Difference between revisions of "Main Page"

From Circopedia

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[[File:Dougherty_2008.jpg|right|160px]]
 
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===TOM DOUGHERTY===
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===CIRCUS SARRASANI===
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Tom Dougherty was born in Brooklyn, New York on May 27, 1956, the son of James A. Dougherty, a lawyer, and Elizabeth Dougherty, née Muller, a private school Principal—none of each connected to show business in any way. Yet Tom’s grandfather, Adolf L. Müller, who was one of the main architects of Brooklyn’s historic Williamsburg Savings Bank building, taught him drawing and oil painting from an early age, and is also credited with teaching him how to amuse others. This gave Tom an artistic leaning, although no one expected him to become a clown. (According to Tom, his parents pointed to each other accusingly when asked later about their son…)
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The legendary Circus Sarrasani was created in Germany in 1901 by a visionary clown and animal trainer, Hans Stosch (1873-1934). Sarrasani remains one of the most celebrated circus names in both Europe and South America. The title was alive throughout the entire twentieth century, under a succession of owners of more or less legitimate lineage. In circus lore, Sarrasani is still a fabled name that evokes a history of epic proportions with sociopolitical undertones, dominated (and occasionally brought close to bankruptcy) by the larger-than-life personality and extravagant vision of its famous founder, Hans Stosch-Sarrasani.
  
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In High School, Tom was naturally drawn to art classes and began to create comics. After graduation, he went to the Pratt Institute to study animation, but college life didn’t suit his rebellious disposition (this was in the turbulent 1970s) and he tried another school to study Political Science—but that, too, didn’t last long. One summer, a friend asked him to help paint a set for a theatrical production in Brooklyn. While he was working on the set, an actor got sick and the director asked Tom if he wanted to replace the missing actor: “We had a rehearsal and they offered me a contract at the end of the day.”... ([[Tom Dougherty|more...]])
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Hans Stosch's vision, which came to full fruition in the late 1920's during the Republic of Weimar, shaped his circus as a paradigm of modernity and exoticism, which went far beyond the traditional approach of the major traveling circus families of the period. Stosch had a matchless ability to mix together industry, stagecraft, propaganda, literature, foreign politics, a specific style of circus management and circus aesthetics—as well as innovative techniques that stand today as milestones in the history of modern circus. His achievements influenced rivals such as [[Carl Krone]], colleagues and admirers such as Jérôme Medrano and John Ringling North, and even, four generations later, Bernhard Paul.... ([[Circus Sarrasani|more...]])
  
 
==New Biographies==  
 
==New Biographies==  

Revision as of 22:31, 31 August 2014

Welcome to Circopedia,
the free encyclopedia of the international circus.
A project of the Big Apple Circus,
inspired and funded by the Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation.


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In The Spotlight

Dougherty 2008.jpg

CIRCUS SARRASANI

The legendary Circus Sarrasani was created in Germany in 1901 by a visionary clown and animal trainer, Hans Stosch (1873-1934). Sarrasani remains one of the most celebrated circus names in both Europe and South America. The title was alive throughout the entire twentieth century, under a succession of owners of more or less legitimate lineage. In circus lore, Sarrasani is still a fabled name that evokes a history of epic proportions with sociopolitical undertones, dominated (and occasionally brought close to bankruptcy) by the larger-than-life personality and extravagant vision of its famous founder, Hans Stosch-Sarrasani.

Hans Stosch's vision, which came to full fruition in the late 1920's during the Republic of Weimar, shaped his circus as a paradigm of modernity and exoticism, which went far beyond the traditional approach of the major traveling circus families of the period. Stosch had a matchless ability to mix together industry, stagecraft, propaganda, literature, foreign politics, a specific style of circus management and circus aesthetics—as well as innovative techniques that stand today as milestones in the history of modern circus. His achievements influenced rivals such as Carl Krone, colleagues and admirers such as Jérôme Medrano and John Ringling North, and even, four generations later, Bernhard Paul.... (more...)

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A Message from the Editor

CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding encyclopedia of the international circus. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly—and sometimes daily—basis. So keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to contact us: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.

Dominique Jando
Editor/Curator
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