‘Absinthe’ high-wire artist Lijana Wallenda survives 30-foot fall
In circus culture, the term “death defying” is taken literally. Sometimes death is actually defied.
This was proven once more Wednesday as a team of eight high-wire artists, including “Absinthe” high-wire coach and performer Lijana Wallenda, survived a fall of about 30 feet during rehearsals for Circus Sarasota in Florida.
Wallenda, a highly regarded member of the close-knit “Absinthe” production, and her brother Nik are members of the famed Flying Wallendas circus family. Nik Wallenda was leading the act in Wednesday’s rehearsals but was not hurt.
Also injured was former “Absinthe” and “Zumanity” performer Andrew Adams, a member of the three-man “Frat Pack” wire team that has been coached by Lijana Wallenda since the show opened in the spring of 2011. Wallenda reportedly suffered a lacerated liver and fractures to her arm, leg and face. Adams suffered a broken pelvis and a broken foot. Their injuries are not considered life-threatening.
Spiegelworld founder Ross Mollison said Wallenda was “doing well. She has a few operations to sort out her injuries and they expect she will recover fully.” He added that Adams was “in great spirits.”
Dr. Alan Brockhurst, medical director of Sarasota Memorial Hospital’s trauma center, said, “They’re extremely lucky, given the height of the fall, that they survived.”YT VID
As is circus tradition, no net was used during this rehearsal on a wire stretched 28 feet high. In the eight-person act, four artists walk on the lower level wire and suspend four others on their shoulders. At the top are two performers, one carrying another on his or her shoulders. In Wednesday’s lineup, Lijana Wallenda was at the front position on the second level.
Nik Wallenda and his cousin, Blake, prevented falling by grabbing the wire. In a news conference Thursday from outside the Circus Sarasota tent, Wallenda said, “We don’t know yet what happened … I got to my sister, I consoled her until the EMTs showed up. She counted to 20, said her ABCs, and told me her date of birth. She was completely coherent on the way to the hospital.”
Nik Wallenda recalled losing two uncles, with another left paralyzed, in a similar high-wire incident at the State Fair Coliseum in Detroit. In 1978, one of the Flying Wallenda founders, Karl, died in a fall from a wire between the Condado Plaza Hotel towers in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Even after the Wednesday’s accident, the circus in Sarasota continued – and Nik Wallenda was scheduled to perform on the wire Thursday night. He and his sister have performed a number of high-profile stunts, including a walk at 100 feet high over Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2012.
“Three words I believe: Never give up,” he said. “This is the reality of what we choose to do. It’s where our passion is.”
OUR MAN BOB
Famed costume designer Bob Mackie was spotted at Park Theater on Wednesday night just prior to Cher’s opening-night performance. Long the designer of Cher’s stage attire, Mackie said it was the first Las Vegas show he’s attended in about a year.
“My last show?” he asked rhetorically. “Jubilee.” Mackie, who along with Pete Menefee designed the dripping-with-Swarovski costumes in that legendary production.
Mackie was a VIP invitee to Jubilee Theater at Bally’s on that show’s closing night, Feb. 11, 2016. At the time, he said Las Vegas would never see another showgirl production of that scale. So far, he’s right. That theater has been dark ever since “Jubilee” shut down after a 34-year run.
THE CHER NUMBERS
On the topic of what Cher wears: She has trimmed her costume changes from 13 during her run at the Colosseum in 2009 to nine at the Park. Holdovers include: The full-length Native American-themed costume, complete with a floor-length headdress (which she debuted on tour in 1973), the leather vest and rainbow-colored bell-bottoms (from 1967, for “The Beat Goes On,”), and the fishnet-and-leather body suit from her “Turn Back Time” video.
THE BRITNEY NUMBERS
According to a Forbes story this week, Britney Spears’ “Piece of Me” production at Axis Theater at Planet Hollywood has grossed more than $100 million (a little more than $103 million) through its first 200 shows. Her average attendance at Axis theater is about at the venue’s 3,500 capacity. She is expected to extend her contract at the venue through 2019, talks that Spears’ manager, Larry Rudolph, says talks are “going slow, but not in a bad way.”
GUALANDI UPDATE
Stacey Gualandi, originally a member of the lineup for the new entertainment-lifestyle show “Las Vegas Now” on KLAS-TV, Channel 8, says the decision to leave the program was hers. By the time the show debuted Monday, Gualandi was no longer among the anchors. In a statement, she said: “I had different expectations for the show and when I saw they weren’t materializing I made a very difficult decision to resign. Everyone I worked with are fantastic professional people and I wish them all of the best.”
Gualandi says she intends to stay in town and continue freelance entertainment coverage. She has previously worked as a writer, producer and reporter for “Entertainment Tonight,” “Inside Edition” and “The Insider.” The remaining anchors are broadcast vets Kendall Tenney, Mercedes Martinez and Lindsey Simon.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section, and Fridays in Neon. He also hosts “Kats! On The Radio” Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on KUNV 91.5-FM and appears Wednesdays at 11 a.m. with Dayna Roselli on KTNV Channel 13. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.