Facebook to deliver Ringling finale live

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus first wowed audiences in the 19th century.

A 21st-century medium — Facebook Live — will carry the iconic American spectacle’s final act.

The company has announced that the last circus show — to be performed May 21 in Uniondale, New York — will be streamed live on the social-media network and on the Ringling Bros. website.

Earlier this year, Feld Entertainment, the company that owns the Ringling Bros., said the show would end this month because of declining attendance, high operating costs, changing public tastes and prolonged battles with animal-rights groups.

Sam Gomez, vice president of digital and relationship marketing for the circus, said Ringling did something similar, though on a smaller scale, during the final elephant act performance in 2016. The May 21 event will be shown live from start to finish and will be hosted by Kristen Michelle Wilson, Ringling’s first female ringmaster.

“It’s basically a TV shoot, and we’re certainly thinking about lighting and sound: How will this look when you’re looking at it on your phone or your tablet?” Gomez said.

“We’ve had lots of conversations about tight shots, so you can see the performer’s skill and expressions and their artistry.”

He said Ringling will leave the video up for a short while — it’s unclear how long — but not forever.

The live show allows people to “witness the end of an era,” he said.

“We wanted to give families around the world one last chance to experience ‘the greatest show on Earth’ together.”

The circus — with its exotic animals, flashy costumes and death-defying acrobats — has been a staple of entertainment in the United States since the mid-1800s.