Return of The New Shanghai Circus, Jan 19-21

January 3, 2019, 9:48 AM HST

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The Maui Arts & Cultural Center presents the return of a Maui favorite in an all new show: the New Shanghai Circus, onstage in Castle Theater Saturday, Sunday and Monday, January 19-21.

Five show times are featured: on Saturday shows are at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.; on Sunday, the shows are at 2 and 5 p.m. and on Monday (MLK Day) there is a 2 p.m. show. Tickets go on sale to everyone Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019.

This 2019 engagement of the New Shanghai Circus is only happening on Maui at the MACC.

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The New Shanghai Circus features fearless performers with boundless energy and amazing skills who bring new interpretations to traditional Chinese circus arts — some acts with thousands of years in the making. The acrobats, jugglers, knife-throwers, contortionists, and other skilled performers of the Shanghai Circus dedicate their life to the achievement of perfection as they defy gravity and execute breathtaking feats of balance and skill.

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These acts are staged with traditional Chinese props and themes, but in the spirit of the “new circus,” all of this is accomplished with 21st century flair: new and contemporary costumes, dramatic lighting, and magical stagecraft.

The daring and rigorously-trained performers of the Shanghai Circus follow a 2,500-year old tradition of circus arts in China, developed from ancient rural village harvest celebrations. In the autumn, both peasants and craftsmen would join in the village square for a celebration of bountiful harvest. Common people would show off their skills by performing fun and exciting feats of derring-do, using household tools and common items found around the farm and workshop. Climbing to the top of a tall stack of chairs, spinning plates on the end of a long bamboo stick, balancing small wooden benches on their head, juggling huge pottery jars, flipping bowls with their feet, climbing tall poles and long leather straps … these and most other traditional Chinese acrobatic acts were derived from the lifelong skills of the village people, river sailors and local craftsmen. As skills developed, the traditions passed from generation to generation to become the feats of strength, balance and grace that define the unique circus traditions of China.

The New Shanghai Circus is a show that’s bound to please both young and old alike. Food and beverage are available two hours prior to each show. Tickets are just $12, $25, $35, and a limited number of Gold Circle seats at $55. A discount is available to MACC members in the ‘Ōhi‘a level and above for the $25, $35 and $55 tickets.

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Tickets are half price for children between 3 and 12 years of age for the $25, $35 and $55 tickets only. For tickets call 242-SHOW (242-7469) or book online at MauiArts.org. The MACC Box Office is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for window and phone sales. Online sales via the MACC website are available anytime. MACC membership is available on the MACC website.