‘Stage fright’?: Circus returning to Myrtle Beach after layoff because of coronavirus
As a member of the circus, Justin Loomis admits he and his cohorts are quite a different breed.
Therefore, being away from work for a lengthy period was perhaps more odd for his herd than the other millions of Americans who had employment changes during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic.
“There was a lot of anxiety just waiting because for us it’s not normal to sit that long. Especially people in the circus because most of them are multi-generational. It’s a lifestyle for us. It’s not really a job. It’s what we’ve done our whole lives. Most of us were born and raised in it,” the Loomis Brothers Circus ringmaster said of being off tour for about five months last year.
“So all of a sudden to be told you can’t do what you’ve always done anymore — it was a strange feeling. Everybody was kind of depressed for a while or down and out like ‘Oh my goodness, what is going to happen?’”
What ultimately happened was a return in the fall, with some variations like outdoor shows. However, the Loomis Brothers Circus is back on track and returning to the Myrtle Beach Convention Center for two days on July 9-10.
““Everybody was so excited, including myself,” Loomis said of returning to action. “We were just absolutely thrilled the first time we did a show after COVID. It was a feeling like no other. It was great because after sitting so long and not being able to do what we do was amazing for us. It was like doing a show for the first time ever. I almost had stage fright,” he said with a laugh.
“Everybody was on top of their game. They were so happy to get back into it.”
The circus returns for an approximate two-hour show with the usual staples like elephants, tigers, horses, a live orchestra and the Chicago-based acrobat team that appeared as the “Chicago Boyz” on season 8 of NBC reality show “America’s Got Talent,” which made its debut here with the circus in 2019.
Loomis noted one addition who he says will thrill the crowds — a new aerial ballet performer.
“She’s just fantastic. What an amazing aerialist,” he said. “The people are gonna be on the edge of their seat when they see this girl swing. She does this all 35 feet off the ground with no safety line. It’s absolutely amazing.”
Loomis said his family business suffered during COVID-19, losing all of its shows in the Northeast and part of the Midwest in 2020. The group considered doing a live-streamed show but found that it likely would not be financially plausible.
“We really took a huge hit. We were down for several months. It wasn’t good,” he said. “Thankfully, we were able to maintain and we survived it and we are back on the road.”
Now, though, the show is back on and, like a lot of other live entertainment, the circus is seeing people come out in droves, Loomis said.
“People needed some kind of an outlet other than being glued to their TV and Internet the whole time. They really wanted to get out of the house,” he said. “So once we did get open again, the people came. We have people every day. It’s pretty amazing. I think live entertainment is going to really take off again.”
Loomis Brothers Circus tickets in the Myrtle Beach area
Several businesses within 35 or 40 miles of the convention center are offering free kids tickets for children ages 2-12. They can be found at gas stations, restaurants and other businesses.
If you can’t find the free tickets, don’t worry, Loomis said.
“Every adult will get two children 12 and under in free — even if they can’t find a ticket,” he said.
Adult tickets are $25.
“We have something for all ages,” Loomis said. “The circus is for everyone.”
