NEW YORK—Learning to believe in oneself and finding unexpected, new abilities are the messages of “I’mPossible,” the latest production by the Omnium Circus, now at the New Victory Theater on 42nd Street.
Suitable for children ages 5 and older, “I’mPossible” offers a delightful feast for the eyes through juggling, hand balancing, crossbow exhibitions and more. The fun starts even before the curtain rises, as a pair of clowns (Dick Monday and Tiffany Riley) move through the audience to welcome them and perform comedy acts.
“I’mPossible” tells the story of Dani (Tersit Asefa Dersu), a young woman who’s trying to find her place in the world. With nowhere else to go, she takes a job as a wardrobe assistant for a circus. There, she becomes fascinated with the acrobats and wonders if she could learn their skills. She settles on juggling and discovers how a group works together and supports one another.
Dani’s story is narrated and sung by the circus’s ringmaster (Danette E. Sheppard-Vaughn) and told in American Sign Language by Malik Paris, a deaf performance artist.
Central to “I’mPossible” is not only Dani’s journey of discovering her abilities, but the breathtaking physical skills of the company’s performers, who perform feats that defy physical limitations. One performer balances on his wheelchair, while another twirls on a rope high above the stage.
The audience is treated to amazing feats of acrobatics, marksmanship, and even unicycle jump rope basketball! The clowns provide comedy, including a segment where young audience volunteers participate in a skit involving clanging bells.
Reaching the youngster inside each of us, Omnium (Latin for “of all and belonging to all”) offers “I’mPossible” as a heart-warming window into the circus world and a theme of being true to oneself in order to follow one’s own special path.
