Today we’d like to introduce you to Madeline Falley.
Hi Madeline , we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Growing up, I started taking recreational circus classes right here in Kansas City. When it came time to choose a college, I realized I didn’t want circus to just be something I did after school. I wanted to see how far I could take it. So instead of following a traditional college path, I began training professionally and was eventually accepted into a contemporary circus college in Philadelphia.
People are often surprised to learn circus college is a real thing! In fact, there are several professional circus schools in the United States and even more around the world. My days looked a little different than most college students’. They were spent training circus disciplines, studying physical theatre, creating original performances and yes, there was a lot of juggling.
Juggling definitely didn’t come naturally to me, but it reinforced one of the biggest lessons I’ve carried throughout my career. It’s okay to be bad at something the first time you try it, or even the second or third. If you’re willing to keep learning and try again, you’ll often surprise yourself with what’s possible. These days, I not only get to juggle professionally, but I also get to teach my family and friends a few juggling skills whenever I see them.
After my first year in the program, I chose to major in tightwire walking and graduated in 2021 with a diploma in circus arts. I graduated into an entertainment industry that was still recovering from COVID-19, but I was fortunate to find work performing at the St. Louis Renaissance Festival, where I created my first solo show, Haywire Circus.
Since then, Haywire Circus has grown into a duo show that audiences can now see at the Kansas City Renaissance Festival. As my career evolved, I realized there were many ways to build a career in circus beyond performing. I found that I loved developing creative concepts, working with clients to imagine how circus could become part of their event, and helping create opportunities for other circus artists. Around the same time, I also began navigating some ongoing health challenges that made me think differently about what a long term performance career would look like. Rather than stepping away from circus, I decided to build a business that would allow me to remain part of the industry I love in a new way.
That decision became Haywire Entertainment. Today, we provide professional circus entertainment for events throughout the Kansas City metro. Every event is another chance to show people that circus isn’t just something you watch under a big top. It’s an art form that can be adapted, shared, and experienced almost anywhere.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but I think that’s true of anything worth building.
One conversation that came up often in circus school was career longevity. Circus is a physically demanding profession, and everyone eventually has to think about what comes next. I always hoped that conversation was decades away for me. Instead, a series of injuries, surgery, and chronic health challenges forced me to think about it much sooner than I expected.
Starting Haywire Entertainment wasn’t about stepping away from performing. It was about making sure circus could remain part of my life for years to come. I had imagined spending much longer as a full time performer, and there’s still a part of me that wishes that had been possible.
But building this company has shown me there are so many meaningful ways to contribute to the circus world beyond being the person on stage. I still love performing, but I’ve also discovered how much I love bringing artists, clients, and ideas together to create something none of us could have created alone. It reminds me of my time in circus school, when some of the best moments came from putting a group of creative people in a room and seeing what they could build together.
Another challenge has been helping people see the full range of what circus can be. We’re often considered when someone is planning a traditional circus themed event (think red and white stripes, circus tents, and popcorn), and we absolutely love those opportunities. At the same time, circus is such a versatile performance art that can be interpreted in countless other ways. One of my favorite parts of the creative process is working with clients to discover how circus can best support the atmosphere they’re trying to create. Those conversations are where the creative process really begins, and they’re often just as rewarding as the performance itself.
Looking back, I wouldn’t change the path I’ve taken. It may not have been the career I originally imagined, but it’s become one I’m incredibly proud of. Every challenge has shaped both me and the business, and I’m excited to introduce more people to everything this art form can be.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Haywire Entertainment provides professional circus entertainment for events throughout the Kansas City metro. We’re most often found at corporate events, fundraisers, municipal celebrations, and festivals. We specialize in stilt walking and juggling, but we work with a wide variety of professional circus artists.
Depending on the event, our performers may provide roaming and ambient entertainment or shorter choreographed acts. Sometimes that means stilt walkers welcoming guests as they arrive. Other times it might be jugglers weaving through a cocktail hour, aerialists performing overhead, contortionists creating elegant living sculptures, or guests learning circus skills for themselves. No two events are ever the same. Every project is its own creative puzzle, and finding the right solution is one of our favorite parts of the process.
Every project starts with a conversation about the experience the client wants to create for their guests. From there, we carefully match performers, develop creative concepts, and choose, design, or customize costuming so that each detail supports that vision. If what you’re envisioning doesn’t already exist, we’ll often design or build custom costumes, props, and other creative elements to bring that vision to life. By the time the performers step on stage, the entertainment should feel like a natural extension of the event itself.
We don’t just bring circus to events. We discover how circus can become part of the story each event is already trying to tell.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
People are often surprised to learn that I’m actually quite introverted. The energetic, outgoing version of me that people see at events is very real, but it’s usually my work mode, and I need quiet time to recharge afterward. Sprinkle some chronic fatigue on top of that, and I’m basically a hobbit.
Outside of performances and events, I’m happiest spending a quiet day at home with a good book, working on whatever creative project has captured my attention (right now it’s stamp carving, mostly woodland animals doing circus), or enjoying time with the people closest to me.
They’re both genuine parts of who I am. They just tend to show up at different times. One just happens to wear stilts more often than the other.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.haywirecircus.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haywirecircus/
