Cole Bros. Circus of the Stars
The Cole Bros. Circus of the Stars will be making a stop in Cape Coral for two days, showcasing the 125th Anniversary Edition of the family-packed show.
W.W. Cole, who began his career in 1871, received the circus title for the Cole Bros. in 1884. John and Brigitte Pugh are the current circus owners.
The two-hour shows, which include a 15-minute intermission, will be held Monday, Nov. 23; Tuesday, Nov. 24; and Wednesday, Nov. 25, at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Ringmaster and Performance Director Chris Connors said he has been in the circus industry for 15 years and has been with the Cole Bros. Circus for eight of those years.
He explained that his parents’ love and passion for the circus when he was growing up in New York gave him the experience at a very young age, which continued throughout his life.
Connors said one of his first memories of the circus occurred when his milk bottle was fed to him as a baby by the Cole Bros. now deceased ringmaster Jimmy James
He said when James retired eight years ago after filing the position as a ringmaster for 35 years, he became the new ring leader.
Connors said that James encouraged him to stay in school and not join the circus, which he listened to.
After he earned his degree from college in marketing, broadcasting and business, he worked in corporate America for awhile and just “wasn’t happy.”
He said when he worked in corporate American he used his vacation time to make a guest appearance as a clown on the Cole Bros. show and started his own magic show, but still wasn’t happy with what he was doing.
Connors said 15 years ago, “I was offered a job for a small family circus,” which he said he tried for a year and enjoyed it a great deal.
“After that I found out that Jimmy was interested in having me replace him,” as a ringmaster, he said.
“I love being part of the circus as a ringmaster,” Connors said. “I enjoy performing in front of a crowd and I like seeing the smiles on little kids faces.”
He added that he especially enjoys when grandparents bring young children to the show because you get a feel for both generations.
Connors said his favorite part of the circus is simply just being apart of it. He said he likes meeting new people from around the world, along with visiting places he would not otherwise have seen if he was not in the circus.
“You make one person happy out of thousands you know you did your job,” he explained about being a performer in the circus.
The Cole Bros. travels with a 120 people, which includes families, young kids, teenagers and adults. Connors said the circus currently has 50 performers for the two-hour show.
“It’s an incredible thing to see,” he said about the circus.
He explained the Cole Bros. Circus as “the city that travels by night.”
Connors said Cole Bros. is celebrating its 125th anniversary, making it the oldest “Big Top Show” in America.
He said a lot of the ingredients in the anniversary show are a combination of past performances that have been around for a long time, along with new exciting performances.
The Cole Bros. Circus of the Stars will feature jugglers; ponies; clowns; two young ladies who hang by their hair; motorcycle riders in the Globe of Death; the Giant Gyro Wheel, which involves tricks inside and outside of the ball; a human canon ball; and show girls.
Connors said the performance will also have four beautiful majestic camels that perform with six belly dancers; three big elephants, who he said “are the stars of the show;” and a dwarf clown, Ace, who joined the Cole Bros. family this year.
The circus will also include an educated mule who adds and subtracts with the crowds participation.
The show will also have the Toprasta Troupe from Columbia, who will create a three-tier seven-man pyramid on the high wire.
Connors said the big attraction this year is the Toprasta Troupe high wire act.
“What makes them unique is they are one of only two troops in the whole world that do the incredible seven-man pyramid on high wire,” he said.
The seven-man pyramid is overseen by Felix Toscano. Connors said two of the five other performers are Toscano’s 10-year-old son Christian and older son Angelo.
He explained that a gentleman by the name of Pedro, who is in his 70s, works with the young men every day.
“It’s really nice, they practice on the high wire every day with new tricks and routines,” Connors said.
The signature event for the performance for the past 20 years has featured the largest canon, which shoots out a young super hero.
Connors said the circus will also provide elephant, camel and pony rides, along with all the circus yummies one belly can handle.
Senior Marketing Director Dan Baltulonis said on Monday the circus is making 500 tickets available for all veterans, both active military and wounded warriors for the 7:30 p.m. show.
He said veterans and their immediate families will receive free tickets to the show. He said the Cape Coral VFW Post will also present the colors before the performance begins on Monday night.
Baltulonis said Monday morning they will also be hosting a toy drive. Those who bring a new unwrapped toy to the circus grounds will receive a pair of general admission tickets to the show.
“The person or family that brings the most toys will receive four reserved tickets,” he explained.
The toys that are collected Monday morning will be donated to the local Toys for Tots organization.
Baltulonis said individuals who have questions about military tickets and the toy drive can call him for more detail at (386) 405-3183.
“We have been very blessed with the big top,” Connors said. “It has been one of our better years even though we are in a recession. Here at the circus people are coming to the big top as an escape from reality.”
Baltulonis said tickets can be purchased in advance at Pets Universe (4506 Del Prado), Cape Coral City Hall (1015 Cultural Park Blvd.), Cape Coral Youth Center (315 S.W. 2nd Ave.) and Four Freedoms Park (4818 Tarpon Court). He said tickets can also be purchased at www.tickets.com
Tickets in advance range from $12-$17 or $17-22 the day of the show.
He said individuals can save $5 per ticket if they purchase them in advance.
Baltulonis said there are plenty of free general admission tickets for kids at participating merchants.
For information call 1-800-796-5672, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by visiting www.colebroscircus.com.
The Cole Bros. Circus of the Stars will be held on the northeast corner of Pine Island Road, west of Del Prado Boulevard, next to Mel’s Diner.