“The Greatest Show on Earth” Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey to perform at Keybank

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)–This weekend, Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey’s “The Greatest Show on Earth” is at the Keybank Center.

“Ringling Brothers has been around for 150 years, it’s this true legacy, and we’re recreating it to bring it back to life,” said Liz Kinder, P.R. Manager of their touring unit.

The circus closed down in 2017. After seven years of a hiatus, they’re back on tour and they’ve made some changes to the show–including having no animals.

“That was a huge change for Ringling, and a big part of it was listening to the people. A lot of feedback that the circus was receiving, was that they wanted to see a show without animals and it’s a new day, and a new age, and we’ve adapted to accommodate that request for people,” said Kinder. “We wanted to reimagine all of the circus elements that give you nostalgia that you think of and bring them into a new generation. So we really wanted to focus on super-human capabilities.”

Some other changes they say are adding some never-before seen acts, including a triangular highwire and a double wheel of destiny. From juggling, to balancing, from riding on two wheels or one, with more than 75 performers from 18 countries, the show focuses on their talents and the hard work that’s done on and off stage.

“It’s just a lot of practice, a lot of hours, go into it, a lot of planning,” said AJ Anaya, Circus Performer, Free Style BMX. “We work with lighting, automation, the technical crew, setting up the ramp so we’re one big package, a lot goes into what you get to see every single night.”

They encourage families to come see the show this weekend, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

“It’s a family friendly show, so it’s meant for the kids, it’s meant for the parents. All of them are going to have fun with music, fireworks, performances of all kinds.” said Eduardo Navas, performer in the “Tic Tac Trio”.

To learn more information on the show or to purchase tickets visit their website here.

Hope Winter is a reporter and multimedia journalist who has been part of the News 4 team since 2021. See more of her work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.