ISSUED: 18 February 2015
MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Owens
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — The Performing Arts Series at Shepherd University will present Canada’s Cirque Alfonse in the show “TIMBER!” on Wednesday, March 11 at 8 p.m. in the Frank Center Theater. Cirque Alfonse is made up of a family of acrobats, a dancer, an ex-skiing champion, and three versatile musicians who blend the artistry and the techniques of contemporary circus with traditional French-Canadian music and dance and some of the liveliest aspects of Quebec’s folklore. The production features live music and feats of ability and strength inspired by the earliest North American lumberjacks.
Cirque Alfonse was founded by the Carabinier-Lépine family from Lanaudière in Quebec and boasts an art that is at once local and universal. With its non-stop music, wonderfully festive atmosphere, and spectacular feats, Cirque Alfonse succeeds in creating a unique bond with audiences.
Cirque Alfonse is made up of three generations of one family—66-year-old grandfather and amateur clown Alain Carabinier; his two children, Antoine and Julie, who are trained acrobats and dancers; Julie’s partner, a trained circus acrobat who has performed with Cirque du Soleil; and their young son Arthur.
Backed by a live band made up of family friends, Cirque Alfonse is the latest of the great circus acts to emerge from Quebec. Inspired by the exploits of the first North American lumberjacks, loggers, and farmers, the artists perform variations of acrobatics that are directly inspired by the raw materials of the forest and equipment used on the farm.
This engagement of Cirque Alfonse is funded through the Mid Atlantic Tours Program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts. Cirque Alfonse is also presented with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Conseildes Arts du Quebec.
Tickets are available at the Shepherd University Bookstore by calling 304-876-5219 or visiting www.shepherdbook.com. The cost is $15 for the general public; $10 for seniors and Shepherd staff; $5 for children; and free for Shepherd students with a valid Rambler ID.
Watch Cirque Alfonse’s past performance HERE.
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