Back to Three Rings? Bucking the Big Top Blues, Rebounding Cole Bros. Circus May Add Canvas and Circles

Rumors upon rumors, some better grounded than others. I'm reporting on a most tantalizing tidbit I've just come across.

Get out your whistles, true blue circus fans! At least one tenter filled up lots of its seats during the season just past. We're talking Johnny Pugh's Cole Bros Circus of Stars.

Johnny brought the animals back, as you know, and the crowds are coming back, too. Stay with me on this, we need a good-feeling moment, right? Something to chirp about, there's been so much dreary news lately.

Cole's tour of New England said to have been boffo -- "boffo" these days perhaps meaning well above half houses. I am only guessing here.

One high-placed Cole Big Gun termed business very good. According to this source, removed from yours truly by one or two private cell phone numbers, they're adding canvas to the poles come the season upon us. "Back to the larger size, maybe three rings."

Did you hear that? Maybe three rings.

I gotta ride the sunny waves too. How good was last year's show? I have little idea. Something must be clicking over on Cole. Here's a little American sawdust and spangles de juvu: When P.T. Barnum, Coup and Costello took out theirs 5,000 seat trick in 1871, tenting triumphantly up, by the way, in Brooklyn, crowds soon grew so great, some rushing the single ring, P.T. is remembered for asking his partners during the second tour, "What are we gonna do about the unruly patrons, gentlemen?" To which came a true American reply, from Costello or Coup, the latter credited with the spectacular epoch in world circus that would follow "We'll have to add a ring."

Heaven in '11? More as the rumors mature, kids.

1.18.11