Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Built to Amaze: a KidsOutAndAbout review

Ringling Bros and Barnum  & Bailey Built to Amaze: a KidsOutAndAbout review

by Kathleen McCormack

The Circus is back in town! Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey are performig at the Palace at Auburn Hills November 12th – 16th presenting Built to Amaze, the 143rd edition of the Greatest Show on Earth.

“Circus performers from across the globe create the perfect blend of athleticism and bravery, where power meets fearlessness and amazement has no bounds.  Magnificent elephants, ferocious tigers, astonishing acrobats and awe-inspiring aerialists are engineered into one spectacular performance.”

Built to Amaze is inspired by a construction theme with dump trucks, hydraulic lifts, safety cone people on stilts, and clowns slipping and sliding in paint.

But I’ve been to the circus before. Won’t this be a similar show? No recycling here. Every act was unique from previous shows.

Hang on to your seats for:

• Hilarious basketball players… on unicycles!

• Acrobats hanging by their ankles from the ceiling… untethered!

• Brilliantly trained elephants, tigers, horses, and dogs!

• Tightrope walkers jumping over each other while suspended above the crowd!

• Aerialists balancing dangerously on the swirling Steel Vortex!

• A woman shot out of a cannon!

Make the most of your experience:

• Come an hour early for the all-access pre-show where families can try on costumes, learn circus skills, meet the performers and get their picture taken with the clowns.

• Bring cash, not credit. Parking fees average $7 and most concessions are cash only.

• Budget accordingly. Expect overpriced merchandise and concessions ($4.50 for a bottle of water).

• Require naps before the show! With a running time of 2 hours 15 minutes, those 7pm shows make for a late night.

• Be prepared for questions about the peaceful protesters outside. Kids may have questions about the controversial issues addressed on their signs.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus will be in town through November 16, 2014. Click here for tickets.