Ring in the new year in Indio with a circus featuring ghost hunters, zombies and serial killers
The circus is coming to Indio, but this show isn't for the kids.
A unique act featuring flying cannibals, acrobatic zombies and juggling serial killers, Paranormal Cirque is for mature audiences. No one under 13 will be allowed into the show, and teens must be accompanied by adults.
Those who do attend, however, can decide just how scary things will get, depending on whether they go to the pre-show that kicks off Paranormal Cirque every night.
"If you're afraid of people scaring you, if that's not your bag ... you can also just skip the pre-show and arrive at showtime. The actual show is not so scary, but it is a horror-themed circus," said Steve Copeland, a performer in the circus act. He added that the main attraction contains "bad language and adult sexual humor."
Paranormal Cirque will take place at the Indio Grand Marketplace, with an opening night at 9 p.m. Saturday that includes a New Year's Eve party. Tickets are sold at paranormalcirque.com or at the ticket office in front of the circus tent and prices range from $20 to $85.
And if getting scared is "your bag," as Copeland put it, show up early: The pre-show starts an hour before the time listed for each two-hour-long main show.
Aside from the scary stuff, Paranormal Cirque also has elements of theatre and cabaret with European flair given that it was developed by Cirque Italia, an Italian entertainment company.
"Cirque Italia is always looking for new, innovative ways to entertain Americans," Copeland said. "And, you know, the circus is usually associated with kids, but why can't adults go out and have a fun time? There's every kind of entertainment that can be just for adults, so why not (the) circus too?"
The show boasts "careful casting" that brings together "the best circus artists from all over the world." Expect a production with "mystifying magic" and a "wheel of death," hosted by two ghost hunters — one played by Copeland and another by Ryan Combs.
Paranormal Cirque first went on the road in May 2021, Copeland said, and has also had shows in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. This will be the second stop it makes in Indio, but those who have seen it before can still expect surprises.
"Even if you saw us last year, things are gonna be different because we get bored easily and we also have a hard time remembering what we're supposed to do," Copeland joked of the ghost hunter characters, who guide the audience through a "haunted world" each night.
He said his role is highly improvisational and encourages audience interaction, including a lucky volunteer who will share the stage with the ghost hunters and others in Paranormal Cirque.
"Also, at any point in the show, if the audience yells out something, we're gonna use it. This is a show where we encourage heckling, because it gives us a new way to interact and just increases the unique experience for every audience," Copeland said.
He emphasized that the Indio audience will get a first look into new acts as part of Paranormal Cirque's upcoming season for 2023.
Other Paranormal Cirque dates in Indio are:
Sunday, Jan. 1 at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 5, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 6, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 7, 6:30 p.m and 9:30 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 8, 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 9, 7:30 p.m.
Eliana Perez covers the eastern Coachella Valley, including the cities of Indio and Coachella. Reach her at eliana.perez@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ElianaPress.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Circus featuring zombies, serial killers coming to Indio: Paranormal Cirque
