Dress Rehearsal and Opening Gala

July 1st was a big day.  Dress rehearsal at 10:00am, which was attended by several hundred orphans as a charity event.  A generator blowout and fire at the Shanghai tent led to some serious electrical issues for us:  most of the show went on without air conditioning, and we had some lighting problems backstage as well.  Now you might think that air conditioning is a luxury and not a big deal, and you would be wrong.

It is hotter and more humid inside than outside in the absence of A/C due to the greenhouse effect of the sun baking the tent.  But even more importantly, the lights onstage kick some serious heat.  The performers on stage are doing some strenuous activity, and for many of the acts a firm grip is important.  We improvised a tube to bring air conditioning through the rigging truss for the flying acts and generally to help cool off center stage.  But with the generator out, everyone is sweating profusely.

The Gala
The Governor of Jakarta, executives from our sponsors and the local organizer attended a Gala ceremony tonight with local celebrity announcers and select performances from Cirque Le Masque and from China Shanghai Circus.  At the tent gusts were greeted by couples in traditional dress.  I had a nice conversation with these two.  Later I met another of the women who studied near Chicago.  Everybody has been very friendly.

I ran into our follow spot operator Adif and his friend outside.

With the Shanghai Circus management and their translator Ayu.

A traditional dance number.

The Governor came to kick off the First Annual Indonesian International Circus Festival.

And so did the news media.

From left to right, the performers who entertained the Gala guests: Andrei (German Wheel), Samantha, Bianca, Lara (dancers) the Chinese hand-to-hand and flying acts, Elisabeth (dancer) Weego (Weego) Rachel, Laura, and Danny (cube juggling).

There were nothing but blue skies ahead!

(Todd, Greg and Anthony you might recognize that phrase from Dermot's AP Press essay).