CIW Lab Attendees Find Magic at Midnight Circus
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| Midnight Circus performers wow audience members on the tightrope Saturday.. |
The purple and blue Big Top. The flying acrobats. The rhythmic music. The red-nosed clown. About 10 Chicago Ideas Week (CIW) supporters enjoyed a magical experience Oct. 19 at the CIW’s Midnight Circus VIP Lab at Margate Park: an insider’s look at a world-class circus working to save the city’s recreation areas.
The behind-the-scenes event was one of about 100 such Labs that ran throughout CIW Oct. 14 – 20. Jeff Jenkins, the urban circus’ founder and a CIW Co-op member, said he “leapt at” the chance to host a Lab.
“I’m a huge fan of Chicago Ideas Week,” Jenkins said. “It’s a who’s who and what’s what of everything that’s good, creative and exciting.”
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| Circus founder Jeff Jenkins takes Lab attendees on a tour. |
The two-hour show of aerialists, jugglers, clowns, musicians, contortionists and Junebug the pooch was a high-flying feat of humor and thrill. The audience gasped when acrobats Aislinn Mulligan and Nich Galzin fell from a 15-foot pole, only to catch themselves right before they hit the ground. And Junebug’s hoop-jumping performance brought made both adults and kids break out into laughter.
“This is just so sweet and fun and happy and intimate,” said Diane Hagen, a Lincolnshire resident who watched the show with her husband, Neil.
During intermission, Jenkins treated Lab participants to a backstage tour of the circus, where they learned how the Circus in the Parks program came to be.
In 2007, after a 10-year European tour, Jenkins and his troupe found Chicago’s Welles Park in danger of losing its playground due to a lack of funds. So they partnered with the Welles Park Advisory Council to raise funds through a family-friendly circus performance in the park.
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| Acrobat Jan Damn practices juggling on a balance board. |
Thousands of people showed up during the opening weekend, raising nearly $20,000 for the cause. Since then, the program has expanded to 11 neighborhoods, providing colorful entertainment for the communities while contributing more than $450,000 for local park improvement.
“This isn’t happening anywhere in the world, what we are doing,” Jenkins said. “Not like this, with the civic component, the volunteer component, the sponsor component in an incredibly high-level show.”
The biggest takeaway he wanted CIW members to walk away with? A sense of empowerment.
“If a bunch of misfits can get together and raise (about) $500,000 for Chicago parks and then put together this magic – at times dangerous show – then people can do anything they set their minds to,” he said.
Lab participant Neil Hagen said learning about the circus was a pleasant surprise.
“We never even knew the Midnight Circus was around,” he said. “Now that we’ve heard about it, we want to utilize it the best we can.”
The Lincolnshire couple said they would love to see the circus expand to the suburbs for more fundraising opportunities.
“It’s a win-win,” Diane Hagel said.
*Check out The CIW Ideasphere for more stories and become a member today to take advantage of special events year-round.*
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Written by: Jia You
Photography by: Jia You
