Seriously, could there be any better combination than kindie rock and circus acts? Not for my kids. On Saturday we went to Teatro ZinZanni's spiegeltent across from Seattle Center for the first of three "Big Top Rock" shows, featuring some of Seattle's best-known kid and family bands along with performers from Teatro ZinZanni's current grown-up show and Camp ZinZanni alums.
All three shows feature members of Seattle's Kindiependent collective. On stage for the performance we saw were Johnny Bregar and the Country Dawgs and Recess Monkey. My girls would have been pleased to see a straightforward concert with these two bands. Adding the circus performances made the show over-the-big-top awesome.
For an hour before the performance, the lobby is transformed into a carnival, with games of chance, snacks and a concession stand featuring such kid favorites as Italian sodas, hot dogs and popcorn. Tickets for the games are $2, and every player gets a prize of some kind. It was plenty crowded in the lobby before this sold-out show, so plan to arrive early and wait in line if you want to participate in the pre-show carnival.
The performance opened with current Teatro performer Tobias Larsson as the emcee, current Teatro performer Domatil Aillot, and third-grade juggler Max Peterson. In the show's storyline, Max can't perform his juggling act because his teddy bear stole his juggling balls. The search for the teddy bear and missing balls runs through the show, with the life-sized bear being chased around the tent – once while riding a unicycle.
The bands each played six of their best-known, catchiest songs. (Actually, Johnny Bregar played seven if you include "Happy Birthday" sung to his son in the audience.) They're good at getting the audience to join in anyway, but were helped along considerably by Teatro ZinZanni staffers, who danced along with the kids in the audience.
Between bands, Camp ZinZanni alums Una Bennett and Ezra Weill, who have performed with the touring Circus Smirkus, took to the circus rope to perform an acrobatic tale of a cat caught up a "tree" and a firefighter's efforts to rescue her.
Rounding out the circus acts were a juggling act by Max – once he got his juggling balls back – that included juggling with five balls at the same time, which really impressed my first- and fourth-graders. And, the show ended with Domatil Aillot, a member of Les Petits Frères, doing stunts on a pole that were such a gravity-defying show of strength that my 9-year-old whispered to me, "He's hanging from a wire, right?" My answer was, "No."
The age range of the performers is great for kids. My daughters were as impressed by the juggling by a kid their age as they were by the teenage performers on the circus rope and the pro on the pole.
The entire show ended up being one hour and 15 minutes long. It was a treat to see some of our favorite bands mixed in with clown-like comedy and awe-inducing acrobatics.
IF YOU GO
Where: Teatro ZinZanni spiegeltent, 222 Mercer St., Seattle.
When: Oct. 15 features Caspar Babypants and The Harmonica Pocket; Oct. 22 features The Not-Its! and The Board of Education. Doors open for pre-show carnival at 10 a.m.; the show starts at 11 a.m.
Cost: General admission $12, booth seating $18, premium seating $25.
Contact: 206-802-0015; http://zica.zinzanni.org/bigtoprock/.
Ruth Schubert is the web editor of “Seattle’s Child” and the mother of two daughters.
