“I’ve been super excited to be a part of this show and take part in the magic that is Paranormal Cirque.”
That’s from Sandra Kalista, also known as The Amazing Zilla.
She is one of the performers with Cirque Italia’s Paranormal Cirque, set to wow Lethbridge audiences with shows under the big top until June 2 on the grounds outside the Agri-food Hub and Trade Centre.
Kalista says this is her first year with Cirque Italia, having joined the troupe in January. She brings a blend of comedy, suspense, and sword swallowing to the table.
However, she has been a circus sideshow entertainer for over 21 years and has been honing her craft for almost three decades. Kalista explains that she was first immersed in the art form after her older brother was diagnosed with cancer and was receiving treatment at a hospital near their home in Florida.
“I found out that I was excellent at improv as well as observational humour, so I started doing clown [work] and stand-up comedy for the kids and the young adults there at the hospital,” she says, adding she learned how to do other ‘party tricks’ like feats of strength.
This led to her getting booked for one-off performances before starting to perform with circus sideshows in her early 20s.
Cirque Italia found Kalista through her social media channels, and after what she calls a “fantastic interview process”, she officially joined the troupe for its Paranormal Cirque, which blends elements of horror with the acrobatics and showmanship of the circus.
She adds that one aspect she truly appreciates with this show is the strong female representation. “I have never seen such strong female representation on stage,” Kalista says, adding that, “The majority of our thrill and danger acts are actually led by these amazing, gorgeous, strong and talented women.”
“It’s a whole different experience. When I usually go to the circus, it’s mostly men or usually a 50-50 split depending on acro, aerial, yoga, that kind of stuff, but this is more women-dominated, where they are able to express different aspects of their art and other characters that aren’t as normally highlighted in horror situations like movies, plays [or] theatrics, so the fact that we’re doing this in circus form is even more fun for me, and it’s like we get to express different levels of our artistic art form and I couldn’t be more excited for everybody here in Lethbridge to see it.”
Kalista noted that representation on all levels is an important aspect of the circus. “I am a plus-sized entertainer,” she says.
“A lot of people don’t expect to see a size 16 be able to be as strong or as athletic or high-energy as I am, so for people to be able to see that kind of plus-sized representation across the board – being able to be smart, funny, talented, witty [and] energetic – and we have all different kinds of body types on the cast, male and female as well as those in between that choose not to disclose, so it’s fantastic to see everybody being able to live their true authentic selves here with the circus and people get to experience that in this theatrical, immersive event.”
Kalista says audience members who attended the troupe’s performance in 2024 in Lethbridge can expect a few new characters and acts for 2025.
For anyone who is thinking of a career in the circus or performing arts, Kalista says, “Be focused, stay calm and collected, and maintain your discipline”.
You can check out some of Kalista’s work on her Instagram page.
She adds that the Paranormal Cirque is geared toward a mature audience, so those under the age of 13 are not permitted to attend. Children aged 13 to 17 can check out the performance but must be accompanied by an adult who is 21 or older.
More information about the Paranormal Cirque is available at the show website, Instagram page, and on Facebook.
