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

  • Meet Michael LeClaire: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Meet Michael LeClaire

    4m 28s

    Big Apple Circus Tent Master Michael LeClaire loves taking care of the Big Top. For him, it's more than a job; it's a lifestyle and a passion. Michael's other great love is panning for gold.

  • Walden Is...: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Walden Is...

    2m 17s

    The company talks about the town of Walden, New York, home base of the Big Apple Circus.

  • The Early Years: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Early Years

    4m 28s

    Get to know co-founders Paul Binder and Michael Christensen, as they take you down memory lane to the early days of their partnership, long before the Big Apple Circus ever existed, when they were just a pair of street jugglers.

  • Preview Trailer: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Preview Trailer

    32s

    Preview of PBS' upcoming six-hour miniseries CIRCUS, airing in November 2010. Hit the road with CIRCUS and take an unforgettable trip from the big top to the "back lot" with the diverse characters who make up the legendary Big Apple Circus.

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