Behind-Scenes Army Makes It Happen

A parade of semi-trucks and buses announces the arrival of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Some are filled with animals. Some carry performers.

And many carry the hardware: lights, computers, ropes and the ever-famous three rings. Behind the scenes and even at center stage, technology has given a boost to circus operations.

“We’re pretty computer happy in what we do,” said lighting designer Abigail Rosen Holmes. Designs are drawn on computer and plans submitted by e-mail.

At the performances, lights are automated and a computer drives the show. It only takes two people to run the control desk and one to operate the manual follow spot. But many more are involved behind the scenes.

Trying to organize such a crew, which Holmes refers to as “my little army,” can be daunting. Especially when tightrope walkers, tigers and clowns are thrown in.

Space is at a premium. The structure that supports lights also supports the flying acts, Holmes said, and safety always comes first. Scheduling also becomes difficult.

“There’s a huge time crunch for use of the building,” she said. “Performers are athletes, and like someone who’s in training as an athlete, they need the room. If you stop training with a pet dog, pretty soon it won’t perform.”

Animals in the acts come with their own set of complications. Many are scared of moving lights or strobes, Holmes said.

“It was really fascinating to see the elephants,” she added. “We could put (light) patterns on the floor, but if they were moving it appeared they were afraid it wouldn’t support them.”

Technology has improved support in other areas of the circus, everything from landing platforms to springs for trampolines to stilts for otherworldly creatures.

“Some (stilts) are quite easy, and you and I could get up and move around pretty well; and some, well, there’s no way,” Holmes said with a laugh.

But even for Holmes, who spends months planning, designing and creating before the show ever starts, it’s the performances that come first.

“If there’s something about the circus, it’s that none of these things are substitutes for seeing the live performance,” she said. “This is still a show about people doing stuff that most of us can’t do. …

“Yes, we use a ton of technology in this show,” Holmes said, “but I think that stuff shouldn’t be so obvious to the audience. I hope it’s a means to an end.”