Katherine Daniel, Editor in Chief~
The Venardos Circus, a unique Broadway-Style Circus, is coming to Lynchburg to River Ridge Mall for sixteen different performances. The Venardos Circus has been in Lynchburg from September 12-23.
The Venardos Circus was created by former Ringling Bros., Ringmaster Kevin Venardos. Kevin Venardos, Ringmaster of The Venardos Circus, said, “The Venardos Circus has existed since 2013, although I have been working in the circus for twenty years. It started with Ringling Brothers, as I was the ringmaster there and worked for a bunch of different shows. I got tired of the contract coming to an end and somebody else being able to say that ‘I don’t have a job anymore’, so I decided to start my own company.” The shows are expected to completely sell out.
The New in Lynchburg website notes, “Guests can expect to be transported back in time to the center ring of a centuries-old tradition; but one that has been reinvented for the next generation. With an amazing assortment of aerialists, acrobats, juggling, balancing, comedy, daredevilry, magic, musical production and much more, this amazing Circus experience will truly delight Adults and Kids of all ages.”
Venardos said, “We have an amazing array. We have aerialist, acrobats, juggling, comedy, a crossbow act, magic, and musical production that is the main style of my show. So, it is like a Broadway Show. I have this big opening number and finale number. it is intimate and small. There are limited seats in the tent and it makes you feel like you are right next to the performers, because you are. We open the doors to the tent about an hour before the show every performance. The people you are meeting at the front door, which are the people who are ushering you, are the performers in the show, so you get to meet them and get to take pictures with them and when you get to see them perform it is a whole other context because you got to meet them.”
Venardos also said, “A big reason I am performing in Lynchburg is because several years ago, I was living in Los Angeles and I got a phone call from a woman named Michelle Thomas. She owns the Forest Dance Academy out there and she was doing a circus themed dance concert and she wanted to find a ringmaster and I was a ring master for hire at the time. I was pitching my show and just getting started, so I took her job offer and I came out and I participated in this really awesome dance concert. They staged some of my music and I sang and danced as the ringmaster and they did all these circus stuff. I met this amazing community out there in Forest. Over the years, I have stayed in touch with Michelle and when I saw that the floods had actually affected her house, I thought maybe it is time to bring some Circus life out to Lynchburg, so here we are.”
According to the New in Lynchburg website, “Venardos Circus proudly features its own custom-made big-top, a classic red-and-white striped tent, with an intimate feel and limited seating. The big top will be set up in the parking lot of the River Ridge Mall. The main event lasts approximately 90 minutes, with a brief intermission.”
At the show on September 19, 2018 Michelle Thomas and the Forest Dance Academy came out and watched the show. He recognized her during the show and thanked her so much for all she had done for him. The crowd went wild over the many performances. In the first half of the show, some of the performances included: the introduction, hula hooping, trapeze, and balancing. The crowd and circus took a brief intermission and then came back to enjoy the second half of the show with flipping, trapeze, juggling, crossbow, and the finale.They even got two men in the crowd involved with a little performance.
Buy tickets at venardoscircus.com University of Lynchburg students and faculty can get a discount by entering the Promo Code: EDUCATION for 20% off.
