15 photos from the Ghostly Circus – beautifully bizarre, it's held within a historic cemetery
Held near a mausoleum, this bizarre, annual art performance offered an evening of fire, flow arts, and circus
Ghostly Circus co-organizer, Lauren Raske, right, and Laura Rennegade rehearse their performance moments before the start of the show.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
by Thom Carroll PhillyVoice Contributor
Set deep in the heart of Laurel Hill Cemetery, amongst the neoclassical tombs and infused in the landscape of statues and flowers honoring the dead came Ghostly Circus: Heaven’s Theatre. An evening showcasing professional circus and flow arts, sprinkled with a touch of flavor from the Burning Man arts community, brought high-flying aerial and fire performances, along with flavorful music by Worldtown and The Architech to the hundreds of spectators nestled amongst the gravestones.
The event, in its fourth year running, is created by Lauren Raske and Britt Killeen of 7Textures, a contemporary event design and set building company that specializes in community celebrations, weddings, and the performing arts.
Below is a series of photos from this year’s showcase.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceSpectators filter in before the start of Ghostly Circus: Heaven's Theatre. The performance is set in the rolling hills of Philadelphia's Laurel Hill Cemetery amongst a backdrop of gravestones, statues, and mausoleums.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceAerial performer and musician Lee Thompson poses for a photo before the start of the Ghostly Circus, Friday, Aug. 4, 2017. Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceEmcee of the event Michael Nighttime, poses with performers Erin Flanigan and Lauren Raske before Friday's show. Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceLaura Rennegade rehearses her performance moments before the start of the show, Friday, Aug. 4, 2017.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceChi-Wen Lee performs on the aerial silks as guests make their way through Laurel Hill Cemetery before Friday's performance. Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceGhostly Circus co-organizer Lauren Raske rehearses with silk fans before Friday's show. Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceAerial performer Rae Mae balances while hooping before the start of the Ghostly Circus: Heaven's Theatre, Friday, Aug. 4, 2017. Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceRoo Marie, Amanda Mandalay, and Tippy breathe fire during their performance in the Ghostly Circus: Heaven's Theatre. Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceLaura Rennegade hangs upside-down while performing on the lyra. Thom Carroll/PhillyVoicePerformers Rae Mae, (top), and Wei Wei, perform on the the aerial silks at the Ghostly Circus: Heaven's Theatre. Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceAllie Hart spins a fire hoop during one of her many performances Friday, Aug. 4, 2017. Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceWith an almost legend-like status in the flow arts scene, Lucas Boyd executes a performance with the triple contact-staff. Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceWei Wei and Lauren Raske dance with fire fans to music from the Philadelphia-based band, Worldtown. Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceThe Ghostly Circus: Heaven's Theatre continued well past sunset, culminating with a 2-hour long dance party with music provided by Josh VanderVeen, aka “The Architech.”