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The Greatest Show on Radio Looks at The Greatest Show on Earth!

Aaron Mentele
/
Flickr

The modern circus has been thrilling audiences for over 250 years, but as times have changed, so has the circus. What began as little more than an equestrian performance has come to include clowns, trapeze artists and even lion tamers.

Now, as cultural sensibilities change once again, the circus is forced to adapt. Animal acts are being phased out, staged events like Cirque du Soleil are taking over, and circus performers are pushing their acts to even further extremes to hold the dwindling attention of crowds across the country.

This hour we talk with circus historians and performers, including a member of the world famous Wallenda family, about the history and survivability of  "The Greatest Show on Earth." 

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Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.

Josh was a producer for WNPR's talk shows. He has produced for Where We Live and was a producer for The Colin McEnroe Show until 2020.

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