Photos: The final days of the Ringling Bros. circus
The AP goes behind the scenes with Ring Bros. circus performers as they live the last days of "The Greatest Show on Earth."
Boss clown Sandor Eke hugs fellow clowns as he holds his 2-year-old son, Michael after the red unit's final performance, Sunday, May 7, 2017, in Providence, R.I. "The Greatest Show on Earth" is about to put on its last show on earth. For the performers who travel with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, its demise means the end of a unique way of life for hundreds of performers and crew members. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
The Desert Goddesses perform on camels during a show, Thursday, May 4, 2017, in Providence, R.I. "The Greatest Show on Earth" is about to put on its last show on earth. For the performers who travel with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, its demise means the end of a unique way of life for hundreds of performers and crew members. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Boss clown Sandor Eke, left, shaves with help from his 2-year-old son, Michael, before putting on his makeup before the opening performance, Friday, May 5, 2017, in Providence, R.I. Eke performed and worked in different roles with Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus for more than 20 years before acting in the red unit's last show in Providence on May 7. After 146 years in operation, the circus will shut its curtain for the last time when the blue unit performs its last show in Uniondale, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Ringling Bros. boss clown Sandor Eke, center, holds his 2-year-old son Michael up to pet a camel before performing in a show, Friday, May 5, 2017, in Providence, R.I. "When you're a circus kid you have your own zoo," said Eke. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Boss clown Sandor Eke, left, shaves with help from his 2-year-old son, Michael, before putting on his makeup before the opening performance, Friday, May 5, 2017, in Providence, R.I. Eke performed and worked in different roles with Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus for more than 20 years before acting in the red unit's last show in Providence on May 7. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Ringling Bros. clown Beth Walters writes in a journal in her living quarters on the circus' train before heading off to the arena to perform in a show, Thursday, May 4, 2017, in Providence, R.I. Walters had taken down most of the photos and decorations in her room to prepare to move out and head home after the red unit's final performance. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus red unit train passes over a bridge Monday, May 1, 2017, in Enfield, Conn. as it makes its way to Providence, R.I. The train, which is about a mile long, carries the crew, performers and equipment to a different city each week. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Ringling Bros. boss clown Sandor Eke carries his 2-year-old son, Michael, on his shoulders as he walks to the bus that will take them to the arena for a show, Thursday, May 4, 2017, in Providence, R.I. Someday, he plans to teach his son juggling and other circus skills, but Eke knows he may never join the circus. Eke’s wife, a former circus aerialist, has already established their new home in Las Vegas. When the circus closes, Eke hopes to get a job as a “flair” bartender there, doing tricks like juggling bottles, but he wonders how life will change. “My normal life is this. My normal life is going on the train, going every week to a different city. It’s crazy how much I love circus,” Eke says. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Ringling Bros. boss clown Sandor Eke dusts his face with powder before performing in a show, Friday, May 5, 2017, in Providence, R.I. One of Eke’s earliest memories is of an elephant comforting him, stretching its trunk through his trailer window, while he lay recovering from an illness. Eke’s Hungarian parents were performing at the time at a circus in Sweden, and Eke was just a toddler. A few years later, he’d be a circus performer himself, and aspiring to come to America to join Ringling. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Concessions manager Jeannie Hamilton helps a customer at one of the many memorabilia booths after a show, Saturday, May 6, 2017, in Providence, R.I. While people talk about running away with the circus as freeing, Hamilton said she sometimes felt constrained _ either stuck at the arena or stuck on the train. But Hamilton decided to spend that last trip soaking it all in. “Anytime the train was moving, I was on the vestibule,” she said, referring to the small standing area between train cars. “Now that it’s coming to an end, I was trying to enjoy every minute of it.” (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Rev. Jerry Hogan, of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Circus and Traveling Shows Ministry, leads a baptism service for the son of a member of the crew before a Ringling Bros. circus show at the Dunkin Donuts Center, Thursday, May 4, 2017, in Providence, R.I. Hogan's vestments were made by the costume department from old elephant blankets. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Beth Walters, left, and Stephen Craig, both clowns with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus talk during the clowns' final group breakfast, Thursday, May 4, 2017, in Providence, R.I. "The Greatest Show on Earth" is about to put on its last show on earth. For the performers who travel with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, its demise means the end of a unique way of life for hundreds of performers and crew members. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Ringling Bros. circus clown Stephen Craig brushes his teeth in his living compartment on the red unit's train before heading to the arena to perform in a show, Thursday, May 4, 2017, in Providence, R.I. Craig hadn't given a thought to joining the circus until he was out of college, ending up here because of his love of acting. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Children's toys sit on the train tracks beneath the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus train as it sits parked in a rail yard, Thursday, May 4, 2017, in Providence, R.I. "The Greatest Show on Earth" is about to put on its last show on earth. For the performers who travel with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, its demise means the end of a unique way of life for hundreds of performers and crew members. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Rev. Jerry Hogan, left, of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Circus and Traveling Shows Ministry, leads a baptism service for 6-year-old Eddie Strickland, the son of Jimmie Strickland, a member of the crew before a Ringling Bros. circus show at the Dunkin Donuts Center, Thursday, May 4, 2017, in Providence, R.I. Hogan's vestments were made by the costume department from old elephant blankets. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
A cabinet door inside a clown's living quarters on the train displays messages and signatures from past clowns who have lived in that room, Thursday, May 4, 2017, in Providence, R.I. "The Greatest Show on Earth" is about to put on its last show on earth. For the performers who travel with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, its demise means the end of a unique way of life for hundreds of performers and crew members. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
The audience reacts to performers on the high wire during a performance, Saturday, May 6, 2017, in Providence, R.I. "The Greatest Show on Earth" is about to put on its last show on earth. For the performers who travel with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, its demise means the end of a unique way of life for hundreds of performers and crew members. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Nicole Sanders flies through the air after being shot from a cannon during a show, Thursday, May 4, 2017, in Providence, R.I. "The Greatest Show on Earth" is about to put on its last show on earth. For the performers who travel with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, its demise means the end of a unique way of life for hundreds of performers and crew members. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Clowns Gabor Hrisafis, left, and Beth Walters talk in a hallway of the Dunkin Donuts center before a performance, Thursday, May 4, 2017, in Providence, R.I. "The Greatest Show on Earth" is about to put on its last show on earth. For the performers who travel with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, its demise means the end of a unique way of life for hundreds of performers and crew members. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
The Danguir high wire troupe performs during a show, Sunday, May 7, 2017, in Providence, R.I. Mustafa Danguir is the first in his family to perform in the circus. He was discovered doing acrobatic tricks as a child in Tangier, Morocco, and invited to circus school. His wife, Anna Lebedeva, originally from Moscow, is sixth-generation circus. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Ringling Bros. high wire performer Anna Lebedeva stands next to her 3-month-old son, Amir, in his stroller while waiting to go on for the show's finale, Friday, May 5, 2017, in Providence, R.I. Lebedeva and her husband, fellow performer Mustafa Danguir, dream of starting their own show, or maybe opening a circus school in Morocco to teach future generations. They’re optimistic something good will come along. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
The red unit of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus opens a show, Sunday, May 7, 2017, in Providence, R.I. "The Greatest Show on Earth" is about to put on its last show on earth. For the performers who travel with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, its demise means the end of a unique way of life for hundreds of performers and crew members. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Ringmaster Kristen Michelle Wilson, right, hugs a member of the crew after the red unit's final performance, Sunday, May 7, 2017, in Providence, R.I. For the performers who travel with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, its demise means the end of a unique way of life for hundreds of performers and crew members. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Members of the Ringling Bros. Circus Mongolian Marvels warm up backstage before performing, Friday, May 5, 2017, in Providence, R.I. "The Greatest Show on Earth" is about to put on its last show on earth. For the performers who travel with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, its demise means the end of a unique way of life for hundreds of performers and crew members. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Ringling Bros. clown Ivan Skinfill poses for a selfie photo with children during the intermission of a show, Thursday, May 4, 2017, in Providence, R.I. "The Greatest Show on Earth" is about to put on its last show on earth. For the performers who travel with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, its demise means the end of a unique way of life for hundreds of performers and crew members. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Ringling Bros. tiger trainer Taba Maluenda performs with a white tiger during a show, Thursday, May 4, 2017, in Providence, R.I. Maluenda has been with some of the cats for 13 years, has raised them from cubs. But they’re owned by Feld Entertainment, which owns Ringling, and he has to say goodbye. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Ringling Bros. clowns Sandor Eke, left, and Ivan Skinfill perform during the intermission of a show, Saturday, May 6, 2017, in Providence, R.I. Knowing it’s coming to an end has been difficult for his fellow performers and crew, and Eke been spending his time trying to make his circus family laugh. “I don’t stop until they smile. And I do everything. I don’t care if I have to dive into a trash can. That’s how I want to be remembered. And that’s how I want to remember myself,” he says. “I’m going to go and cry. But I’m going to be happy.” (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Ringling Bros. tiger trainer Taba Maluenda reacts after finishing his last performance with the red unit, Thursday, May 4, 2017, in Providence, R.I. Maluenda has been with some of the cats for 13 years, has raised them from cubs. But they’re owned by Feld Entertainment, which owns Ringling, and he has to say goodbye. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Ringling Bros. clowns take a break between acts in "Clown Alley," a private area backstage, Friday, May 5, 2017, in Providence, R.I. Clown Alley is not just a place: the private area backstage where clowns get ready to perform. It’s how the clowns refer to themselves, a mini-fraternity within the circus, and a microcosm of it. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Kristen Michelle Wilson, the first female ringmaster for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus, stands backstage as she prepares to open the show, Friday, May 5, 2017, in Providence, R.I. "The Greatest Show on Earth" is about to put on its last show on earth. For the performers who travel with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, its demise means the end of a unique way of life for hundreds of performers and crew members. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Ringling Bros. clown Ivan Vargas speaks on a video call with his parents during the intermission of a show, Friday, May 5, 2017, in Providence, R.I. Vargas' parents work with Ringling's other circus unit, the blue unit, which will be finishing up in Uniondale, N.Y. on Sunday. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Ringling Bros. clown Brian Wright holds his clown bible, Saturday, May 6, 2017, in Providence, R.I. Wright started collecting signatures four years ago when he joined the circus. It is now filled with memories, thoughts and jokes from clowns past, along with their pictures. He says he plans to give it to the International Clown Hall of Fame in Baraboo, Wis. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Ringling Bros. clown Brian Wright relaxes before a show as Truett Adams puts on a wig, Thursday, May 4, 2017, in Providence, R.I."The Greatest Show on Earth" is about to put on its last show on earth. For the performers who travel with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, its demise means the end of a unique way of life for hundreds of performers and crew members. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
A man waves to people visible on the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey red unit train as it passes by, Monday, May 1, 2017, in Enfield, Conn. "The Greatest Show on Earth" is about to put on its last show on earth. For the performers who travel with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, its demise means the end of a unique way of life for hundreds of performers and crew members.(AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Clowns with the Ringling Bros. circus red unit wait backstage for the start of the show, Friday, May 5, 2017, in Providence, R.I. "The Greatest Show on Earth" is about to put on its last show on earth. For the performers who travel with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, its demise means the end of a unique way of life for hundreds of performers and crew members. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Ringling Bros. boss clown Sandor Eke, left, and Ivan Vargas put on makeup as Eke's 2-year-old son Michael watches videos on a phone before a performance, Friday, May 5, 2017, in Providence, R.I. "The Greatest Show on Earth" is about to put on its last show on earth. For the performers who travel with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, its demise means the end of a unique way of life for hundreds of performers and crew members. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Beth Walters, takes a break in Clown Alley between acts during a show with the Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus red unit, Friday, May 5, 2017, in Providence, R.I. "The Greatest Show on Earth" is about to put on its last show on earth. For the performers who travel with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, its demise means the end of a unique way of life for hundreds of performers and crew members. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Boss clown Sandor Eke juggles with fire during a show, Thursday, May 4, 2017, in Providence, R.I. "The Greatest Show on Earth" is about to put on its last show on earth. For the performers who travel with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, its demise means the end of a unique way of life for hundreds of performers and crew members. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Boss clown Sandor Eke helps his 2-year-old son. Michael Eke step off the Ringling Bros. circus red unit's traveling train parked in a rail yard as they head to the arena for a show, Thursday, May 4, 2017, in Providence, R.I. Someday, he plans to teach his son juggling and other circus skills, but Eke knows he may never join the circus. Eke’s wife, a former circus aerialist, has already established their new home in Las Vegas. When the circus closes, Eke hopes to get a job as a “flair” bartender there, doing tricks like juggling bottles, but he wonders how life will change. “My normal life is this. My normal life is going on the train, going every week to a different city. It’s crazy how much I love circus,” Eke says. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Ringling Bros. boss clown Sandor Eke hugs his 2-year-old son Michael after the red unit's final show, Sunday, May 7, 2017, in Providence, R.I. "The Greatest Show on Earth" is about to put on its last show on earth. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
PETA, Humane Society of the United States condemn Carson & Barnes Circus over elephant's escape in Butte on Tuesday.
"The Greatest Show on Earth" is making a comeback — without animal acts — five years after shutting down its three-ring circus, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey announced Wednesday.
A look at what audiences can expect during the show's upcoming 2023 North American tour.
The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus has been reimagined and reborn without animals as a high-octane family event with highwire tricks, soaring trapeze artists and bicycles leaping on trampolines.
The elephant's escape from her leaser, the Jordan World Circus, outraged many, including officials with PETA, the world’s largest animal rights organization.
