WLHS Class of '61

 

Reception and Show are Scheduled


Greetings from beautiful West Lafayette, IN.....

 The plans are complete and Tom will be at our 5pm reception with heavy hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar on Thursday October 13th in the Anniversary Drawing Room of Purdue Memorial Union.  That's located on the second floor, East End.  There is an elevator from the Union Club Hotel Lobby if needed.  The showing of The Flight Fantastic will be at 7pm in Stewart Center Fowler Hall which we can walk to from the reception.

 If you are in town on Wednesday the film "Moon Over Broadway" will be shown in the evening at 7pm in the Pao Theater Arts Building located behind St. Tom's Catholic Church on Marsteller Street.  That will be shown in Mallett Theater.  There is no charge for either film and Tom is featured in this film as the director of this Carol Burnett film,  "Moon over Buffalo".

 The cost per person is $30 which is due to Mary Enos by October 7th so we have a final count for the Catering Department.

 Please make the checks payable to:

 Mary Enos

Mail to:

703 N. Chauncey Ave

West Lafayette, IN 47906


Questions?  Call Mary 765-543-1010

A Review and trailer below provides more details of the film

Contact Mary if you are interested.

Praise for THE FLIGHT FANTASTIC... 

"The Gaonas light up the screen with their blazing charisma...You will love the circus spirit of this documentary." -  Sydney Levine,  Indiewire
 

"Exhilarating...THE FLIGHT FANTASTIC is both a lively biography of the Mexican circus family and a primer on trapeze as both art form and joyous expression...While detailing the Flying Gaonas' fame and influence, Moore emphasizes that they're part of a continuum: trapeze performers who perfect their soaring artistry then teach earthbound enthusiasts how they, too, can take flight."  
-  Serena Donadoni, Village Voice
 

"Magnetic...propelled by archival footage and vivid recollections, THE FLIGHT FANTASTIC moves engagingly from the early days to the spotlight years. Tito Gaona’s quest to become the first aerialist to execute a quadruple somersault in performance makes an especially compelling segment. And the family’s work in more recent years to pass along the art form is a nice coda." -  Neil Genzlinger, New York Times 

"A big top dynasty gets its due...great fun." -  John Defore,  The Hollywood Reporter 

"Leave it to director Tom Moore to bring [The Flying Gaonas] vibrant legacy to life...In THE FLIGHT FANTASTIC  we find him at his most playful, interspersing the history of the Gaonas, with anecdotes about loving cinema and the power of art in healing." -  Jose Solis,  Stage Buddy 

"You'll be in for one hell of an airborne ride...Moore has assembled an enormous collection...of trapeze history, which turns out to be every bit as fascinating as the aerialists themselves." -  James Van Maanen, Trust Movies 


"It may just be one of the artsiest sports or the sportiest forms of art which most of us take for granted. Yet, while seeing THE FLIGHT FANTATIC we are all reminded of what an incredible undertaking the art of trapeze really is...Chalk up your hands, climb the tall ladder, swing, break, leap, flip and let its passion catch you. You will not be disappointed." -  Tony Pinizzotto, Edge Media

See Trailer Below

 


A Story of Legend and Legacy on the Flying Trapeze


A Film By Tom Moore

 

Now Playing - CINEMA VILLAGE  
(22 East 12th Street - NYC)  

www.theflightfantasticfilm.com 

 

This fascinating look at the world of the flying trapeze centers on one of the greatest acts in circus history, The Flying Gaonas. First performing on a trampoline, the Gaonas went on to become a star attraction for the best circuses in the world, including Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. Long-time Broadway Director (and trapeze flyer) Tom Moore brings their story to life through interviews with family members and colorful archival material. The Gaonas light up the screen with their blazing charisma, a quality that is undiminished in their "second act". Having left the center ring, we see them pass the torch through teaching and coaching to new generations.

 


"The First Family of the Air..."

In the days when the circus was one of the most important events of the year and when audiences went to see their favorite performers each and every season, The Flying Gaonas were Big Top royalty. Often called the "First Family of the Air", The Flying Gaonas are a 4th generation Mexican circus family. They began their careers on the trampoline, but quickly took to the air.

In their time, they were the headliners in circuses around the world. Most notably, they performed for 17 years with Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey, The Big Apple and the legendary European circuses. For this, The Flying Gaonas won the circus world's highest award, The Golden Clown, at the international circus festival at Monte Carlo - the Oscars of the circus world.  

The charismatic and very handsome Tito was the center of the act and one of the foremost innovators in the world of trapeze. It is said that Tito communicated with an audience as if he or she was a very personal friend, and he could mesmerize 25,000 or 40,000 people at a time.  

 

Director Tom Moore


The Flight Fantastic 
is Tom Moore’s first documentary feature, although he has had a long career in theatre, film, and television fiction. 

In the theatre, he is best known as the director of the original production of  Grease, which ran for eight years and is one of the longest running shows in the history of Broadway. 

He directed the film of Night Mother with Sissy Spacek and Anne Bancroft, following his direction of the Broadway production with Kathy Bates, which was awarded the Pulitzer prize, and for which he received his second Tony nomination 

On television, he has helmed episodes of  ER (Emmy nomination),  Mad About You (Emmy nomination),  L.A. Law (Emmy nomination),  Cheers,  Ally McBeal,  Gilmore Girls,  ThirtysomethingCybil and many others.
 

As an avocation, Tom is actively involved with the Circus Arts, and spends as much time as possible on the flying trapeze.

 

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