[Capdist-announce] Frequently Asked Questions: A Circus Collective

[ClowningAbout15 .]

*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:*



*Theatre Institute at Sage presents*

*Frequently Asked Questions: A Circus Collective *

*NOW YOU KNOW*

*July 12-13, 2013*

* *

*For more information contact: *

*David Bunce*

*Theatre Institute at Sage*

*bunced at sage.edu *

*(518) 244-4505*

* *

*For tickets contact:*

www.sage.edu/theatreinstitute

*Margaret Ryan,** **Ryanm4 at sage.edu* <Ryanm4 at sage.edu>**

*518-244-2248***

*(Troy, New York, July 12-13, 2013) *

Rounding out our season the Theatre Institute at Sage announces the debut
production of *NOW YOU KNOW*, the summer 2013 tour of *Frequently Asked
Questions: A Circus Collective.*  The prices are family friendly and it is
recommended for all ages.

Straight from Montreal, a hub of the circus world, comes a one of a kind
American Contemporary Circus Collective. *Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) *is
a company made up of young circus professionals who have created a new
American circus company.  Each member is a first generation circus artist
and each has a unique story of how he or she came to the circus.  They
share a passion for the circus arts including the traditional and
contemporary styles of circus, both of which can be seen in the debut
creation they are bringing to Troy. The show combines acrobatics, aerials,
juggling, and clowning.



The goals of FAQ are to collectively design and develop new circus
creations that are performed primarily in the United States in order to
further the contemporary circus scene in the states. “I find now is the
best time to perform this project.  There is a movement among the circus
community in the United States to make Circus a recognized art form. Circus
is already a major part of the art scenes in Canada and Europe. Why not
here?” remarks FAQ clown Aaron Marquise.



Aaron Marquise is a Capital Region native. A 2009 graduate of Shenendehowa
High School, Aaron went on to pursue his love of musical theatre at
Marymount Manhattan College in New York City. After spending two summers
working with his mentor Sean Fagan of the Troy based *Circus Theatricks*,
Aaron decided to follow his newfound passion for the circus arts. Aaron
trained for two months to prepare himself for a 4-day audition process at a
school that specializes in circus arts in Montreal, Quebec. The audition
tested applicants in acrobatic abilities, strength, flexibility, dance, and
acting. Each day candidates were cut and Aaron made it to the final days
where he was asked to show a 3-minute original clown number. Following
months of waiting Aaron was accepted into a preparatory program where he
would study for a year before having to re-audition. Following a year of
training and another 4-day audition, Aaron was accepted into the program
and is expected to graduate in 2015. He now brings *FAQ* and his new love
for circus back home to the Capital Region.



“I saw *Cirque du Soleil* when I was younger and thought, ‘That is what I
want to do!’ I did not realize I could actually do ‘that’ that circus was
an option,” jokes Marquise. “I did not even know that the circus scene had
grown far beyond *Cirque du Soleil*. In the States it’s very rare to find
groups of friends doing what *FAQ *is doing, where as in Europe there are
hundreds of small companies touring. We want to help this art develop here
in the US.”



*Frequently Asked Questions* is comprised of nine performers most of whom
grew up in youth circuses. Those making up the Troy cast are listed in bold:

·      *Aaron Marquise*, clown.

·      *Lindsay Culbert-Olds* and *Kia-Melinda Eastman* in a duo trapeze
act,

·      *Eric Brown* a Cyr Wheel artist, grew up alongside Culbert-Olds,
Eastman, Tobin, and Sullivan in the acclaimed youth circus, *Circus Smirkus*
.

·      Patrick Tobin, Wire Walker

·      Daniel Sullivan, Aerial Hoop artist

·      *Sidney Iking Bateman* and Melvin Diggs, who both hail from St.
Louis, Missouri, where they began working together at the youth circus *Circus
Harmony*, perform Chinese Hoops. Bateman also performs his own version of
acrobatic-Diablo (a juggling discipline).

·      Rounding out *FAQ* is aerial straps performer *Kerttu Pussinen* who
has put a new twist on a traditional Russian discipline meant to
demonstrate power and grace.



Following Troy, *Frequently Asked Questions: A Circus Collective* will play
St. Louis, Missouri and Arlington, Massachusetts.  Also as part of their
summer tour, FAQ will be playing one evening as part of the summer stage
series by City Parks Foundation (New York City) and with Circus Now, an
American circus advocacy group (www.circusnow.org).



For more information on the current tour schedule and FAQ visit the website
at: www.FAQCircus.com

* *

*Creative Team: *

Frequently Asked Questions has been collectively directed and designed in
all aspects. **

* *

*Date & Times:*

Friday July 12th at 12pm and 7pm**

Saturday July 13th at 1pm and 7pm



*Duration:* One hour and fifteen minutes.



*Place:*

Schacht Fine Arts Center, Russell Sage College, 5 Division Street, Troy, NY
12180



*For Tickets and Information:*

www.sage.edu/theatreinstitute

518-244-2248

Margaret Ryan, Ryanm4 at sage.edu

* *

*Prices:**
*Adults $10
Students and Seniors $8



For more information about *Frequently Asked Questions*:

www.FAQCircus.com



Recommended for all ages



Established in February of 2011, the *Theatre Institute at Sage* is
dedicated to providing quality live theatre and arts-in-education
programming to Capital Region youth, educators and residents. The Institute
also provides opportunities for Russell Sage students as performer,
technicians and teachers. Programs include educational support services for
Sage productions (such as in-class preparations, teacher in-services and
study guides), a Saturday theatre arts school, camps during school breaks,
and several theatre camps during the summer for children ages 5-18.
Programs take place on the Russell Sage College campus in Troy, NY.
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