Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Xtreme to hit Royal Farms Arena
One by one, they’ll make one last, lumbering stroll in front of the crowd at Royal Farms Arena on the evening of March 27, and upon passing through the curtain, they won’t be seen again in this city.
One hundred thirty-four years after P.T. Barnum first trotted out an elephant named Jumbo to be his star circus attraction, the parading pachyderms have symbolized the circus as much as clowns and cotton candy.
When Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Xtreme leaves Baltimore after its 12-day, 20-show run at Royal Farms Arena on March 27, its elephants will never return to Charm City, which is yet another stop on what’s becoming the elephants’ farewell tour. The next time the circus returns to Baltimore, the massive mammals who are as hugely popular as controversial, will long be retired, spending the rest of their lives at the circus’ 200-acre Center for Elephant Conservation in Florida.
“The circus is always evolving and changing,” said David Shipman, who is in his fourth year as ringmaster. “The elephants have been a big part of the circus for so long and they’ll be missed. But this is also the perfect opportunity to get bigger and better and show why we are the greatest show on earth.”
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Xtreme blends circus staples such as a high-wire act and a human cannonball with modern acts such as BMX riders and trampoline and tops it off with about 80 animals, including five elephants and 17 tigers, not to mention an of array horses, dogs, donkeys and snakes.
“We put on a show that transcends generations,” Shipman said. “For the cost about a movie ticket, you’ll be able to turn your cellphone off, be with your family, have a great time and make some memories that will stay with you for a lifetime.”
But the circus is much more than four-legged creatures; it’s its own city. It takes a crew of about 350, including the 100 performers, to bring the circus from town to town.
“We all live on a train with a steam engine that’s more than a mile long,” Shipman said. “We call it the city with no zip code.”
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey provides children with a first-hand circus experience. Anyone with a ticket can walk onto the floor an hour before the show and get their picture taken with a clown or the man on stilts.
“Where else can anyone meet and get to know the performers before the show,” Shipman said. “It’s my favorite part because you get to experience that closeness with the audience and you see how happy everyone is to be there.”
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Xtreme
At Royal Farms Arena
Ticket Prices: $15-$90
Performances: Wednesday (7:30 p.m.); Thursday (10:30 a.m., 7:30 p.m.); Friday (10:30 a.m., 7:30 p.m.); Saturday (11 a.m., 3:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m.); Sunday (1 p.m., 5 p.m.); Monday (No show); Tuesday (7:30 p.m.); March 23 (7:30 p.m.); March 24 (7:30 p.m.); March 25 (1 p.m., 7:30 p.m.); March 26 (11:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m.); March 27 (1 p.m., 5 p.m.)
Click here to purchase tickets. Children 2 and older require a ticket.
Jon Gallo is an award-winning journalist and editor with 19 years of experience, including stints as a staff writer at The Washington Post and sports editor at The Baltimore Examiner. He also believes the government should declare federal holidays in honor of the following: the Round of 64 of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament; the Friday of the Sweet 16; the Monday after the Super Bowl; and of course, the day after the release of the latest Madden NFL video game.