The Hartford Circus Fire Project
Contemporary Circus-Theatre
The Hartford Circus Fire Project is not currently accepting donations through Fractured Atlas. Please contact The Hartford Circus Fire Project with any questions.
1944 CIRCUS FIRE PROJECT: Open Ring Circus
A live documentary circus production.
Philadelphia, PA, US
- $15,297 raised of $15,000 goal
- 84 donations
- -3417462 minutes left
Fiscally Sponsored by Fractured Atlas
Open Ring Circus Company is producing a live documentary circus show about the 1944 Hartford Circus Fire. The show will premiere in Hartford, CT on July 6, 2019, the 75th anniversary of the fire. We'll take the show on tour in the fall of 2019.
We are honored to have been awarded a grant from the Connecticut Arts Council. In order to receive this grant, we need your help to match the total value of $15,000. We need to reach this goal to secure the grant funding. Please help us share this story!
On July 6, 1944, the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus pitched their tents in Hartford, Connecticut. At their matinee show that day, the tent went up in flames, claiming the lives of 167 audience members, many of whom were women and children.
Open Ring Circus' current project honors the history and implications of the Hartford Circus Fire. Our production explores social and cultural constructs of public safety, as well as the humanity that surfaces when we are confronted with mortality and unthinkable disaster. This show will trace today’s emerging Cirque Nouveau movement back to the traditions and lore of one of America's oldest artistic institutions — the classical traveling tent show. We will juxtapose live circus-theatre performance, video projection, audio collage, and original music to weave an immersive story that memorializes the past and prompts discussion of the future. Our 90-minute show will explore the moments leading up to the fire, the fire itself, the community response in the aftermath, and the ripple effect of the event’s historical legacy.
The fire’s rich historical connection to Connecticut, the upcoming 75th anniversary of the event, and the overwhelming prevalence of disasters in modern times inspired this project. The timing of this project carries a tremendous degree of significance to us and the greater performing arts community. We will be debuting our show on the 75th anniversary of the Hartford Circus Fire, in the midst of a climate of transition and uncertainty in modern American circus culture. After 75 years, we are on the cusp of losing these memories. By donating, you are helping to leave a legacy in preserving and telling this story. With your help and support, we can not only make this show happen, but also compensate the performers, artistic collaborators, and researchers for the hours of planning and rehearsal that go into bringing an incredible experience to you.
Following the unprecedented closure of Ringling Brothers in 2017, American circus artists have found themselves in a liminal space between honoring tradition and welcoming change. In embarking on this creation process, we at Open Ring Circus endeavor to integrate the versatility, intimacy, and narrative of contemporary circus with the storied traditions and structures of the performers and innovators who laid the groundwork for today’s artists.
The Hartford circus fire of 1944 sparked a revolution in industry standards for fire safety and regulation. During this time, it was commonplace to waterproof the tent with highly flammable paraffin wax and block exits with animal cages during act transitions. On July 6, these circumstances resulted in many fatalities. In response to this tragedy, a demand for fire exits and strict safety protocols swept across the country during the late 1940s. Due to this event, Connecticut still has the strictest fire codes in the United States.
With the unfortunate prevalence of modern tragedies like the shootings in Sandy Hook and Pulse nightclub, or natural disasters like hurricane Maria and the wildfires in California, we find the sudden unexpectedness of the 1944 fire and its devastating fatality eerily relevant. Through our show, we will use the universal language of movement to express the intricate subtleties of human connection during tragic events.
We are excited for a potential partnership with Arts for Learning CT. With their help we will create pathways that invite participation and communication through school performances with introductory circus workshops in low-income communities. We will also donate materials and provide instructions for students to make their own juggling equipment out of common household materials, so the students can continue to practice and develop a connection with the circus arts.
Open Ring Circus is a Philadelphia-based arts and entertainment company. Our productions incorporate contemporary acrobatics, dance, theatre, and dynamic aerial artistry with original music, interactive sets, and inventive lighting design, resulting in truly visionary immersive experiences. Open Ring Circus collaborates with a diverse collective of performing artists, musicians, and visual artists to create works that captivate and transport audiences to new realms of exploration and possibility.
Over the last five years, Open Ring has produced and performed shows across the Northeast US and Canada. Our previous project, The Canary’s Silence, was brought to the stage in many different iterations over the last few years. Most recently, we performed at the International Festival of Arts and Ideas in New Haven, CT. In October, we gathered a team of stellar circus artists from across the country and began rehearsals for the 1944 Circus Fire Project. We recently hired a professional producer to make this show happen!
FAQs
When can I see this show?
- We will be premiering our work in Hartford, CT, in July 2019. Look out for performances in select east coast towns starting in April 2019. In Fall 2019, we will embark on a more comprehensive east coast tour.
Can we hire you to come and perform in our town?
- We are interested in having a conversation with anyone who is invested in producing and sharing our work! Contact us at openringcircus@gmail.com.
Will you have animals?
- Humans will be the only animals in our show.
Is this a family friendly show?
- This show will include difficult subject matter and dark themes involving tragedy, but it will not contain profanity or nudity. While it is geared towards mature audiences, we welcome anyone who wants to learn about this critical event in circus history.
When will I get my perk?
- We are working to get you your perks as quickly as possible, but we are also busy making a show! Expect your perk to arrive approximately three weeks after your donation.
I am not in a place where I can contribute financially but I want to help, what can I do?
- Spread the word! Share our campaign video and posts about our process and performances to get people excited about the work we’re making! A show is nothing without its audience.
- You can also subscribe to our mailing list to stay up-to-date on our work: https://mailchi.mp/fc262da1fe47/openringcircus
Rewards
VIP Premier Package
Donate $500.00 or more
Amount over $190.00 is tax-deductible.
Dinner and a show! Let us wine and dine you and a friend before you witness this historic event in prime seating. Stay after the performance to hang out with us! Plus a stylized Facebook shout-out, blooper reel, handwritten card and stickers, two 24"x36" concept art posters, and hand-silkscreened bag.
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Blooper Reel
Donate $15.00 or more
Amount is fully tax-deductible.
Trusted backers, observe our fails and awkward moments from rehearsals and training, gathered into a compilation for convenient ridicule. You'll also get a stylized shout-out on Facebook.
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Thank You Card
Donate $20.00 or more
Amount is fully tax-deductible.
You’ll receive a tangible, hand-written expression of our appreciation, with Open Ring stickers tucked inside! Plus the items from the $15 package.
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Concept Art Poster
Donate $40.00 or more
Amount over $15.00 is tax-deductible.
A beautiful commemorative print of original concept art from our director, plus all the goods from the $20 package. (Poster measures 11"x17”.)
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Large Concept Art Poster
Donate $60.00 or more
Amount over $20.00 is tax-deductible.
A large commemorative poster print of original concept art from our director. Plus everything from the $20 package. (Poster measures 24"x36".)
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Silkscreened Tank Top
Donate $75.00 or more
Amount over $20.00 is tax-deductible.
Be twinsies with us in your hand-silkscreened Open Ring tank top. Similar to the T-Shirt, but with sleeves removed for free. Plus everything from the $20 package.
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Silkscreened T-Shirt
Donate $75.00 or more
Amount over $20.00 is tax-deductible.
The hand-silkscreened Open Ring T-shirt is similar to the Tank Top, but it comes with free sleeves. Plus everything from the $20 package.
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Silkscreened Upcycled Bag
Donate $100.00 or more
Amount over $40.00 is tax-deductible.
In exchange for your support of our artistic venture, we'll support your personal belongings against the pull of gravity as you go about your day, with a hand-silkscreened bag made from repurposed clothing. Plus everything from the $20 package.
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Have It All
Donate $200.00 or more
Amount over $95.00 is tax-deductible.
Get all of the above perks in a single package! Stylized Facebook shout-out, blooper reel, handmade card and stickers, large poster (24"x36"), Open Ring tank top, Open Ring T-shirt, and hand-silkscreened bag.
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Original Blueprint Artwork
Donate $300.00 or more
Amount over $100.00 is tax-deductible.
Own original circus blueprint artwork by our artistic director Jack Kavanagh. Only one of these will ever exist. Plus everything from the $60 package.
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Sponsorship Package
Donate $1,000.00 or more
Amount over $200.00 is tax-deductible.
Your name or company displayed in the program as a sponsor. Four tickets to a performance of your choosing and dinner for four before the show. Plus a stylized Facebook shout-out, blooper reel, handwritten cards and stickers, and 24"x36" concept art posters.
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Performance at Your Event
Donate $2,000.00 or more
Amount over $1,000.00 is tax-deductible.
Bring 1 or 2 of our performers to your event for a custom performance within a 60-mile radius of our home base in Philadelphia. Plus a stylized Facebook shout-out, blooper reel, handwritten card and stickers, two 24"x36" concept art posters, two Open Ring T-shirts or tank tops, and a handmade silkscreened bag.
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ALL The Things
Donate $5,000.00 or more
Amount over $1,400.00 is tax-deductible.
Everything. That's your name or company in the program as a sponsor, eight tickets to a performance of your choosing, dinner before the show, a performance at your event, and all the merch in the $200 package.
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Open Ring Nirvana
Donate $15,000.00 or more
Amount over $2,000.00 is tax-deductible.
You've ascended to the highest plane of perks. Choose anything you want from the above packages, such as a custom performance at your event, tickets to a performance of your choosing with pre-show dinner, art, merch... the world of Open Ring Circus is your oyster.
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