IncrediBello! at the Historic Asolo Theater
Sarasota is a renowned circus town: John and Mable Ringling gave us the beautiful Ringling Museum with the Ca’ d’Zan, we have Circus Sarasota, Sarasota is home to Nik Wallenda who famously crossed the Grand Canyon on a skywire tightrope, and it’s the birthplace of 7th generation performer, Bello Nock, who has been named “America’s Best Clown” by Time.
We’d seen Sarasota native Bello Nock perform live before and had recently watched him on America’s Got Talent. We wanted to see his antics again in person so we bought tickets for the whole family to see his IncrediBello! show at the historic Asolo Theater.
And I’m so glad we did!
This beautiful 18th century intimate theater has a capacity of just around 300 people and all ages were drawn to this show. I had the pleasure of sitting next to a lovely woman who told me that she was taking several of her nine great grandchildren to see the show. She seemed to be such a positive, energetic and grateful woman. There was also a summer camp group from The Circus Arts Conservatory there. It was a delight to hear all the laughter and ooohs and aaahs and occasional hilariously loud question or commentary from the excited little ones.
Image: Feld Entertainment
The performance highlights the trademark comedic daredevil antics of Bello Nock, but we also got to see Bello’s daughter and Guinness World Record holder, Annaliese Nock, on the high wire and circus artist Paul Daniels who was masterful on the German wheel (especially considering the relatively small size of the stage!). The show’s punny host is former ringmaster David Shipman.
The show features some magic and illusion that will leave audience members scratching their heads alongside clownish comedy that had everyone smiling and daredevil stunts that make your heart beat a little faster. There were times I wasn’t sure whether to applaud or just hold my breath. It also shares a heartfelt message of connectedness.
You can catch IncrediBello! until July 29th from Tuesday through Friday at 11AM and 2PM and Saturdays at 2PM and 5PM. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for children up to age 12. We easily ordered our tickets online at ringling.org but you can also purchase tickets by calling (941) 360-7399. The show lasts about an hour, then you can meet Bello and his crew in the lobby for photos afterwards.
Additionally, admission to the Circus Museum is only $5 when you present your IncrediBello! ticket so if you haven’t explored that yet, this is a great time to check it out. The Circus Museum is free for children ages 5 and under. And of course, the Ringling grounds are always free so we enjoyed some time at the beautiful Bolger Play Space, lunch at The Banyan Café, and a stroll through Mable Ringling’s gorgeous Rose Garden. A wonderful day of summer family fun!
If you missed Bello Nock on America’s Got Talent, here’s his hair-raising audition:
