BWW Interviews: The Circus Performers Of PIPPIN, Part I - Orion Griffiths

When Diane Paulus decided to revive Pippin by making the traveling theatre troupe a circus, the show went beyond needing actors to perform on stage: actual circus performers were needed to make the show work. Paulus brought in Gypsy Snider of 7 Fingers to make the circus happen, but it's the performers she found who bring that on-stage circus to life.

In this first of two performer interviews, circus veteran Orion Griffiths reveals that you can take the performer out of the circus, but you can't take the circus out of a performer's heart.

BWW: You're from a circus family. Can you tell us a little about growing up in the circus rather than running away to join one?

OG: It's very different than a "normal" life; you're always on the road. You're never in one place more than a couple of months. You never have the chance to make school friends. That's one of the big things about growing up in the circus. Another is that you're always on stage from a very young age. Kids are running around stage; they're learning the acts by watching. When I was four years old, I was watching my sister's act. By the time I was fifteen, I had five Brothers and Sisters performing at a very good level.

We weren't always in a circus - we were also street performers in Europe. If we were traveling, we'd do shows outside and make friends with the townspeople.

It's so different growing up this way than from regular kids. I was home schooled by my parents. I have a lot of stories, a lot of travel. We traveled to Africa, Morocco, Israel. We saw people who lived in real poverty. It was a real education.

BWW: When did your family come over to the States, and why?

OG: We came over in 2003. One of my sisters had an accident, and we originally came over for the hospital - a Shriners hospital - in 1998. Then we came over in 2003 to perform for the kids in the Shriners hospitals for two years. And we started street performing across America.

BWW: Tell us about the Sardine Family.

OG: My dad came up with that name before I was born. Our family was in the Ukraine at the time, working in the Tibetan Ukrainian Mountain Troupe. [Note: TUMT is a British traveling group.] We stumbled across them by accident; we met in the same rest area while we were traveling. We all got out of our vehicle - we were a large family squeezed into a small space - and the driver of one of the circus vehicles said, "look, sardines!" We stayed with them [TUMT] for quite a while. People know us all over now because of our name.

The Sardine Family is how I met my wife. We were performing at the Springfield, Massachusetts Shriners Hospital, and she lived across the street. She saw me training. She was twelve then, I was thirteen, and we became friends.

BWW: Pippin is your first theatrical performance as opposed to circus performance, correct?

OG: Yes.

BWW: What caused you to run away and join the theatre?

OG: That's a really good question! I was called, and I didn't realize what they were asking because I knew nothing about Broadway. But I'd like to compete at the Monte Carlo Festival [Note - the Monte Carlo Festival is a top circus performer competition] and I think the acting experience may help. And it's my big chance to be on Broadway! They'd been auditioning people for two years first, and they called me. The rest of my family's still performing together in San Francisco.

My family's always had the dream of starting their own circus. And getting to work with Gypsy Snider - she's famous in our world. She has her own circus, 7 Fingers.

BWW: Were you familiar with Pippin before you came to the show?

OG: I wasn't. I wasn't familiar with any theatre. This is a whole new world to me.

BWW: How different is it to be on stage as part of a play, from being in a circus act?

OG: It's very different. This show is perfectly timed. Learning the timing and count for every scene - it takes four or five seconds to get together for it. In circus you can take a moment to get yourself ready - here, you can't. It's scary for all of us acrobats.

Not being able to take a bow after doing a stunt is also different. I understand it's not about us as individuals but about building up the show, the story - but it's hard to get used to.

BWW: Does this experience make you want to take up acting or singing? Are you ready for that Equity card?

OG: I really am! Actually, ever since I was a kid I've dreamed of being in the movie industry. This has been a great experience. Broadway actors dedicate their lives to this the way I have to the circus.

BWW: When the run of the show is over, is it back to the circus?

OG: I think so. I really want to compete in the Monte Carlo Festival. And maybe I'll try for the movies.

Photo Credit: A.R.T.