User:Laurikeet

Make*A*Circus

Make*A*Circus was an artistic, educational, and participatory circus that created free day-long events outdoors in parks in primarily underserved neighborhoods in the San Francisco Bay Area, and later all over the state. With up to 65 shows per summer season, Make*A*Circus served from 300-700 children per show. It lasted for 25 years, from 1975 to 2000.

A Day at the Circus

Make*A*Circus day began in the morning with the company arriving and setting up bleachers, ring curb, tumbling mats, a backdrop and sideshow booths. At the same time, neighborhood groups arrived with the children they served. Teen apprentices employed by Make*A*Circus painted children's faces and ran games in the “Penny Carnival” (sideshow.)

At noon a parade was announced, and children were called together to create a short improvisational parade around their neighborhood convincing “lost” performers to join them and “Make a Circus.” The circus parade was discontinued after the first few years.

At 1:00 pm, the single ring circus show began. It always included jugglers, clowns, and acrobats, with other skills, such as stilts, slack-rope, fire-eating, balancing, trapeze, and unicycling varying with need and availability. Clown performances functioned as a narrative through-line until, beginning in 1980, all acts were included in the narrative. Plots and acts were designed to engage and empower children. The show was accompanied by a live brass band.

At 2:00 pm, the children were invited to choose a workshop because they would be creating the next show, in fact they would “Make a Circus.” Workshops of 10-30 children were offered in all the skills the children had just seen. The workshops lasted for 30 minutes, and were designed to encourage creativity, teach the basics of each skill, and be presented as an entertaining act.

At 3:00 pm, this second show was announced. This show starred the children and was accompanied by the band. Children performed as clowns, acrobats, jugglers, slack-rope walkers, stilt-walkers, animals, musicians, and more. Adult performers added support. For the first few years, the day ended with a free meal for all.

Background

Make*A*Circus began as a project of the Inter-Action theater program in London, where actor Peter Frankham collaborated with artist Liz Leyh on her concept of “estate” children improvising a parade and circus-like performance. http://www.unfinishedhistories.com/interviews/interviewees-l-q/liz-leyh/ Using props and costumes from the company and ideas and settings such as climbing bars in their neighborhood, children created imaginative characters and acts.

In 1974, Peter moved to San Francisco and, after a period of busking on the streets, received funding through the San Francisco Arts Commission’s Neighborhood Arts Program, to create art in the city’s communities. In 1975, the Neighborhood Arts Program became one of the first entities utilizing the Federal Carter-era Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) to offer employment to artists.https://justseeds.org/legacy-of-the-neighborhood-arts-program/ https://arlenegoldbard.com/essays/books/newcc/public-service-employment-for-artists/ Frankham received a monthly stipend. His vision was to recreate the idea of a “circus with a purpose” that specifically targeted underprivileged children. The first circus was presented in 1975. Rehearsals were held at The Farm.http://www.foundsf.org/index.php?title=The_Farm_by_the_Freeway. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Farm_(San_Francisco)

In 1976, Frankham was asked to take over an unused non-profit corporation, and both Make*A*Circus and the Talespinners, a theater company that included and performed for senior citizens, became part of Feedback Productions.

Founding Collective

Make*A*Circus had a progressive identity. Frankham and a core of artists made all thematic, organizational and artistic decisions collectively. Members shared non-performance responsibilities, met in a study group, and ended shows and meetings with a process of “Crit/Self Crit.” This methodology was discontinued as the circus grew, but the progressive perspective remained. Peter Frankham returned to England following the 1977 season.

Founding Members/performers were: Peter Frankham, Billy Kessler, Clifford Lehman, Danny Mankin, Debby Krant, Donald Forrest, Eugenia Velez, Frances Evens, Joan Mankin, Lanie Kagan, Laurie Harriton, Merle Goldstone, Robert Burkhardt, Wendy Parkman,

Members/Performers:

Alejandro Ortiz, Alex Guerrero, Angela Noble, Arina Isaacson, Babatunde, Beth Clarke, Bill Belasco, Billy Kessler https://www.pmel.noaa.gov/scientist/dr-william-s-kessler, Bobby Hartman, Bobby Bugler, Carlo D’Amore, Celia McCarthy, Charlie Dagelman, Cherie Chooljian, Clifford Lehman, Clifford Spenger, Colman Domingo, Cora Carter, Craig Sjogerman, CynThia Aviance Rauschert, Danny Mankin https://notices.californiatimes.com/gdpr/latimes.com/, David Hunt, David Magidson, David Udolf, Debby Krant, Diana H. Perry, Donald Forrest, Drew Letchworth, Emanuel Samson, Eric Gantos, Eric Newton, Eugenia Velez, Frances Evens, Gus Johnson, Harvey Robb, Heather Perle, Hibou Frieda, Jack Wickert, Jamie Adkins, Jane Herzog, Jaron Aviv Hollander, Jason McPherson, Jeanne Thomas, Jennifer Amok, Jim Jedeikin, Joan Lefkowitz, Joan Mankin https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Mankin, Joan Merwin, Joe Kennedy, John Achorn, John Gilkey, John Koch, Karen Elliot, Karen Jewett-Bennett, Karen Quest, Kathryn Eustis, Keiko Carreiro, Keith Terry, Kent Minault, Kurt Ribak, Lanie Kagan, Laura LeBleu, Laurie Harriton, Lee Letchworth, Leonard Levy, Letitia Bartlett, Lisa Johnston, Liz Price, Lynn Polke, Marin Sander Holzman, Mark Kennedy, Mark Sackett, Marty Allen, Megan Kilian Uttam, Melody Champagne, Merle Goldstone, Michael Margolis, Michael Moore, Miles Kennedy, Misha Provo, Moshe Cohen, Myka Spenger, Nancy Berglass, Nancy Levidow, Nancy Rogers, Opal Essence, Pam Higley, Paoli Lacy, Patricia Koch, Peggy Ford, Peter Frankham, Peter Palermo, Randy Lee Odell, Rebecca Perez, Rene Collins, Richard Lane, Rick Wismar, Robert Burkhardt, Rock Ztar, Sandra Feusi, Sara Felder, Sara Moore, Sharon Ostreicher, Shelly Mia Kastner, Sherri Roberts, Slater Penney, Stan Heller, Stephanie Abrams, Tash Wesp, Ted Connell, Teresa Dinaburg-Diaz, Therese Schorn, Tony Calendra, Tripp Mikich, Veronica Blair, Victor Toman, Vola Ruben, Wendy Parkman, Winny, Zavala Noe

Make*A*Circus Venues (Many returned to annually)

San Francisco Parks: Bay View Playground, Crocker-Amazon Recreation Center, Holly Park/ Bernal Heights, Father Boedecker Park/ The Tenderloin, Dolores Park, Glen Park, Golden Gate Park Sharon Meadows, Hamilton Park/ The Fillmore, Hunters Point Gym, Rossi Playground/ The Richmond, Sunset Recreation Center, Visitacion Valley Park, Washington Square Park, Youngblood Coleman Park/Bayview, Upper Noe Playground, Precita Park/Mission SF Bay Area Alameda, Berkeley, Brisbane, Concord, Cupertino, Daly City, East Palo Alto, Hayward, Los Altos, Martinez, Millbrae, Newark, Novato, Pittsburg, Oakland, Redwood City, San Jose, San Mateo, Sausalito, South San Francisco, Sunnyvale Central California Bakersfield, Bishop, Delano, Dos Palos, Keyes, Livermore, Fairfield, Fresno, Los Altos, Los Banos, Mammoth Lakes, Merced, Modesto, Salinas, San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz, Santa Maria, Seaside, Stockton, Visalia, Waterford, Watsonville Southern California Alhambra, Anaheim, Carlsbad, Covina, East Los Angeles, Fontana, Glendale, La Mesa, Lancaster, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach , Paramount, Pasadena, Point Mogu, Pomona, Poway, Riverside, Rowland Heights, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Torrance Northern California Auburn, Davis, Forks of Salmon, Alturas (Modoc County), Rio Linda, Sacramento, Willows

Funding Sources

Make A Circus received funding from a wide range of charitable foundations, corporations and local, state and federal government programs. Government programs included the National Endowment for the Arts, California Arts Council, San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department, and the San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund. Foundations included the San Francisco Foundation, Guy F. Atkinson Foundation, Zellerbach Family Foundation, David and Lucille Packard Foundation, LJ Skaggs and Mary C. Scaggs Foundation, Morris Stulsaft Foundation, Levi Strauss Foundation, Crown Zellerbach Corporation, Walter and Elise Haas Foundation, and the Fred and Carl Gellert Foundation. Corporate sources included Chevron USA,Citicorp Savings Foundation, Rosenberg Capital Management, Trust, Clorox Company, Sears, Roebuck and Company, Sohio Petroleum, Target Stores, TRW Corporation, IBM, Mervyn’s Corporation, Shell Oil, and Arco.

In the news

https://notices.californiatimes.com/gdpr/latimes.com/

https://www.paloaltoonline.com/weekly/morgue/cover/1999_Aug_6.ARTS6.html

https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Send-in-the-Clowns-S-F-circus-takes-at-risk-2909012.php

https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/A-troupe-to-dazzle-kids-3240963.php

https://www.sfchronicle.com/performance/article/COMING-UP-WHAT-S-NEW-THIS-WEEK-2926283.php

https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/Time-to-Dream-At-Make-A-Circus-Ambitious-Nemo-3238685.php

https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/3-ring-classroom-3277108.php

https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/WEEKEND-DISCOVERY-3071144.php

https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/3-ring-classroom-3277108.php

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Sister-act-a-perfect-fit-for-circus-2899294.php

https://books.google.be/books?id=eKz2BwAAQBAJ&pg=PT361&lpg=PT361&dq=peter+Frankham+circus&source=bl&ots=Gt-SvsRgRD&sig=ACfU3U0rI6r3Be4Z3EGEz_ARVZ6mK0lOUw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj_2sHqhs3gAhXJaVAKHTInBqcQ6AEwAnoECAQQAQ#v=onepage&q=peter%20Frankham%20circus&f=false

http://circuscenter.org/clown