Circus Comes To Eldredge Library As Part Of Summer Reading Program

CHATHAM – What does a circus have to do with dinosaurs?

 A lot, it turns out, when that circus is exploring a prehistory mystery as part of the Eldredge Public Library’s “Unearth A Story” summer reading program.

 Last summer, the Line Circus performed on the front lawn of the library. This year, the same trio is back as the B.I.Z.R. (Bodies in Zero Rest) Circus Trio with a new storyline, a mystery, and a surprise guest. They’ll perform daily from July 27 to Aug. 8 at noon on the library’s front lawn.

 “We’re super psyched about it,” said circus member Reid Williams.

 Merging an acrobatic performance with the summer reading theme had its challenges, however. How does tumbling and juggling relate to prehistory?

 Williams and his fellow acrobats, who are based in Las Vegas, spent months researching and developing the show, keeping in touch with Eldredge Library staff to make sure what they came up with adhered to the summer’s theme. Early on they determined that there would be a narrative, but it had to fit with the theme and keep the attention of youngsters for about 30 or 35 minutes. They began by thinking about juggling. What would archaeologists juggle?

 Bones, of course.

 It took a bit of testing to find the right materials, but they eventually settled on plastic.

“There’s a lot of bones,” said Williams, who was in town earlier this month for rehearsals of the Cape Cod Shakespeare Festival in Chatham’s production of “Macbeth,” in which he plays the title character. “An inordinate amount of bones.”

 Not to give too much away, but the story the company eventually settled on involves the search for specific bones that, by the end of the show, will be assembled into a fourth member of the company. Along the way, they’ll talk about archeological digs, strata and other elements of prehistory inquiry and use acrobatics such as their three-person “column” to explain how scientists assemble ancient skeletons.

 “We had a blast developing it,” Williams said.

 Those who saw the trio last summer will experience many of the same feats of skill, but in a more linear way.

 “This version is far more narrative-driven [than last year’s circus],” Williams said. “We let the story do the work. It’s certainly a circus show, but not a circus theme.” And while the educational aspect is there, it’s far more focused on imagination, entertainment and excitement.

 “This is a show about discovery and wonder,” Williams said.

 After their run in Chatham, the BIZR Circus Trio move on to Chicago, where they will perform with the Midnight Circus. While they were developing the show for the library, they were touring the southeast and midwest with Circus Evo.

 Williams is confident that this year’s show will captivate and inform kids (and adults). 

 “We had so many ideas,” he said, a guarantee that each show will be just different enough to keep them coming back for more.

 The program is supported by the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod, the Chatham Cultural Council, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and the Friends of the Eldredge Library.