MANVILLE: Firemen bringing big top to town

By Eileen Oldfield, Staff Writer
   Don’t send in the clowns — they, and the elephants, high-wire artists and acrobats will already be at Gerber Field on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, when the Cole Brothers Circus sets up its big top for a fundraiser benefiting Manville Volunteer Fire Company No. 1.
   ”My wife has a friend in South Plainfield who hired the same circus, and said it would be a great show and a great opportunity,” said Ray Walsh, “chairman of the circus” and lifelong Fire Company No. 1 member. “There’s obviously stuff we need to do to get this together, and everybody has been really helpful.”
   The circus will perform two shows each day, one at 4:30 p.m. and an evening show at 7:30, Mr. Walsh said. Advance ticket sales began this week, though tickets will be available at the show.
   ”It’s a good opportunity for our community to have a circus in our town,” Mr. Walsh said. “I’ve been told it’s the largest three-ring circus in the country.”
   Advance tickets can be purchased at Frank’s Pizza on North Main Street and Ted’s Market on Kennedy Boulevard, during each business’s regular hours. Tickets also can be purchased from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Fire Company No. 1’s South Third Avenue firehouse.
   To help make the circus successful, Mr. Walsh said Cole Brothers is handling most of the work, including set-up and publicity.
   ”They’re doing a lot of promotional things,” Mr. Walsh said. “They’re doing most of the work — they’re setting up the tents and all the amusements are taken care of. The firehouse is there mostly to help out.”
   In addition, Mr. Walsh said Manville Mayor Lillian Zuza agreed to serve as honorary ringmaster at the 7:30 Aug. 31 show.
   ”I’m excited about it,” Mayor Zuza said. “I’m very happy we are bringing some good stuff to Manville.”
   But a real draw for the circus is bringing the big top to a small town.
   ”We brought the circus to you,” Mr. Walsh said. “You don’t have to go to the circus. If you see something, it’s usually in the city or the Meadowlands, and it’s a lot of heavy traffic.”