The New Victory Theater Presents Bello Mania
Back With Even More Mania, Comic Daredevil
Bello Nock Returns to the New Vic April 15-May 1
New York, NY (March 24, 2016) – The world-renowned gravity-defying comic daredevil with the foot-high hair returns to The New Victory Theater in Bello Mania, now with even more derring-do! Bello Nock, named “America’s Best Clown” by TIME magazine, will loom over the audience on a 44-foot sway pole in one of his many eye-popping stunts. This revamped incarnation of Bello’s Drama Desk-nominated spectacular comes to the New Vic April 15 – May 1.
Bello Mania—the only circus of its kind appearing in Manhattan this spring—will feature aerial acts, mystifying magic and more, including awe-inducing crowd favorites like topsy-turvy tricks, high wire hijinks and, of course, audience participation! Bello Mania will also showcase the superb talents of Bello’s daughter, Annaliese Nock, who recently set an inspiring Guinness World Record when she completed four somersaults in the Wheel of Wonder over the course of one minute, making her the first female ever to successfully attempt this impressive feat.
Hailed for his physical and comedic prowess, Bello—whose repertoire includes virtually every major thrill act possible—redefines what it means to be a modern-day clown. “I have never been one to follow the norm. I don’t expect up-and-coming performers to do the crazy sort of stunts I do, but my hope is to inspire new generations to find what makes them unique and push the boundaries of what they can offer to this wonderful art form called the circus,” says Bello. An honorary New Yorker, Bello’s unique connection to the City is drawn from his long history as a circus performer, as well as his appearances in nail-biting stunts at popular New York City landmarks. Bello has hung by his toes from a helicopter flying over the Statue of Liberty, walked a high wire from the New York City Ballet to Avery Fisher Hall, rappelled off of Madison Square Garden and even ridden an elephant through the Midtown Tunnel.
Bello, who also designs and constructs all of his equipment, was featured in The New York Times for his one-of-a-kind thrill creation, The Double Wheel of Steel. Another one of Bello’s creations, the Aqua-trap, is in its seventh production at SeaWorld San Diego. Recently, Bello appeared on the Impractical Jokers Live Punishment anniversary special on TruTV, where he designed, rigged and trained the Jokers for their High Wire competition. Additionally, Bello writes, produces and directs. Most recently, he was a producer on Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Cheap Trick’s Dream Police Live. Nock was also creative director and talent provider for Universal Studios Japan’s Rainbow Circus, which won a Brass Ring Award in November 2013.
In Bello Mania, Bello and his daughter Annaliese Nock are joined on stage joined onstage by show host Dinny McGuire and performers Shawn Roth and Michael Karas. His wife, Jennifer, is the writer and director while David Miller is set designer, Guido Naus is musical director, Kay Torralva and Wriic’s Costume Arts designed the costumes and Steve Curtis is safety officer and technical director.
Learn more about Bello Mania on the New Victory website.
Public Performance Schedule: 17 performances
Friday, April 15, 7pm
Saturday, April 16, 11am & 4pm
Sunday, April 17, 11am & 4pm
Saturday, April 23, 11am & 4pm
Sunday, April 24, 11am & 4pm
Wednesday, April 27, 2pm
Thursday, April 28, 2pm
Friday, April 29, 2pm & 7pm
Saturday, April 30, 11am & 4pm
Sunday, May 1, 11am & 4pm
Bello Mania has a running time of 90 minutes including one intermission and is recommended for everyone ages 5 and up.
Ticket Information
Tickets for Bello Mania at The New Victory Theater (209 West 42nd Street) are $10, $13, $18 or $25 for Members based on seat locations, with full price tickets starting at $15. Tickets are available online (NewVictory.org) and by telephone (646.223.3010). The New Victory Theater box office (209 West 42nd Street) will be open Sunday and Monday from 11am-5pm and Tuesday through Saturday from 12pm-7pm.
Membership
Theatergoers who buy tickets for three or more New Victory shows qualify for free Membership benefits, including locked-in discount ticket prices, free unlimited exchanges (up to 48 hours in advance) and access to a first-look purchase period for newly added performances.
About Bello Nock
Born in Sarasota, Florida, Demetrius Alexandro Claudio Amadeus Bello Nock is one of the most honored modern day circus celebrities. He is featured in the 2013 edition of the Guinness World Book of Records for the first ever high wire walk over a cruise ship at sea. In 2011, he received the circus world’s highest honor, the Gold Clown (presented by Princess Stephanie of Monaco), at the Monte Carlo International Circus Festival. Bello was the Ringling Museum’s 2012 “Circus Celebrity of the Year,” and in 2009 was the youngest person ever inducted into the Circus Ring of Fame. He’s won the Silver Clown in Monte Carlo, the Gold Lion in Lausanne, Switzerland, and the Prix Special twice— in Grenoble, France, and again at the Daidogei World Cup Festival in Japan. Bello has also won the Walt Disney Award for Creative Entertainment. Bello spent several years with Big Apple Circus and stayed with the company for three seasons, leaving after his final tour, Bello and Friends. He wooed millions as a star of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Circus, becoming the only person in the company’s history to have a production named after him; Bellobration toured the U.S. from 2007-08.
About The New Victory Theater
This year, The New Victory celebrates its 20th Anniversary season of bringing kids to the arts and the arts to kids as New York City’s premier theater devoted to the highest quality performing arts for kids and families. Serving the community in all its diversity, The New Victory Theater on 42nd Street presents theater, dance, circus, opera and music from around the world at affordable ticket prices. In addition to its public performances, the New Vic is also the largest provider of live performance to NYC school kids, serving 40,000 youth through more than 200 schools, after school programs and day camps each year. The New Victory has been recognized for its contributions to the cultural landscape of the city. Awards include a National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award presented by the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities for the New Victory Usher Corps, which provides paid employment to approximately 50 NYC teens each year, the national Arts Education Award from Americans for the Arts and a Special Award from The Drama Desk for “providing enchanting, sophisticated children’s theater that appeals to the child in all of us, and for nurturing a love of theater in young people.”
About The New 42nd Street
Founded in 1990, The New 42nd Street is an independent nonprofit organization charged with the continuous cultural revival of 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues. Committed to the transformational power of the arts, The New 42nd Street builds on the foundation of seven historic theaters to make extraordinary performing arts and cultural engagement part of everyone’s life. The New 42nd Street fulfills this purpose by ensuring the ongoing vibrancy of 42nd Street’s historic theaters; maintaining and fully using the New 42nd Street Studios and The Duke on 42nd Street to support performing artists in the creation of their work; and through The New Victory Theater, New York’s premier theater for kids and families.
