The Circus of Second Chances

By Acrobatic Conundrum

Scenic & Sound Design

Directed by Terry Crane

June 2024 - March 2025

Lighting Design by Bryce Bartl-Geller, Costume Design by Elizabeth Klob

Three veteran acrobats let their imaginations run wild to fulfill secret longings…

Fluent in the language of circus, Acrobatic Conundrum’s principal performers melt the fourth wall to reveal their fatal flaws and journeys to redemption. In our homes we are out at sea, on our living room couch we find ourselves on an epic odyssey; so much rests upon the fate of a dozen lemons.

The scenic design for Circus of Second Chances essentializes many qualities of the show into a floating backdrop. Imagery of a circus tent, sails, clouds, mountains, lemons, and more are woven into the pattern created from IKEA tablecloths sewn together into a 45 foot long tour-able set piece. The backdrop is hung from 7+ pick points to accommodate variable rigging configurations at each venue. Sometimes we only see a 30 foot section of the backdrop framed by a proscenium stage. At other times we could hang the whole drop outright. My favorite style was at 3AM Theatre in NYC, where we could warp the backdrop around the sides of the stage to hug the space. I love designing modular sets, and seeing how they change from tour to tour. I have included photos from many venues and setups over the course of four tours.

Additionally, I currated some tables and shelving to mirror the triangle theme found in the backdrop. Three acrobats, three sides to a triangle. I liked this connection. Circles also play a string role in the design, with some lemony circles peaking through several “cracks” in the backdrop. These “cracks” were to evoke the Japanese art of Kintsugi, a form where broken pottery is repaired and glued back together with gold powder highlighting the fractures. Kintsugi gives pottery a second chance, and just like these acrobats tell stories of second chances from their lives, I wanted the set to look as if it was given a second chance as well.