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During the 1983-84 school year, one of the parents at my hip little progressive private school got it in to his mind to start a circus. He wasn't planning on having kids as the acts, but as the crew.
He managed to get it up and running, and for about (a month?) during that summer, we toured that show.
The top was canvas; old and heavy - especially when wet! Said parent/impresario had built slides for the bases of the center poles, and we-the-crew, occasionally with a truck helping, but usually not, would have to raise the top, as well as previously laying it out, and then hanging the sidewall...
The bleachers were metal frames that took 2x(10? 12?)s and those on their own made for one hell of a load-in/out job.
I don't remember who most of the acts were, except for one.
I have no idea how he did it, but he got Lottie Brunn, one of the best jugglers in the world, and probably the most famous female juggler (ever? at least of much of 20th century...) to perform with us.
She was - it seems - about 58 at the time, and still a consummate professional, and just an amazingly nice person, especially to this horde of kids who was doing all the shit work to put this show on.
I never saw her again after that summer, but I've always remembered her.
Tonight, someone reminded me of the circus and I did a quick google.
It seems Lottie died in early August.
With all the circus surrounding me these days, I've always kept that little show (whose name I've currently forgotten) and Lottie (whose name I'll never forget) in my heart.
... And tomorrow,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
42itous and I go to see the current Cirque show. Yay. :)
( The Times obit, in case it ages out from their site. )
He managed to get it up and running, and for about (a month?) during that summer, we toured that show.
The top was canvas; old and heavy - especially when wet! Said parent/impresario had built slides for the bases of the center poles, and we-the-crew, occasionally with a truck helping, but usually not, would have to raise the top, as well as previously laying it out, and then hanging the sidewall...
The bleachers were metal frames that took 2x(10? 12?)s and those on their own made for one hell of a load-in/out job.
I don't remember who most of the acts were, except for one.
I have no idea how he did it, but he got Lottie Brunn, one of the best jugglers in the world, and probably the most famous female juggler (ever? at least of much of 20th century...) to perform with us.
She was - it seems - about 58 at the time, and still a consummate professional, and just an amazingly nice person, especially to this horde of kids who was doing all the shit work to put this show on.
I never saw her again after that summer, but I've always remembered her.
Tonight, someone reminded me of the circus and I did a quick google.
It seems Lottie died in early August.
With all the circus surrounding me these days, I've always kept that little show (whose name I've currently forgotten) and Lottie (whose name I'll never forget) in my heart.
... And tomorrow,
42itous and I go to see the current Cirque show. Yay. :)( The Times obit, in case it ages out from their site. )
