Call Number
CWM Mss 1, CWM Ph 3
Title
Big Apple Circus, Papers, 1977-1992 (1.6 c.f. 3 boxes)
History
The Big Apple Circus was created by Paul Binder and Michael Christensen in 1977. It was originally the performing arm of the New York School for Circus Arts, Inc., which was its non-profit parent organization. As a result of the circus's increasing success and name recognition, the organization changed its name to Big Apple Circus Ltd. in 1988. The idea of creating a circus school and a one-ring, European-style circus in New York City had stemmed from Binder's and Christensen's experience at Annie Fratellini's Nouveau Cirque de Paris, in France, where they had performed a comedy juggling act in 1975.
The Big Apple Circus gave its first show July 18, 1977 near the World Trade Center, on a site that was to later become Battery Park City. In the summer of 1978, the circus performed on the vacant lot of the old Madison Square Garden.
The New York School for Circus Arts was reorganized in the summer of 1980 and the Big Apple Circus relocated to Brooklyn. On December 4, 1981, the circus gave its first Holiday Season performance in Damrosch Park at the Lincoln Center and in 1983 received an OBIE award for "Outstanding Achievement in the Theater."
During the mid 1980s the circus expanded its operations by touring New York's five boroughs. By 1985 the show traveled to Boston, for the first of many shows with the Boston Pops Orchestra. Today, the Big Apple Circus is still an active show with performances across the country.
Scope and content note
The collection is arranged alphabetically and contains the records of the circus from 1977 through 1992. The collection contains programs, brochures, performer contracts, business records, financial records, publicity and promotional materials, and correspondence of a number of individuals who were instrumental in the founding and operation of the show including Alan B. Slifka and Paul Binder. The collection also contains a number of site plans and seating arrangements at Big Apple shows in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Also found within this collection are a small collection of photographs, (CWM Ph 3) mostly promotional stills of various acts soliciting a job with the show.
Presented to Circus World Museum by Scott O’Donnel July 22, 2011
Contents List
Box Folder
CWM Ph 3
1 1 Photographs
CWM Mss 1
OS 1 Advertisements, 1991-1992, undated
1 2-3 Advertisements and Brochures
4-5 Amusement Business, 1981
6 Animal Rights Coalition Flier, undated
7 Baltimore Shows, 1981
8 Big Apple Circus Day, 1987
9 Big Apple Circus Stage Plan, 1987
10 Board of Directors, undated
11 Bridgeport Show, 1987
2 1 Bronx Shows, 1981
2 Correspondence, 1982-1988
3 Financial Records, 1977-1983
4 Funding Proposal, 1979
5 General, undated
6 General Circus Information (foreign/U.S.), 1979-1981
7 Gompers, Samuel, “Lets do a Move,” undated
8 History, 1977-1983
9 Lincoln Center, 1985
3 1 Lincoln Center, out of doors, 1980
2 Lincoln Center Show, 1987-1988
3 Magazine Articles, undated
4 Mass Transit Administration, 1989
5-8 NEA Grant Application, 1977-1979, 1981-1982
9 Performance Schedule, 1989
10-11 Performers Contracts, 1980
12 Permanent Circus Building Project, 1987
13 Planning Report, Rhinebeck Retreat, 1988
14 Press Release Tally Sheet, undated
15 Programs scrapbook, 1977-1990
16 Proposal for Performing Arts Training, undated
17 Proposal for Student Troupe, 1983
18 Proposal for Subsidized Ticket Program, undated
19-24 Publicity and news clippings, 1977-1981
25-26 Publicity and news clippings, general
27 Publicity report, 1985
28 Red Apple Promotion, 1987
29 Relative Entertainment Information, 1981
30-35 Reviews, 1977-1982, 1985
36 Reviews, undated
37 scrapbook, 1980-1983
Site Plans
OS 2 An Evening with the Boston Pops, 1985
3 Floyd Bennet field, 1978-1979
Lincoln Center
4 Bleacher system and seating, 1981
3 38 Lincoln Center Damrosch Park, undated
OS 5 Tents and layout, 1981-1985
6 Miscellaneous equipment, 1977-1978, undated
7 Other than Lincoln Center, 1978-1979
3 39 Prospect Park, 1983
OS 8-9 Tents, seating, and bleachers layout-tour, 1983
10 Tivioli Equipment, 1977-1981
3 40 Statement of Artistic Director, 1985
41-48 Summer Season, 1977-1978, 1980-1981, 1985, 1987, 1988
49 Tent Sale, price sheet, Linclon Center, 1988
50 Untitled Speech, 1988
CWM Mss 1, CWM Ph 3
Title
Big Apple Circus, Papers, 1977-1992 (1.6 c.f. 3 boxes)
History
The Big Apple Circus was created by Paul Binder and Michael Christensen in 1977. It was originally the performing arm of the New York School for Circus Arts, Inc., which was its non-profit parent organization. As a result of the circus's increasing success and name recognition, the organization changed its name to Big Apple Circus Ltd. in 1988. The idea of creating a circus school and a one-ring, European-style circus in New York City had stemmed from Binder's and Christensen's experience at Annie Fratellini's Nouveau Cirque de Paris, in France, where they had performed a comedy juggling act in 1975.
The Big Apple Circus gave its first show July 18, 1977 near the World Trade Center, on a site that was to later become Battery Park City. In the summer of 1978, the circus performed on the vacant lot of the old Madison Square Garden.
The New York School for Circus Arts was reorganized in the summer of 1980 and the Big Apple Circus relocated to Brooklyn. On December 4, 1981, the circus gave its first Holiday Season performance in Damrosch Park at the Lincoln Center and in 1983 received an OBIE award for "Outstanding Achievement in the Theater."
During the mid 1980s the circus expanded its operations by touring New York's five boroughs. By 1985 the show traveled to Boston, for the first of many shows with the Boston Pops Orchestra. Today, the Big Apple Circus is still an active show with performances across the country.
Scope and content note
The collection is arranged alphabetically and contains the records of the circus from 1977 through 1992. The collection contains programs, brochures, performer contracts, business records, financial records, publicity and promotional materials, and correspondence of a number of individuals who were instrumental in the founding and operation of the show including Alan B. Slifka and Paul Binder. The collection also contains a number of site plans and seating arrangements at Big Apple shows in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Also found within this collection are a small collection of photographs, (CWM Ph 3) mostly promotional stills of various acts soliciting a job with the show.
Presented to Circus World Museum by Scott O’Donnel July 22, 2011
Contents List
Box Folder
CWM Ph 3
1 1 Photographs
CWM Mss 1
OS 1 Advertisements, 1991-1992, undated
1 2-3 Advertisements and Brochures
4-5 Amusement Business, 1981
6 Animal Rights Coalition Flier, undated
7 Baltimore Shows, 1981
8 Big Apple Circus Day, 1987
9 Big Apple Circus Stage Plan, 1987
10 Board of Directors, undated
11 Bridgeport Show, 1987
2 1 Bronx Shows, 1981
2 Correspondence, 1982-1988
3 Financial Records, 1977-1983
4 Funding Proposal, 1979
5 General, undated
6 General Circus Information (foreign/U.S.), 1979-1981
7 Gompers, Samuel, “Lets do a Move,” undated
8 History, 1977-1983
9 Lincoln Center, 1985
3 1 Lincoln Center, out of doors, 1980
2 Lincoln Center Show, 1987-1988
3 Magazine Articles, undated
4 Mass Transit Administration, 1989
5-8 NEA Grant Application, 1977-1979, 1981-1982
9 Performance Schedule, 1989
10-11 Performers Contracts, 1980
12 Permanent Circus Building Project, 1987
13 Planning Report, Rhinebeck Retreat, 1988
14 Press Release Tally Sheet, undated
15 Programs scrapbook, 1977-1990
16 Proposal for Performing Arts Training, undated
17 Proposal for Student Troupe, 1983
18 Proposal for Subsidized Ticket Program, undated
19-24 Publicity and news clippings, 1977-1981
25-26 Publicity and news clippings, general
27 Publicity report, 1985
28 Red Apple Promotion, 1987
29 Relative Entertainment Information, 1981
30-35 Reviews, 1977-1982, 1985
36 Reviews, undated
37 scrapbook, 1980-1983
Site Plans
OS 2 An Evening with the Boston Pops, 1985
3 Floyd Bennet field, 1978-1979
Lincoln Center
4 Bleacher system and seating, 1981
3 38 Lincoln Center Damrosch Park, undated
OS 5 Tents and layout, 1981-1985
6 Miscellaneous equipment, 1977-1978, undated
7 Other than Lincoln Center, 1978-1979
3 39 Prospect Park, 1983
OS 8-9 Tents, seating, and bleachers layout-tour, 1983
10 Tivioli Equipment, 1977-1981
3 40 Statement of Artistic Director, 1985
41-48 Summer Season, 1977-1978, 1980-1981, 1985, 1987, 1988
49 Tent Sale, price sheet, Linclon Center, 1988
50 Untitled Speech, 1988