I went to work for the development office of the Big Apple Circus in the mid-1990s. It wasn’t the beginning of my romance with the variety arts, but it was my first experience with a variety arts organization. I met dozens of performers and other professionals, many of whom remain friends and colleagues. And learning about the inner workings of a not-for-profit inspired me to start my own gossamer American Vaudeville Theatre, now about to enter its fifteenth year. Tonight, the circus will debut in something we would have killed for back when I was helping to raise their annual nut — a reality tv series on PBS. It not only stars the likes of circus co-founders Paul Binder and Michael Christensen and star Barry Lubin (Grandma), but also Glen Heroy, of the Coolest Band Ever, the Maestrosities. You should tune in. More info is here.
To find out more about these variety artists and the history of vaudeville, consult No Applause, Just Throw Money: The Book That Made Vaudeville Famous, available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and wherever nutty books are sold.
(Travalanche) 