Posted 8/16/2006 3:35:06 PM by Webmaster
News from Ed Limbach viewed 684 times
Wednesday, August 16, 2006 - College Station, PA
Annually the CFA Web Site Editors Interview the Incoming President of CFA. This year's interview is with Dr. Don Curtis.
CIRCUS FANS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
WEB SITE EDITORS
INTERVIEW WITH
INCOMING PRESIDENT
DR. DON CURTIS
Doctor Curtis, thank you for taking the time to chat with us today. The Editors of the CFA Web Site have a tradition of interviewing the incoming President of CFA and we appreciate your willingness to continue this tradition. How many years have you been a member of CFA?
As of June 2006, I will have been a member of CFA for 53 years. It’s hard to believe it has been that long. They have been great years.
Dr. Don Curtis. Fifty three years is an incredible record of participation in our organization. Over the years I think that it is fair to say that you have been an active member of the Association both at the local or Tent level and the National level. Would you tell us what positions you have held over the years?
Sure, I have served as a District 3 Director, CFA Eastern Vice President, President of the Dover-Williams Tent and I am currently President of the Forepaugh-Lubin Tent. I have also served as Chairman of the CFA Finance Committee and I am currently on the Membership and Long Range Planning Committee.
A question people ask, especially for a professional like you, how does a grown man and a Doctor get excited about the circus? Do you care to comment on that?
To me the circus has always been a fascinating place. I can’t really tell you why. Maybe it’s escapism. I saw my first circus when I was four years old. The clowns shot Mickey Mouse out of a cannon and my parents thought I’d be traumatized for life. On the contrary, it turned me on to the circus. I guess I really didn’t like Mickey! I was not aware of the existence of the CFA until I attended the Ringling show in Philadelphia during the spring of 1951. By luck, I had a seat right next to Cecil B. DeMille who was there filming some location segments for “The Greatest Show on Earth”. During intermission I asked him to autograph my program, which he graciously did. He said “Son, it looks like you are really enjoying the circus. You should join the Circus Fans Association”. He said that he was a member as were other Hollywood personalities at the time. My problem was that I wasn’t old enough to join then and had to wait a few more years. Incidentally, I still have that program that he autographed.
Dr.Curtis, that is a great story. What a thrill it must have been to meet Cecil B. DeMille. The circus, like most things in life, is changing-smaller tent shows and fewer animals and the elimination of the traditional 3 ring circus. Are you able to adjust and still enjoy the circus as you once did?
Well, I am trying to adjust, but it is difficult. To me some of the magic of the circuses that I grew up with is missing. I realize, however, that the times have changed and that the circus has to accommodate to those changes. Personally though, I think that some shows are shooting themselves in the foot. If you have something that has done so well for so long, why change it? What I have observed is that American parents and grandparents like to take children to the circus because of its traditions and what they remember seeing a generation or two ago. I think that they often leave the show disappointed. It certainly isn’t the same.
Many would agree with your observations. How many circuses do you see in typical year?
I typically see 8 or 9 different circuses a year. Also when Ringling is around, I pass out animal care flyers for them. So I get to see that particular production 6-7 times during the run.
Do you have a favorite circus?
Well, I enjoy them all, but I must admit that my heart beats a bit faster when I visit some of the shows.
As you prepare to take over as President of CFA, do you have any specific goals that you would like to accomplish during your term of office?
Yes, I do. However, it is going to be difficult because I’ll only be in office for eight months and many of those are off season circus months. What I would like to see is a strengthening of the relationship between the CFA and the circus industry; perhaps form a circus relations committee. I find that the circus people are the hardest working, most talented and most often
under appreciated group of people that I have ever met. Going back to what I believe our founders had in mind, I’d like to see the CFA do whatever it can to show how much we appreciate what these show people do to entertain the American public. Unfortunately, I think that some of our members go onto to a lot and expect perks because they flash their CFA membership card. It should be the other way around. I believe that we can do many things to help circuses as they travel across the country: Fans can show them where the stores and
laundromats are located, or better yet, offer to take them there, hand out pro-circus literature. Maybe take someone to the show, to lunch or dinner. I personally take photos of the personnel and give them a copy when I see them next. I’ve also thrown parties for them which they really appreciate. It gives them a chance to relax, have fun and boy can some of them dance! Summing up, I’d like to get the message out to the circus people that the CFA is truly an organization of circus friends.
Do you have any thoughts on the future of CFA as a viable organization and do you think it possible to expand the membership of CFA?
I believe that the CFA will be around for a number of years, but I also think that it will be an organization with significantly fewer members. Perhaps this doesn’t bother me as much as it should though because I would rather see four or five hundred very actively involved members scattered around the country than to have two or three thousand who are passive. Of course, I know that we need the large numbers to keep financially afloat. Realistically, I only see two reasons why someone would join CFA. One is that they enjoy the circus so much that they want to be a peripheral part of it by being in CFA and the other is that they enjoy the friendship of the group.
During the current year a Youth Circus Committee was created to promote a better relationship between CFA and youth circuses throughout the United States and Canada. Do you support this effort?
Yes, I support and salute the Youth Circus Committee for its efforts and goals. I do think, however, that it is going to be a challenge to compete with all of the other organizations that are vying for the young people today. I know the ultimate goal is to get the young people from this group to join the CFA, but they first have to be bitten by that “mystical circus bug”. Sadly, I don’t see the shows themselves providing as much of the “mystique” as they did in the past.
I know that you and your committee have been working hard to organize the 2007 CFA Convention in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Any thoughts you would like to share with fans about this convention?
I have had a terrific co-chairman and committee working with me on this for the last couple of years. We have planned out what we hope will be a great meeting with an exceptional circus, dynamic speakers and plenty of fun things to do for the fans. Our plans are about 80% complete as of June 2006.
How do you feel about the future of the circus industry in America? Will it survive?
I think that we realize that the American circus is going though some rough times and that many of the shows are trying the trial and error routine to see what works for them at the box office. Right now they are caught between anti-circus groups and patrons who want to see a good circus for their money. It is, but always has been, a tough business. My feeling is that the circus will survive. As mentioned earlier, this is where the CFA can perhaps play a role in helping them along the way.
We appreciate your time today and will close by asking if you have any other thoughts that you would like to share with us?
I’d like to say that I am most honored to serve as President of The Circus Fans Association of America and to thank the members who have elected me to that office. The organization has offered me a wonderful opportunity to meet many friends who share my interest in the circus and also to meet and make friends with some fine circus people. Thank you for the opportunity to share my thoughts and I look forward to seeing you on a circus lot soon.
Edward W. Limbach
CFA Director of Public Relations and Media
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