Local News
Circus turns back time in Cathlamet
Published on Thu, May 31, 2007Read More News
- by Rick Nelson
May 31, 2007
The i-pods, televisions and other electrical entertainment gadgets took a back seat Tuesday in Cathlamet.
The Culpepper & Merriweather Circus came to town.
Trucks pulled into the Wahkiakum High School parking lot early in the morning, and the crew of 40 persons began the task of raising the tents and preparing for day time tours and two evening shows.
"It's the typical circus your grandparents would have seen," said spokesperson Brent deWitt, who appeared later that day as Chico the Clown. "All the work is done by hand--with the exception of a Bobcat tractor for heavy lifting, and there are no motors, no cannons used in the show.
The show varies from year to year, deWitt added. Last year, for example, the troupe had an act featuring bears; this year, they featured tigers.
The professional performers come from all over the world, They bring their families with them, and their children learn to help and to perform at an early age. DeWitt added it's not unsual for them to learn the basics for three or more languages.
As the big top tent went up Tuesday morning, deWitt gave a tour to students from Julius Wendt Elementary School. Besides telling them about the animals and the acts, he told them that the circus has its own school for its own children.
Most of the working crew are seasonal workers from Mexico. They set up and take down the tents and other facilities; they manage the props, and they sell concessions.
"They come for the season; they work hard and then go home," he said. "It's very hard to find Americans who will take the seasonal work. And of course, everyone has their proper documents. We make sure of that."
The show opened with a performance by the four tigers and their trainer, Casey McCoy. Then "Simone" performed on solo trapeze; young Karin Perez twirled hoops around her body, and so on, with the grande finale by the Perez family and the Russian Swing, a platform swing used to propel family members through the air and into the net.
At dark, the patrons went home, and the crew prepared to hit the road the next morning for their next show.
May 31, 2007
The i-pods, televisions and other electrical entertainment gadgets took a back seat Tuesday in Cathlamet.
The Culpepper & Merriweather Circus came to town.
Trucks pulled into the Wahkiakum High School parking lot early in the morning, and the crew of 40 persons began the task of raising the tents and preparing for day time tours and two evening shows.
"It's the typical circus your grandparents would have seen," said spokesperson Brent deWitt, who appeared later that day as Chico the Clown. "All the work is done by hand--with the exception of a Bobcat tractor for heavy lifting, and there are no motors, no cannons used in the show.
The show varies from year to year, deWitt added. Last year, for example, the troupe had an act featuring bears; this year, they featured tigers.
The professional performers come from all over the world, They bring their families with them, and their children learn to help and to perform at an early age. DeWitt added it's not unsual for them to learn the basics for three or more languages.
As the big top tent went up Tuesday morning, deWitt gave a tour to students from Julius Wendt Elementary School. Besides telling them about the animals and the acts, he told them that the circus has its own school for its own children.
Most of the working crew are seasonal workers from Mexico. They set up and take down the tents and other facilities; they manage the props, and they sell concessions.
"They come for the season; they work hard and then go home," he said. "It's very hard to find Americans who will take the seasonal work. And of course, everyone has their proper documents. We make sure of that."
The show opened with a performance by the four tigers and their trainer, Casey McCoy. Then "Simone" performed on solo trapeze; young Karin Perez twirled hoops around her body, and so on, with the grande finale by the Perez family and the Russian Swing, a platform swing used to propel family members through the air and into the net.
At dark, the patrons went home, and the crew prepared to hit the road the next morning for their next show.
The Wahkiakum Chamber of Commerce sponsored the circus. Executive Director Jennifer Johnson said the Chamber will take in about $1,200 from its share of ticket sales. They'll try to schedule another visit in a few years, she said.
