“The Greatest Show On Earth” is returning! The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus is being revived less than a decade after they ended.
The iconic traveling circus is making a comeback after halting in 2017 due to declining ticket sales. The show will return in September 2023 but won’t include some notable performances.
Elephants, tigers, and the rest of the beasts that drew in a crowd will not be a part of the new show. The change may stem from the years of backlash they faced from animal welfare groups. For years, the groups criticized and picketed the circus for unfair and cruel treatment of animals, particularly its elephants.
The elephants have been the stars of the show for over 100 years. The massive animals often performed various stunts throughout the show before being phased out in 2016. Now many of the elephants are currently living at a Florida wildlife sanctuary.
A former Cirque du Soleil choreographer leading casting for the new circus says the new show will incorporate its performers’ backstories to create a narrative throughline.
The Ringling team is already working towards their new production. They are currently holding auditions but won’t begin rehearsing until next summer. The new circus show will kick off in September 2023 and embark on a 50-city tour across North America.
