Inside the world’s most accessible circus at Toronto’s CNE | Canada Voices

Omnium Circus is widely considered one of the world’s most accessible stage shows. This week, its flagship act I’M POSSIBLE is on at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto.

With access accommodations built into the performance and several disabled entertainers championed on each bill, the show is a celebration of access culture and a space where audiences with disabilities are both welcomed and encouraged.

“Our access is integral to the production, as opposed to a retrofitted afterthought,” said Lisa B. Lewis, the Omnium founder. To make I’M POSSIBLE accessible to all audience members, the circus features sensory-first design (think house lights on at a low level), ASL translation, audio description devices and captioning when available.

On a practical level, that allows patrons with disabilities to engage with the show in a setting that feels more comfortable than a traditional circus. The venue and the entertainers can also introduce the concept of accessible performance to people who may not have engaged with it before.

“What Omnium does is different because we focus on the things that unite all of us and the human spirit that we all share, rather than focusing on just physical things that make us different,” said Ms. Lewis.

Attendees can expect acrobatics, music, and a few whimsical surprises at the show. Headlining the performances in Toronto is deaf ringmaster Malik Paris. Before joining the circus, Mr. Paris had worked as an actor and performance artist, but Omnium was a new opportunity to share his talents.

“This is the first time I’ve ever been in a leading role in a performance piece, especially one that tours all over,” Mr. Paris told The Globe via e-mail.

“Even though I am the first Deaf ringmaster, it doesn’t feel like a ‘first,’ it feels like a ‘finally.’ I’ve been here the whole time, but now, finally, I’m able to show the world what Deaf performers like me can do.”

Since its first live show in 2021, the organization has performed for more than 143,000 spectators across the United States.

The Canadian debut features one local performer, juggler and free-standing ladder acrobat: Abebe Erigete. While Mr. Erigete does not have a disability, the Omnium team believes his talent and story speak to the overall values of the company.

“Abebe trained in circus arts in Ethiopia, and has performed all over the world. One of his goals is to create a circus and dance show exploring the struggles of migration,” said Dan Lyon, the show’s Canadian producer and a trustee with the Circus Historical Society. “Abebe fits perfectly with the ethos of Omnium, which celebrates the achievements of talented people from all backgrounds.”

The feedback from patrons, both with and without disabilities, has been overwhelmingly positive, Ms. Lewis and Mr. Paris said.

They’ve received numerous letters from parents expressing thanks for the show, sharing stories about how Omnium has offered a safe environment for their kids to engage with new artistic practices and encouraging them to think differently about disability in general.

“In the middle of the circus, after seeing one of our artists flip his wheelchair over his head, a young [wheelchair user] screamed out, ‘Mom, I told you I could do more than the doctor said I could!’” said Ms. Lewis.

That kind of response is a major reason why the creative team wanted to make a different kind of circus. It’s a magical environment where people can open their minds to new ideas.

“[Omnium] allows audiences to experience the circus in a way that meets them where they are, which is so neat,” wrote Mr. Paris.

“And for many kids and families, this may be their first exposure to ASL, as well as a fully bilingual show like this. That kind of representation is much-needed across the entertainment industry.”