Bello realizes his dream to perform at the Historic Asolo Theater

Bello Nock has performed all over the world. There’s one stage he’s always longed to play, but he’s never had the chance.

The stage is at the Historic Asolo Theater in Sarasota, and Bello will get the chance to perform on it starting Tuesday.

“I travel all over the world entertaining people in all the different countries,” he said. “I rarely get the chance to play in the town where I was born, the place I call home. (The Historic Asolo Theater) is on my bucket list of places I’ve wanted to perform but thought I’d never have the chance to. This truly is an opportunity of a lifetime, to perform in this beautiful theater.”

Bello, one of the most famous circus performers in the world, known for his distinctive tower of orange hair, is the star of “IncrediBello,” a circus show that will run through July 29.

A few aspects of the show make it distinctive, Bello said.

First of all, it’s largely, but by no means entirely, built around Bello himself. He performs a gamut of circus acts, so audiences are never sure what he’s going to do next.

“You go to see David Copperfield, who is one of the greatest entertainers in the world, and you know you’re going to see magic. You go see Nik Wallenda, and you may see 30 acts first, but you know you’re going to see him walk the high wire,” Bello said.

In “IncrediBello,” Bello performs the comedic daredevil work that has made him famous, but he does it on stage, on the high-wire, on the trapeze and just about anywhere else he can.

“We make use of every square inch of the theater,” he said.

He’s not the only performer in the show, though. His daughter, Annaliese, who’s listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for performing the most somersaults inside a wheel of death in one minute, is also on the bill, as is singer David Shipman, a former Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey ringmaster.

One of Bello’s goals for the show was to present types acts that had never been seen on the Historic Asolo Theater stage, and he said that as far as he knows no one has ever performed high-wire and trapeze acts before.

Another distinctive feature of “IncrediBello” is that it’s co-produced by the Ringling Museum and by Feld Entertainment. Feld owns the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, which closed for good on May 21, so “IncrediBello” marks a quick return to the circus arts for Feld.

But what’s really important, he said, is that “IncrediBello” is a fast-paced, hour-long show that should thrill everyone who sees it.

“It’s not just a kids show,” Bello said. “People from all generations will be thrilled. It’s totally appropriate for that age group from 14-18 that thinks the circus isn’t cool. So grandparents, bring your grandkids, and kids, brings your grandparents.”

Details: June 13-July 29, Historic Asolo Theater, 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota. 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesday-Friday. 2 and 5 p.m. Saturday. $15 adults, $12 children 12 and under. 941-358-3180, ringling.org.

This story was originally published June 7, 2017 at 4:55 PM with the headline "Bello realizes his dream to perform at the Historic Asolo Theater."