Image credit: Xander Toxic / Courtesy of Paranormal CirqueCARLISLE, Pa. — Something unusual is setting up beneath the big top at the Carlisle Fairgrounds this October.
Paranormal Cirque: Specter will bring its dark blend of circus, theater and cabaret to Carlisle for a four-day engagement October 9–12.
Produced by Cirque Italia, Specter takes the traditional circus format in a decidedly darker direction. Rather than a conventional family circus, the production combines acrobatics, theatrical performances and adult-oriented material with a supernatural atmosphere and European-inspired presentation.
Performers take to the air and stage beneath Paranormal Cirque's distinctive black-and-white big top, with the production promising a world populated by phantoms, apparitions and other macabre characters.
The Carlisle engagement includes six scheduled performances.
Friday, October 9 — 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 10 — 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Sunday, October 11 — 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
Monday, October 12 — 7:30 p.m.
The big top will be located at the Carlisle Fairgrounds, 1000 Bryn Mawr Road in Carlisle.
Unlike many circus productions, Paranormal Cirque is intended for a mature audience. The company advises that the show contains adult language and material, and guests under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Tickets start at $20, depending on availability. The production is also offering $5 off full-price tickets in Levels 1, 2 or 3 through a location-specific promotional code available by contacting Paranormal Cirque.
The on-site box office opens Tuesday during the week of the show. Box office hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on non-show days and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on performance days.
For Central Pennsylvania Halloween and strange-entertainment fans looking for something beyond the traditional haunted attraction, Specter offers a different kind of October experience: live circus performance wrapped in a darker theatrical world.