State College, PA, Penn State and Happy Valley Events Calendar

The magic of the circus pays homage to Anton Chekhov in a show of visions, delicate equilibriums, dancers, acrobats, and jugglers. Donka is the creation of Daniele Finzi Pasca, author of unforgettable productions with Cirque Éloize and Cirque du Soleil. Finzi Pasca immerses himself in Chekhov’s public and private writings to give form to the author’s enigmatic silences. Donka, in Russian, is a small bell attached to a fishing rod. Chekhov adored fishing and the time for meditation it afforded. Finzi Pasca, inspired by Chekhov’s pastime, fishes in a pool of circus fantasy to give life to a visual poem of suspended objects and bodies. An international cast of decadent clowns, musicians, dancers, and acrobats animates the stage, while Maria Bonzanigo’s music spreads beneath like a carpet for a parade of Chekhov characters.

Performance starts at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 7 in Eisenhower Auditorium.