Putting the greatest show on earth "over the top".

• Author: Feld, Nicole
• Position: Circus act

WITH CLOWNS as babysitters, afternoons spent applying sequins to costumes, and even tiding atop an elephant, I grew up more behind the scenes than in front at The Greatest Show On Earth. As producers of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, my father and late grandfather always looked to me and my sisters to see if the acts were thrilling, the clowns funny, and the spectacle stunning. My family is honored to be entrusted with the 138year-old American icon that is Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. To us, it is more than a business; it is an exhilarating and rewarding way of life, and where the heart and soul of what we do lies in our allegiance to family. This family includes the audience, made up of children, parents, and grandparents as well as the multi-generational circus entertainers, both human and animal, performing in The Greatest Show On Earth.

As the third generation of the Feld family, I have the opportunity to produce a new edition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey each year alongside my father, Kenneth Feld. We make a great team because he is able to impart 40 years of show business experience and practical wisdom while continuously sparking my imagination and tapping into my understanding of today's audiences. Our goal always is to create a spectacular show that surpasses every other Ringling Bros. production we have done. This year, we feel we definitely have outshined ourselves and the result is genuinely "Over the Top!"

The process of creating this season's "Over the Top" version of the circus began more than a year before its premiere with our perpetual quest to discover the most extraordinary and unique acts. Along with our talent scouts, we explore the globe for the most brilliant circus artists the world has to offer. This year alone, we have performers from 15 different countries. Traveling to Brazil, we ventured nearly five hours from Rio de Janeiro to see a small tent show where we discovered an acrobat defying gravity by walking upside down on the ceiling. We found motorcycle daredevils from Paraguay; trick-riding Cossacks from Russia; Ukranian athletes that bounce, flip, and tumble while balancing atop giant inner tubes; and a high-flying double-decker trapeze display created exclusively for Ringling Bros. right here in the U.S. Children and adults alike will be on the edge of their seats, amazed and filled with laughter and wonderment as they enjoy these remarkable acts.

At the same time we are discovering...