Brandon Glass
As teenagers approach high school, running away to join the circus comes up as a last resort, but for Brandon Glass it became a reality.
After graduating from John R. Lewis High School in 2010 he dabbled in work with the people who were hearing impaired, as a stunt man in show business and is now part of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum Bailey Circus.
Joining the circus may be something to say jokingly but “now it’s actually my life,” Glass said.
The journey there is as roundabout as a three-ring circus. “The story is quite an adventure,” he said. Out of
There are no animals at the circus but it's still called The Greatest Show on Earth
The circus found him out in L.A., and now he’s the touring public relations manager, working with many of the city and town officials where the circus is performing. When they need performers, he sometimes finds people in gyms working out and they end up applying for jobs that demand physical traits and talents in the circus.
When mentioning a job with the circus, thoughts may involve elephants and tiger tamers but those days are over. In about 2017, the treatment of animals became a focus and the Ringling Brothers and Barnum Bailey Circus moved away from animal acts.
“We’ve shifted the focus,” Glass said, “we have no animals in the show now.” Some of the newer acts feature BMX bikes or a robo dog.
Instead, they have high-wire and acrobatic shows, and parts where the audience gets involved as well. Picture the audience joining in when a well-known rock star sings one of their hits. This year they have a triangular high-wire act with people going everywhere.
“It’s some things you’ve never seen before,” he said.
Travelling around the country with a group of people, especially entertainers can be colorful. Everyone gets to know everyone else from the many different cultures at the circus. Connecting with people is one of the positives he’s gained from the experience. The antics of the performers are “always fun to me,” he said.
Next up for the Ringling Brothers and Barnum Bailey Circus aka "The Greatest Show on Earth," is scheduled to be at the EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, from March 28 to April 6, 2025, showcasing an all-new production with over 50 acts.