Brother, Can You Spare a Ring? Big Apple Circus Goes Topless at Ballparks

First stop on the Big Apple Circus Havin' a Ball Tour: Aliance Bank Stadium, Syracuse.

How desperate are they? When I think of a circus appearing at a ball park, I think of Ringling-Barnum after the Hartford Fire. I think of Ringling-Barnum after the fall of the big top, during its first "indoor" years making do at fairgrounds and ball parks.

I do not think of something very magical, glamorous, or exciting.

I once made Don Marcks not very happy (actually, more than once) when I expressed my lack of interest in watching a circus at a ballpark. To Don, any true blooded circus fan would be quite happy to see a circus anywhere.

OK, so enough. This is about Big Apple's latest make-do effort (and maybe not such a bad one) to stay on some kind of a road in some form or another. Give them credit for wrapping it all up in pretty prose full of snap. They're calling it "Havin' a Ball Tour! ... From the Big Top to the Ball Park!" I kind of like that.

Heck, they could do worse. They could day-and-date Kelly Miller on those circus lots from hell. (Thanks, Steve, for keeping us amusingly apprised.)

Four one-night stands will find the circus giving 8PM shows from July 13 to July 19, the at-bats slated for Syracuse, Rochester, Eastlake, OH, and Lancaster, PA. The tentless tour is being co-produced by BAC and ESI Concerts,the latter specialists in booking acts into minor league baseball stadiums.

So it's back to sawdust basic. Ring to be spotted "right at home plate." Maybe Grandma will pitch.

There is some good news. Seems that the current roster of acts will take to the field. You can also bank on a "genuine ringmaster" and "a full sized live band."

"We couldn't be more exited about bringing our distinctive style to these unique settings," chirps artistic director Guillaume Dufresnoy. "We've got lots of surprises planned and we can't wait for our turn at bat!"

We were promised a new regime. Is this it? It feels strangely simple and innocent and promising all over again, like they are back at ground zero starting out, hoping that maybe someday they can get themselves their very own tent and put on a real circus! Circus Bella, you may soon have company.

Last stop on the summer tour: Clipper Magazine Stadium, Lancaster, PA.

PS.  The tour was thankfully aborted.