Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey is bringing back The Greatest Show on Earth, without animals. An outcry over animal cruelty, and financial hardships, forced the circus to disband in 2017.
The new all-human show features acts including Triangular Highwire, Criss-Cross Flying Trapeze, double wheel, Extreme Box Jump Trampoline, hand-to-hand balance acts, acro sports, original Teeterboard combinations and a physical comedy troupe.
The 150-year-old icon resumes touring this fall. Tickets for 19 cities, including shows Jan. 5-7 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, are on sale now at ringling.com. Tickets start at $25.
“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, chief operating officer of Feld Entertainment 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.”
After a global talent search, the show’s cast of 75 performers hails from more than 18 countries including Ethiopia, Mongolia, Ukraine, Argentina, Cuba, Italy, Spain, Canada and the United States.