UNIVERSOUL CIRCUS RETURNS TO CHICAGO FOR ITS 30TH-ANNUAL “COUSINS AROUND THE WORLD” FAMILY REUNION TOUR AT WASHINGTON PARK; OPENING NIGHT IS SEPT. 6

(photo credit: Tim Pethel
(photo credit: Tim Pethel

UNIVERSOUL CIRCUS RETURNS TO CHICAGO FOR ITS 30TH-ANNUAL “COUSINS AROUND THE WORLD” FAMILY REUNION TOUR AT WASHINGTON PARK; OPENING NIGHT IS SEPT. 6 

Enjoyed by more than 25 million people, UniverSoul Circus features superstars from five continents, blending the thrills of jaw-dropping stunts with culture, comedy, dance, world music and more for an unforgettable family-fun experience

CHICAGO (Aug. 21, 2024) – Flying acrobats, gravity-defying stunts, fire breathers, stilt dancers and the ultimate pageantry and flair! Celebrating 30 years as one of America’s top live events, UniverSoul Circus returns to Chicago with its “Cousins Around the World” tour. The international extravaganza will open Friday, Sept. 6, under the big top at Washington Park (E. 51st & S. Cottage Grove Ave. Chicago 60637).

SPECIAL 24-HOUR OFFER! In honor of its 1994 founding, UniverSoul Circus is slashing ticket prices to $19.94 for its Chicago show for one day only on Thursday, Aug. 22. The offer is valid for select seats and showtimes. Promotional tickets will be available for the entire 24 hours on Thursday, Aug. 22, and only through a special link at universoulcircus.com/chicago.

The interactive family-fun show will bring together superstars from five continents all backed by the infectious beat of world music including sounds and dance styles spanning the African diaspora.

Reimagined with over a dozen culturally diverse performances under a sparkling new big top, UniverSoul features never-before-seen acts from Ethiopia, the Dominican Republic and Mongolia plus a 15-person flying trapeze act from China.

“Our special presentation of 'Cousins Around the World' celebrates a global community that strives to connect our hearts in a more inclusive society," said UniverSoul founder and CEO Cedric Walker. "United in the spirit of family, we strongly believe that soul is not a color; it's an experience.”

Enjoyed by more than 25 million people from around the world, UniverSoul Circus’ highly interactive combination of circus arts, theater and music spans genres including pop, classic R&B, Latin, hip hop, jazz and gospel. Rated as one of the top live family acts in America along with Cirque du Soleil, UniverSoul’s fresh approach to family-friendly live entertainment has garnered it a coveted spot as one of Ticketmaster’s top 10 most requested family events.

At UniverSoul Circus, the audience is part of the show, and everyone gets to participate. Whether playing “Simon Says,” showing off their Swag Surf dance moves or singing in the “Soul Karaoke” spotlight, the patrons take the spotlight. Fresh the Clowns choose kids from the seats for the Big Top Kids Dance contest, and the entire tent gets to play as the beach balls bounce overhead.

“UniverSoul Circus is presented in a brand-new custom big top imported from Italy, enhanced with advanced state-of-the-art lighting, and a sound system that moves and grooves as if it were the show itself,” Walker added.

New world-class artists this year include the soul-stirring African Dream hoop divers from Addis Abba Ethiopia; a one-of-a-kind flying Chinese trapeze act with 15 people soaring in air between three positions on multiple cues; a super exciting new styled teeterboard act from Ethiopia; a tantalizing strong-man hand-balance duo called Double Vision from the Dominican Republic; and a dynamic twirling Cuban-Caribbean dance party and roller skating-themed spectacular.

The Caribbean Street Carnival will bring its fan-favorite flair with 20-foot dancing puppets, fire-blowing stilt dancers, authentic folklore characters and dancers from almost every Caribbean Island. The kid-friendly, hip-hop dancing Fresh the Clowns will turn up the crowd with the hottest dance moves, while the extremely dangerous Wheel of Death stunt masters will have crowds on the edge of their seats as they flip, dive and jump on a fast-moving pendulum 60 feet in the air.

Other popular moments will come from the ringmaster troupe which includes Sifiso Kamela, aka “Whistle Man,” from South Africa who will engage the audience with his hilarious boxing clown skit, the ringmaster/comedian Donald “N.O.” Long from New Orleans, UniverSoul’s original Zander “Zeke” Charles from Atlanta, and its newest foxy ringmaster/dancer, Bella, from Trinidad.

Tickets are $25 and up at ticketmaster.com. Performances are at 7 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays; noon, 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays; and noon, 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Sundays. Street parking is free. For GPS, use the address, 5150 Payne Dr., Chicago, IL 60637.

Go to universoulcircus.com for more info, ticket prices, show times and schedules. Follow UniverSoul on Facebook @UniverSoulcircus, X @UniverSoulCirc and Instagram @UniverSoulCircus.


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