Nunziato Field, Somerville The OPENAIR Circus is a non-profit circus offering summer classes, workshops and performance opportunities to people of all ages.

The mission of the OPENAIR Circus is to engage in the following activities:

To promote leadership and self-esteem for Massachusetts children and teens through a program of teaching circus skills, developing youth leadership, and providing performance opportunities.

To provide a location and organization for outdoor arts presentations.

To encourage neighborhood participation in the arts, particularly circus arts, theater, and dance.

To promote a sense of community. Welcome to the OPENAIR Circus!

Welcome to the 33rd annual OPENAIR Circus performances.

Let me tell you a little of our wild journey. We began at 27 Village St, in a burned down foundry turned theater. Our founder, Be Sargent, fostered us in our younger years as we faced year after year of challenges. Be’s and our journey diverged as she left our den. We were left to fend for ourselves in the streets of Somerville. We made the parks of Somerville our new home. We grew and evolved and learned new talents.

All along, we kept to our instinctual behavior, bringing an amazing experience to children of all ages and all financial backgrounds. We've been lucky to have some amazing teachers coming up through the ranks of our students as well as adults who joined us after meeting us through their children taking classes with us. And our volunteers behind the scenes never cease to amaze as they create our costumes and coordinate for permits, performance-related activities, and even make equipment for us to use.

Even with all that we have accomplished, we still need the back up of our neighbors and friends. You can help us continue our journey by purchasing snacks and goods from our concession stands during the performance or by becoming a financial- backing member (see the last page of this program). Encouragement is also greatly appreciated. Tell us what you thought of the program. Let our teachers know how much you value their work. Visit our supporting businesses and politicians to let them know their support of us and of the arts means a lot. If you do all this, we will be able to keep the show going!

Enjoy this year's performances!

Peter Jehlen OPENAIR Circus Board Chair In loving memory to our Roadie, David Miller.

~ From his circus family, with Emmanuel and Victoria A big thank you to all our 2018 MEMbERs!

Ring CuRb - $40-$74 Karen Hopkin Tracey Johnson Grace Kesssenich Kerry Kokkogenis Emily Lalka Rebecca Levi Rebecca Loh Annie March Josh Pieper

Roustabout (RiggeR) - $75-$149 Maren Chiu Abbe Cohen Bria Dunham Kristen Gresh Heather Hoffman Meghan Melvin Elizabeth Meyer Roisin O'Rourke Amy Roschelle Beria Sunar oRChestRa ConduCtoR - $150-$249 Vincent Cerasuolo Erica Nauda Megan Ringrose Record Family Victoria Wolfson

RingmasteR - $500+ Pat & Alain Jehlen Stand tall with

(Possibly the world’s only stilting State Senator) www.PatJehlen.org sPECIAl thANks to all those who made OPENAIR 2018 possible

City of Somerville; Joseph Curtatone, Somerville Mayor and the staff at the Mayor’s office; Somerville Board of Alderman; John J. Long, Somerville City Clerk; Somerville Recreation Department; Martie and everyone at Somerville Park Services; Linda Smith, Suzanne Rinfret and the Department of Traffic and Parking; Somerville Arts Council; Taylor Hedges, The Event Company; Boston Light & Sound, Inc; The Meek Foundation; Somerville Community Growing Center; SCAT; Lisa Brucklacchio; Lori Manz; Vicki Halal; Heather Hoffman; the costume crew (Beria, Karen, Pat, & Tonya); and to all our donors, teachers, volunteers and parents!

Congratulations and thanks to all the PERFORMERs , tEAChERs AND VOluNtEERs From the OPENAIR Circus board

OPENAIR Circus Presents: Animals

ACt 1 Tiny Tots Trio Hula-Hoop - Beginner Tumbling for Two Hip Hop Dance Tumbling for Two - Advanced Sphereplay Diabolo - Beginner Juggling Diabolo - Intermediate Hula-Hoop - Intermediate Stilting - Beginner

Act 2 Stilting - Intermediate Stage Combat Baton Twirling Unicycling Devil Sticks Juggling - Intermediate Poi - Beginner Poi - Intermediate Stilting - Advanced

The OPENAIR Circus: One of many unique things that make Somerville a great place!!

Congratulations on another sweet show.

Mark Niedergang Ward 5 Alderman

(617) 629-8033 [email protected] www.MarkNiedergang.com 2018 OPENAIR Circus stars

Leyla Abarca-Gresh Michael Bourbonnais Liam Abarca-Gresh Kiki Braman Gabriello Adler-Abramo Zeke Braman Mason Alter Camden Britton-Kessenich Aly Amin Sage Britton-Kessenich Zavier Amin Astrid O'Rourke Keeva Angstadt Buhrmester Zayna Angstadt Violet Caira Eva Grebe Appel Joanna Bell Calado Hazel Bayard Lucia Cerasuolo Pearl Bayard Addie Chiu Adia Bhargava Nora Chiu Cosmo Bhargava Owen Chiu 2018 OPENAIR Circus stars

Robert Cosgrove Lyra Epstein Sarah Cosgrove Sol Estrada Sienna DeBurro Meyer Family Violette DeBurro Arran Fitzgerald Alinna Dodd Ella Mcguire Sophia Dodd Freedman Lucy Draper Olive Gant Tommy Draper Isla granowetter Elliott Dunham-Murphy Clara Greene Nora Dunn Evelyn Griffith Katarina Dvornik Liv Guziewicz Luka Dvornik Ola Guziewicz Eliza East Alison Heines

Patrick Michaels - Piano Lessons

Inspired and inspiring! Music lessons for ages 5 to 95 Cambridge and Somerville, MA Call: (h) 617-776-5604 or (c) 617-864-0101 Email: [email protected]

Congratulations and best wishes to the OpenAir Circus!

"Pat Michaels has been great for me, an adult beginner. A wonderful experience!" -Alain Jehlen 2018 OPENAIR Circus stars

Jacqueline Heines Charlie Kraman Jean-Luc Hekking Fiala Kraman Oona Hekking Sawyer Lalka Heather Hoffman Scarlett Lalka Alison Holzer Sophia Lalka Christopher Hopkin Jonathan Linnehan- Taro Iseda Beeler Lukas Jerman Jude Lippens Cam Johnson Lucie Lippens Elyse Johnson Lena MacAulay Nate Johnson Charlie March Delia jones Simon McClelland Maggie Jones Tobias McClelland Emma Knake Nico Do McCracken Popi Kokkinogenis Sacha Do McCracken Rhea Kokkinogenis David Meyer Bridget Kraemer Margot Meyer Eliza Kraemer Ivy Miziolek 2018 OPENAIR Circus stars

Tim Molokov Seamus Rudoph Azalea Morrissey Dorothy Sakowski Karuna Morrissey Kensie Santiago- Eli Nauda Winters Wini Nauda Kaiden Semapakdi- Winifred Nauda Chang Enzo Nicod Meilina Semapakdi- LIly-Rose Nicod Chang Anya Olmsted Julian Shabry-Lichter Imogen O'Rourke Liliana Shabry-Lichter Faye Ouellette Sushant Sharma Caroline Owens Aleka Shrestha Conor Owens Lukas shrestha Elizabeth Philippe Isabell Spoonamore Cyrus Pieper Karen Stark Samiera Pieper Selia Su Vikram Raymond Shiva Tasci Helen Record Sasha Trombley- Owen Record Nebus Robert Ringrose Alana Turner Susan Ringrose Henry Turner Alexander Rosan Bliss Uhl Elyse Rosan Devin Ward Samuel Rubio Samantha Wilkenfeld Santiago Rubio Neela Stella Rudolph Noah Congrats,Congrats, OOPENAIR!PENAIR!

BenBen EEwen-Campenwen-Campen forfor WardWard 3 AldermanAlderman www.BenForWard3.comwww.BenForW.BenForWard3.com • (617)702-2613 OPENAIR Circus teachers

Gabriello Adler-Abramo: Diabolo - beginner/Intermediate, Poi - beginner/Intermediate Gabriello has been at OPENAIR Circus for nine years, with this being his fourth year teaching. He tries to spend his non-OAC time doing the important things in life, including but limited to circus. He dreams of one day running away from the circus to join a roving pack of diplomats,

Jennifer Aucoin: hula hoops - beginner/Intermediate Jen has been around the OPENAIR Circus since 2009 when her daughter started participating. She found her love of hula hoops here and dove in learning what she could. She began teaching hula hoops in 2015. Today she is a Certified Hoop Love Coach and enjoys sharing her love of these plastic circles through classes, workshops, parties and performance.

kirsten Aucoin: hip hop Dance Kirsten Aucoin has been involved with the OPENAIR Circus since the summer of 2009 and, in 2014, she became a teacher at the circus. She's had a love for dance for many years, and is happy to get to share that with her students. She'll be starting college this fall, but hopes to still make time for summer circus fun! OPENAIR Circus teachers

Vincent Cerasuolo: tumbling for two - beginner/Advanced Vin Cerasuolo is the proud dad of three OAC kids and has been involved in performing with tumbling for two for several years. His youngest child wanted to do even more tumbling and so - with the help of Vin's dance and martial art's background - advanced tumbling for two was born. Vin is a stay-at-home dad who homeschools his three children.

AJ Feldman: unicycling AJ Feldman is a tenth grade student at Somerville High School. This is his first year teaching with the OPENAIR Circus. He has been unicycling for eleven years, has performed in numerous places around the country, and enjoyed teaching at OPENAIR Circus.

Peter Jehlen: stilting - beginner, stage Combat - beginner/Intermediate Peter was one of the original students in the OPENAIR Circus. As a teen, he began teaching stilting and stage combat. Rumors of his demise in the great closure of the OPENAIR Theater spread, but to this day, Peter walks the fields of Somerville, searching for the stilts of power, swords of wood and tape, and juggling instruments of terror.

thanks for all the work you do for the circus, Peter! OPENAIR Circus teachers tracey Johnson: baton twirling - Younger/Older Tracey Gangi Johnson is the director and head coach of the Gangi Bay State Strutters which is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year. Over a lifetime Tracey has played the part of performer, competitor, and coach. This is the 7th season Tracey’s daughter has been a part of OAC and the 2nd one for her two sons. It has been lots of fun for Tracey to share her love of baton twirling for the second year.

Popi kokkinogenis: stilting - beginner, unicycling Popi is a 15-year-old homeschooler who loves drawing, gaming, coding, manga, and cooking. She has enjoyed sharing her love of being excessively tall with new stilters this year, and has enjoyed circus since she first stilted herself.

Rhea kokkinogenis: tiny tots trio Rhea is a 14-year-old homeschooler who loves painting, ocean animals, cats, laughing too hard, and more cats. She has enjoyed helping with the Tiny Tots Trio class this year, and has enjoyed circus since she first snuck into stilting a tiny bit too young.

Gabriel lefton: Devil sticks - beginner/Intermediate Gabriel is excited to be back teaching devil sticks at the OAC. The rest of the year he travels around teaching to imps, yeti, and merfolk, and only sometimes has to worry about being eaten by hydras. OPENAIR Circus teachers

Alex Nauda: Juggling beginner/Intermediate, Yo-Yo Alex grew up in a small town where there wasn't anything fun to do aside from juggling and planning diamond heists. After finding that the gems in the local college's geology collection were only semi-precious he decided to focus on juggling. This is his fifth year teaching with the OAC.

Anika Nayak: tiny tots trio Anika is 16 years old. She has been performing in the OAC since the age of three. She is an avid stilter, hulahooper and acrobalancer.

Owen Record: Diabolo - beginner/Intermediate, stage Combat - beginner/Intermediate Owen Record is a 19 year old performer and teacher who has been with the circus for over 10 years. He has experience as an amateur competitive gaming (esports) coach and helps run an online esports tournament for other competitive gamers. He also enjoys playing role- playing games with friends. This year, Owen is teaching Diabolo and assisting to teach Stage Combat. He also plays the routinely recurring character, Il Capitano, in the OPENAIR Circus performances .

helen Record: tiny tots trio Helen is 19 and has been a part of OPENAIR Circus for over 10 years trying everything from baton to stilting. A former homeschooler, she is starting her first year of college in the fall. Helen’s currently enjoys teaching tiny tots tumbling and advanced stilting. Your Locavore Food Store

Making dinner easy Grab-n-go lunch Iced tea and coffee Treats and Gifts Events every weekend

Come enjoy the bounty of Visit us at: New England! wildflowerboston.com 575 Washington St Oak Square, Brighton MA 02135

Follow us on Facebook * Instagram * Twitter Monday through Saturday 10 am to 8 pm Sunday 10 am to 6 pm OPENAIR Circus teachers

Avellana Ross: sphereplay Avellana Ross first appeared in the Circus as a tiny mouse around the turn of the century, and in later summers learned contact juggling from Adam Dipert and Ewok. She is glad to return to the Circus this year to teach the sphere-playing otters, and would like to thank Peter and all her students.

bryca song-Weis: Poi - beginner/Intermediate This is Bryca's 15th year at Openair Circus, and her favorite part is hearing ideas for the show, from the goofy to extravagant. She just graduated from high school and is headed to Banja Luka in Bosnia and Herzegovina for a gap year.

leila Walker: stilting Intermediate/Advanced Leila has been with the OPENAIR Circus since she was a tiny tumbler and she just graduated from college. She would like to thank everyone who works so hard every year to make a spectacular show! She would also like to congratulate all her students on another great show!

Thanks to all our tEAChERs, stuDENts AND VOluNtEERs and CONGRAtulAtIONs ON ANOthER GREAt YEAR! - Peter Jehlen

Congratulations to All Our Circus stars

Congrats Isla! We love watching you hula! - M, D, & J

It truly has been a gift to grow up with you. I wish you the best of luck in your travels. I love you very much, love Rhea to Rhea strut your stuff, empress duck Popi

Canımızın içi Shiva! Congratulations on another year at the circus! We are so proud of you! Bleda & Beria & The Cats

Congrats circus stars katarina and luka! from your favorite animal, salem, and Mom and Dad too!

Congratulations to all the performers, teachers, and volunteers on another great year! If you have any questions or comments, please contact the OPENAIR Theater, Inc. as follows:

OPENAIR Theater, Inc. c/o Peter Jehlen 342 Lowell St. Somerville, MA 02145

www.openaircircus.org

(617) 947-1191

board of Directors: Peter Jehlen Chair Vicki Halal Treasurer Patty Goodwin Executive Officer Lori Manz Executive Officer Sheila Burke Mark Jaquith Pat Jehlen Kerry Kokkinogenis Linda Papatopoli Amy Santiago Sarah Shugars Victoria Wolfson Become an OPENAIR Circus member!

Personal Annual Membership Levels:

RING CURB $40-$74 Summer Session Classes for one family, free year-end performance tape. Value provided: $35

ROUSTABOUT (Rigger) $75-$149 Summer Session Classes for one family, free year-end performance tape, 1 $5.00 food and drink booklet, 1 line in program guide. Value provided: $42

ORCESTRA CONDUCTOR $150-$249 Summer Session Classes for one family, free year-end peformance tape, 2 $5.00 food and drink booklets, 2 lines in program guide, free t-shirt. Value provided: $59

MASTER CLOWN $250-$499 Summer Session Classes for family, free year-end ,performance tape, 3 $5.00 food and drink booklets, 3 lines in program guide, free t-shirt. Value provided: $66

RINGMASTER $500+ Summer Session Classes for one family, free year-end performance tape, 4 $5.00 food and drink booklets, 5 lines in program guide, free t-shirt. Value provided: $75

To become a member or join our mailing list sign up on the back of the program!

Corporate memberships also available Interested in getting involved with the OPENAIR Circus? Let us know how to contact you

Child’s Name:______Parent’s Name:______Address:______City, State, Zip:______Phone:______Email:______

o Interested in learning about adult workshops

o Add me to your e-mail list I would like to become an OAC Member! o Ring Curb $40-$74

o Roustabout $75-$149 o Orchestra Conductor $150-$249 o Master Clown $250-$499 o Ringmaster $500+

Either leave the completed form at the admissions desk or mail to: OAC C/O Peter Jehlen 342 Lowell St. Somerville, MA 02145