Misterioso is the delightful show currently running at Circus Harmony. As in all the company’s offerings, the name is a musical term, and a scenario holds the circus acts together. The show’s writer and director, Susan Voyticky, explains the term in the program: “In music, misterioso is a direction telling performers to play with a mysterious mood, evoking intrigue and ambiguity.”
The name is appropriate because the scenario is a mystery based on the call-and-response children’s game, “Who Stole the Cookie from the Cookie Jar.” The cookies in the show are supposed to be the prize in a acrobatic competition, but they are stolen before they can be awarded
When the theft is discovered, the acrobats become detectives and use their circus skills to investigate the mystery. First, they climb the Chinese pole to look for the cookies in the ceiling. The other circus acts of detection include hula hoops, lyra, canes, trapeze, unicycle, juggling, dance trapeze, and partner acrobatics.
The excellent cast includes the St. Louis Arches (Lyla Lawless, Poppy Sutton, and West Wilson) along with Julina Baum, Eleanor Corrigan, Nani Fuson, Ellie Viehoever, and Therese Viehoever.
The joy of watching Circus Harmony comes not only from the acts themselves but also from knowing the values they represent. Circus Harmony is about more than studying techniques. The company “teaches the art of life through the teaching and performing of circus arts. We help people defy gravity, soar with confidence, and leap over social barriers, all at the same time…Through circus arts, we help people find their strengths, realize their creativity, and learn to accept and encourage themselves and others to be the best they can in and out of the circus ring.”
Circus Harmony’s social values are reflected in Misterioso’s printed program. No solos are listed. Every act is credited to a group, the entire company, or the company with one featured performer. Also, all but two acts have a group of choreographers. They include the performers, the director, the ring crew (Elliana Grace and Samantha Taylor), Lacy Gragg, Anna Layher, Frankie Watson, and Dashdendev “Rosa” Yagaantsetseg.
The production of Misterioso celebrates Circus Harmony’s 25th anniversary. In that time, the company has established a reputation that extends far beyond St. Louis. A sign of the widespread admiration for Circus Harmony is that its artistic/executive director and founder, Jessica Hentoff, was recently named an official Circus Ambassador by the World Circus Federation.
Misterioso continues through the end of February on Saturdays and Sunday at 2 p.m. in City Museum, 750 North 16th Street. Tickets can be purchase in advance at https://circusharmony.org/misterioso/. Each ticket includes admission to City Museum from noon until close on the day of the show.
—Gerry Kowarsky
