(Last UPDATED 3/20/2021) Music Circus is a Sacramento summertime tradition. The California Musical Theatre (CMT) is Sacramento’s oldest professional performing arts organization, as well as California’s largest nonprofit musical theatre company. NEW: See “Updates” below.
Sacramento Music Circus is theatre in the round. It never fails to amaze me how, with a minimum of props, the stage is set for the varied performances so imaginatively. There are a lot of very talented people out there!
The Tent
When I first started occasionally attending performances at the Sacramento Music Circus venue it was in the “big tent”, a heavy canvas affair. On hot Sacramento evenings it was often uncomfortably warm even when the tent flaps were opened – in case the Delta breeze should arrive to cool things down. In my experience the Delta breeze only occasionally made an appearance.
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The seating in the big tent was in Director’s Chairs (wood frame and canvas seat and back), not the most comfortable of seating. However, I don’t recall that being a major issue. Seat location in proximity to one of the tent poles could, however, pose a problem.
On hot summer evenings the performers soldiered on. I vividly remember the performers – dancing and singing their hearts out – as their sweat was visibly flung outward by their exertions. I don’t know how they did it! As luck would have it I never sat so close to the stage that I had to be concerned about it “raining” on me.
Wells Fargo Pavilion
In 2003, Music Circus moved into the newly built Wells Fargo Pavilion, which was built on the site of the big canvas tent. Needless to say, the permanent indoor venue is a huge improvement. Both patron comfort and artistic improvements to enhance the performances have combined to make Music Circus even more “special” than it was before.
UPDATES
(3/20/2021) Following the postponement of the 2020 Broadway at Music Circus season, the 2021 season has also been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Season ticket holders were recently asked to recommit their 2020 season tickets to 2022.
While things are looking up now that vaccinations are being administered, sufficient progress will not be made in time for Music Circus to open for the 2021 summer season.
(4/15/2020) The 2020 season of Broadway at Music Circus has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
(4/23/2018) The leadership of the California Musical Theatre announced, effective immediately, the re-naming of the organization to Broadway Sacramento. The Broadway shows produced at the Wells Fargo Pavilion will now be called Broadway At The Music Circus.
See related blog posts: Broadway at Music Circus Subscriber Showcase and Music Circus Subscriber Showcase 2017 and 2019 Broadway at Music Circus Subscriber Showcase
Comments?
Do you have memories to share about attending performances when it was in the big tent? Do you have any pictures of the old tent to share?
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