Thursday, April 30, 2009

From Don Covington


coney-480, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

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".

10 comments:

Buckles said...

Not to be confused with another Feld masterwork "Zing-Zang-Zoom"

secret service said...

They forgot the barbed wire fencing and prison guard towers with 24 hour armed swat teams for this crime soaked area of Coney Island.

Roger Smith said...

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.

Chic Silber said...

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

J.C. Hall said...

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.

Ballyhoo said...

All historic neighborhoods go through ups and down and this is what tipping point stuff is made of. Cleaning up - and revitalizing will go a long way in changing perception and making Coney Island a great place to visit again. It's cynical to assume less... and I grew up in Coney Island and loved it dearly. It's a great show so hopefully lots of folks will come and enjoy it and it will help everyone there.

Mike Naughton said...

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.

J.C. Hall said...

Cynicism, a bi product of reality.Best stay out of touch with it.

Gary Brophy said...

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

Anonymous said...

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.