CANCELED: Coated: 1944 Circus Fire Project

press release: The 1944 Circus Fire Project commemorates the tragedy of July 6, 1944. On that day, the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus pitched their tents in Hartford, Connecticut. At their matinee show that day, as the Flying Wallendas took their place on the tightwire platform, the tent went up in flames, claiming upwards of 168 lives and injuring more than 700.

In the 75 years since the tragic fire, the event has not made its way into history books or common knowledge. Open Ring Circus, determined to remember the lives lost and altered, the heroes of the fire, and the mark it has made on both civilian and performer histories, brings this story to the stage. Through aerial arts, acrobatic storytelling, and custom-designed set pieces, performers physically and emotionally demonstrate the risk and fear the audience experienced on July 6, 1944, and confront the blame and responsibility that circus officials and town officials were faced with as a result of this disaster. Through the lens of the 1944 circus fire, "COATED" poses questions about the ways we experience trauma and recovery and about human fragility and resilience today.

This special guest performance is taking place at the new Madison Circus Space building at 2082 Winnebago St.

Coated runs approximately 75 minutes. While Coated is suitable for all ages, it is designed for a teen and adult audience. Coated is supported by the Connecticut Office of the Arts, Fractured Atlas, Philadelphia School of Circus Arts, Dragon’s Egg Studio, and Lake Placid Center for the Arts.