Circus Amok

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Clowns (including Jennifer Miller) juggling at Circus Amok in 2006. Jugglers Circus Amok by David Shankbone.jpg
Clowns (including Jennifer Miller) juggling at Circus Amok in 2006.

Circus Amok is a New York City-based circus and theater troupe that produces free outdoor performances every year in the NYC parks. Founded in 1989 by performance artist Jennifer Miller, [1] [2] who directs the company, the troupe began touring the city parks annually in 1994. The company performs in small neighborhood parks and well-traveled public squares in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens. [3] Circus Amok's performances address various political themes and social justice issues, which in recent years have included housing, health care, gentrification, gay marriage, immigration, the Department of Homeland Security, police brutality, police stop-and-frisk policies, and public education. [4] [5]

Contents

History

Circus Amok started doing one-off performances at P.S. 122 in 1989, [6] and began developing and performing free outdoor shows in 1994. They have regularly toured public parks in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx since then. [5]

Past shows:

See also

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References

  1. Carter, Marie (4 September 2007). "Political Circus Dazzles Brooklyn". The Brooklyn Rail. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  2. Smith, Dinitia (9 June 1995). "Step Right Up! See the Bearded Person!". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  3. Sussman, Mark. "A Queer Circus Amok in New York." In Cohen-Cruz, Jan. Radical Street Performance: An International Anthology. London: Routledge, 2003. ISBN   9780415152303. Print. p. 262-270.
  4. Zinoman, Jason (2012-09-13). "Let's Put on a Circus, and Let's Put It on Outdoors (Published 2012)". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2021-02-07.
  5. 1 2 Juggler Vein: Circus Amok Puts Politics in the Center Ring by Lawrence Ferber, August 31-September 6, 2006
  6. Overbeek, Tessa (2015). "Embodying the Possibilities of Public Space--Circus Amok: An Interview with Jennifer Miller". In Bax, Sander (ed.). Interrupting the City: Artistic Constitutions of the Public Space. Amsterdam: Valiz. p. 197. ISBN   9789492095022.
  7. "Circus Amok! | Circuses" . Retrieved 2021-02-07.