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Regional Reviews: Florida - West Coast Fearless Also see Bill's reviews of Fly and The Matchmaker
Fearless is staged under the Big Top, European-style with a single ring. A favorite from previous editions, Ringmaster Joseph Dominick Bauer, Jr. presides over the show, keeping the audience informed. The array of talent on display is enormous. I am always stunned by the organization's ability to get some of the world's leading circus acts. All of the acts are on a very high level. Highlights include hand balancers Shcherbak & Popov (winner of the top prize, l'Étoile d'Or, at the prestigious Circus Festival of Grenoble, France); Russian Barre Trio Stoian; Aerial Act Dolly Jacobs and Raphael Palacios; and The Pork Chop Revue, trained pigs. Renaldo, the featured clown, has his best routine in the second act when he selects four audience members to participate in making a movie. At the performance I attended, all four were quite animated and the whole thing became hilarious. The grand finale is The Fabulous Wallendas. The highlight of their act is the very dangerous seven-man pyramid, developed by Nik Wallenda's grandfather, Karl Wallenda. I had seen the pyramid several years ago at Circus Sarasota and it is still thrilling. Fearless is a very strong edition of Circus Sarasota. One of the joys of circus is its family appeal. I attend many theatrical events where the audiences are strictly adults, so when I attend a performance with families with children I feel a certain joy in the air. I was delighted to be seated next to birthday boy Adam (six years old) and his very gracious family. Seated directly in front of me was Cara, a charming young lady who told she was enjoying the circus. After the performance, all performers are in the entrance tent, available to sign programs. While my companion for the evening was having her program autographed, I watched Nik Wallenda very graciously allow a man to have his picture taken with him. He is very much a class act! Circus Sarasota is great entertainment for children of all ages. Circus Arts Conservatory presents Fearless, through February 22, 2015, at Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota Fl. For more information, visit circusarts.org. Complete list of acts appearing:
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