An artist's conception in the New York Times of the new tented circus that Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus will bring to Coney Island June 18, entitled "Boom-a-Ring". |
Thursday, April 30, 2009
From Don Covington
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9 comments:
Not to be confused with another Feld masterwork "Zing-Zang-Zoom"
They forgot the barbed wire fencing and prison guard towers with 24 hour armed swat teams for this crime soaked area of Coney Island.
Long ago, I knew a woman, Anna, who worked for years in New York for Jackie Gleason. She went with him when they moved the show to Miami Beach. On a vacation back to New York, she met with friends and suggested they take a nostalgic return visit to Coney Island, to recall the old days. Her friends all said no, they couldn't go to Coney. It wasn't the old days anymore, it was now as dangerous as Central Park at night, with crime an immediate threat to anyone who went there. Anna was heartbroken, but when New Yorkers say Coney Island is bad, you listen.
Some may remember when Vargas ventured into the Bronx. They soon realized how threatened they were, and as quietly as possible, they tore down, loaded out with all possible speed, and got out just barely ahead of assured attacks by gangs.
Something like when Tihany tried
to play Miami years ago
Even with a tremendous security
force in place the dangers were
more than anticipated
I remember more years ago when
we played the old Armory in D C
Lloyd Jr was held up at gunpoint
by a group of youths just a few
blocks from the building
Pretty scary stuff
Chic
Good looking art work.
It looks like they included the perimeter fence and those things under the flags on the big top could be revolving turrets. If so, it blends well with art concept.
PS. I recall working the two theater dates for Don Francisco in the late 60's in the Bronx NY.It was my first good look at the D.M.Z.
When Vargas played upper Manhattan, on the east side near 110th Street I recall but could be wrong, the show tore down in the middle of the night. When questioned by the local street gangs as to what was happening, someone from the show told them that "We're going to make a movie but we will be back."
The street gang members are still waiting.
Cynicism, a bi product of reality.Best stay out of touch with it.
Try touring a circus in South Africa. It will make the gangs of N.Y look like they are from a kindergarten.
Gary Brophy
Tent Master Great Moscow Circus
Hey! What do Messrs. Bloomberg and Feld have to say about all this??
I Still Love NY, but it's not nearly as easy as it used to be.
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