Wednesday, August 03, 2011

The Great Pumpkin!

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7 comments:

Bud said...

hah
yes - a Great Pumpkin indeed

The Rear of the Circus Day Theatre
Elephants in a Rehearsal

J C Hall said...

Ah yes, the great pumpkin presenting my favorite monkey shine.

Buckles said...

Bud, these were the "opening" elephants. Two of the smaller ones at right worked in harness pulling wagons off the flat cars during the "Unloading Scene".
They then returned for spec wearing blankets, pulling two of the wagons they had just unloaded.
Also in spec was "Peggy" (A Billy Smart elephant seen having her blanket put on at right) and "Hugo" a tall male that carried Barbara and leopard.
Spec was followed by Jewels lion act (the cage had been lifted out of the ring curb during the unloading scene) and was immediately followed by "Major" crossing the stage on his tricycle then right into "Anna May" and "Peggy's) barber shop number.
Later in the show we presented one of the elephant acts and closed the finale with elephants entering from each direction forming a cross-mount from curtain to curtain.
I thought it was quite a show, Irvin Feld hated it.

Little John said...

The first Circus that I ever saw I saw on my first day from my eyes as a stage hand at Circus World. Pokey was showing me the ropes and I was shadowing him as we struck the Flying Lanes before finale. I helped move the net and tuck it under the wall between a few par cans. The wall was a barricade between the house and the stage – it was a railing on top of cement shelf. Pokey told me to hug the wall as Rigger slowly drugs two tubs over the ring curb to set the stage for the cross mount. It must have been Anna Mae and Barbra in her Peacock feather costume that came down from center and mount the two tubs. Then all hell broke loose. Charge is the best way to describe how Captain’s elephants embraced the stage, and me being about two feet away noticed all these elephant eyeballs scoping out the new guy. The ends of the cross mount sunk way behind side curtains and into the wings.

Larry Louree said...

I didn't get to the park until July of 77, and I don't remember the train being in the show, so that must have been before my time. It sounds like it really did depict a "Circus Day" like the theater was named.
It was more of a "traditional" circus show when I was there. Wish I had seen the previous show. It sounds like it had a story that might have helped educate a new generation about the circus and how it used to travel.

Bud also said...

I was always in the Theatre Then - Doing The COME IN & or Setting Chloes Prop prior to The Train Ariving & Spec. at that time -
BUT : Why is that Elephant doing a One Leg Stand - Out Here ?
AND Rather PERFECT Too -
( imwithya JCH ! )

Pardon MY Pitch here ; but I too - thought IT was Quite a well put togeather Plot , Staging and Collection of Tallent Artists ; Beginning with the Dancers & the Interesting Storyline & Attractive Theactrical Production with Wonderfull Lighting & Special Effects , Props & Stage Set that Evolved into A Spicy & Fast Paced Traditional One Ring Circus Show , closing with a Theactrical Ending again as That Attractive Little Train , Cast & Dancers Exited the Arena as the Ringmaster Sang with the 11 Piece Band , who were All First Class Muscians ( Conducted by David Poe ) and could make building a Sand Castle in the Ring SEAM & FEEL EXCITING .

I once had a Cassett of the Show -

Buckles said...

Eric, the band played "Teddys Trombone" for the barber shop.