About the Event 

The October 22nd edition of Circus History Live! featured Maureen Brunsdale discussing her highly-acclaimed biography about legendary circus aerialist and manager Art Concello . . . In the Shadow of the Big Top: The Life of Ringling's Unlikely Circus Savior that was published in 2023.

Full professor and Circus Historical Society trustee Maureen Brunsdale has been leading Illinois State University's Milner Library's Special Collections since 2008. Special Collections includes the Circus & Allied Arts Collection which is one of the major circus history research resources in the United States. It includes hundreds of historic circus photographs, programs, heralds, and handbills.

Also, at the beginning of this program, we awarded the 2023 Thayer Prize. The Thayer Prize recognizes a superior work of circus history scholarship that was published within the two calendar years before the prize year. This award is named in honor of Stuart Thayer, the author of numerous foundational and insightful works published about the antebellum American circus and menagerie. The selection and awarding of the Stuart Thayer Prize is managed by a committee of Circus Historical Society.

The 2023 Thayer Prize was awarded on this program to former Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey clown Danise Payne for her fascinating autobiography Elbows in My Ears: My Life with Little People, Tigers, and Wardrobe Trunks that was published in 2022.

This episode of Circus History Live! was hosted by Circus Historical Society vice president Chris Berry. 

Watch the Recordings of this and Previous Episodes of Circus History Live!

This and previous Circus History Live! programs are available for viewing on the CHS YouTube Channel.

About the Circus Historical Society

We are a tax exempt not for profit educational organization dedicated to preserving the rich history of circus. Nonmembers are invited to join CHS to receive full member benefits, including four issues of Bandwagon: The Journal of the Circus Historical Society, access to the members-only Back Yard and bookstore, discounted registration for our annual Convention, and more! click here to learn more and join today!