Accidental Tourist

Brian Newman

by Mickey Jou

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, runs April 18-29, $15-$27, Wachovia Spectrum, 3601 S. Broad St., 800-298-4200, www.comcastTIX.com

The circus is coming to town! Now in its 135th year, the Greatest Show on Earth will roll up with 49 animals and 98 performers from 11 different countries, including Taber the Tiger Tamer; human cannonballs Brian and Tina Miser; and Bello, a big-haired, seventh-generation clown from Switzerland. Production manager Brian Newman (not pictured), who joined the show after graduating from the University of Delaware in 2003, describes the circus as a portable town on wheels, with shops, a restaurant and even a school on board the mile-long private train. "A lot of [families] live on the train," says Newman. "The teeter-board act, for example, is made of a father, a mother and their two boys." With room, board and a ticket to see the world, who can blame him for running away with the circus?

"Philadelphia's gonna hate me for saying this, but Bello's pretty feisty. I'm gonna have to go with him. Rocky's getting on, and [anyway], it's all about the hair. That's where the power is."

"A handful of clowns never hurt anything. We're not the Philadelphia Orchestra, but we do have a live band and we do pretty well — clowns and orchestras work great together."

"Our schoolteacher in the show puts together field trips for the kids. But if they don't go to Independence Hall, I will drive them there myself."