ELLENTON, Fla. -- After 146 years, the curtain is coming down on "The Greatest Show on Earth." The owner of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus said the show will close forever in May.
The iconic American spectacle was felled by a variety of factors, company executives say. Declining attendance combined with high operating costs, along with changing public tastes and prolonged battles with animal-welfare groups all contributed to its demise.
"There isn't any one thing," said Kenneth Feld, chairman and CEO of Feld Entertainment. "This has been a very difficult decision for me and for the entire family."
The company broke the news to circus employees Saturday night after shows in Orlando and Miami.
Ringling Bros. has two touring circuses this season and will perform 30 shows between now and May. Major stops include Atlanta, Boston, Brooklyn, Philadelphia and Washington. The final shows will be in Providence, R.I., on May 7 and in Uniondale, N.Y., at the Nassau County Coliseum on May 21.
The circus, with its exotic animals, flashy costumes and acrobats, has been a staple of entertainment in the United States since the mid-1800s.
A Section on 01/15/2017