1. REAL-LIFE AFRICAN AMERICAN COWBOY TO PERORM DURING THE GREATEST SHOW
ON EARTH AT THE WACHOVIA CENTER DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH
RINGLING BROS. AND BARNUM & BAILEY TO PERFORM AT WACHOVIA CENTER
FEBRUARY 24 THROUGH 28
Real-life African American cowboy and rodeo star Andre McClain, will perform during the 140th Edition
of The Greatest Show on Earth into Philadelphia during Black History Month for a limited engagement at
the Wachovia Center from Wednesday, February 24 through Sunday, February 28
A descendant from a long and distinguished African American cowboy heritage, McClain will showcase
his many talents during Barnum’s FUNundrum!SM
, a production that celebrates the extraordinary legacy of
the greatest showman on earth!
Raised on a ranch in Kansas City, Missouri McClain, followed in the foot steps of his father Lu, and
developed a passion at the early age of five for riding bucking ponies and steers. His father founded
America’s first all-black touring rodeo, the Bill Pickett Rodeo show in 1984. A few years later, McClain
made his competitive riding debut at just seven-years-old.
McClain proudly carried his cowboy heritage with him as he grew up; riding his horse to high school
everyday and “parking” him in the soccer fields. McClain later developed a passion for music and enrolled
in the University of Missouri, Kansas City as a vocal music major. However, he later changed it and
received a degree in Business Management in 2000.
After graduating, McClain joined the International Professional Rodeo Association and continued to
compete in the rodeo circuit. He taught himself a variety of “Wild West Arts” and decided to take his one-
man show on the road with his father’s rodeo. In 2002, Andre visited the 132nd
Edition of Ringling Bros.
and Barnum & Bailey to learn a new stilt routine he was considering adding to enhance his own act. After
the show, McClain chatted with some of the clowns who had used stilts in their acts; his strong background
in animal training caught the attention of the performers. In a twist of fate, he was offered a job working
with the show’s exotic animal staff.
When the tour ended, McClain decided to audition his one-man act for Ringling Bros. producer Kenneth
Feld. He landed the job, and became the host of the 133rd
Edition’s Three Ring Adventure now known as
the All Access Pre-show. McClain showcased his many talents by singing, performing rope tricks and
riding his horse Jonah. A crowd favorite, Andre and Jonah returned once again as host for the 135th
Edition,
where he also presented six camels during the show’s animal manage act.
The allure of the circus drew McClain back for the 140th
Edition, where he demonstrated his exceptional
training skills and the natural bond he possess with animals.
“I love the rodeo, but in the circus you get to interact with the audience,” McClain says. “I’m out there
with the people, I can tell how they’re feeling and that fives me more energy than anything else. That’s my
drive.”
Families of all ages are encouraged to hop aboard and go on an unbelievable excursion that brings together
performers and characters from exotic countries all over the world - even from places for which there are
no geographic borders. From the moment that audience members arrive, the momentum explodes as The
Greatest Show On Earth® comes to life in a way that can only be inspired by the greatest showman who
ever lived, PT Barnum.
Tickets starting as low as $10 are on sale now exclusively through ComcastTIX.com, 1-800-298-4200, and
at the Wachovia Center Box Office. A select number of VIP & Circus Celebrity seats are also available for
each performance. Group tickets are available by calling 215-389-9543.
2. Feld Entertainment, Inc. is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live entertainment
experiences that lift the human spirit and create indelible memories, with 30 million people in attendance at
its shows each year. Feld Entertainment's productions have appeared in more than 60 countries on six
continents to date and include Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®
, Feld Motor Sports, Disney On Ice
and Disney Live!.
Comcast-Spectacor (comcast-spectacor.com) is the Philadelphia-based sports and entertainment company
which owns the Philadelphia Flyers (NHL) and the Philadelphia 76ers (NBA), two arenas in South
Philadelphia, the Wachovia Center and Wachovia Spectrum, four Flyers Skate Zone community ice skating
and hockey rinks and Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia. In addition, Comcast-Spectacor is also the principal
owner of Global Spectrum, the fastest growing firm in the public assembly management field with more
than 80 facilities throughout the United States and Canada; Ovations Food Services, a food and beverage
service provider; New Era Tickets, a ticketing and marketing company for public assembly facilities; Front
Row Marketing Services, a commercial rights sales company; and 3601 Creative Group, a full-service in-
house advertising agency. In a partnership with Disson Skating, Comcast-Spectacor annually produces 10
nationally televised figure skating spectaculars on NBC.
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