From juggling to psychological illusions to wire walkers and everything in between, Philadelphia’s Circus Campus’ mini-circus arts festival promises to awe and entertain audiences.
As part of this year’s Philadelphia Fringe Fest, the 14 original shows will run for a series of one-night-onlys on weekends now through Oct. 1, at Circus Campus in the newly renovated ground floor theater space. These shows exemplify the broad spectrum of talent that grows on Circus Campus grounds and serve to attract attention to the potential of creativity fostered through Circus Campus Presents: a hub in collaboration with the Philadelphia Fringe Festival.
“As we celebrate our 5-year anniversary at Circus Campus, we thought it was a great time to bring together a collection of performances from our community, to showcase all of the amazing circus talent we have right here in NW Philadelphia,” said Circus Campus founder and owner Shana Kennedy. “(My husband) Greg has also recently renovated our downstairs Stage, with a new lighting and sound system, which will be great for these artists.”
This fall, Circus Campus will host its inaugural hub with the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, entitled Circus Campus Presents. Since the establishment of Circus Campus in 2017, the organization has been fostering a tight-knit community of teachers, students, performers, creators, movers and shakers. Many of the hub performers are circus artists, but there are also musicians, poets, dancers and theatre artists.
“Having a Hub is not something we were really aware of as a possibility before. We’ve hosted Fringe shows on and off for many years. Some years we’ve even hosted multiple performances,” explains Kennedy. “But when Cannonball Festival started up last year, we discovered how great a Hub can be, really making the Fringe Festival feel more like a collaborative venture between artists. We’ll be excited to continue this in future years.”
“With or without a Hub, collaborating with the Philadelphia Fringe Festival has always been valuable for us,” adds Kennedy. “The Philadelphia Fringe gives us a designated time every year when local artists have the chance — and the encouragement — to produce original work. It’s never an easy process; making the finances work is hard, and being so far from Center City has always felt like a hurdle to overcome. But we think that it’s worthwhile. We build our annual schedules around the Fringe, and we think that this Hub will be an even stronger way to engage with the Fringe Festival in the years ahead.”
Philadelphia’s Circus Campus in Collaboration with Philadelphia Fringe Fest shows will take place now through Oct. 1. Cost is $20 for general admission and $15 for students. For a complete schedule or to purchase tickets, visit fringearts.com
For more about Circus Campus, visit circuscampusphiladelphia.com
