Monday, July 16, 2007
Clown prince
7-year-old Tony Murcia carries on his family's centuries-old legacy in a traveling circus.
Tony Murcia has some big shoes to fill.
As he quietly shines his black clown boots, the 7-year-old is a professional. Tony is a 10th-generation circus performer, and he has come to town for the Salem Fair.
Every week for 10 months of the year, Tony and his family travel around the country -- sometimes even overseas -- performing with Victoria Circus. On the road, they live in a 36-foot camper.
Tony has several parts in the act: He's the emcee for his mother's high-wire show; he's the "Jumping Sensation" on the trampoline; and he's a clown.
Two weeks ago, from backstage, Tony was giving the crowd at the Salem Fair a play-by-play of his mother's show. "Let's hear it for Victoria!" he shouted at the end.
Seconds later, he emerged from behind a curtain for his clown act. The crowd, in one synchronized move, whipped out cameras and cellphones to capture Tony in his showbiz glory: round plastic glasses, red pants held up with suspenders and oversized shoes with bulbous toes.
He didn't disappoint as he performed magic tricks that have been handed down through the generations. As his act ended, children erupted with applause and laughter.
Back in the camper, Tony took off his shoes to reveal a blistered toe. Though they were custom-made in Colombia and sent by his grandfather, the shoes are still new to Tony. His mom covered the blister with a bandage. The boy had another show in two hours.
