Rehearsal of "Showboat" at Sacramento Music Circus 2001
Actor and adventurer St. John Terrell was born in Chicago, Illinois. He started in show business with a carnival act and later starred on the radio show Jack Armstrong, All American Boy. Referred to as "Sinjun", he served in the Philippines with the USO. When a visiting touring company of an Irving Berlin musical needed performing space, Terrell suggested bulldozing a large pit for a stage in the center and audience on sloping and rising seating all around covered by a tent. This became the genesis to his original New Jersey Music Circus in 1949.[3] Although rejected by the USO, he used his back pay, war bonds and loans after the war, to do it himself.[4] Inspired by Greek amphitheaters, audience members sat in folding chairs no further back than 15 or 16 rows. Although a full orchestra was used, the sets were simple and low to keep sight lines clear. Props were carried on and off by stagehands, in clear view, running up and down aisles. Within 8 years, 30 separate canvas-topped theatres had opened in the US.[5]
St. John Terrell's Music Circus was an instant success, and launched a wide variety of copycats, with 40 "tune tents" scattered around the country, including Cape Cod, Massachusetts; Miami, Florida; and Sacramento, California. While the modern musical theatre genre was being developed on Broadway by the likes of Rodgers & Hammerstein and Lerner & Loewe, the product being produced by most summer stocks remained primarily older works. The first Lambertville season included The Merry Widow, The Desert Song and The Chocolate Soldier,[6] but nothing from the contemporary Broadway canon. As modern musical theatre works became more popular, music circus producers incorporated more of the contemporary works and fewer light operas.
Other venuesedit
Broadway Sacramento's Broadway At Music Circus' 10-show season in 1951 included newer works Brigadoon, Annie Get Your Gun, and the seminal Show Boat. Slowly, the population of music circus theatres around the country diminished, with Terrell's big top folding in 1970. As of 2001, only three theatres of the original design still remained: Broadway At Music Circus (Sacramento, California), South Shore Music Circus (Cohasset, Massachusetts), and the Melody Tent (Hyannis, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod), the latter two venues no longer producing musical theatre, but serving as concert sites. In 2002, Terrell's open air music circus model ceased to exist as Broadway At Music Circus lowered its canvas tent for the last time to make way for a new enclosed theatre-in-the-round—the Wells Fargo Pavilion. As a nod to history, the new arena theatre was still topped by fabric—a Teflon-coated fiberglass fabric manufactured by BirdAir.
The Sacramento Music Circus Tent in 2001
Referencesedit
^lambertville-music-circus.org - History of St. John Terrell's Music Circus
^Blumenfeld, Robert (March 1, 2009). Blumenfeld's dictionary of acting and show business. Limelight Editions. p. 177. ISBN978-0-87910-363-7.
^Vacha, John (May 2004). The music went 'round and around: the story of Musicarnival. Kent State Univ Pr. pp. 9'. ISBN978-0-87338-798-9.
^Jones, Jan (April 1, 1999). Billy Rose presents-- Casa Mañana. Texas Christian University Press. p. 158. ISBN9780875652016.
^Jones, Jan (June 29, 2006). Renegades, showmen & angels: a theatrical history of Fort Worth from 1873-2001. Texas Christian University Press. p. 218. ISBN978-0-87565-318-1.
music, circus, music, circus, american, theatrical, form, begun, lambertville, jersey, john, terrell, 1949, established, summer, stock, theatre, venues, primarily, housed, light, operas, operettas, produced, round, under, circus, style, sacramento, stage, 2001. Music circus is an American theatrical form begun in Lambertville New Jersey by St John Terrell in 1949 1 Established as summer stock the new theatre venues primarily housed light operas and operettas produced in the round under a circus style big top 2 The Sacramento Music Circus stage in 2001 Contents 1 History 2 Other venues 3 References 4 External linksHistory edit nbsp Rehearsal of Showboat at Sacramento Music Circus 2001Actor and adventurer St John Terrell was born in Chicago Illinois He started in show business with a carnival act and later starred on the radio show Jack Armstrong All American Boy Referred to as Sinjun he served in the Philippines with the USO When a visiting touring company of an Irving Berlin musical needed performing space Terrell suggested bulldozing a large pit for a stage in the center and audience on sloping and rising seating all around covered by a tent This became the genesis to his original New Jersey Music Circus in 1949 3 Although rejected by the USO he used his back pay war bonds and loans after the war to do it himself 4 Inspired by Greek amphitheaters audience members sat in folding chairs no further back than 15 or 16 rows Although a full orchestra was used the sets were simple and low to keep sight lines clear Props were carried on and off by stagehands in clear view running up and down aisles Within 8 years 30 separate canvas topped theatres had opened in the US 5 St John Terrell s Music Circus was an instant success and launched a wide variety of copycats with 40 tune tents scattered around the country including Cape Cod Massachusetts Miami Florida and Sacramento California While the modern musical theatre genre was being developed on Broadway by the likes of Rodgers amp Hammerstein and Lerner amp Loewe the product being produced by most summer stocks remained primarily older works The first Lambertville season included The Merry Widow The Desert Song and The Chocolate Soldier 6 but nothing from the contemporary Broadway canon As modern musical theatre works became more popular music circus producers incorporated more of the contemporary works and fewer light operas Other venues editBroadway Sacramento s Broadway At Music Circus 10 show season in 1951 included newer works Brigadoon Annie Get Your Gun and the seminal Show Boat Slowly the population of music circus theatres around the country diminished with Terrell s big top folding in 1970 As of 2001 only three theatres of the original design still remained Broadway At Music Circus Sacramento California South Shore Music Circus Cohasset Massachusetts and the Melody Tent Hyannis Massachusetts on Cape Cod the latter two venues no longer producing musical theatre but serving as concert sites In 2002 Terrell s open air music circus model ceased to exist as Broadway At Music Circus lowered its canvas tent for the last time to make way for a new enclosed theatre in the round the Wells Fargo Pavilion As a nod to history the new arena theatre was still topped by fabric a Teflon coated fiberglass fabric manufactured by BirdAir nbsp The Sacramento Music Circus Tent in 2001References edit lambertville music circus org History of St John Terrell s Music Circus Blumenfeld Robert March 1 2009 Blumenfeld s dictionary of acting and show business Limelight Editions p 177 ISBN 978 0 87910 363 7 Vacha John May 2004 The music went round and around the story of Musicarnival Kent State Univ Pr pp 9 ISBN 978 0 87338 798 9 Jones Jan April 1 1999 Billy Rose presents Casa Manana Texas Christian University Press p 158 ISBN 9780875652016 Jones Jan June 29 2006 Renegades showmen amp angels a theatrical history of Fort Worth from 1873 2001 Texas Christian University Press p 218 ISBN 978 0 87565 318 1 lambertville music circus org 1949 SeasonExternal links editHistory of California Musical Theatre Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Music Circus amp oldid 1219449409, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
