Ringling brings a 3-Zing circus

By John Benson

Growing up in the Bay Area, Alex Ramon did many things as a kid. As a teenager he learned magic, entertained people at restaurants and eventually earned top awards and honors for his phenomenal talents. However, the one thing the Richmond, Calif., native never did was attend a circus show.

This is of note because now Ramon is known as the Magical Zingmaster Alex in the 139th edition of The Greatest Show On Earth. Equal parts magician and ringmaster, the unique performer is coming to Youngstown in Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s “Zing Zang Zoom” Thursday through March 7 at the Covelli Centre.

“It’s funny that I never saw the Ringling Bros. Circus, or any circus for that matter,” said Ramon, calling from Raleigh, N.C. “So it wasn’t until after the producers of Ringling Bros. asked me to be a part of the show, I was like, ‘Maybe I should see one.’ But I think that’s better because I didn’t have any preconceptions about what I should be doing and what it should be. ‘Zing Zang Zoom’ is a brand-new production and of course includes all of your favorite traditional circus acts, but they’re bridged together with magic and illusion that I’ll be performing.

“So for example, I do an illusion with a clown then we go into a clown gag. And I do an illusion with a minicannon and then we go into a human cannonball act. I do an illusion where I turn a man into a tiger and then we go into a tiger act. So they serve as transitions and branches the circus together, and it’s a really innovative performance. The thing about the magic is we’re performing the magic in a 360-degree environment for thousands of people a night.”

Performing for large audiences, especially kids, is nothing new to Ramon, who spent two years traveling the globe with “Disney Live! Mickey’s Magic Show,” which actually came through Youngstown. In fact, the magician believes that show was one of the first nonsporting events/ice events held at the Covelli Centre (then called the Chevrolet Centre).

As for “Zing Zang Zoom,” the show features plenty of clowns, acrobats and animals (elephants, tigers, horses, etc.). Still, it’s Ramon’s magic that is the center attraction.

“What’s amazing is in its 139-year history, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey have never completely themed one of their circuses around magic,” Ramon said. “This is the first time in history, and I’m the very first magician to be the star of the show. So it’s quite an honor to be a part of American tradition.”

Ramon says he’s not taking lightly the notion of bringing magic into the lives of kids and families across the nation. More so, you get the feeling the magician — who, remember, never saw a circus as a child — is providing the show that he would have loved to have seen decades ago.

“Some of these kids are seeing magic for the very first time,” Ramon said. “When you talk to adults they can remember one of the first magic tricks they saw or they knew a card trick or got a magic kit as a kid, so that first experience leaves an indelible memory in their mind. And for me to be able to do that on this level is cool because who knows, maybe 10 years from now a teenager will come up to me and say I saw your ‘Zing Zang Zoom’ [show]. To me that would be the ultimate.”

You know what would be the ultimate to Northeast Ohioans who are currently suffering through the throes of winter? How about if Ramon used his talents meteorologically speaking to bring us sunny skies and warm weather?

“That’s more of a miracle than magic,” Ramon laughed. “So, I don’t know.”