on September 19, they'll be at NOFA Taste

ARTFARM, a Middletown, Connecticut based non-profit organization which creates high quality theater with a commitment to environmental sustainability and social justice, has launched a unique and exciting touring circus.

Imagine a circus in which actors juggle bottled water, polar bears dance on melting ice floes, the props and set are recycled, and the core of clowns are called the Fossil Fools. That’s part of what you get in ARTFARM’s Circus for a Fragile Planet, a brand new educational circus performance featuring juggling, clowning, physical comedy, acrobatics, unicycling, stilt dancing and other circus arts built around a strong environmental message. The show is written, directed and features ARTFARM co-founder Dic Wheeler, who plays an offbeat Austrian scientist whose attempts at enlightening the audience about critical environmental issues are undermined by three fun loving clowns with an agenda of their own. Featuring a lively contemporary and classical musical score, Circus for a Fragile Planet is a side-splitting, mind-opening blend of circus and science.

The fast-paced, hour-long show has entertained and inspired audiences of all ages. The circus has performed with great success at universities, arts centers, festivals and nature centers. What every audience receives is a terrific small-scale circus which leaves them asking “what changes can I make in my lifestyle to become a more responsible world citizen?”

Circus for a Fragile Planet will be available for touring through 2010. The show addresses issues such as global warming, critical habitat, resource management, alternative energy sources, bottled water, recycling, species sustainability and individual responsibility in a way that is accessible and upbeat, accentuating the positive choices each individual or community can make to help build a better future for the planet. And the company shows up in a colorful bus powered by waste vegetable oil!

The four character show can be performed in any room with at least eleven foot ceilings and a twenty five foot square open space for the performers. This educational extravaganza is certain not only to amaze and entertain audiences of all ages, but also inspire them to take personal responsibility for the future of our common home.

A study guide for teachers and students is available to accompany the performance. For more information, contact ARTFARM at (860) 346-4390 or  HYPERLINK "mailto:[email protected]" [email protected]. Photos, short video and additional information can be found at www.art-farm.org.