Criss Cross Circus is Coming

[cos]

You've heard of people who grew up and ran off to join the circus.

My friend Jacob just graduated college, and the circus ran off with him!


folzgold, shadowofrain, and a bunch of their Hampshire friends formed a circus, put together a show, got a big blue school bus, had it converted to run on vegetable oil, and set off to tour the country for the next month.

We are in dark times...

Dependence on oil and unchecked consumerism has driven us past the brink of environmental collapse. Civilization as we know it has ended.

What remains is a troupe of 11 performers touring the territory originally known as the United States. Traveling from city to fallen city, we are gathering a community of survivors in our effort to rebuild a sustainable society.

This post-apocalyptic landscape is the backdrop for the Criss Cross Circus summer tour. These 11 college students are driving from east to west in a colorful, rusted old school bus that runs on used vegetable oil.

While the setting is tragic, it is with the humor and magic of circus that we hope to entertain and educate audiences across America.

They began the tour with a show here in Cambridge on Thursday night, and their second show is tonight in Chicago. You can follow along on their blog, and their flickr photos, but of course the best experience is seeing them in person! I loved the Cambridge show, and they'll only get better as they see how things go with real audiences.
Tour Itinerary...

• Sat, May 24th: Accountants of Homeland Security variety show (with comedy and improv), Conservatory Theater, Chicago, IL, 11pm


• Sun, May 25: University of Chicago, Social Sciences Quad, Chicago, IL, 4:30pm


• May 26, 27, 28: Do you know anywhere they could perform in Madison or Minneapolis/St. Paul or places en route? Write them at crisscrosscircus@gmail.com


• Thu, May 29: Rochester, MN, 12:00 noon & 5:00pm


• May 30: Do you know somewhere they could perform in, say, Des Moines or Cedar Rapids?


• Sat, May 31: CAMP, St. Louis, MO, 7:30pm


• May 30 - June 2: St. Louis


• June 4-7: Denver/Boulder, CO


• June 9-12: San Francisco, CA


• ... know of an opportunity for them to perform in Eugene or Portland?


• June 14-18: Seattle, WA

Dates subject to change. Especially if you can find a good show opportunity for them on this route :)

Comments

[killersmart1.livejournal.com]

Awesome! I want to go! Do you know where they'll be in the the Denver/Boulder area? Also, might they want a guest performer (my step-brother is a gender illusionist and aerial dance artist)?

[cos]

Q1: I don't know, and I don't think they know. They're looking for opportunities. I think they should perform on the mall and plan to get in touch with the city and pass on the information to them, but if you can think of anything in the area, or arrange something, definitely write them! (and cc me)

Q2: Possibly. Perhaps as an opening act, though I wouldn't be surprised if they could work him into their show (it's scripted and holds together as a story, but it's flexible and they're very creative :). Again, write them!

Also, try to go see them, and meet Jacob and Lindsay and Tara and tell them I say hi :)

[queen-of-wands.livejournal.com]

I'm sad I didn't make it to their show here this week :(

My friend aquaeatrae is very involved in organizing and performing in the Boulder/Denver fire performance community. He would probably be a really good contact for them there. Weirdly, I'll also be in Boulder during the weekend that Criss Cross seems to be scheduled to be there.

[cos]

Email him this link and ask him?

And yes, that's weird. I'd all but given up sending you / asking you about Colorado things, 'cause you keep saying you have no connections left there :) I hope you get to see them!

[queen-of-wands.livejournal.com]

I emailed him. I haven't been to Colorado in seven years. Most of my Colorado friends have moved away in that time.

[shadowofrain.livejournal.com]

Hey - I just responded with the performance time for Criss Cross in Boulder! Check out the info below this comment! Thanks for being interested!
- Lindsay (from the Criss Cross Circus)

[queen-of-wands.livejournal.com]

Ah, so you're performing the day before I get into town :( Have a great show!

Criss Cross in Boulder, Colorado

[shadowofrain.livejournal.com]

We are performing in The Dairy Center for Performing Arts in Boulder this Tuesday June 3rd at some point between 6:30-11:00pm - totally come check us out!! Bring friends!! I will update you the time as soon as I know exactly when we are performing.

- Lindsay (from the Criss Cross Circus)

Re: Criss Cross in Boulder, Colorado

[killersmart1.livejournal.com]

I will be there! Please do let me know a more specific time, though. My friends will be more likely to come if they know exactly when it will be.

Re: Criss Cross in Boulder, Colorado

[(Anonymous)]

8:30pm! Official start time! I look forward to seeing you there... and feel free to check out our blog (crisscrosscircus.wordpress.com) for more details!

- Lindsay

[klingonlandlady.livejournal.com]

in Boulder? is your step-brother named Miguel? (I was at ADF last summer)

[killersmart1.livejournal.com]

Yep. He's not technically my step-brother, but we grew up together and his dad and my mom live together now.

[klingonlandlady.livejournal.com]

cool! we got to hang out and take classes together, and i thought he was really nice and fun. Would love to see more of his performances! Say hi for us!

[seventorches.livejournal.com]

You might ask the Tango Center, John Henry's, Diablo, or Saturday Market.

[cos]

Thanks!

I will ask the Tango Center. Suggestions? (Is there a particular person best to ask? Do they have events they arrange, or is it better to ask about using the space, etc.)

How does one perform at the Saturday Market?

[seventorches.livejournal.com]

Rhonda Kalista and Greg Bryant run the TC--the website is http://www.tangocenter.org/

The Saturday Market has a stage. That website is http://www.eugenesaturdaymarket.org/, I don't know who the coordinators are.

For Portland, you might try Dante's--Circus Contraption has performed there.

Luck!

[solestria.livejournal.com]

That's awesome!

No DC stop? And hell, they should freaking set up camp in Asheville. . .

[cos]

No time for DC, their first linchpin gigs turned out to be Chicago and they have some people to drop off on the west coast.

I know, Asheville would be great. They could equally set up camp in Boulder, or Portland, or a few other places, too :)

[charolastra00.livejournal.com]

I think I love these people. They should come to Atlanta (or Asheville!!). Doesn't look like they'll get to the South before I go on my own environmentalist's wet dream adventure in Iceland, though. Although I do think traveling around in a vegetable oil powered bus is just about the neatest thing ever.

[cos]

If you think you do, then you do!

When are you going to iceland?

[charolastra00.livejournal.com]

June 18th through August 2nd. I spend about a week in Rekjavik, 3 weeks in Akureyri riiiight by the Arctic Circle, a week in the West part of the island which is really rural, and the rest of the time traveling, hiking up volcanoes, and going on a boat ride to an island north of the Arctic Circle.

[plymouth.livejournal.com]

I don't know about eugene or portland but I know a couple of people with the shakespeare festival in ashland, or. I could ask them...

[annodomini.livejournal.com]

Sounds like fun! Too bad they're not coming through New Hampshire or Vermont, or I'd try to make sure to catch them. I think I probably met some of these guys when we went down to Hampshire for the Jason Webley concert.

[cos]

Yes, Ashley and I sat next to Jacob & Lindsay; and Tara and Molly were among the people at the tables at the end. James and Molly definitely performed before Webley, and some of the others but I don't remember who.

Most of them are coming back to western Mass after this tour, so maybe they'll want to do some shows in VT & NH. Got a venue? :)