Sunday, March 15, 2009

ZING! ZANG! ZOOM!



Let me begin by saying that I had an absolutely wonderful time at the Meadowlands Izod Center yesterday at the annual Sugarfest hosted by the CFA's Felix Adler tent.

I caught up with old friends, made some new ones, shook hands with Kenneth Feld, gave Ruth Chaddock a birthday kiss and got to meet a few folks that I only knew online.

As Shane ran around and played with some of the show kids I got some great photos of one of my walkarounds from my friends Paul and Diane Gutheil. I caught up with Hans Klose, Lance Brown (and his fiance!) and Larry Clark. I saw Alan Miller and Lisa Glover. I met "Mr. Gravity" himself, Alan Digweed and had the chance to finally meet and have a wonderful talk with Michael Karp. 

Hopefully Michael and I will get together again in the next week or so to continue the discussion!

Thank to the Felix Adler tent for a wonderful time.



7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Pat,

There is a Feld produced Disney stage show that is magic themed.

Jersey's own Brad Ross stars in the show. I believe the young man who is the "Zingmaster" was also in that show.

-Dan

Mike Naughton said...

Hans Klose's father did a balancing act: Hansini and Company plus an excellent gorilla parody, Adele and Gory which OPENED the Vargas show back in the 70's.

Yes, opening the show with a gorilla parody, I thought it was a brillant idea because it certainly got the audience's attention and put the entire tented throng into a state of hilarity.

Another less than typical opening act was when Tommy Hanneford opened the show with Sue and Rudi Lenz's Chimpanzees.

Another brillant move in my humble opinion.

It goes to show you that when you have the "right" act, it doesn't have to be a cage or flying act to get things started as we are so brainwashed to expect here in the USA.

I think the term, "Showmanship" sums it up rather nicely.

Anonymous said...

yes he was forgot the name

Mat Coes said...

As to the branded stage production: There was that small tent thing with Larible 8-10 years ago.
The Clown College class of '89 did 2 graduation shows. First, a standard CC show with gags culled from the sessions weeklies. Then a scripted, fairly big-budget test run of a stage clown show. There was a stylized circus ring/tent stage, big movable stage apparatus, trap doors etc. It was pretty neat.
-mat

Anonymous said...

Yes Mr Naughton,

Wow you are a great circus historian to remember the Vargas show in the 70's much less the line up! My parents did that act for 25 plus years. Everything i have learned about show biz is from my DAD.He was a great performer,but a even better father.

Hans Klose JR

Anonymous said...

Hey and dont forget about Barnum's World of Wonderment and Bizzare!
the side show Feld produced for the Texas State fair!

Larry

Mike Naughton said...

Hansi-

Show Business is my life.
What can I say.

Congratulations on your success with RINGLING and carrying on the family tradition of excellent entertaining!

First-class never goes out of style.