The New Victory Theater Presents CIRCUS ABYSSINIA: ETHIOPIAN DREAMS

This holiday season, experience the magical journey of two Ethiopian brothers, Bibi and Bichu, who realize a lifelong wish to run away with the circus. In Circus Abyssinia: Ethiopian Dreams, two young boys discover a world of wonder, full of dreamers like them: agile tumblers who ricochet around the stage, elastic contortionists who twist into unfathomable shapes, and expert jugglers who exchange an endless array of objects. Circus Abyssinia: Ethiopian Dreams weaves together heart-stopping stunts with the irresistible rhythms of Ethiopian music and song to create a family-friendly spectacle of infectious joy and effervescent energy! The all-Ethiopian troupe vaults onto the New Victory stage this holiday season from November 30 - December 30, 2018.

Bibi and Bichu are two real-life brothers who saw a circus on the television and vowed to one day be in the Big Top. But for all its rich and vibrant cultural traditions, Ethiopia had no circus tradition, so the brothers taught and trained themselves, flipping and tumbling for the jostling crowds of their hometown. As teenagers, they joined the emerging Circus Jimma and toured throughout Europe. Eventually, over twenty years ago, they moved to London.

Since then, Bibi and Bichu have become an acclaimed juggling duo, appearing on BBC's Justin's House, the Olivier Award-winning English National Opera production of Akhnaten, and with the performing groups Gandini Juggling and Giffords Circus. Bibi and Bichu will appear in Tim Burton's upcoming film, Dumbo, scheduled for release in March 2019.

To support the next generation of circus artists in Ethiopia, Bibi and Bichu have been sponsoring circus schools in Addis Ababa for several years: Circus Wingate since 2010 and Bita Brothers Circus since 2016. There, they discovered a troupe of incredible acrobats who started out like they did, as buskers and street performers honing their skills on city streets with no expectation of pay. In 2017, the brothers established their own company and teamed up to start the first circus created for and by Ethiopians: Circus Abyssinia.

Bibi and Bichu hold the record for being the longest-serving juggling act in England's Giffords Circus! Prior to developing Circus Abyssinia: Ethiopian dreams, the brothers traveled all over the U.K. with the acclaimed troupe throughout 2015 and 2016.

Circus Abyssinia: Ethiopian dreams is directed by Binyam "Bichu" Tesfamariam and produced by Mehari "Bibi" Tesfamariam. On stage they are joined by the acrobats of the Circus Abyssinia Troupe: Sisay Abebe, Yabsera Alebachew, Etsegenet Ashenafi, Endalkachew Belaynehe, Tesfamichael Bilal, Betelhem Dejene, Befekadu Esmael, Fikir Gebremedhin, Semeret Getachew, Daniel Gezahegn, Abraham Lemma, Ermiyas Manayeh, Alemayehu Mulugeta, Ezera Nigusse, Helen Shimeles, Abraham Tadesse, Abraham Tamrat and Tarekegn Teshome. Gaby Cooke is the stage manager, Elshaday Shimels is the tour manager and Mark Whatmough is the lighting designer.

Learn more about Circus Abyssinia at NewVictory.org.