27th Season of Children's Playhouse Series

September 17, 2004

begins with lots of "ooh" & "aah"

Smythe & Saucier presents Circo Comedia

Imagine juggling, cycling and thrilling daredevil stunts performed in the spirit of Vaudeville. Throw in a little Cirque de Soleil, and you have the dynamic Canadian duo, Jean Saucier and Lawrence Smythe, in Circo Comedia. You'll "ooh," "aah" and laugh out loud at the antics of this internationally touring pair of comedic performers as part of the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center's Children's Playhouse Series on Saturday, October 9, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the Arts Center Theater.

In the tradition of the Quebec Circus, Saucier, master equilibrist performs his feats from dizzying heights while Smythe, catastrophic clown eccentric, gets carried away by his own folly. This distinctive brand of humor and talents gives unpredictable thrills. Perfect for all ages, it is family entertainment at its finest!

One must ask— did Smythe's Irish ancestry make him such a jokester? Maybe it's because he used to watch Red Skelton on T.V. all the time. Or perhaps growing up in a military family set the stage for him to rebel? Smythe, brilliantly irreverent, described an intense and comedic family life where chaos reigned. His professional training includes mime, dance, clown, mask, improvisation, voice and music.

A unicycle launched the career of Saucier. At age 11, he cut a curious figure in his native Montreal when he delivered newspapers atop his one-wheeler. Mostly self-taught until the age of 18, he then attended the Ecole National du Cirque de Montreal. Cirque du Soleil noticed his talent and hired him. Since then, much has changed as he discovered that he was destined to be a "Straight Man" — the serious side of comedy. Saucier is a variety artist of skill and technique with a background in being a stuntman, equilibrist, juggler, unicyclist, acrobat, trick cyclist, clown and actor.

Their fast paced entertaining show is an adventure for all ages. The show, full of nonstop sidesplitting comedy, and daredevil stunts and tricks, will have everyone laughing on the edge of their seat.

Tickets for the performance are currently on sale at the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center Box Office. To purchase tickets or for more information, please call the Box Office at 719-295-7222 or stop by at 210 N. Santa Fe Ave., Pueblo.

The Children's Playhouse Series is presented in cooperation with Pueblo County and the Colorado Council on the Arts. Circo Comedia is also sponsored in part by the Helzer, Rastrelli and Shapiro families.