By Laura Kraklau, The Mendel Center at Lake Michigan College
Step right up ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, to a world of gears and canvas, pulleys and sawdust when Cirque Mechanics presents 42FT – A Menagerie of Mechanical Marvels on Friday, Feb. 1, at 8pm at The Mendel Center as part of the Discovery Series on the Mainstage.
At the center of every circus rests a 42-foot ring full of thrills, laughs, and excitement. 42FT – A Menagerie of Mechanical Marvels is the latest invention from the creative minds of Cirque Mechanics. The company dares us to leap into the circus ring and experience the timelessness of this evolving art form. The show’s unique mechanical interpretation of the traditional, and its story full of the lore of the historic one-ring circus create a welcoming place, like a big top, the audience can be amazed. The action in 42FT is full of theatricality and a modern sensibility, showcasing a galloping mechanical metal horse and a rotating tent frame for strongmen, acrobats, and aerialists.
Cirque Mechanics was founded in 2004 by Boston native and German Wheel artist, Chris Lashua, after the success of his collaborative project with the Circus Center of San Francisco, Birdhouse Factory. Cirque Mechanics quickly established itself as a premiere American circus, with its unique approach to performance, inspiring storytelling and innovative mechanical staging. Spectacle Magazine hailed it as “the greatest contribution to the American circus since Cirque du Soleil.”
Cirque Mechanics, although inspired by modern circus, finds its roots in the mechanical and its heart in the stories of American ingenuity. The shows, rooted in realism, display a raw quality rarely found in modern circus, making their message timeless and relevant. The stories are wrapped in circus acrobatics, mechanical wonders, and a bit of clowning around. The troupe has created four extraordinary productions; Birdhouse Factory, Boomtown, Pedal Punk, and new for the 2018-2019 season 42FT- A Menagerie of Mechanics Marvels.
Tickets for 42FT – A Menagerie of Mechanical Marvels are on sale now starting at $26. They are available online here and through The Mendel Center Box Office at (269) 927-8700, option 1, weekdays from 10am to 6pm. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more, seniors, students and children, active military members, and veterans. For information about group rates, pre-show party options, and other special arrangements, contact the Box Office.
This performance is made possible in part by the Gast Young People’s Performance Endowment and is sponsored by Chemical Bank and Kruggel Lawton CPA. This presentation is supported by the Arts Midwest Touring Fund, a program of Arts Midwest that is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, and the Crane Group.
About The Mendel Center Mainstage
The Mendel Center raised the curtain on its first Mainstage season performance in the fall of 1992. Since that time, it has presented Mainstage season performances to more than half a million attendees. This is in addition to the scores of performing arts, national and international speakers, ceremonies, and community events hosted by other groups and organizations on the Mainstage. The 1,559-seat Mendel Center Mainstage Theatre offers state-of-the-art acoustics and comfortable seating in elegant surroundings. Amenities include free parking, handicap accessibility, and an array of services including catering and bar service for private pre- and post-show events, child booster seats, assistive listening devices, non-spill cups for beverages inside the theatre, and premium seats in the Stage Side section.
About the Discovery Series
Now in its sixth season, The Mendel Center’s Discovery Series provides family-friendly performing arts events for audiences of all ages. The series delivers enriching experiences that introduce young people and their families to the excitement of professionally produced touring productions. The goal of the series is to inspire creativity, spark imagination, educate through the arts, and to create opportunities to build cherished memories while having a lot of fun.
The Mendel Center is 30 minutes from Niles and 40 minutes from the Kalamazoo and South Bend areas. It is located on the Lake Michigan College campus at 2755 E. Napier Avenue, Benton Harbor, Michigan, one mile east of I-94 (Exit 30) and one mile west of the US 31 Bypass (exit 24). Its GPS mapping address is 1100 Yore Avenue, Benton Harbor, MI.
