A few days into the annual Week of the Family run by the San Carlos community, The Circus of Smiles visited the library to put on a show for all ages to come and enjoy. The library’s kids’ corner was packed from the front to the back with audience members eager to enjoy the performance. The promise of light-hearted humor through funny skits and acts brought the youth of the community together on an otherwise gloomy day.
Laughter could be heard loud and clear throughout the entire San Carlos Library on Sunday, Jan. 20 because of the Gravity Defying Circus. San Carlos’s family week had been spreading joy through free entertainment for the whole community since Saturday, Jan. 12. The Circus of Smiles was a quick weekend activity open to the entire public to brighten up people’s weeks after a rainy couple of days.
The short 45-minute act could be deemed a success from all the smiles it brought to the captive audience members. Not only did the children get a laugh from the comic skits performed by Andrew Quick and Tyler Parks, but the parents and adults were seen laughing and enjoying the show just as much as the little ones.
“The best part of performing is when people come up to us after to tell us that they actually thought it was funny,” Quick said. “Especially when it’s parents that came here thinking this would only be enjoyable for their children yet they end up getting a good laugh from it too.”
Through online advertisement and posters around public areas, parents from all around San Carlos were invited to this free performance.
“This performance was awesome,” said audience member and parent, Christina Hill. “It’s a bunch of free activities for little kids that are easy to attend, especially on rainy days like these.”
Andrew Quick and Tyler Parks, also known as Mr. Quick and Mr. Mustache, spent their performance juggling and dancing with props and interacting with the audience. They used bouncy balls that they pretended were their heads while performing a graceful duet with the incorporation of leaps and lifts. They showed their skills with juggling by involving three enthusiastic kids to stand in between while they juggled over their heads. The two performers were able to capture all the audience members with their light-hearted humor.
Another parent and audience member, Elizabeth Vieira, said, “It’s fun to have everyone come together to have a big laugh. My daughter was laughing her head off the entire time and it’s also a great way to meet new people.”
The creators of Circus of Smiles, Mr. Quick and Mr. Mustache, came up with the idea of this circus from their inner desire to spread happiness and laughter. Over the years they have branched out to many other libraries, taking their show from city to city.
“I studied theater in college and just fell in love with physical comedy,” Quick said. “There’s no better career for me than this. I truly believe that laughter is the best medicine.”
