Enjoy the Circus - The Zoppe Family Circus since 1842

By Jan McNutt

Picture a scene out of 1956, a little boy peering under a tent watching intently as the circus sets up. His bicycle is on the ground, he’s perfectly content and wide-eyed watching under the tent flap the activity unfolding before his eyes. His mother is wondering where he is while he is lost in the moment.

The compact tent of the Zoppe circus can’t be judged by its circumference. Not a ‘big top’ but it holds an impressive professional circus underneath. Through September 13, get your tickets to the Zoppe Family Circus at the Mile High Marketplace Event Center for delightful old style entertainment. You’ll be as fascinated as any ten year old boy when you experience this eclectic traveling family circus.

As you approach the circus area there’s the traditional, ticky-tacky plastic flowers and segments of low white fence cordoning off the homes (a caravan of seven RV’s custom designed for each act) for the performers. People are moving about to the sounds of the European organ grinder with its Oomph music playing over and over. You can almost recognize the melody, but not quite. Walking closer there’s the multi-color array of international flags flying out the top of the tent where the family crest reads, Zoppe Family Circus since 1842. You get a slight whiff of barn yard animals, popcorn popping, cotton candy whirring and detect strange accents coming from the gaggle of circus workers who are most definitely not from Henderson, Colorado.

No doubt about it, there is a European feel and ambiance to this traveling Zoppe family circus which is made up of about 22 individuals from several different families.

Preparing for opening night, the air inside the tent is still. Performers are practicing their acts and skills. The cowboy is twirling his lasso, while riding a unicycle and mimicking the galloping of a horse. The sawdust is messing with his balance. Someone brings over a slab of plywood and lays it on top of the sawdust. That works.

Observing the activities and giving suggestions while watching intently is Giovanni Zoppe. At 43 years old, he is the patriarch of this seventh generation circus. Sandra, his mother, is relaxing on the sidelines taking in all 360 degrees of the tent. She pays attention to the rings and ropes as they are tightened and readied for the evening’s performance. She will MC the opening and closing of the night’s performance.

Giovanni and his wife, Amy; his two sisters Carla and Tosca, and their spouses, with an assortment of dogs and horses make up the core of the Zoppe Family Circus. Father, Alberto, passed away in March 2009, but like birth, death doesn’t stop the caravan. The show has continued without missing a date.

Unlike the current glittered and mysterious performance circus in town, the Zoppe circus is not Hollywood sophisticated, mysterious nor a glitter induced show. What you discover is the Zoppe circus oozes with an entertainment theme of children, mind boggling performances, pranks and audience interaction.

The tent is small so the ring is naturally close to the bleachers which invites little ones to wander from their seats to get closer and sit on the edge of the ring. They are gently nudged by the ring master back to mamma. That’s how it feels, like they are seeing a private show in their own backyard with real clowns, horses, trick dogs, trapeze acts, juggling, acrobats, some circus glitter and enormous amounts of professional showmanship.

Nino, Giovanni Zoppe, is the clown and focus of the show. He keeps the children laughing with his slapstick antics. He’s a magician as well. Without seeing how he got there, he was standing right behind me playing a trumpet. I saw the show twice, in two different seats and missed his entrance both times. Nino playfully brings little ones into the ring for silly clown stuff and daring tricks. One look at the crowd and the children are wide-eyed, full of laughter and gazing with intent concentration. Their hoots, smiles and giggles are enough to fill the audience’s heart with thoughts of another time when laughs were from the gut, without cue cards or electronic stimulation.

The show starts with Nino entering the ring carrying a large trunk on his back. The music, Coming to America, by Neil Diamond is playing loudly while the whole circus family emerges into the ring. There follows a frenzy of performers on trapeze, juggling, running dogs, acrobatics, a mini cacophony of action and visual energy. The newest family babies are carried in slings or perched on daddy’s shoulder. At one and two years old they smile and weave with the body flow. Next time the circus is in town these little ones will be a part of the performance.

Nino does stupid things like bending to pick up his hat while perfectly timed, kicks it a few feet away from him. He’s scratching his head then bends to retrieve it again, kicks it again. The kids thinks that’s funniest thing ever. He brings a little boy into the ring to help him find his signature red hat. This little guy is using his head. He tries to climb-up Nino’s side to get the hat. Nino is holding the kid on his hip, but pushes the hat on the end of the broom higher. Kids in the audience hoot and holler and try to tell Nino the hat is on the end of the broom.

One of Nino’s talents is throwing a hat onto another person’s head, or catching a hat that lands on his head. This little boy couldn’t exactly get the hat on Nino’s head but Nino threw a bright red, Nino the Clown hat and it landed right on his head. There was a big roar and cheering from the crowd and the child left the ring, bright red Nino hat on his head, like he was six feet tall.

I saw the Zoppe circus twice and each time recognized it accomplished exactly what it set out to create. It’s a circus family, a cornucopia of people who form this particular, enchanting traveling circus family.

Giovanni Zoppe was born into the circus and tells me his first ring appearance happened at two years old when he escaped the family RV during his parent’s performance. He heard the music and the applause and before any one could catch him, he ran out of the traveling home into the ring, took a bow in his birthday suit as his proud parents realized a new Zoppe star was born. Aka Nino, chuckles as he tells the story he’s told hundreds of time, and probably has added this hundreds of times too, “They won’t let me do that any more.”

Park your car conveniently in the adjoining lot and follow your instincts for fun. Look for the performers greeting the crowd, as Nino and various members are in front of the tent talking, juggling, playing, performing and teasing the crowd. Believe me, there is a feeling of joy, excitement, wonder and pure entertainment for the whole family.

The show will run through September 13, 2009, at the new event center at the Mile High Marketplace on 88th Avenue in Henderson.