Culture

Circus

CIRCUS is a six-hour series that takes you on an unforgettable trip with the legendary Big Apple Circus. From the big top to the "back lot," explore a distinctive world with its own rules, lingo and no fixed address. Follow the diverse characters who make up the Big Apple family and find out what it really means to live life in the ring.

Down the Road

53m 11s

Amid the final performances, we hear about everyone's plans for the future. Many will be leaving Big Apple Circus. Some have consciously chosen a different path. Others have no idea what they're going to do next. As the trailers pull out of the lot, and the tent comes down for the last time, we join in the time-honored circus farewell: not "goodbye," but "see you down the road."

Episodes

  • Down the Road: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Down the Road

    S1 E6 - 53m 11s

    Amid the final performances, we hear about everyone's plans for the future. Many will be leaving Big Apple Circus. Some have consciously chosen a different path. Others have no idea what they're going to do next. As the trailers pull out of the lot, and the tent comes down for the last time, we join in the time-honored circus farewell: not "goodbye," but "see you down the road."

  • Born to be Circus: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Born to be Circus

    S1 E5 - 53m 41s

    Many performers who grew up in the circus find it difficult to imagine another kind of life. Luciano and Gladis Anastasini who are in charge of this year's dog act, are no exception. Seven generations of circus performers have preceded them. Both grew up in the circus, and it is the only life they have ever known. The question is, will their sons Adriano and Brando carry on the family legacy?

  • Survival of the Fittest: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Survival of the Fittest

    S1 E4 - 53m 41s

    We're in New York's Lincoln Center. The snow is coming down and the garden hoses that supply running water to the trailers are frozen solid. Still, the show goes on. Circus life can be a grind - and it isn't for everyone. A crewman, a trapeze artist, and even Artistic Director Paul Binder weigh their options and contemplate making a transition to the "real world."

  • Change On!: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Change On!

    S1 E3 - 53m 41s

    On the eve of the first performance, a pivotal act is cut and the performers sent packing. Tensions are running high. Making matters worse, a seasoned company regular has been diagnosed with cancer and will drop out of the show. Lackluster ticket sales are not helping the situation. The next stop is New York City and as the trailers hit the road again, everyone knows what's at stake.

  • One Ring Family: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    One Ring Family

    S1 E2 - 53m 41s

    The clock is ticking down to the first full dress rehearsal in Walden, but the show is nowhere near ready. As the pressure ratchets up, and the fate of the performers and the show hangs in the balance, we get inside the dynamics of the Big Apple family, watching relationships begin to gel, and tracking developing rivalries and romances.

  • First of May: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    First of May

    S1 E1 - 53m 41s

    Walden, New York is home base of the Big Apple Circus. Here, the 150 members of the company gather from all over the country and the world to put together a new show for their year-long, town-to-town tour. As the sets are built, costumes designed and fitted, acts rehearsed and refined, we get acquainted with the members of the Big Apple family.

Extras + Features

  • PBS Previews: CIRCUS: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    PBS Previews: CIRCUS

    24m 56s

    A preview of the PBS series, CIRCUS, which follows the Big Apple Circus on their annual year-long town-to-town tour. The preview includes behind-the-scenes footage and commentary from the filmmakers on the making of the series.

  • The Rodion Trio: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Rodion Trio

    2m 28s

    The Rodion Trio performs one of the most talked-about acts in the circus: the Russian barre. It's an elegant, classic circus performance that requires much technical skill and involves serious risk.

  • Circus Kids: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Circus Kids

    2m 11s

    The circus world is a family affair and kids are as familiar a sight on the lot as trailers and tents. Some of the Big Apple kids (and adults) tell us what it's like to grow up in and around the ring.

  • Circus and the Art of the Amazing: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Circus and the Art of the Amazing

    2m 27s

    Circus Historian and Curator of circopedia.org Dominique Jando has a great appreciation for the circus as an an honest, tangible art form. In this excerpt from an interview shot for the CIRCUS series, he explains that the circus showcases ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

  • Tent Raising: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Tent Raising

    1m 33s

    Watch a timelapse video of the Big Apple Circus tent going up.

  • Behind the Trick: Wire Walking: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Behind the Trick: Wire Walking

    44s

    The Big Apple Circus performer Sarah Schwarz doesn't just walk on the wire, she dances. It's an act requiring balance, concentration and grace. Watch Sarah in action and hear her describe what it feels like to perform her tightwire act.

  • Singing in the Rain: Evolution of an Act: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Singing in the Rain: Evolution of an Act

    2m 46s

    Because of an unexpected change in the Play On! show's program, clown collaborators Barry Lubin and Mark Gindick were charged with developing a replacement act. The comedic duo dreamt up and performed a playful version of Gene Kelly's "Singin' in the Rain" -- a dance sequence with a healthy dose of water spitting.

  • Clown Rehearsal: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Clown Rehearsal

    3m 5s

    The Big Apple Circus' trio of clowns, Glen, Mark and Barry, are tasked with creating clown bits to be sprinkled throughout the show. It's a tough process and you're never sure what's funny until the moment of truth — when you're in front of an audience that's either laughing with you or just staring blankly at you.

  • Preview: New York, New York: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Preview: New York, New York

    59s

    In this excerpt from episode three, hear Nashville-based band The Features' version of New York, New York which they recorded for the series.

  • Run Away to the Circus: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Run Away to the Circus

    56s

    Some people run away with the circus as an escape from their tangled lives. Others yearn for adventure. Members of the Big Apple Circus cast and crew share their reasons for joining the circus life.

  • The Heart of a Clown: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Heart of a Clown

    2m 53s

    There are many notions and misperceptions about clowns, when in fact, they are characters with a depth beyond the makeup or wig they put on. Find out how Big Apple clowns Barry, Mark and Glen discovered their inner clown.

  • Meet Steve Smith: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Meet Steve Smith

    1m

    The Big Apple's guest director takes his work seriously -- but not himself. He talks about why he loves the circus.

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