The renowned Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus, once dubbed "The Greatest Show on Earth," is set to dazzle audiences once more, landing in the Alamodome for six shows this coming July. San Antonians can prepare themselves for an array of stunts, acrobatics, and comedic acts. After a five-year absence from the spotlight, this circus promises a reimagined experience, this time without the animal acts that previously defined its spectacles.
Tickets for the Alamodome shows, running from July 12-14, will be available to the general public starting February 20, according to KENS 5. The revamped performance is set to feature a diverse cast of 75 performers hailing from 18 different countries. Audiences can expect to see high-flying stunts such as the Triangular Highwire and Double Wheel of Destiny, and full-throttle action with BMX bikes and an extreme unicycle.
Moving away from its traditional roots, the circus's comeback reflects a seismic shift in the industry. Animal acts, a former mainstay of the show, have been completely eliminated. This evolution comes as a response to changing times and increased concerns over animal welfare. "The show needed to respond to the world around it in a really flexible way," explained Jennifer Lemmer Posey, curator of circus at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, in a Smithsonian Magazine interview.
Feld Entertainment, current stewards of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey name, also plans to innovate by involving audiences through a more interactive and personal approach. This modern turn will leverage talents scouted globally, including Las Vegas, Ethiopia, and Mongolia. These performers' personal triumphs and trials shall be woven into the fabric of the show, set to kick off on September 28, 2023, for a 50-plus city tour. The inclusion of digital era quirks, with TikTok forays and branded NFTs means, that classic circus charm meets contemporary culture.
Advocates like PETA have applauded the change, symbolizing a significant victory for animal rights. “Ringling is returning with a bang, transforming the saddest show on Earth into a dazzling display of human ingenuity after 146 years of animal abuse," PETA’s Rachel Mathews told CBS MoneyWatch. The future of this iconic circus is now set to leap and somersault into a new era, sans the beasts that once roared and trumpeted beneath its storied big top.
