“One of the most exciting and eccentric young theater companies in town.” —New York Times

Step right this way for a festive night celebrating the Chautauqua Circuit (1874 –1935), a wildly popular national network of traveling lecturers, performing artists, and entertainers. The National Theater of the USA transforms the McGuire Theater into the Chautauqua “big-top” experience as it mixes music, dance, debates, scientific experiments, circus arts, vaudeville, and feats of strength that were the hallmark of the circuit. All the while, this highly inventive New York City collective—joined by Walker archivist Jill Vuchetich, choreographer Karen Sherman, skaters from the Women's Hockey Association of Minnesota and the Minnesota RollerGirls, In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre, and a brass band led by Philip Potyondy of the Brass Messengers—investigates and reinvents a distinctly American form of art and entertainment while posing questions about community, capitalism, and “high” and “low” culture. Note: contains nudity.

Co-presented with the National Performance Network (NPN).

Commissioned by the Walker Art Center with support provided by the William and Nadine McGuire Commissioning Fund and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support provided by Nor Hall and Roger Hale, and The McKnight Foundation.

“One of the most exciting and eccentric young theater companies in town.” —New York Times

Step right this way for a festive night celebrating the Chautauqua Circuit (1874 –1935), a wildly popular national network of traveling lecturers, performing artists, and entertainers. The National Theater of the USA transforms the McGuire Theater into the Chautauqua “big-top” experience as it mixes music, dance, debates, scientific experiments, circus arts, vaudeville, and feats of strength that were the hallmark of the circuit. All the while, this highly inventive New York City collective—joined by Walker archivist Jill Vuchetich, choreographer Karen Sherman, skaters from the Women's Hockey Association of Minnesota and the Minnesota RollerGirls, In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre, and a brass band led by Philip Potyondy of the Brass Messengers—investigates and reinvents a distinctly American form of art and entertainment while posing questions about community, capitalism, and “high” and “low” culture. Note: contains nudity.

Co-presented with the National Performance Network (NPN).

Commissioned by the Walker Art Center with support provided by the William and Nadine McGuire Commissioning Fund and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support provided by Nor Hall and Roger Hale, and The McKnight Foundation.