Giovanni Zoppe tried life outside of the family business. The charismatic circus entertainer briefly built trusses for homes.
“I did that for three weeks and I decided I couldn’t do it anymore,” Zoppe said. “It was boring. It was so monotonous. I was doing the same thing every day. I needed something else.”
The Zoppe Family Circus welcomed its son back with open arms in a familiar line of work. Zoppe’s family has been part of the circus for nearly two centuries.
Zoppe books talent and is the show's director, which is slated for Friday, Jan. 10, through Sunday, Jan. 26 at the Mercado.
“Giovanni is the creative mind behind the show,” said his wife, Jeanette Prince-Zoppe. “I provide as much support as possible.”
Zoppe, 58, is a sixth-generation showman. Founded in 1842, the Zoppe Family Circus started 30 years before P.T. Barnum began touring behind what the legendary entrepreneur dubbed “the Greatest Show on Earth.”
“There is so much history behind our circus,” Zoppe said. “There is nothing like it. That goes back to how it all started.”
A French clown and a Hungarian ballerina came up with the Zoppe concept after meeting on the streets of Budapest. The couple fell in love and started a family and a circus that has survived world wars and pandemics.
“It has lasted so long since it’s such a wonderful experience,” Zoppe said while calling from Ventura, California. “Our circus is a feel-good experience.”
The experience continues with 3-year-old Ilario Zoppe. The charismatic child follows in the footsteps of his father, Giovanni, as the Zoppe clown Nino, while his mother, Prince, watches with pride.
“I’m the circus mama,” Prince said. “I’m so glad that I met Giovanni because I didn’t have this as a child. I come from a ‘normal life.’ I went to school and college and had a regular job."
The University of Oklahoma alum, who has a degree in early childhood education, has co-produced Ilario and the Zoppe Circus production. “It’s such an amazing experience being part of this every day,” Prince said. “You can’t help but feel like a kid.”
The mother of four children loves working under the big top but this isn’t a massive Ringling production. The Zoppe show is a one-ring event with old-world Italian flavor.
“Our circus has a very rich history and it feels like Italy,” Zoppe said. “When you arrive, you see a musician playing the accordion up front. It’s all reminiscent of what the circus was like 100 years ago.”
Nino the clown is the star, and the circus is propelled by a central story instead of individual acts. Acrobatic feats, equestrian showmanship, canine capers and clowning are some of the attractions.
“The biggest challenge is getting people to come out to the show, but once they come to the show, they come back,” Zoppe said. “People come back because they see how much joy we bring. I enjoy the challenge.”
Zoppe likes to add new wrinkles, such as a horse act, which features a performer doing somersaults from one animal to another. “We’re all horse people,” Zoppe said. “That’s the way it’s always been in my family.”
The family affair extends to Prince-Zoppe’s elder children, Audrey, 14, who is part of the horse act and 10-year-old Jasper.
“Like a lot of 10-year-olds, Jasper has a lot of talent,” Prince said. “But, he isn’t using all of his potential yet. Jasper helps me at the box office and he’s my runner when I need something done.
“We do what we have to do at the circus and we do it together. It's the greatest life and I can see why Giovanni’s family has kept the circus alive for so many years. Every day it’s fun whether you’re in the audience or working the show. It’s always a good time at the circus.”
Zoppe Family Circus
WHEN: Various times Friday, Jan. 10, to Sunday, Jan. 26
WHERE: Mercado District, South Avenida Del Convento, Tucson
PRICE: Tickets start at $25
INFO: mercadodistrict.com
