The Spooky Spectacle of Paranormal Cirque III
In November 2023, as we closed the book on an incredibly busy - and incredibly fun - “spooky season”, we were served a Facebook ad for a traveling performance that was putting on a show nearby. With no plans for the weekend and a mild interest in what had been advertised to us as an ‘R-rated horror circus’, we decided to venture out to see what the performance artists had to show us. This troupe, known only as “Paranormal Cirque”, put on such an amazing show that we left the tent feeling energized and spent the rest of the evening and several days afterwards obsessed with the different acts and how immersive and unconventional they were. Thus, when the same troupe returned to our relative area this past March, we cleared our calendars to be sure that we could attend the 2024 show.
Paranormal Cirque is, as aerialist and ticket manager Roxana Midi puts it, “a fun fusion between cabaret, burlesque, theatre and circus-traditional acts” with a horror twist. Unlike other branches maintained by parent entity Cirque Italia, Paranormal Cirque targets an adult audience. The show is strictly off-limits to guests under the age of 13, and ticket takers will also require guests aged 13-17 to be accompanied by a parent or guardian aged 18 or older. Rest assured that Cirque Italia has good reason to raise the ceiling for this performance; the acts are thematically mature, featuring decidedly ‘adult’ acts such as raunchy comedians, sexy burlesque dancers, cultists and rituals and even the occasional cameo from an iconic movie murderer. It is not a family-friendly performance, nor is it marketed to be; in fact, Cirque Italia has gone to great lengths to differentiate Paranormal Cirque from its other shows and performances nationwide, and its popularity as an adults-only experience has led to the development of three different troupes under the ‘Paranormal Cirque’ moniker that travel simultaneously and consistently sell out every show. It was our pleasure to have been able to attend Paranormal Cirque III as hosted media in Frederick, MD this past March, and once again we left the show with nothing but great things to say about our experience.
If you’re interested in attending Paranormal Cirque, your first step will be to buy tickets online. Although physical tickets are available from the booth onsite, you may find that the overwhelming majority of tickets have been sold if you wait until the day of the event to purchase tickets for the show. That being said, we’ve now experienced the performance from both the VIP front row seat and from the bleachers further towards the back, and we can say definitively that there isn’t a bad seat in the house - so be sure to swoop up whatever tickets you can! Another recommended course of action is to pick up some cash from your local ATM, as most add-on experiences onsite will be cash-only. Your experience at Paranormal Cirque arguably begins as you approach the breathtaking facade manifested by the colossal tent, with the front gates opening approximately 45 minutes before any given showtime. Once inside the main tent, you’ll find a number of vendors selling renaissance-faire-style horror and makeup props, as well as a concessions booth and some photo ops. You’ll also discover that the tent itself is warm during the winter, and cool during the summer; thanks to interior temperature control. Most notably, you’ll find a pop-up haunted house attraction filled to the brim with scare actors and themed environments that are quite immersive, despite having been set and staged no more than 72 hours prior!
Once you’ve gotten your popcorn and taken your obligatory run at the haunted house, it’ll be time to make your way to your seat. Like any live performance in an event venue, the ushers will meet you at the door to check your ticket and escort you to your seat. The earlier you arrive to that seat, the better. You’ll get to watch the projection-mapped preshow on the mesh screen separating the audience from the main stage while the performers rally for the opening act - and you may get an opportunity to pose with a horror icon as photographers make their way around with a stuffy of a horror icon. At the time of our last visit, each souvenir photo cost approximately $15 in cash-only transactions and came with a commemorative paper frame from the event. You may also have yet another opportunity to purchase concessions, as a limited number of vendors will canvas the tent before the show and during the intermission. When the lights go down, it’s time to put your phones away and settle in for the first hour and a half of the show.
““My favorite reaction(s) of people is when their jaws drop open - when I see that there is like a big ‘wow’ on their face. I personally lose a tear sometimes in the act. It’s so deep.””
At this point, it’d be a shame to spoil the twists, turns and unbelievably intense acts that you have ahead of you…but suffice it to say, Roxana’s description of the performance is spot-on. You’ll be party to series of acts that can’t be replicated anywhere else in the world, from cabaret to burlesque to aerialists to cyclists to jugglers and so much more. Some of the acts have been known to leave the audience literally speechless, questioning the fabric of reality and the laws of physics…while others had us in stitches from laughing so hard. There are also some rather emotional performances bridging the two different tones seamlessly; particularly those of the aerialists and contortionists. “My favorite reaction(s) of people is when their jaws drop open,” says Roxana, “when I see that there is like a big ‘wow’ on their face. I personally lose a tear sometimes in the act; it’s so deep.” The only interruption to the cavalcade of wonderful weirdness is a tactically placed intermission, which allows you the opportunity to run outside to the Porta Johns, grab yourself an extra beer or hot dog or (most importantly) secure a souvenir photo with the actual performers, as available.
When all is said and done, we believe that Paranormal Cirque is a show that must be seen by any adult who appreciates spooky theming, comedy, art or performance pieces - and especially by any adult who has affinity for all four of those theatrical pillars. And, to those who may have seen the show once or twice before, we’d strongly encourage returning to experience the show again this year. A number of new acts were added and changes made between the performance that we saw in November 2023 and the performance that we saw in March 2024, making this experience one that is worth revisiting again and again to see what’s new and relish in what’s “old”. We would have (and will do) driven out to see the show even if we’d not been able to attend as media guests, but we were beyond grateful to Roxana Midi, Alina Patrana, Charles Herwig and Luisa Nealon for coordinating our visit. If you still need more convincing, you can check out our experience vlog below to get a little sneak peek into some of the acts and performances that await you in this carnival of chaos!
