BARNUM is always going to be a tough sell for schools and non-professional theatres (and even smaller professional theatres) because it requires actual circus skills from the cast, including the leading man. And that's why, I think, it isn't done more often.
I even think it would be a tough sell for Encores! because of that. They have such a tight rehearsal period and, in addition to everything else, they'd now have to add learning circus skills to the agenda. In the old days of Encores!, when it was performers in formal wear holding books and doing very little actual staging, they probably could have gotten away with it, but, now that they're expected to put together a full production, it may just be a bridge too far. |
