Posted 4/15/2015 7:03:06 PM by Don Covington
News from Circus Center Press Release viewed 625 times
Wednesday, April 15, 2015 - San Francisco, California
Steve Smith has been appointed the new Artistic Director of San Francisco's Circus Center
PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: April 1, 2015
Press Contact: Sarah Bruhns, Assistant General Manager
(415) 759-8123, sarah@circuscenter.org
Circus Center Announces Appointment of
Steve Smith as Creative Director
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Circus Center, San Francisco’s internationally-renowned circus training and performing arts center, has appointed Steve Smith
as its Creative Director. Smith brings to his new post over four
decades of show business experience as a director, performer, teacher,
and creative consultant.
Smith began as a clown with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum &
Bailey Circus, and went on to become that circus’s Goodwill Ambassador.
He later was Dean of the Ringling Clown College for ten years, and also
served as director for the 123rd edition of “The Greatest Show on
Earth.”
He is a five-time Emmy Award winner for his work in children’s television, and a 1993 inductee into the Clown Hall of Fame.
Smith has worked as a director and creative consultant for numerous
clients, including Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, McDonald’s, Verizon
Wireless, Walt Disney World, Chuck Jones Film Productions, The Reduced
Shakespeare Co., Princess Cruise Lines, NBC-TV, CBS-TV, and many
Off-Broadway theatre, cabaret, theme park, and film projects. More
recently, he served as co-creator and director of four productions for
the Big Apple Circus.
“It is with a tremendous sense of honor and humility that I join the
staff of Circus Center,” says Smith. “I have great respect for its
legacy, and a strong sense of purpose for the limitless potential of its
future.”
“Along with my years of experience in the circus arts, I offer my
sense of passion, play, energy, and enthusiasm to this new position. I
believe that, together, we will raise the standard of excellence to the
highest levels of artistry and professionalism in our training and
performances, and I eagerly look forward to the challenges and
adventures that lie ahead.”
Smith will work closely with Executive Director Barry Kendall
in leading Circus Center into the next phase of the 31-year-old
organization’s future. Smith will provide creative counsel on all
aspects of the organization’s operations, including the selection of
artistic projects and personnel and overseeing their production. Kendall
will continue to provide overall leadership and management of the
organization.
Kendall remarks, “I am delighted that Steve Smith is joining the
leadership team at Circus Center. Steve brings both tremendous depth of
experience in the circus and an impressive diversity of show business
credits. His reputation for nurturing creativity and generous
collaboration make him a perfect fit for our future. He will be a
terrific asset to this community, creating more and better opportunities
for our students, faculty, professional performers, and alumni to
shine.”
Smith will begin working with Kendall and the Circus Center faculty
and staff on April 1. Events are being planned throughout the spring to
introduce Smith to the community.
Originally the training arm of San Francisco’s legendary Pickle Family Circus, Circus Center
is today an internationally recognized circus training and performing
arts center, offering circus productions and recreational and
professional training year-round. Its international faculty has
performed in featured roles with elite circuses around the world,
including the Nanjing Acrobatic Troupe, Moscow Circus, Cirque du Soleil,
Big Apple Circus, Teatro ZinZanni, and Ringling Bros. and Barnum &
Bailey Circus. A non-profit organization dedicated to the perpetuation
of the circus arts, Circus Center is proud to offer training to
thousands of children, teens, and adults in clowning and physical
comedy, acrobatics, aerial performance, flying trapeze, and more.
For more information, or to arrange interviews and receive
high-resolution photos, please contact Sarah Bruhns at 415-759-8123 or sarah@circuscenter.org.
To learn more about Steve Smith, including a brief video profile, visit http://www.pbs.org/opb/circus/circus-life/profile/steve-smith/.
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