Ringling Bros. vets set to debut in new Legoland ‘clowning’ show
WINTER HAVEN — Zach Page discovered he had a knack for making people laugh at a young age, when he naturally gravitated toward comedy after his parents enrolled him in drama classes.
The decision helped him forge a path to a brief stint as a clown with the venerable Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus before the operation shut down last year.
Page’s post-Ringling career has brought him to Legoland, the 6½year-old theme park in Winter Haven, where he will perform in a variety show set to debut Saturday.
The brief show, called Brick Builders, represents the return to scheduled variety show performances at the park after a two-year hiatus. It will feature juggling, stunt work and comedy, but it will be done in the park’s signature construction uniforms rather than traditional clown makeup.
“Laughter is an international language,” said Page, 29, who will be joined in the performances by another former Ringling alum, Ben Macon, 29. “A child will laugh at you getting bonked on the head no matter where they are from.”
The new show, which centers on construction workers named “Hank” and “Frank” working on a city hall building, will debut with three shows, with the plan for three performances every Saturday and Sunday through the summer. Page and Macon will act silly with exaggerated facial expressions to seek reactions from the audience, as the two characters interact with a foreman on the project.
Page says while the goal is to have fun, there is a method to the madness for the performers.
“Clowning is a very intricate art form,” he says. “It’s a matter of becoming this instant character. You’re not being stupid. You may be a little lost, but then that leads you to trying to solve problems in interesting ways, which children relate to.”
Macon’s path to becoming a clown was something completely different. He spent time touring in a punk rock band in New Hampshire, although he says he never made much money doing it.
He learned juggling, a major feature of Brick Builders, by watching YouTube videos. Even as he moved around in his work life, Macon says he always kept the Ringling Bros. dream in the back of his mind.
When he finally made it, he said telling his family was an interesting experience. “Even my parents now say, ‘We have a Marine, an aerospace engineer and the circus clown,’ ” Macon said. “You can’t really explain it. Most people think it’s about twisting balloon animals or scaring people. But comedy is a huge part of it.”
Macon and Page first met in Indianapolis about three years ago in a Ringling performance. It was more than coincidence that drew them to Legoland about 1½ years ago. “Our form of comedy meshed so well together on the road,” Macon said. “It let us do so much.”
Coordination is key several times during the performance, including falling off a ladder onto a safety mat and being pulled back by a rope onto a trampoline.
Past experience helps those stunts go smoother at Legoland.
“I know I can come in and teach material that is challenging and energetic, and they will try it,” says Amy Kaeberle, the show’s director. “They will learn it and perform it well the next time. They bring so much to the table that I couldn’t bring myself.”
The addition of the Brick Builders show comes on the heels of the park debuting Ninjago World last year, which park officials have called a “huge hit.”
“We decided to launch Brick Builders just in time for the kickoff of summer as an entertaining and interactive new offering for guests of all ages and abilities,” said Gillian Smith, vice president of marketing and sales, said in a statement.