Pensacola has no shortage of reasons to visit in the fall, but this year, PenArts is giving audiences something a little more unique to step into.
As part of the Foo Foo Festival, PenArts will bring SIDE SHOW to The Gordon October 30 through November 8, with performances on October 30, November 1, and November 3-8. The musical, by Bill Russell and Henry Krieger, tells the true story of Daisy and Violet Hilton, conjoined twins who were sold to an American sideshow in the early 1900s before eventually rising to vaudeville fame alongside other intriguing performers.
For PenArts Artistic Director Christine Kellogg, the story offers the just-the-right combination of spectacle, heart, and history. “We really wanted something festive and fun,” she says. “We feel so blessed to have received a Foo Foo grant, which is allowing us to pull this off.”
That spirit will extend well beyond the stage. The production will transform The Gordon into a gritty, circus-inspired sideshow, with décor and characters drawn from the musical’s early 20th century setting. Outside the theater, a free pre-show experience will invite festivalgoers into the world before they ever take their seats, with music, games, food, and drinks to create the feel of a sideshow in the street.
Less big-top spectacle and more rough-around-the-edges, the musical itself features characters such as the Bearded Lady, the Cannibal of the Jungle, and a man turned into a reptile, alongside the central story of Daisy and Violet. And then there’s the music—a soaring, contemporary musical theater score. “It’s truly a wonderful score,” Kellogg says. “Anyone familiar with musical theater will know several songs, but even if you don’t, they are easy to enjoy because they are beautiful and catchy.”
The production also reflects what PenArts has been building in Pensacola since its founding in 2017. The professional theater company produces major shows each year while maintaining an extensive outreach program that includes free open mics, youth talent and art shows, artist gatherings, and community events. Kellogg says Foo Foo Festival has been an important part of helping shine a light on that work—and on the depth of artistic talent in the city. “I think people know about the beaches, the Blue Angels, and the military history, but I don’t know that they are aware of the local talent and artistry,” she says. “Foo Foo does an amazing job of publicizing that.”
And that’s precisely where PenArts wants to be, Kellogg says: part of the conversation that brings more attention to Pensacola’s creative community and gives local artists another place to be seen, heard, and celebrated. For a company built around professional theater and community outreach, SIDE SHOW is another way to invite people into that world. “We’re big believers in the arts,” Kellogg says. “Song, spoken word, music, and live theater in particular bring people into a room and can bridge whatever perceived boundaries we may see between us. We want to encourage people to come, sit together, and experience together stories that are universal.”
For a few hours during Foo Foo Festival this year, SIDE SHOW will be doing just that.
Tickets can be purchased at penarts.org.
