Saturday, April 6 at 6 p.m.—RUTLAND—Wonderfeet Kids’ Museum, Rutland’s very own children’s museum located in the Energy Innovation Center on Merchants Row, is bringing a fun-filled night of family entertainment to The Paramount Theatre stage, 30 Center St., Rutland this Saturday. Nationally renowned circus performer Troy Wunderle will be entertaining families for the evening, and welcoming local kids to join him onstage. Wonderfeet is working with Wunderle to offer a two-hour clowning and circus workshop on Saturday morning. Kids will learn a variety of skills from improv and miming to plate spinning and juggling. All of the workshop participants will also get to appear in the evening’s show with Wunderle at The Paramount.
Wonderfeet has planned for this to be an evening for the whole family. Troy’s performances are appealing to all ages from preschoolers to grandparents. Wonderfeet board member Nicole Mastroenin says, “Tickets to the show are just $15 each, so people should bring the whole family and make it a great night out. Kids will get a kick out of seeing their friends on stage clowning around and There will be a concession stand and 50/50 raffle. We hope this is just one more great memory families create with Wonderfeet.”
Families can find more information about signing up for Troy’s Circus Workshop at www.wonderfeetkidsmuseum.org/events The workshop is $50 per student, but includes their ticket to the 6 p.m. show. “Working with Troy feels like an extension of what kids do at Wonderfeet. We want them to use their imaginations, be creative, try new things and explore. Getting to actually join the circus is something many of us probably dreamt about as a kid!” says Wonderfeet Executive Director, Danielle Monroe.
Troy Wunderle is the founding director of Wunderle’s Big Top Adventures. He spent 27 years directing Circus Smirkus and 6 years as director of Clowning for the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He is a juried artist through the Vermont State Arts Council. Troy is the 2022 recipient of the American Circus
Educators Excellence in Circus Education Award. Troy is a proud native of Vermont. For the past 27 years, he has toured throughout the United States as a freelance performer and employee of Vermont’s own Circus Smirkus. His antics have been featured on the Disney channel, The Today Show, Martha Stewart, Chronicle, Fetch, Fox and Friends and America’s Funniest Home Videos.
All money raised during this event will go towards Wonderfeet Kids’ Museum – ensuring that admission cost stays affordable for all families in Rutland County and that we can continue to offer reduced-price memberships to families in need.
Wonderfeet Kids’ Museum has worked with The Paramount Theatre in the past on their Lip Sync Battle fundraiser which has raised over $100,000 over the years. This year, Wonderfeet decided to take a break from the Lip Sync Battle while they are planning for their Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting Celebration on May 11. The Wonderfeet Lip Sync Battle will return in 2025!
Wunderle’s Big Top Fun is presented by MKF Properties with additional support from Sotheby’s Four Seasons International Realty. All proceeds will benefit Wonderfeet Kids’ Museum, located at 66 Merchants Row in Rutland in the GMP Energy Innovation Center. Ticket sales support operations including outreach programs, ongoing exhibits, and affordable memberships to meet the needs of all members of our community.
Wonderfeet fosters curiosity and exploration, inspires creativity and ignites the imagination of every child through the power of play. For more information call (802) 282-2678 or visit WonderfeetKidsMuseum.org.
Photos courtesy bigtopadventures.com/shows
