Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey
Feld Entertainment®, a family-owned company and worldwide leader in live entertainment experiences, announced the highly anticipated 2023 North American tour of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® The Greatest Show On Earth®. Bringing to life an arena spectacle at unbelievable scale, The Greatest Show On Earth will debut stunning feats of real human achievement, musical performances blended with aerial artistry, modern comedy, and never-before-seen acts on highwire, trapeze, bicycles, and more. The reimagined American icon will captivate families through a multi-platform, 360-degree experience that brings fans into the action, creating real connections between audiences and performers from all over the world.
“We’re reintroducing Ringling at a time when families are seeking shared entertainment experiences that provide joy, connection, and moments of togetherness,” said Kenneth Feld, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Feld Entertainment. “To redefine Ringling for today’s audiences, we started with a blank slate and evolved all aspects from production to performance to meet the needs of modern families, ultimately creating a massive playground that delivers an incredible and unique performance that can only be called The Greatest Show On Earth.”
Discovered during a global talent search, the show’s cast of 75 performers hail from more than 18 countries including Ethiopia, Mongolia, Ukraine, Argentina, Cuba, Italy, Spain, Canada, and the U.S., among others. Their inspirational stories foster powerful connections through circus arts ranging from aerial, acrobatics, comedy, world dance, and more. Each performer and troupe’s local heritage shines through costumes that celebrate their culture and individuality.
Enhanced technology – incorporated at a scale that has never-been-done before – amplifies each performance by creating awe-inspiring moments that bring the cast and audience closer together. Sonic spatial technology adds directional sound to put focus on specific areas of the arena, coupled with a spotlight tracking system that will connect and direct the audience’s attention to the performers. Video moments of the audience will be incorporated into each show, allowing fans to truly be a part of The Greatest Show On Earth.
“When thinking about how to bring The Greatest Show On Earth back for families, creating an experience that could be collectively enjoyed by Children of All Ages was at the top of our list,” said Juliette Feld Grossman, Chief Operating Officer of Feld Entertainment and Producer of The Greatest Show On Earth. “The new entertainment experience will present a phenomenal scale of wow and wonder that only Ringling can deliver and is designed for families to leave inspired, energized, and filled with memories to last a lifetime.”
The Greatest Show On Earth includes new jaw-dropping acts, featuring apparatus innovations developed exclusively for Ringling:
- The Triangular Highwire introduces a fresh twist on a circus favorite, with four performers on three 25-foot highwires connected in a triangular formation 25-feet above the arena floor.
- The Criss-Cross Flying Trapeze will captivate audiences with a real 360-degree view, featuring nine trapeze artists soaring from front-to-back, side-to-side, and diagonally within the ultimate swing set-inspired play space.
- A double wheel features four open-sided wheels rotating independently at epic speeds, powered by acrobats who perform daring back-and-forth jumps between both apparatuses at heights up to 30-feet above ground.
- The Extreme Box Jump Trampoline sends bikes soaring through the air during a high-adrenaline extreme sport act featuring a compilation of BMX, trial bikes, and unicycle riders performing stunts on trampolines.
- Additional unbelievable performances include hand-to-hand balance acts blended with acro sports, original Teeterboard combinations, a physical comedy troupe sparking spontaneous moments of fun and laughter.