Everyone loves a circus and everyone who lives in Sarasota loves Circus Arts Conservatory–especially these key players who were involved from the very early days, ensuring that the show must go on for generations–thanks to their involvement. As CAC celebrates its 25th anniversary, Phyllis Siskel, Andy Carlson and Barb Tye met with us to share their memories of the past, observations of today and hopes for the future. Phyllis Siskel, 79 years young, is originally from Maryland. She has lived in Sarasota for 52 years and has a passion for the circus and volunteering. Andy Carlson was born and raised in Sarasota. He is the president of Arne Carlson Insurance Agency, Inc., a firm started by his father in 1947. He’s always been a big fan and supporter of the circus. Barb Tye is on the board of directors of the Circus Arts Conservatory. She volunteers for different aspects of the organization, with strong involvement in the yearly gala celebrations.  

How and when did you first get involved with Circus Arts Conservatory?  PHYLLIS SISKEL: Many years ago, I was reading about volunteer opportunities, and ushering was one of them. I volunteered as an usher at the circus in 2010 and each year, I ushered for more and more performances because I enjoyed it so much. I just love being under the big top and now I usher at Sailor Circus, which is heartwarming. ANDY CARLSON:  I’ve always loved the circus but when our kids got involved with Sailor Circus, I met Pedro. And back then Pedro had this dream to start a professional circus. So I helped in the early organizational stages of that by finding an attorney, helping with the accountant, putting bylaws together, that sort of thing. I also helped them set up a foundation. It’s kind of interesting how it merged from Sailor Circus to Circus Sarasota, to Circus Arts Conservatory. I was with Circus Sarasota and its beginning days about 27 years ago. Pedro and I worked together but in my support of him, I was providing him with the opportunity to put his dream and his plan together. BARB TYE:  I saw a performance for the first time in 2002 and loved it. From then on, I volunteered to help whenever I could. I’m especially passionate about the kids. The first time I ever heard graduating seniors speak, I was struck by their maturity and how they’ve learned leadership skills and to work together in teams. I was just really impressed by everything these graduating seniors had to say. It’s hard to watch the performances and realize that they’re kids, they’re so professional. 

How has the organization grown and changed over the years?  SISKEL: Everyone has such great enthusiasm and supports the mission so well. They also have overcome so many obstacles over the years and they’ve come through so well. CARLSON: Early Sailor Circus was a high school program and they did performances on the football field. And then they got a tent. And then they got a permanent building. And then they started adding performances and they bringing in circus professionals to help coach the kids. And that’s how Dolly and Pedro came in. Dolly and Pedro wanted to form their own circus which they did with Circus Sarasota. And then when Sailor Circus had some organizational issues where they needed to go beyond where they had been, Pedro and Dolly were there to help, to take that responsibility and grow Sailor Circus and transition it along with Circus Arts Conservatory to blend them. So a private enterprise and a public enterprise have merged together for the benefit of the kids of Sarasota. TYE: Our programs have just expanded so much. Our outreach not only extends to children, but to the elderly and care facilities. We teach science to kids through circus arts in Sarasota and Manatee counties, and then, once a year, all these kids come together to show what they’ve learned in terms of science and engineering feats that you can perform through circus arts which is really quite incredible. The circus program has grown by leaps and bounds and Sailor Circus is the oldest performing youth circus in the country and that whole program has grown, too. And we now have magnet schools where kids get credit for performing in the Sailor Circus. Recently, we did a four million dollar renovation at the Sailor Circus Arena. So we finally have air conditioning and now we’re on to our next phase, where we are redoing the entire entrance to the Sailor Circus Arena–that’s our next fundraising campaign. We want to be the finest performing circus in the world. 

What was your first impression of Pedro and Dolly?  SISKEL: I have a thank you card from them for a donation I made in 2005 but I think I really met them when I signed up to usher. Their enthusiasm was incredible and I thought they were just shining stars. It’s been fantastic to watch their passion for the organization–it’s been such a great ride. CARLSON: Pedro has always been energetic, focused, very interested in learning, always absorbing and willing to take risks in order to accomplish his vision. Dolly has always been the support and partner with the two of them doing it together. Pedro’s motivated and if there is a stumbling block, he’ll figure out how to knock the stumbling block down or go around it. He’s determined with lots of self-sacrifice, lots of giving up of personal time and space in order to support the kids. TYE: Both Pedro and Dolly are beyond passionate for the circus and the performances. They put their heart and soul into Circus Sarasota which is now Circus Arts Conservatory and they started in their garage 25 years ago. Their passion, their energy and everything they do shows how they feel about and love the circus and want to keep the legacy of the circus alive. Also, Dolly won the National Endowment of the Arts Award in 2015, which is the highest award given in performance artistry–no circus person has ever been given that award before.

Can you share a favorite memory?  SISKEL: Everything is a great memory. I sponsored an event through the Community Foundation that was done at the big top. I had sponsored the popcorn and I remember that they had to delay the start of the show because the line for a box of popcorn was so long. That was a very fond memory for me.  Also, watching Emma Clarke,  the daughter of CAC managing director Jennifer Mitchell through the years at Sailor Circus has been a delight. CARLSON: In the very early days, we worked out of Pedro and Dolly’s garage on card tables, trying to put a performance together. And the first year, when we set up the tent on Fruitville Road, it was an empty lot. It rained and it was muddy and Pedro was trying to attract people to come and visit. So on the rainiest, stormiest day I think we’ve had in a long time, Pedro climbed one of the king poles. At the top of the pole, the header is about a foot square and he was standing 50 feet in the air with high winds and rain performing for WWSB so he could get visual recognition in the community to encourage people to come to visit his fine performance. TYE: The first time I was asked to be on the gala committee, I was new to Sarasota as a full-time resident and I really didn’t have any resources here. Somehow I was co-chair of the gala. I ended up calling on resources I had in North Carolina where I lived and made it work!

What are you most excited about for the future of the organization?  SISKEL: I’m excited for their growth, the added programs and seeing them reach their goals. And of course, helping in any way I could. I’m also excited to see what they continue to do for so many young people’s futures. CARLSON: Part of my interest has always been in employment opportunities for kids beyond a college education. The circus is like a theater. It’s an entertainment enterprise and everything that happens within the front of the house and back of the house–the entertainers, the business management, the foundation management–all of those are employment opportunities. And I’ve always hoped that we would be able to partner with educational institutions in order to train kids for other employment opportunities which some kids have been very successful at doing. Circus Arts Conservatory is becoming, if it’s not already, the leading youth circus provider in the country. The quality of the coaches, the quality of the trainers, the dedication, and the requirement for discipline and interactive behavior, is top notch. One of the neat things is the relationship of the elementary kids to the senior high school kids and to the professional performers. It’s like a weave into one big family. TYE: Just the way we’re growing and our reputation. John Ringling came to Sarasota in 1927 and brought the Ringling Brothers Circus here and we’re just keeping that legacy alive. I was on the scholarship committee for a while and the letters that the kids wrote about how they didn’t really have a place to fit in but then they joined Sailor Circus and it changed everything for them–their lives and abilities in general–it’s amazing. They now have team spirit and know how to work with other people with confidence. They start in fourth grade and go through senior year and so they’re performing before thousands of people with the confidence and the talent and everything they’ve learned. It’s wonderful.