Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey relaunches with 50-city tour
Step right up, one and all! Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey announced a reimagining of “The Greatest Show on Earth,” touring North America beginning fall 2023 and continuing into 2024.
New technology will bring the circus to life for a new generation, from innovative spatial sound to advanced lighting and audience participation moments via video screens.
“We’re reintroducing Ringling at a time when families are seeking shared entertainment experiences that provide joy, connection, and moments of togetherness,” said Kenneth Feld, chair and CEO of Feld Entertainment.
“Redefining Ringling”
Feld Entertainment formerly operated The Greatest Show on Earth before closing the show in 2017. At the time, the company called the circus “an unsustainable business.” Feld teased the production’s return in 2021 and formally announced the revival in 2022, notably not including animals anymore. Feld’s other work includes Disney On Ice, Monster Jam, Marvel Universe Live, and Jurassic World Live Tour.
“To redefine Ringling for today’s audiences, we started with a blank slate and evolved all aspects from production to performance to meet the needs of modern families,” Feld continued, “ultimately creating a massive playground that delivers an incredible and unique performance that can only be called The Greatest Show on Earth.”
New Circus Acts
As part of the reimagining, the team will debut several new spins on familiar acts.
These include:
- The Triangular Highwire – Four performers on 25-foot high wires 25 feet in the air
- The Criss-Cross Flying Trapeze – Nine trapeze artists on a set inspired by “the ultimate swing set”
- The Double Wheel – Acrobats rotate 4 open-sided wheels at high speeds, jumping 30 feet between them
- The Extreme Box Jump Trampoline – Bikers perform stunts involving BMX bikes, trial bikes, and unicycles on trampolines
“When thinking about how to bring The Greatest Show on Earth back for families, creating an experience that could be collectively enjoyed by children of all ages was at the top of our list,” said Juliette Feld Grossman, COO of Feld and producer of The Greatest Show on Earth. “The new entertainment experience will present a phenomenal scale of wow and wonder that only Ringling can deliver and is designed for families to leave inspired, energized, and filled with memories to last a lifetime.”
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Tickets
Seventy-five performers from over 18 countries will join Ringling on its 50-city North American tour. It all begins Sept. 29, 2023 in Bossier City, La. The first 25 cities are now on sale, including seven performances at Orlando’s Amway Center on Jan. 12-15, 2024.
I am excited to learn that the circus has not gone away but has reinvented itself.
Any elephants?
No animals.