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TheAltamont Enterprise — Thursday, August18, 1938 ,
"There's a tittle show business in all of us"
circus is simply magic
By John Addyman
Find a guy who will answer a
call for "someone who is willing to
act a little bit crazy in front of
people;"
Put Up some bleachers, and
bringin about 50-100 parents and.
their kids who aren't quite sure'
what to expect.
Add some props, get some volunteers, and set a stage.
Then give the guy a microphone
audience, nothing is rehearsed, groups, for PTAs and church orand the outcome is never the same; ganizations. He liked Carpenter's
philosophy of returning theater, to'
It's magic,.
,
Pour years ago, Stew Linen- the people who came to see it. And
doll watched the originator of the when the two talked on the phone,
Backyard Circus, ringmaster Bill Carpenter asked LinendoU to take
Carpenter from the Utica area, over in Altamont.
1
. t h e i r show ,
provide the show at th,e Altamont
"This is the kids' show>" said
Fair. The central role fpr the circus is the ringmaster; he sets the LinendoU after his three shows
scene, casts the troupe.and warms Monday, the first in his second
up the audience'.
year on the job. "We're not putting
on a show for parents. Our* prime feelshis fingertips with his thujhb
audience is -the child. The kids •^- that signifies the tangible-tenwho volunteer and play the roles sion hanging in the air for theare having fun; they're not being tightrope walker. And he leads
made fun of. My job is to make the ooohsand aaahs to show proper
them feel safei-andfeel-good about respect for the* daredevils.
themselves.
On Monday afternoon, a good
"Every show is different. I don't portion of his family was on hand.
really know where it's going to go. Wife Anne was oft the top row of
It's the kids' show, and it's a new the bleachers, and daughter
thingfor them, because they make Heather was the assistant.
it what it is. They're not sitting
"If we couldn't do this as a total
there and being entertained, they faniily, I wouldn't do it," he Said.
aire the entertainment.
"If it weren't for my family's total
"And they really see it as magic support, I wouldn't be doing this."
—it's a neat occurrence. I try to tie
For the duration of the fair,
into the feelings ofthe kids sothey LinendoU leadsthree shows a day,
feel good about what they do; They andon the kids' days Tuesday and
. get a real sense 6f accomplish*- Friday, hell do four or five shows.
m6nt."
And he has to be seeing lots of
LinendoU asks for volunteers. repeaters in the audience because
He explains the roles and how theBackyard Circus is always a
exciting theyil be, and gets the little new despite being a little
parents behind the effort from the familiar. Goergen,. in fact, had
beginning." On Monday, Paul returned to play a new role. . .
Gwozdz of Posterikill stepped out r~ "I remember the expressions
of the crowd to play Ahab, the on their faces when we'refinished," .
"World's Strongest Man. Young said LinendoU. "There is a real
Michael Gwozdz was Bbbo, the feeling of accomplishment. The
clown. Jason Hammer of Colonie kids and their parents make the
was an outstanding and energetic Backyard Circus whatever it i s . . .
lion tamer;.Annamarie VanAvery . it's magic." .
.
of St. Johnsville was the magician; Michelle Goergen of New
Salem was the diaredeviL • •
'• As-each child took a step over:
the footlights, everyone applauded. Each child got a costume
and some brief instructions, then
' FttEE CAR WITHiPUROHASE OF LOG
LinendoU explained the circus act
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they would be part of, and the i|| * Alternate.prorrjollons available:
show started.
<|j * Round.orclapboard-likeexterlor
In .every presentation, one kid 'll * Plha'pr cedaravailablllly
steals the show from LinendoU, * T a k e delivery with 1 0 % d o w n
and Monday afternoon Jason; * 9 0 % Financing-Albany S a v i n g s Bankjj
Hammer did it. When his lions * NEW VICTOHIANDESIGNS
, wouldn't lie down and roll over, he W' PRE-MADE WALLUNITS AVAILABLE "
II * RESIDING? WE HAVE LOG AND
showed them how to do it.
"This really is fun," said Linen- 11 CLAPBOARD SIDING IN PINE OR CEDAR
doll. "There's a little bit of show
business in all of us."
} PINE HAVEN LO&HQMES j
If ," AUTHORIZED DJKLER
Family role V
When he?sisettihgthestage for
PATTY & RON WOLFE
the circus, LinendoU coaches par- LindskoggRoad, 1.6 miles on right
|
ents how to get themselves in the »AICove,;N.V. 12007 (51?) 756-8453J
mood. He extends his hand and
I
Altamont Enterprise —. John <Addyman
^Some days WH pretty hard to get your lioris to do anything," thinks Jason Hammer of
CblonieasheworksthroughihisroleintheBackyardCircus.iiingmasierStewLinendolloffers
some hints while the. lions wait and Heather LinendoU looks on from the background.
and put him in front of all those
people. Tell him he's going to talk
those folks ^ and their kids —
into^entertaining themselves for
half an; hour. :
What happens?
Magic.
It?s called the "Backyard Circus" at the Altamont Fair^ and it's
, something every parent should
spend half an hour enjoying— or
participating in—with their children.
Kids get to play romantic circus roles —^ lion tamer, daredevil,
tightrope walker, clown, dancer,
even fierce animals. And an adult
takes the role of World's Strongest Man. ( -'' ;
'
All the actors come from the
"I was a spectator;" said LinendoU, "arid I said to my wife, "fhisis
somethingFdlike to do, ? "
Ely 1987, Carpenters idea had
spread to so many fair she couldn't
do them all himselfi and he was
looking for help. Contacting the
Altamont PTA, Carpenter got a
referral from President Yvette
Terplak who thought LinendoU, a
math teacher at Watervliet High
School, mighfcbe just the guy to be
the ringmaster for the Altamont
Fair's BackyardrCircus,
Liriendoll, whose-home i s i n .
the backyard of the /Altamont
Fairgrounds, has had a 13^year
interest in new games arid interactiye.games,:i)uttingionprograins
and seminars for professional'
—./,
Altamont Enterprise — lohnvAddyniari
Daredevil Michelle gets ready to rocket in the finale of
the Backyard Circus. Michelle Goergen of New. Salem has
volunteered to\get shot out of,a cannon straight over the
heads of the audience.
,
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