Tapping young talent

Tom Forquer

With some props, some costumes, a little imagination and some

professional instruction from the Russell Bros. Circus, youth

attending Thursday’s Orange County Fair tried their hand at circus

performance in the Circus Fun Review.

The fun started at 2:30 p.m. at the Kids Stage when Stephen

Russell, the circus instructor, let the children pick their positions

in the show. In the next half-hour, the seven youth, ages 5 to 11,

got a crash course in tightrope walking, lion and tiger tricks,

magic, juggling and dog training.

At 3 p.m., the circus music started, and Ed Russell, Stephen’s

dad, introduced the performance in a true showman’s voice. He

reminded the audience that no matter how the kids performed, “The

important thing is F-U-N.” The show began with a brief parade, the

kids carrying a variety of national flags.

Wearing a pink tutu and holding a pink lace umbrella, Caitlynn, 7,

of Orange tackled the tightrope -- a rope connected to two wood

squares lying flat on the stage.

In the training session, Stephen told her, “Pretend like you’re 50

feet in the air, all right?”

In her three passes across the rope, Caitlynn performed a

one-footer, a jumping foot switch and, for the finale, a one-footer

foot switch combo.

After the tightrope act were two lions -- 11-year-old Denim Varona

from Huntington Beach and 6-year-old Lucy Angelo from Orange -- and

one tiger -- 9-year-old Anthony Rapoza from Huntington Beach. Wearing

costumes and squatting on pedestals, the three were instructed by

Stephen to stand up, lie down and, for the finale, perform multiple

rollovers across the stage.

Next came the magician, Jack, a 6-year-old Orange resident. After

walking to center stage, he took off his large magician hat and

showed the audience that it was empty. With a few swings of his magic

wand, he was soon pulling out a string of scarves. And the finale? A

white rabbit stuffed animal.

Sporting a fiery sequined vest, 11-year-old juggler Jordan Bento

from Mission Viejo took the stage. With some help from Stephen, he

transferred a spinning plate from a stick to his finger. After the

plate was taken away, he showed the audience his skill in scarf

juggling.

The last act was 5-year-old Anderson from Mission Viejo. With a

trio of mechanized pooches, the kind that bark, bounce around and

flip, Anderson displayed his skills at instructing the canines to do

back flips through a small hoop. White-haired Fluffy seemed to be the

most receptive.

The show concluded with a group bow by the performers. When asked

what part of the show she liked the best, Lucy responded, “Rollover!”

Friends Anthony and Denim agreed that the opportunity to be on

stage was their favorite part.

Anthony had considered joining the circus.

“Dad said I could when I’m 16,” he said.

Denim, 9, also entertained the thought of circus performance.

“When I get kicked out of the house, maybe, if I have a good

skill,” he said.

The Circus Fun Review auditions will take place at 11:30 a.m. and

5 p.m. today, Saturday and Sunday.

* TOM FORQUER is a Daily Pilot intern. He can be reached at

[email protected].