SPECTACLE MAGAZINE: “…we hired Shanda Sawyer [as director] because we felt she was the most talented and the best person to bring our idea to life and conceptualize it in the circus.”
It all started with the Chinese calendar. The year 2012 is the year of the dragon. That simple fact proven to be the inspiration for the new Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Blue unit. “We decided as a company that we wanted to celebrate the Year of the Dragon,” Alana Feld says, by way of beginning our conversation. “Once we had that concept we hired Shanda Sawyer because we felt she was the most talented and the best person to bring our idea to life and conceptualize it in the circus. Read more ...
Shanda Sawyer Helms Marvel Universe Live
Emmy-award winning director Shanda Sawyer brought her sense of spectacle to the fore in creating and directing Marvel Universe Live for Feld Entertainment. “Feld had brought me in to re-imagine the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus for them in 2006,” she says, "and we forged a wonderful relationship." Read more ...
METRO.US ENTERTAINMENT REVIEW: “Marvel Universe LIVE!” is sheer fun. You don’t need any knowledge of the Marvel universe to enjoy yourself, and you don’t need to be a child — but you may need a giant popcorn to kick back and take in a show that’s pure, unadulterated entertainment.
Kids aren't the only ones who are going to get a kick out of "Marvel Universe LIVE!" They do make up a huge portion of the attendees, but their parents, older siblings and other adult comic fans have plenty to look forward to if they've snagged tickets to the sold-out show, which only runs through Aug. 17 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Read more ...
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: “…undeniable nerdy fun.”
Spidey is joining forces with the Avengers for a live arena tour, and EW had prime seats. Is it worth the cash--and the headaches? Read more ...
NY DAILY NEWS: “…eye-popping video technology.”
Kid-favorite characters like Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Spider-Man and Wolverine come to life in this a new live arena show that lands in Izod Center on Thursday and follows with four-day stints in Barclays Center and Nassau Coliseum. Read more ...
ABC7: Buckle your seat belts ’cause it’s going to be a wild ride!
Given unprecedented backstage access by Feld Entertainment, host and WABC-TV's meteorologist Bill Evans takes viewers on an incredible, thrill ride as Marvel Heroes and Villains do battle to save the world. With movie-like stunts performed right before their eyes, audiences are catapulted into the world of Ironman, Captain America, Spiderman, Wolverine, Thor, Hulk, Loki, Green Goblin and Red Skull, just to name a few. Read more ...
Chicago Theater Beat: “Dragons!…one of the most bountiful extravaganzas to play either Chicago-area venue. Run off to see this circus! “
The rigging is ready. The popcorn is hot. Celebrating the Year of the Dragon with as much Chinese fervor as Cirque Shanghai ever mustered, this year’s edition of the greatest show on earth pulls out the stops to dazzle and delight–even more so than in past Chicago tours of this unashamedly complete circus spectacular. Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey have come to town(s)—Rosemont and Chicago to be precise. It’s Halloween, Christmas and New Year’s Eve all in one splendid setting. Read more ...
NY TIMES: “Zing Zang Zoom, is an artful eyeful, liberally spiced with mystifying magic.”
Forget Punxsutawney Phil. Forget Staten Island Chuck. They are so February. For a true indicator of the advent of spring, nothing beats the arrival of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. And this year’s edition, titled “Zing Zang Zoom,” is an artful eyeful, liberally spiced with mystifying magic. Read more ...
NY TIMES: “In a Daring Leap, Ringling Loses Its Three Rings”
And now, ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages, step right up and meet the no-ring circus. For the first time in its history, the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus will present a new show to its audiences without three rings, or two -- or even one. Read more ...
NY TIMES: “…A charming reality show, ‘Who Needs Hollywood?’ directed by Shanda Sawyer”
In the Catskills, at least, there are a few people who will not appear on television at any price, particularly if it interferes with lunch. Read more ...