & Bottleworks
The Shack
The Sheldon
Speedpro Imaging
Stages St. Louis
Leigh Standley
Stefani Stella
St. Louis Blues
St. Louis Building Arts Foundation
St. Louis Earth Day
St. Louis Mosaic Project
St. Louis Music Supply
St. Louis Symphony
St. Louis Zoo
Three Creek Farm
TrippCo Creative
Ultracolor
Upper Limits
Urban Chestnut Brewing Company
Vin De Set
Vito’s Pizzeria & Ristorante
Jane Walters
John Watts
Anne & Harry Weber
Weber Fire & Safety
Kathie & Richard Winter
The Wolf
Circus Flora
Circus Flora combines the intimacy of a one ring circus with live music, an ensemble cast, and original storyline to
create a “magical theater in a sawdust ring.” For nearly 30 years, Circus Flora has delighted and astonished audiences through comedy routines and feats of daring, and captivated all ages with its unique artistry. Once you experience
Circus Flora, we know we’ll touch something in each of you that will keep you enchanted for years to come.
Initially commissioned for the 1986 Spoleto Festival USA by Gian Carlo Menotti, Circus Flora was established in 1987
as a professional performing arts organization by Ivor David Balding. Enthusiastic support from St. Louis civic leaders
proved a decisive factor in the organization’s founding and later evolution. Currently, St. Louis is one of only three
cities in the nation with an annual resident circus and year-round outreach programs.
Flora, for which the Circus is named, is an orphaned elephant that Balding rescued when her mother was killed by
ivory poachers in Africa. For 15 years, Flora was a beloved star of the Circus. In 2000, Flora retired from stage life and
currently resides in the elephant sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee.
A cultural treasure unique to St. Louis, Circus Flora weaves together original, live music with an engaging story
enacted by artists whose skills and abilities represent the inheritance of generations of performers. The goal of all
Circus Flora productions is to showcase these skills by presenting world-class performances by both venerable and
new artists. The narrative binds these performances together into a coherent work of theater in which humans and
animals perform in concert with one another. By integrating the best elements of classical circus with contemporary
techniques and sensibilities, Circus Flora produces shows that delight and engage audience members of all ages and
backgrounds.
Every Circus Flora production features artists recognized as world-class performers. These artists work together as
an ensemble to create a production that is highly original and unique. Circus Flora productions are “live” to a profound degree, featuring real bodies imbued with generations of accumulated knowledge engaged in very real acts of
physical daring and physical comedy. The dynamic nature of Circus Flora productions is mirrored in the organization
itself, which has a record of successful and novel collaborations. Among these is the ongoing collaboration with the
St. Louis Symphony, begun in 2011.
Collaboration with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
In December 2014, Circus Flora partnered with the St. Louis Symphony to present A Winter Fable, our third collaboration. Conducted by Steven Jarvi, the four-show engagement featured selections from Bartók, Dvořák, and Brahms,
among others. This bold new work of theatrical circus drew its inspiration from several sources, including traditional
Russian fairy tales. Set among the High Tatras Mountains in the ancient Kingdom of the Spiish, A Winter Fable followed the adventures of a traveler who must free the townspeople from a mysterious spell – with the help of one very
precocious horse. The original production featured, among others, The Flying Wallendas on high-wire, the Poema
family performing a dynamic Risley act (whereby one juggles other members of the troupe with his feet), Luciano’s
Pound Puppies, Circus Harmony’s St. Louis Arches, and a comedic trapeze performances by Amanda Crockett. A
Winter Fable drew 6,200 patrons from across the metropolitan region, including 480 new buyer households.
In 2014, Circus Flora…
• Raised the Big Top in the Arts District at Grand Center for the 28th Season production, The Pawn.
• Witnessed a fourth consecutive year of attendance greater than 30,000, an increase of 28% over 2009.
• Collaborated with 16 organizations and businesses to present Circus Alive, a series of 19 “pop-up” performances
for an audience of 3,927. An additional 100,000 enjoyed a spectacular skywalk at Fair St. Louis.
• Distributed 3,234 free tickets to children and families from underserved communities through Share the Circus.
• Led the Clowns on Call program, bringing professional Clown Doctors into SSM Cardinal Glennon and Mercy
Children’s hospitals to support positive health care outcomes for over 1,500 patients and their families.
• Presented with Easter Seals Midwest a new Sensory Friendly Performance to an audience of 525 individuals on
the autism spectrum.
• Partnered with Craft Alliance and Circus Harmony to host the two-week Community Circus Camps under the Big
Top for 60 underserved youth. These unique camps combine learning in the visual and performing arts.
Commitment to the Community - Beyond the Big Top
One of the oldest performing arts, circus functions as a universal language – a performance of the human body, a
community activity that unites diverse audiences – filling a need not fed by technology and spectacle. The company
firmly believes that high quality live performance should be accessible, a value that steers the creative process. This
commitment is exemplified in our community outreach programs through which discounted tickets and program
opportunities are made available to community members who would otherwise be unable to participate in the circus
arts.
Clowns on Call
The only program of its kind in the bi-state region, Clowns on Call has as its mission to bring laughter, healing, and the
wonders of circus to hospitalized children and their families. The program’s performers are experienced professional
entertainers, skilled in multiple genres, including music, juggling, magic, improvisation, and slapstick. Together with
her program partners, lead performer Claire Wedemeyer makes weekly ‘clown rounds,’ entertaining at bedsides
and producing shows in activity areas and playrooms. First section violinist Angie Smart of the St. Louis Symphony
accompanies Wedemeyer on select rounds through a partnership with the SymphonyCares program.
The delight expressed by patients and families is evidence of the healing brought to bedsides every week by Clowns
on Call. By learning to spin a plate or balance a feather, young patients are not only entertained, but become active
agents in their own recovery: physical activity is encouraged, minds are awakened by magic and music, and tensions
released through laughter at a clown’s comedic misfortunes. The work of health care providers becomes easier
when children are distracted from the discomfort, pain, tedium, or gravity of their immediate situation.
Since its inception in 2011, Clowns on Call has had a substantive and measurable impact on the lives of over 3,500
young patients and their families at SSM Cardinal Glennon and Mercy Children’s hospitals. As many of those served
by the program are coping with life-altering illnesses, consistent visits by Circus Flora artists is vitally important. In
the words of Keith, a four year-old cancer patient, “Tuesday is my favorite day. That’s when Claire the Clown is here.”
• “I am a pediatrician who works full time on the inpatient floor at Mercy Children’s Hospital. This morning I was
walking by a patient’s room and heard the sweetest peals of laughter. It made me feel better just to hear the joy
in her laugh. I peeked in her room and Claire Wedemeyer was with her. Truly the “medicine” she was getting
from Claire was amazing. I wish I could put what was happening in that room and give it to everyone. Claire is
wonderful and when I see patients after she has been with them they feel better. Thank you so much for making
it possible for her to be here and be such a special part of how we make kids and families (and me) feel better.”
Mary Beth Chismarich, M.D.
• “It takes more than medicine to heal a child. Claire and Angie, with partners Matthew and Stewart, provide that
something ‘more’ that promotes the healing process. Following surgery, children are often reluctant to take the
first steps from their beds and often refuse the appeals of medical staff to do so. However, when approached by
Claire and Angie, the children will forget their fears of moving about and will willingly walk to the activity room to
participate in the performance. Their visits are therapeutic and vital in the holistic care of children.” Alberta Lee,
Manager, Child Life Department
Support generously provided by:
• Cardinals Care
• Husch Blackwell
• John Allan Love Charitable Foundation
• SSM Cardinal Glennon Foundation
• The Trio Foundation of St. Louis
Share the Circus
Family activities are integral to a healthy community – quality time spent with family and extended family helps
weave together the strands of our separate lives. Our patrons often share stories of little girls waving their arms as
they envision themselves as ballerinas on horseback, and little boys who banter back and forth mimicking a clown’s
physical comedy. There is a demographic of children that do not have the means to attend the Circus, however, due
to financial barriers. In recognition of this, Circus Flora established the Share the Circus program. Through it, 3,000
tickets are given every year, free of charge, to children and families from underserved communities. In 2014, Circus
Flora partnered with 34 area organizations to identify eligible recipients. Circus Flora is continuing to work with our
non-profit partners to ensure no family is turned away – creating new cherished memories through the magic of
circus.
Support generously provided by:
• Fox Family Foundation
• The Saigh Foundation
• St. Louis Service Bureau Foundation
• Woodcock Foundation for the Appreciation of the Arts
Tumbling & Teamwork
Tumbling & Teamwork is a two-month training intensive for students with a range of learning and socialization challenges. Serving up to 15 youth per session, program participants learn a variety of circus skills, including tumbling,
balance, juggling, clowning, and aerial arts while developing their self-confidence and communication abilities. All
program activities, including tickets to the Big Top production, are free of charge to participants and their families.
Each session culminates with a performance showcase of individual and ensemble acts.
Support generously provided by:
• Employees Community Fund of Boeing St. Louis
• Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation