Most students at Florida State are aware of the Flying High Circus at our University, which is one of the only two collegiate circuses in the United States. The circus is a year-round program run and participated in by Florida State students. 

The Flying High Circus was founded in 1947 by Jack Hasin. The circus was an extracurricular activity under the Division of Student Affairs at Florida State University and the implementation of the program was designed to integrate men and women at the newly co-ed institution. The students who perform in the circus do not receive any college credit and simply participate just for fun. The shows are not amateur; in fact, the performances rivals that of a professional show. Not only do students participate in the show, they are also involved in the production and behind-the-scenes set up. Students help set up the big tent, choreograph routines, sew costumes and everything in between.

The Flying High Circus is featuring a Halloween show series called Halloween Extravaganza. The show will be presented on October 24th, 25th, 31st and November 1st. The circus presents this Halloween show annually and expects the crowd to be sold out. They have been doing a variation of the Halloween Show for six years. The director, Chad Matthews said, “The themes kind of stay the same. So we try to keep it fresh as we can without overloading ourselves and flipping an entire show a year.”

It will be exciting to see what show the Flying Circus will present this year. So far, we know that they will present a show that is sure to be a thriller. The show will most likely feature zombies breaking into dance, skeletons flying through the air and spooky acrobatic acts. Director Chad Matthews also adds, “The music, lighting, costumes and makeup transform the show into something you won’t see any other time.” The student’s train for all their performances weeks and months in advance, and the cast has been working diligently to prepare for the upcoming Halloween shows later this month.