Shrine Circus draws oohs, ahs from large crowd
Published 12:58 pm Sunday, October 5, 2014
The crowd’s oohs and ahs, gasps and applause during the Shrine Circus’ 2 p.m. performance Saturday at the Lake Charles Civic Center were good signs the show was going well. Since 1959 when the circus originally managed to capture the Lake Area’s imagination, performers have twisted, tumbled, danced and dropped through the Civic Center as part of the annual show. Saturday was no different.
A large crowd turned out for the early afternoon show, which was preceded by a 10 a.m. performance and followed by a 6 p.m. performance. Before the session’s intermission, performances included a trampoline act, a quick-change artist, a handful of dogs doing various tricks, a three-clown act and a performer who handled several dangerous-looking alligators.
Families poured into the Civic Center all afternoon. Beth Orsak and her two children, Trevor, 9, and Maddie, 5, were one of them. In a corner of one section of the bleachers, the trio sat and watched a group of dogs walk in a single-file line, drawing applause and laughter from the kids in the audience.
“This was the first time for them coming to this,” Orsak said. Both Trevor and Maddie were glued to the action as they chewed on some popcorn.
Orsak said they had just made it there for the 2 p.m. show. The day at the circus wasn’t anything they had planned in advance. It just kind of happened, Orsak said.
She leaned over and asked the kids what was their favorite part of the show up to that point and each had a different response. Maddie thought the best part was the clown performance. Trevor said it was the dogs.
As the show crept closer to its intermission, Jim Golding, 2014 circus chairman, talked about how this year’s event is a lot like those of years past, in all the good ways. “We’ve had a great time so far. There’s been a wonderful turnout, just like there is every year for this,” he said.
Since the first show several decades ago, Golding said the circus family and the crowd have grown up together. He said there are second- and third-generation performers in the circus now. The families in the audience will even ask for specific clowns by name, he said.
“Seeing the crowd happy really just makes our day. That’s what it’s all about,” Golding said. “It’s all about good, wholesome, family fun. There isn’t much entertainment like that anymore.”
