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  • THE CIRCUS COMES TO THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL FOR AN EXCITING FAMILY-FRIENDLY EVENT
  • Sep. 30, 2007
  • Global Circus Celebration Features The Peking Acrobats, Bob Moore and His Amazing Mongrels, the Ditty Bops, and Pre-Show Entertainment

    SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, AT 6:30 PM

    PRE-SHOW ACTIVITIES BEGIN AT 4:30 PM

    Sponsored by Autry National Center and Radio Disney

    Men, women and children of all ages step right up to see the world famous Peking Acrobats tumble, contort, juggle and cycle their way across the Hollywood Bowl stage on Sunday, September 30. These spectacular performers, known for their thrilling stunts and fantastic feats, are set to delight the Hollywood Bowl audience with a program that includes the "Breathtaking Contortionist," "Diving Daring Do," "Human Pyramid," "Bicycle Pagoda" and much more - all complemented by live music. This one-of-a-kind family-friendly Big Top Bowl performance also features opening act Bob Moore and His Amazing Mongrels as they perform adorably outrageous dog tricks followed by the Ditty Bops with their retro-flavored musical stylings. Pre-show activities begin at 4:30 p.m. on the Hollywood Bowl Museum Patio stage, and include Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang with their self-described "kids' music for all" and Quazar and the Bamboozled with their circus-inspired sounds and upbeat melodies. Performances on the main stage begin at 6:30 p.m. Of course it wouldn't be a circus without clowns, juggling, mini-train rides and face painting - those and many more activities keep families entertained for this final event of the Hollywood Bowl season.

    Rounding out their U.S. tour, the Peking Acrobats have been astounding audiences world-wide since they got their start in 1986. In 2003, the Hollywood Bowl helped to further set the stage for their career as they blended their unique brand of acrobatics with the 100-piece Hollywood Bowl Orchestra for the fireworks season finale. Since then, they have been performing their thrilling feats around the globe with a commitment to bringing their ancient art form and tradition to the 21st Century.

    Bob Moore and His Amazing Mongrels are no strangers to the spotlight. The award-winning group has been featured on such programs as "The Tonight Show" and most recently the 2007 season premiere of NBC's "America's Got Talent." The diverse troop of talented pooches has something in common besides their love of performing - all are former rescue dogs.

    The Ditty Bops, whose sound incorporates elements of Western swing, ragtime, gypsy-jazz, pop and vaudeville-era musical theater, combine their performing with their efforts to promote awareness of issues that are important to them. Their current farm tour is helping to bring attention to the struggles and achievements of family farmers in the U.S., while raising money for local farm organizations.

    The pre-show entertainment - Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang and Quazar and the Bamboozled have more than their upbeat songs and ever-expanding groups in common. Brandon Jay or "Quazar" is also the Gwendolyn Sanford's producing partner. Both crowd-pleasing groups are the perfect warm-up for the Hollywood Bowl's season-ending performance.

    THE PEKING ACROBATS are a troupe of China's most gifted tumblers, contortionists, cyclists and gymnasts, complemented by live musicians playing traditional Chinese instruments. Since 1986, they have brought their 2,000-year-old tradition of acrobatics to sold-out houses and earned rave reviews. Of their Broadway engagement, Lawrence van Gelder, New York Times said, "…In their graceful efforts…these brightly costumed tumblers, acrobats, cyclists, jugglers and clever clowns provide 90 minutes of family fun that infuses springtime in New York with an extra measure of joy." The Peking Acrobats have been featured on numerous television shows and celebrity-studded television specials including appearances on the "Wayne Brady Show" as well as NBC's "Ring In The New Year Holiday Special" and NICKELODEON'S "Unfabulous." The Peking Acrobats set the world record for the Human Chair Stack on Fox's "Guinness Book Primetime" show where they astounded audiences with their bravery and dexterity as they balanced six people precariously atop six chairs 21 feet up in the air without safety lines! The Peking Acrobats ability to perform the astounding is rooted in centuries of Chinese history and folk art. In China there are approximately 100,000 acrobats studying at schools dedicated to the art. After at least 10 years of extensive tutoring, often beginning as early as age 5 or 6, the student will join a professional troupe, usually a citywide organization that draws members regionally. Only the best acrobats find themselves members of an elite world-touring troupe such as The Peking Acrobats.

    BOB MOORE'S AMAZING MONGRELS, originally Moore's Mongrels, started in the 1930's by four Moore brothers from Grass Valley, California. The farm boys and animal experts were soon working vaudeville and circuses. Following WWII, Sonny Moore, Bob Moore's uncle, who had been partnered with a dog named Captain or "Cap" as part of the army K-9 Corps, made Cap part of the family act. Cap and the rest of Moore's Mongrels appeared on the Ed Sullivan show and presented to Queen Elizabeth at a Royal Command Performance in London. After being discovered by Walt Disney, the family moved to Los Angeles for a mini-series called, "KILROY." The group soon became Walt Disney's favorite dog act, which led to them working at Disneyland, at the Disney studios and touring with "Disney On Parade." Bing Crosby took notice and enlisted the act to do his "Hollywood Palace Show." The group's touring schedule has included a Broadway stint with "The Will Rogers Follies," the Ice Capades, Holiday on Ice, various circuses, several Las Vegas revues, and in 2004, a tour with the hip hop group the Beastie Boys. Bob Moore's Amazing Mongrels also has made many television appearances on shows such as "The Smothers Brothers Show," "The Dolly Parton Show," "Dick Clark Live," "Circus of the Stars," "The Love Boat," "The Tonight Show," and many others. The group has received a number of awards and Bob Moore's activism in rescuing dogs from animal shelters and training them as part of the Amazing Mongrels has been recognized as well.

    The DITTY BOPS formed in 2003 and began to play around Los Angeles as a four-piece acoustic band with Amanda Barrett on mandolin, dulcimer and washboard and Abby DeWald on guitar and piano. The retro-flavored style of their music, which incorporates elements of Western swing, ragtime, gypsy-jazz, pop, and vaudeville-era musical theater, was beautifully captured on the duo's 2004 self-titled debut album for Warner Bros. Records, and was produced by Mitchell Froom (Suzanne Vega, Crowded House, Elvis Costello). Self described, the band "is like Calamity Jane, Betty Boop, and Jessica Rabbit laughing in their rag top convertible as they drive through the mysterious streets of San Berdoo." In 2006, the group rode their bicycles more than 4,700 miles from Los Angeles to New York City, performing 40 concerts along the way to promote clean air, cycling and their album, Moon Over the Freeway. In the process they raised both awareness and funds for two bicycle non-profits "Adventure Cycling" and "Pedals for Progress." For the summer of 2007, the group is raising awareness by touring through the farming communities of America and focusing on the growing market of organic farming and the renewed interest in cuisine prepared with locally grown food and hope to bring attention to the struggles and achievements of family farmers in the US. In addition to playing traditional shows, they are performing benefit concerts on farms to raise money for local farm organizations, "The Growing Connection" and "FARM AID" - Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp , and Dave Matthews's nonprofit.

    A long-time performing artist, Gwendolyn Sanford developed the nutty, irresistibly playful tunes of GWENDOLYN AND THE GOOD TIME GANG, with a mission to write songs from a child's perspective, but with the subtle wisdom of an adult. The group's critically-acclaimed debut children's CD, Gwendolyn And The Good Time Gang won the Los Angeles- based songwriter an ever-widening base of young fans (and their parents). After completing and releasing the debut album on their Whispersquish label, Sanford and her producing partner, Brandon Jay of Quazar and the Bamboozled recruited their favorite musician friends to perform the songs live. Their performances have been coined by Entertainment Weekly as "as good as tot-rock gets." Gwendolyn and her band take it up a notch with Get Up & Dance!, an album that's sure to get listeners moving. Songs like "Red Means Stop," "Run Baby Run," "Eensy Weensy Spider" and the title track "Get Up & Dance" lend a bit of friendly dance instruction to the first part of the album. The second half is rounded out with new classics like "Sunny Day" and "Sweet Marmalade". "Bicycle Ride" act as the toddlers' nod to Queen's "Bicycle Race." The toe-tapper "I can Read" encourages listeners to pick up a book and experience a whole new world.

    QUAZAR AND THE BAMBOOZLED began and remains an unconventional group. After many years behind a drum set, Brandon Jay aka "Quazar" began what could only be called a romance with the piano. To his delight, he discovered his knack for songwriting. After his first show playing these songs live, a friend and fellow musician said in earnest "I'd love to play in your band when you get one together." After that Jay invited every local musician he had admired over the years and "Bamboozled" them into starting a band. Together they recorded "The Lovely Lunatickle Musical Review," a frolicking adventure through circus-y sounds and upbeat melodies that are sure to get listeners grinning. The band (expanding and contracting in size at each performance) has had over 50 members pass through its doors since the Bamboozled opened for business. Audiences will recognize the same warmth, charm and humor as their influences inspire - the likes of Randy Newman, Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, Leon Russell, T-Rex, Harry Nilsson and Frank Zappa. Jay's knack for a good tune grew, and began to flourish further in projects like Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang and ultimately landed him the happy job of composing music for the Showtime television comedy "Weeds." Jay relishes performing live on stage and is in the midst of recording his sophomore album "Get Bamboozled!"

    One of the largest natural amphitheaters in the world, with a seating capacity of nearly 18,000, the HOLLYWOOD BOWL has been the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since its official opening in 1922, and in 1991 gave its name to the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, a resident ensemble that has filled a special niche in the musical life of Southern California. The 2004 season introduced audiences to a revitalized Hollywood Bowl, featuring a newly-constructed shell and stage and the addition of four stadium screens enhancing stage views in the venue. To this day, $1 buys a seat at the top of the Bowl for many of the Los Angeles Philharmonic's concerts. While the Bowl is best known for its sizzling summer nights, during the day California's youngest patrons enjoy "SummerSounds: Music for Kids at the Hollywood Bowl," the Southland's most popular summer arts festival for children, now in its 39th season. Attendance figures over the past several decades have soared: in 1980 the Bowl first topped the half-million mark and close to one million admissions have been recorded. In February 2007, the Hollywood Bowl was named Best Major Outdoor Concert Venue for the third year in a row at the 18th Annual Pollstar Concert Industry Awards; the Bowl's summer music festival has become as much a part of a Southern California summer as beaches and barbecues, the Dodgers, and Disneyland.

    EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

    SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 at 6:30 PM; PRE-SHOW ACTIVITIES at 4:30 PM

    HOLLYWOOD BOWL, 2301 N. Highland Ave. in Hollywood

    Big Top Bowl

    PRE-SHOW ACTIVITIES:

    GWENDOLYN AND THE GOOD TIME GANG

    QUAZAR AND THE BAMBOOZLED

    THE PEKING ACROBATS

    THE DITTY BOPS

    BOB MOORE AND HIS AMAZING MONGRELS

    Sponsored by Autry National Center and Radio Disney

    Tickets ($7 - $111) are on sale now at HollywoodBowl.com, at the Hollywood Bowl Box Office (Tuesday-Saturday, 12 p.m. - 6 p.m.), or by calling Ticketmaster at 213.480.3232, and at all Ticketmaster outlets. Groups of 10 or more may be eligible for a 20% discount, subject to availability; call 323.850.2050 for further details. For general information or to request a brochure, call 323.850.2000.

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  • Contact:

    Adam Crane, acrane@laphil.org, 213.972.3422; Rachelle Roe, rroe@laphil.org, 213.972.7310; Lisa White, lwhite@laphil.org, 213.972.3408; For photos: 213.972.3034