Shanghai Circus to perform their acts of agility at the Eccles
Barnum and Bailey will have to take a backseat for this one.
With its astonishing mix of mystifying magicians, astounding acrobats and jovial jugglers, the New Shanghai Circus will be performing in the Ellen Eccles Theatre Saturday, Jan. 22 and Monday, Jan. 24 at 7:30 p.m.
Composed of 22 accomplished entertainers from China, the evening features the skills, abilities and wonders of performers who push the very limits of human capability.
“These guys are amazing. They are incredible athletes,” Julie Hollist, marketing director for the Cache Valley Center for the Arts (CVCA) said. “These are people who are trained from the time they are toddlers to do this. This is a high-profile job for them. They are very well respected in their society. They are people who have immense control over their bodies. These performers are young, we’re talking teenagers and college-age students.”
As part of the Incredible Acrobats of China, assembled in 1984, the New Shanghai Circus has been performing throughout the United States from Branson to Broadway with sold-out shows and critical commendations.
Among other reviews, the May 6, 1999 edition of the New York Times said the Chinese extravaganza “constitutes a refreshing alternative to the Western tradition” with its “feats of circus art that reach literally breathtaking heights of skill.”
Hollist, who sits on the programming committee responsible for determining the Eccles Theatre yearly schedule, said they decided on the Shanghai Circus because they have a great reputation.
“This is an activity that dates back to 700 B.C.,” Hollist said. “They’ve had plenty of time to practice.”
The tradition, which originally developed during the annual Chinese harvest festival, began among the common people who would show off their skills by performing daring acts using tools of their daily trade.
“The New Shanghai Circus has Olympic-caliber athletes performing amazing feats set to beautiful music and lights,” said interim director for CVCA, Deborah Cloward. “[It] is as much a cultural event as it is an entertaining show.”
“It’s really an honest-to goodness, can’t-believe-your-eyes, incredible performance,” Hollist said.
Tickets for the event are $10, 16 and 20. USU students receive a 15 percent discount with ID. Hollist said the price of the tickets generally reflects only about 40 percent of the cost necessary to bring acts like the New Shanghai Circus to Logan.
“Saturday is filling up,” Hollist said about ticket availability. “We’ve had a large response to this already. There are still good tickets available, [but] Monday night has more availability.”
Tickets can be purchased at the Ellen Eccles Theatre ticket office located at 43 S. Main in Logan. For more information or to order tickets, call (435)752-0026 or visit www.centerforthearts.us.
-mattgo@cc.usu.edu