Windy City Circus, an all-new locally produced
professional circus featuring jaw-dropping circus acts and hilarious characters
from around the world, will make its debut inside Navy Pier’s Festival Hall, 600 E. Grand Avenue,
Feb. 17-26, 2012. This exciting “circus with a purpose” will have a
strong hometown feel, featuring cameo appearances by an assortment of famous
and infamous Chicago
area historic figures. 80% of net ticket sale proceeds will go to benefit the
Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana and the
Special Olympics Chicago and co-sponsor Special Children’s Charities.
Windy City Circus is
proud to announce its new partnership with the City of Chicago to celebrate the city’s 175th
birthday. This will include a special
salute during every performance of the circus throughout its 10 day run. Further details will be announced at a later
date.
David Maas is the Big Top producer and founder
of Windy City Circus, and also will serve as master of ceremonies. A renowned magician and the star of many
American and international circuses, Maas is best known as the co-star of the “World Renowned David & Dania Quick
Change,” in which he and Moscow Circus veteran Dania Kaseeva Maas perform an astonishing series of split-second
costume changes, an act that has been featured on such programs as “America’s
Got Talent” and “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” and also has wowed stage and arena
audiences world-wide.
At Navy Pier, a colorful circus scene will be designed
inside Festival Hall, and Windy City Circus audiences will sit within 50 feet
of the performance ring. In addition to
David and Dania’s “Quick Change,” Windy City Circus will feature an
internationally acclaimed roster of circus stars, including aerial and trapeze
artists, clowns, jugglers and animal acts.
Among those performing in the Windy City Circus are:
·
Acrobat
and juggler Vladik was born into a
circus family and began his training at an early age. Taking the stage for the
first time at age nine, he has since performed in more than 30 countries in
various circuses including “Lido de Paris” in Paris,
“Le Cabaret” in Monte Carlo,
and Cirque du Soleil’s “Dralion.” He has also won numerous awards including the
gold medal in Paris’
“Cirque de Demain,” for his act which includes a modern mix of juggling, dance
and acrobatics.
·
Jenny Vidbel is a third generation circus
performer and animal trainer who grew up traveling with her grandparents and
their animals in various circuses throughout the United States. At the age of 12, she trained her first pony
and presented him in her grandparents’ show, Vidbel’s “Olde Tyme Circus,” which
she later owned and managed. Over the years, she has trained and presented a
12-pony drill team, a 2,000-pound draft horse, goats, llamas, a large variety
of dogs, three beautiful Arabian horses, a Capybara and an African
Porcupine. For the Windy City Circus,
Vidbel will bring her Miniature Champion White Horse act.
·
The
Winn Family has been involved in
daredevil stunts for nine generations. Originating in France and Germany,
the Winns came to America
in the early 1960s and raised five sons and a daughter to continue the family
tradition. The Winn Family has entertained audiences in America for
more than a half century. They continue
to amaze crowds all around the globe to this day with a full showcase of
daredevilry at levels from the ground to sky-scraping high towers.
·
As
a young man in Argentina,
Jonatan Riquelme developed talents
as a trampoline performer, trapeze artist, balancer and horseback rider. He
began performing in 1999 and his act has brought him around the world dazzling
audiences in places such as Brazil,
Japan, Mexico, China,
Puerto Rico as well as the United States
and Canada.
Ticket
Information and Performance Schedule
Individual
tickets range from $17.50-$45 for weekday performances and $20.50-$60 for
weekend performances. Four-ticket family packages are available for prices
starting at $63. Special group rates are available for school and charitable
organizations.
Performances
will run Feb. 17 – 26, with performances every day. Performances are:
Tuesday –
Friday at 10:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Saturdays
at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Sundays at
11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
There will
also be performances on Monday, Feb. 20 at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Individual tickets are available online at windycitycircus.org or by calling
312-803-0096. Groups of 10 or more can
purchase discounted tickets by calling Grouptix at 773-327-3778 or visiting
Grouptix.net.
