Ya-da-da-da-da-da Da-da-da-da!
Veronica Charlemagne, she ran away to join the Circus (Kirsten Throndson)
PT Cruzer, he runs the Circus (Donovan Workun)
Vera Bixtash, the Bearded Lady (Vince Forcier)
Bruno Nicolas Adonidas, half horse and half man (Tom Edwards)
Lillian Leitzel, aerialist extreme (Stephanie Wolfe)
Clarl, a clown (Jason Hardwick)
Ne Pas Nible, the contortionist (Rebecca Bissonnette)
Natalia Buczyk, the fortune teller (Nikki Hulowski)
Buckaroo Dandy, star roping cowboy (Gordie Lucius)
Willem Broderick III, the stagehand (Breck Whiltshire)
Agnes, the tattooed lady (Kelly Turner)
Carnie Cruzer, twin brother of PT Cruzer (Peter Brown)
Daring Director: Jake Tkaczyk
Midway Melodies: Paul Morgan Donald
Tremendous Technicial: Nichole Man
Prime Producer: Nicole Thibault
Succinct Synopsis: Louise Mallory
Act 1
Clarl, Natalia, and Buckaroo meet at the fortunetelling tent and the talk turns to balls. Natalia has superior balls. She has visions of New York. She also has The Touch. They are now entangled in a fortune-marriage, consummated via lasso and committing to slick balls forever. She warns of fractures ahead and urges caution with hot beverages. They swear on balls.
Vera and PT need to discuss the ownership transition – and the wedding. Vera has called (or sent a pigeon for) someone who can help – PT’s brother Carnie Cruzer. He reassures PT that he hasn’t come for kicking. Or for gloating, or floating. He can help win back the circus and will do whatever he can for his black-sheep brother. They sing of brotherly love.
Meanwhile, Bruno and Ne Pas Nimble are in despair. What can they do without the circus? Maybe Bruno can be a horse whisperer. Can they start their own act and go on the road, maybe gather other acts? Perhaps she can bend while he gallops. They try that and Bruno exclaims that she is bendy and beautiful. Ne Pas is nervous; this kind of attention is very new to her. She contorts some more and Bruno joins her. Maybe it is a conjugal contortion.
Lillian, Agnes, and Willem are preparing for Lillian’s act. They ask Willem the stagehand to bring over a chair. He humps it over. The women are captivated. This could be an act! But Agnes prevents him from joining Lillian’s act. He has legs for days, hidden in his overalls, and Agnes wants them all to herself – but on the down-low. Lillian consoles Willem. He smells like spring and other delights, which she enumerates. Willem points out that she’s engaged. They have a moment.
Vera, new owner of the circus, calls an all-hands staff meeting. PT apologizes for losing the circus and being terminally ill with tuberculosis. He predicts that the circus will flourish, although scary masks and vaccination passes may be needed. Natalia forecasts death! Vera didn’t know that PT was dying. They clarify that he is only figuratively shitting the bed, because he doesn’t have cholera. Carnie offers to donate some relevant body parts such as a lung. Clarl can do the operation on the high wire, and then they can finally have the wedding. Willem can also help, by carrying the new lung up the ladder. Willem draws the Tarot card of Judgement – Natalia explains it represents transformation and change. Vera wants to own the circus but not run it. Carnie speaks of his new feelings – brotherly love, fear that something may go wrong, and falling in love with someone with a beard. While he sings of his feelings, the high-wire transplant operation takes place.
ACT 2
As PT regains consciousness after his lifesaving surgery, Willem enters the room. There is a lot of silence and tension. It’s very expressive. PT gasps “I used to like you, boy”. But then Willem shuffled a chair at his woman, because he’s a young man with loins. PT once had loins too. Actually his loins are lively again. PT declares he will adopt Willem. Thus Lillian will become Willem’s stepmother, and he cannot flirt with her any more. PT will be his pappy. Call me daddy.
Agnes tells Buckaroo about her love for Willem. Buck supportively ropes a chair, and encourages her to name a star after herself. Carnie overhears. He too is suffering tears of love, so Buckaroo ropes another chair and points out another star. Suddenly Agnes’s love spills over to Buckaroo Dandy. He’s taken – but all the good ones are in 1890. Carnie isn’t cool with a lasso, but he loves the Bearded Lady and doesn’t know what to do. Agnes can do ventriloquism though, so if Carnie takes Vera on a date, Agnes can throw her voice into his ear. It’s a plan. Also, so Agnes can get Willem, she’ll have to kill Lillian.
Bruno and Ne Pas Nimble are still in their contortion. Ne Pas never got it this way before. Clarl and Natalia walk in – they are so shocked that they need drinks. Natalia has always wanted to see contortionists fuck. They speculate on how many legs are involved, how to unwind in front of an audience, and a Big Bottom under the Big Top. Natalia has them draw Tarot cards from their pockets – the Wanderer and the Queen of Swords. Natalia interprets the cards and gives sex tips.
Vera and Lillian are making wedding plans, hindered slightly by a lack of consonants. Willem comes in. He’s had a weird day. They need to set up the wedding immediately. But first, they too have tarot cards. Willem has the Ace of Wands, which evokes being the Olympic torch bearer and reminds him of nibbling on little carrots. Lillian has the Queen of Cups. They touch the cards together and Lillian faints in his arms.
PT is recovering in his tent. Agnes asks him for a gun. She needs to kill Lillian, who is trying to steal her love. PT assumes she’s referring to him, but Agnes explains that she means Willem – PT is just the creepy uncle. He retorts that she’s an inked-up tart . Agnes reminds him of his tramp stamp of Betty Boop. Anyway, PT explains that he’s foiled Lillian’s plans for Willem by adopting Willem. Natalia enters to speak with PT. Not sleep with him. She sends Agnes away to get the gun, and has PT draw the Death card. She knows that PT adopted Willem to steal his life force and gain eternal youth. She will help him as she has for years, but she wants 50% of the circus. It’s a deal.
The troupe is in Denver, where the high wire wedding will take place. Buckaroo Dandy and Agnes are warming up the crowds. The whole troupe climbs on the high wire, which trembles, and they pass Clarl from hand to hand. PT and Lillian descend gracefully from the higher wire, and make touching personal wedding vows while joined together in a lasso. At the last minute, Agnes objects, pointing the gun. Gunshot.
BLACKOUT.
Photos by the one and only Janna Hove
