Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages, step into the magical world under the tent. Filled with daredevils, animals from all over the world, and laughter only “The Greatest Show on Earth” can provide, the Kindergarten Circus charms both students and their families today just as it has for years.
The tradition started during the school’s third year in 2000 when the campus was still at Hillcrest/Arapaho. Kindergarten teacher Ms. Robyn Pryor had been the ringmaster for five years at the preschool where she previously taught.
“I brought the idea to PCA when we wanted to beef up the end-of-year program,” said Ms. Pryor. This year marked her 18th year as ringmaster here of “The Greatest Show on Earth.” “Adding my preschool experience, I’ve been a ringmaster for 23 years,” said Ms. Pryor.
Months of planning and practice go into preparing for the Kindergarten Circus. Preparations start the week following Spring Break and are in full swing until showtime in May.
“We review all the details and plans with the Kindergarten teachers. Teachers begin playing a CD of all the songs four weeks before the performance and rehearsing the circus acts with the students. I pull out the ringmaster costume that is stored deep in my closet,” said Ms. Pryor.
“The thing that makes it all worth it is when you see the expressions on the Kindergarten students. They are radiant and beaming,” said Ms. Pryor.
For all of those who are PCA Lifers and participated in the Circus, some things have changed and some are the same. “The overall concept of it is the same. We begin as a whole grade level in the beginning, then each classroom has one or two acts to perform separately, and finally we come back to perform together in the end,” said Ms. Pryor. The songs, the acts and the decorations have changed over time.
Ethan Kearby-Birdwell, a Kindergarten student in Ms. Jeanna Soper’s class, was a Corley Cruiser in the Circus and got to drive a motorcycle. “I was most excited about jumping over Mrs. Jeffcoat from the motorcycle ramp,” said Ethan. He had never been to a real circus but in his mind, “Our Kindergarten Circus was the best,” said Ethan.
Junior Reece Moore, a Lifer, recalled being a strong man in the Kindergarten Circus 12 years ago. “I remember thinking that tearing the phonebooks was really cool because no one knew that they were actually attached by Velcro,” said Reece. One of his favorite scenes during the Circus was the magic show. Although much has changed since Reece and other Lifers participated in the Circus, students still remember the magic of the Circus that they experienced in Kindergarten.
The Kindergarten Circus is a magical experience that both those in Kindergarten and everyone that previously participated in the Circus will always remember. The special effort made by their teachers, the costumes that make them feel like they are in an actual circus, and the laughs and applause that come after each act are what make this event truly “The Greatest Show on Earth.”
